An Adventure of Intergalactic Proportions! Sunita Williams’s story is one of having to settle for second choices. She grew up wishing to be a professional swimmer. Then she wanted to train as a vet. Instead she went on to join the Naval Academy and serve as a pilot. Before long, however, space was calling. A new dream was born in Sunita. But it wasn’t all cakewalk. The path to becoming an astronaut called for resilience, patience and grit. Sunita had all this and more. As record holder for the longest spaceflight by a woman (195 days), Sunita’s story inspires one to look anew at the world of space missions. And even more than inspiration, she makes life as an astronaut seem thrilling and fun. Anecdotal, informative and pacy, this unputdownable biography, of one of the most famous astronauts of contemporary times, is packed with exciting facts and unusual trivia.

On the life and times of Sunita Williams, b. 1965, United States Naval officer and a NASA astronaut.

Born into a conservative family in a provincial town, in Haryana, Kalpana Chawla dreamt of the stars. Through sheer hard work, indomitable intelligence and immense faith in herself, she became the first indian woman to travel into space, and most remarkably to travel twice. A shinning career was tragically cut short in the recent Columbia mishap. In this well researched biography, journalist Padmanabhan talks to people who knew her, family and friends at Karnal, and colleagues at Nasa, to produce a moving portrait of a woman whose life was unique.

In this revelatory and moving memoir, a former NASA astronaut and NFL wide receiver shares his personal journey from the gridiron to the stars, examining the intersecting roles of community, perseverance and grace that align to create the opportunities for success. Leland Melvin is the only person in human history to catch a pass in the National Football League and in space. Though his path to the heavens was riddled with setbacks and injury, Leland persevered to reach the stars. While training with NASA, Melvin suffered a severe injury that left him deaf. Leland was relegated to earthbound assignments, but chose to remain and support his astronaut family. His loyalty paid off. Recovering partial hearing, he earned his eligibility for space travel. He served as mission specialist for two flights aboard the shuttle Atlantis, working on the International Space Station. In this uplifting memoir, the former NASA astronaut and professional athlete offers an examination of the intersecting role of community, determination, and grace that align to shape our opportunities and outcomes. Chasing Space is not the story of one man, but the story of many men, women, scientists, and mentors who helped him defy the odds and live out an uncommon destiny. As a chemist, athlete, engineer and space traveler, Leland’s life story is a study in the science of achievement. His personal insights illuminate how grit and grace, are the keys to overcoming adversity and rising to success.

Having spent over 150 days on his first tour of the International Space Station, it’s safe to say that Clayton C. Anderson knows a thing or two about space travel. Now retired and affectionately known as “Astro Clay” by his many admirers on social media and the Internet, Anderson has fielded thousands of questions over the years about spaceflight, living in space, and what it’s like to be an astronaut. Written with honesty and razor-sharp wit, It’s a Question of Space gathers Anderson’s often humorous answers to these questions and more in a book that will beguile young adults and space buffs alike. Covering topics as intriguing as walking in space, what astronauts are supposed to do when they see UFOs, and what role astronauts play in espionage, Anderson’s book is written in an accessible question-and-answer format that covers nearly all aspects of life in space imaginable. From living in zero gravity to going to the bathroom up there, It’s a Question of Space leaves no stone unturned in this witty firsthand account of life as an astronaut.

What's it like to travel at more than 850 MPH, riding in a supersonic T-38 twin turbojet engine airplane? What happens when the space station toilet breaks? How do astronauts "take out the trash" on a spacewalk, tightly encapsulated in a space suit with just a few layers of fabric and Kevlar between them and the unforgiving vacuum of outer space? The Ordinary Spaceman puts you in the flight suit of U.S. astronaut Clayton C. Anderson and takes you on the journey of this small-town boy from Nebraska who spent 167 days living and working on the International Space Station, including nearly forty hours of space walks. Having applied to NASA fifteen times over fifteen years to become an astronaut before his ultimate selection, Anderson offers a unique perspective on his life as a veteran space flier, one characterized by humility and perseverance. From the application process to launch aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, from serving as a family escort for the ill-fated Columbia crew in 2003 to his own daily struggles--family separation, competitive battles to win coveted flight assignments, the stress of a highly visible job, and the ever-present risk of having to make the ultimate sacrifice--Anderson shares the full range of his experiences. With a mix of levity and gravitas, Anderson gives an authentic view of the highs and the lows, the triumphs and the tragedies of life as a NASA astronaut.

Biography of India-born NASA astronaut Kalpana Chawla. Covers her life from birth in India to graduate studies in the US, followed by an aerospace career culminating in her 1994 selction into the NASA astronaut corps. Details her astronaut training and two spoace shuttle flights, STS-87 in 1997, and the ill-fated STS-107 in 2003.Wrireen by her husband, Jean-Pierre Harrison.