Chasing Space
An Astronaut's Story of Grit, Grace, and Second Chances
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Narrated by:
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Ron Butler
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By:
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Leland Melvin
About this listen
In this moving, inspirational 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 from the gridiron 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 inspirational memoir, the former NASA astronaut and professional athlete offers an examination of the intersecting role of community, perseverance, 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.
©2017 Leland Melvin (P)2017 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...
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14 Minutes is the memoir of Alberto Salazar, the most accomplished, charismatic, and controversial marathoner in history. The narrative follows Alberto's boyhood in New England, his rise to stardom at the University of Oregon, his dramatic victories in the New York City and Boston Marathons, his long malaise due to injuries, which resulted in a near-suicidal depression; his resurgence due to intense spiritual experiences and discipline; his close alliance with Phil Knight and the Nike corporation; and describes his numerous near-death experiences.
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Terrible and Distracting Narration
- By Mark on 06-04-14
By: Alberto Salazar, and others
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First Man
- The Life of Neil A. Armstrong
- By: James R. Hansen
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
- Length: 16 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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When Apollo 11 touched down on the Moon’s surface in 1969, the first man on the Moon became a legend. In First Man, author James R. Hansen explores the life of Neil Armstrong. Based on over 50 hours of interviews with the intensely private Armstrong, who also gave Hansen exclusive access to private documents and family sources, this "magnificent panorama of the second half of the American twentieth century" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) is an unparalleled biography of an American icon.
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Not really 'unabridged'
- By A Reader on 06-06-18
By: James R. Hansen
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Ready for Launch
- An Astronaut's Lessons for Success on Earth
- By: Scott Kelly
- Narrated by: Scott Kelly
- Length: 1 hr and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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In this insightful and funny book, Scott Kelly shares how a distracted student with poor grades became a record-breaking astronaut and commander of the International Space Station. People think that astronauts are always perfect. "Failure's not an option", right? But as Scott shares in his deeply intimate book, he believes that it's our mistakes and challenges that have the potential to lead to greatness.
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amazing
- By Amazon Customer on 06-05-22
By: Scott Kelly
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Inside Marine One
- Four U.S. Presidents, One Proud Marine, and the World's Most Amazing Helicopter
- By: Lee Kelley, Ray L'Heureux
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Inside Marine One is Colonel L'Heureux's inspiring story of a young man who dreamed of flying, trained, studied, and worked hard to become the pilot who ended up serving four US Presidents - George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. It's also a personal guided tour inside the world's most famous helicopter by a man who knows that flying machine better than any other. Inside Marine One is a great American success story of a young boy who dreamed big, worked hard, and finally flew the President of the United States as his number one passenger.
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A great book
- By John A. on 01-05-23
By: Lee Kelley, and others
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A Portrait of the Scientist as a Young Woman
- A Memoir
- By: Lindy Elkins-Tanton
- Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Deep in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, three times farther from the sun than the Earth is, orbits a massive asteroid called (16) Psyche. It is one of the largest objects in the belt, potentially containing the equivalent of the world’s total economy in metals, though they cannot be brought back to Earth. But (16) Psyche has the potential to unlock something even more valuable: the story of how planets form, and how our planet formed.
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Inspiring
- By SLL on 12-03-23
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Among Heroes: A U.S. Navy SEAL's True Story of Friendship, Heroism, and the Ultimate Sacrifice
- By: Brandon Webb, John David Mann
- Narrated by: Charlie Ray
- Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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From Brandon Webb, Navy SEAL sniper and New York Times best-selling author, comes his account of the eight friends and fellow SEALs who made the ultimate sacrifice. As a Navy SEAL, Webb rose to the top of the world's most elite sniper corps, experiencing years of punishing training and combat missions from the Persian Gulf to Afghanistan. Along the way, Webb served beside, trained, and supported men he came to know not just as fellow warriors, but as friends and, eventually, as heroes.
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Respect
- By Dominick on 05-29-15
By: Brandon Webb, and others
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Rocket Men
- The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First Journey to the Moon
- By: Robert Kurson
- Narrated by: Ray Porter, Robert Kurson
- Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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By August 1968, the American space program was in danger of failing in its two most important objectives: to land a man on the moon by President Kennedy's end-of-decade deadline and to triumph over the Soviets in space. With its back against the wall, NASA made an almost unimaginable leap: It would scrap its usual methodical approach and risk everything on a sudden launch, sending the first men in history to the moon - in just four months.
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The Men Who Saved 1968
- By Gillian on 04-04-18
By: Robert Kurson
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Sully
- My Search for What Really Matters
- By: Chesley B. Sullenberger, Jeffrey Zaslow
- Narrated by: Michael McConnohie, Chesley B. Sullenberger
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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On January 15, 2009, the world witnessed a remarkable emergency landing when Captain "Sully" Sullenberger skillfully glided US Airways flight 1549 onto the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 passengers and crew. His cool actions not only averted tragedy but made him a hero and an inspiration worldwide. His story is now a major motion picture from director/producer Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks, Laura Linney, and Aaron Eckhart.
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Really Dull.
- By Nick on 09-14-16
By: Chesley B. Sullenberger, and others
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Breaking Free
- My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder
- By: Herschel Walker
- Narrated by: Andre Teamer
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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In Breaking Free, Herschel tells his story - from the joys and hardships of childhood to his explosive impact on college football to his remarkable professional career. And he gives voice and hope to those suffering from DID. Herschel shows how this disorder played an integral role in his accomplishments and how he has learned to live with it today. His compelling account testifies to the strength of the human spirit and its ability to overcome any challenge.
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For Sports Fans Only
- By Karen P. Smith on 04-07-11
By: Herschel Walker
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Truth Doesn't Have a Side
- My Alarming Discovery About the Danger of Contact Sports
- By: Dr. Bennet Omalu, Mark Tabb, Will Smith - foreword
- Narrated by: Ron Butler
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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One day in 2002 the 50-year old body of former Pittsburgh Steeler and hall of famer Mike Webster was laid on a cold table in front of pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu. Webster's body looked to Omalu like the body of a much older man, and the circumstances of his behavior prior to his death were clouded in mystery. But when Omalu cut into Webster's brain, it appeared to be normal. Something didn't add up.
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Truly Enlightening
- By Marie on 01-31-20
By: Dr. Bennet Omalu, and others
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Attitude
- Develop a Winning Mindset on and off the Court
- By: Jay Wright, Michael Sheridan, Mark Dagostino, and others
- Narrated by: Michael Sheridan
- Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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In this behind-the-scenes look at the making of a champion, the coach of the Villanova University men's basketball team shares his competitive and cooperative philosophy along with lessons from his coaching career and the story of his personal road to success.
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Nova Nation !
- By Anonymous on 11-16-17
By: Jay Wright, and others
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The Heart-Led Leader
- How Living and Leading from the Heart Will Change Your Organization and Your Life
- By: Thomas Spaulding
- Narrated by: L. J. Ganser
- Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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In his new audiobook, The Heart-Led Leader, Spaulding turns his focus to ourselves - to who we are. Authentic leaders, Spaulding says, live and lead from the heart. The values and principles that guide our lives and shape our ability to lead others is far more important than our titles or our ability to crunch numbers or the impressive degrees we display on our walls. To effect true transformational change, heart-led leaders draw on the qualities of humility, vulnerability, transparency, empathy, and love.
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More of same
- By jIM kEFFER on 06-25-17
By: Thomas Spaulding
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Wins, Losses, and Lessons
- An Autobiography
- By: Lou Holtz
- Narrated by: Lou Holtz
- Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins
- Abridged
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Few people in the history of college sports have been more influential or had a bigger impact than Lou Holtz. Winner of the three national Coach of the Year honors, the only coach ever to lead six different schools to season-ending bowl games, and the ninth-winningest coach in college football history, Holtz is still teaching and coaching, although he is no longer on the gridiron.
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great story about an incredibly successful coach
- By James on 04-30-12
By: Lou Holtz
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What listeners say about Chasing Space
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- B.A. Lopez
- 01-11-20
A Must Listen to for any Space Enthusiast!
Leland Melvin is not your typical astronaut. And that makes his story all the more inspiring and interesting.
I had heard of Leland before and even worked at NASA during part of his tenure but I had no idea of his incredible background. Leland tells not just the good but the not so good parts of his personal and professional life. His grit and determination show how hard work and the refusal to give up can help anyone to succeed.
His willingness to address his sexual assault as a young child and instances of racial prejudice shows the worst of humanity. The way he dealt with every challenge and completely rose above it all gives humanity its greatest hope. Despite all our imperfections as humans, there are, and will always be good people, to keep pushing us forward for the better of all.
I just wish he had recorded his own audio! The narrator was good but it would have been nice to hear his own story in his own voice.
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-13-17
Amazing
I loved this book about his many acomplishments in his extremly acomplished life, just wonderful.
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- Amazon Customer
- 02-03-23
Great name
I really like the name Leland. 10/10. It’s really strong, not surprising he achieved so much. More people should be named Leland
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- Michele
- 08-02-18
Excellent
Excellent life story of an exceptional human being. There’s a children’s edition too that contains pictures and experiments to do at home.
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- Jim
- 08-21-20
Not your usual astronaut memoir!
Melvin tells a real life and compelling tale that many will be able to identify with. the story is well told, fascinating, and well performed. A great read that I highly recommend.
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- Dave Stewart
- 05-05-22
Excellent story about overcoming race
Loved the story, very relatable and well written. Narrator did great and was easy to listen to
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- Crystal s
- 04-22-19
Good book about an interesting man's journey
I wish he had gone into more detail and pulley more big-picture lessons from his life story as many of the other astronaut books do but, overall, I still recommend this book! His story is encouraging and fascinating. I wish the author were narrating it!
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- Anonymous User
- 09-27-17
Amazing!
It was such a pleasure having the chance to explore Mr. Melvin's accomplishment from his point of view. I felt like I was experiencing every moment as if I were there. What a powerful story!
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- Brenda McRee
- 09-29-22
Perfect road trip listening
I lisened to this book whiel on my way to keneddy space center for the Artemis I launch. The First launch of the modern moon program. Just like Lelands dad's bread truck this made me and my dad's trip to KSC in out camper van great.
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- J. P. Furseth
- 12-09-19
A Unique and Inspiring Life Story
This is a unique and inspiring life story filled with many humbly-appreciated second-chances for this athlete/astronaut.
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