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Safely to Earth
- The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins
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Publisher's summary
In this one-of-a-kind memoir, Jack Clemons - a former lead engineer in support of NASA - takes listeners behind the scenes and into the inner workings of the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs during their most exciting years. Discover the people, the events, and the risks involved in one of the most important parts of space missions: bringing the astronauts back home to Earth.
Clemons joined Project Apollo in 1968, a young engineer inspired by science fiction and electrified by John F. Kennedy's challenge to the nation to put a man on the moon. He describes his experiences supporting the NASA engineering team at what is now the Johnson Space Center in Houston, where he played a pivotal role in designing the reentry and landing procedures for Apollo astronauts. He went on to work on Skylab and the Space Shuttle program, eventually assuming leadership for the entire integrated software system on board the Space Shuttle.
Through personal stories, Clemons introduces listeners to many of the unsung heroes of the Apollo and Space Shuttle missions - the people who worked side-by-side with NASA engineers supporting reentry and landing for each Apollo mission, and the software team who fashioned the computer programs that accompanied the crews on the Space Shuttle. Clemons worked closely with astronauts who relied on him and his fellow engineers for directions to their destination, guidance on how to get there, control of their fate during their journeys, and a safe return. He reveals problems, challenges, and near-disasters previously unknown to the public and offers candid opinions on the failures that led to the loss of 14 astronauts in the Challenger and Columbia tragedies.
Highlighting the staggering responsibility and the incredible technological challenges that Clemons and his colleagues took on in the race to reach the moon and explore the mysteries of space, this book is a fascinating insider's view of some of the greatest adventures of the 20th century.
Critic reviews
"The main story is economically and briskly told, bolstered by a thoughtful, helpful appendix, as well as a collection of direct questions ('Did Apollo 10 Almost Crash into the Moon?') and frank answers." (Publishers Weekly)
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- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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A stunning memoir from the astronaut who spent a record-breaking year aboard the International Space Station - a candid account of his remarkable voyage, of the journeys off the planet that preceded it, and of his colorful formative years. A natural storyteller and modern-day hero, Kelly has a message of hope for the future that will inspire for generations to come. Here, in his personal story, we see the triumph of the human imagination, the strength of the human will, and the boundless wonder of the galaxy.
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Great insights with bad audio quality
- By Marc Freudenberg on 11-27-17
By: Scott Kelly
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Carrying the Fire
- An Astronaut's Journeys
- By: Michael Collins, Charles A. Lindbergh - foreword
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 20 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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In Carrying the Fire, Michael Collins conveys, in a very personal way, the drama, beauty, and humor of the adventure of reaching the moon. He also traces his development from his first flight experiences in the air force, through his days as a test pilot, to his Apollo 11 spacewalk, presenting an evocative description of the joys of flight as well as a new perspective on time, light, and movement from someone who has seen the fragile Earth from the other side of the moon.
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One of the Best Astro books
- By Ronald on 11-13-17
By: Michael Collins, and others
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High Calling
- The Courageous Life and Faith of Space Shuttle Columbia Commander Rick Husband
- By: Evelyn Husband, Donna VanLiere
- Narrated by: Evelyn Husband
- Length: 4 hrs and 42 mins
- Abridged
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February 1, 2003. A light flashed over a Texas sky and twisted metal rained across the countryside. As images of the wreckage from the Space Shuttle Columbia streamed across the nation's television screens, they became forever burned into our memories. But behind those images were stories that remained untold...until now.
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An inspiring story of a life cut short
- By Debby Parker on 11-16-15
By: Evelyn Husband, and others
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Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin
- The Lives and Careers of the First Men on the Moon
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Scott Clem
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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At 9:32 a.m. on July 16, 1969, time stood still throughout the world, as thousands converged at the Kennedy Space Center and millions tuned in on live television. At that instant, the first rumbles began to shake the ground, as a small spacecraft attached to the giant Saturn V rocket, several hundred feet tall, started lifting off. Apollo 11 was on its way to a historic first landing on the Moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin: The Lives and Careers of the First Men on the Moon profiles both astronauts and the most memorable space mission in history.
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In the Shadow of the Moon
- A Challenging Journey to Tranquility, 1965-1969
- By: Francis French, Colin Burgess
- Narrated by: Gary L. Willprecht
- Length: 18 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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In the Shadow of the Moon tells the story of the most exciting and challenging years in spaceflight, with two superpowers engaged in a titanic struggle to land one of their own people on the moon. Drawing on interviews with astronauts, cosmonauts, their families, technicians, and scientists, as well as rarely seen Soviet and American government documents, the authors craft a remarkable story of the golden age of spaceflight as both an intimate human experience and a rollicking global adventure.
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Interesting book for space afficionados
- By Leslie F. on 04-21-16
By: Francis French, and others
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Ask an Astronaut
- My Guide to Life in Space
- By: Tim Peake
- Narrated by: Robin Ince, Tim Peake - introduction
- Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Based on his historic mission to the International Space Station, Ask an Astronaut is Tim Peake's guide to life in space and his answers to the thousands of questions he has been asked since his return to Earth. With explanations ranging from the mundane (how do you wash your clothes or go to the bathroom while in orbit?) to the profound (do humans have a duty to explore the unknown?), all written in Tim's characteristically warm style, Tim shares his thoughts on every aspect of space exploration.
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Inspiring
- By Evelyn Canas on 03-06-18
By: Tim Peake
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Rocket Age
- The Race to the Moon and What It Took to Get There
- By: George D. Morgan
- Narrated by: Christopher Douyard
- Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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From designers to engineers, and even communication specialists and the builders who assembled these towering rockets, hundreds of thousands of people worked on getting humans to the moon, yet only a few have been recognized for their contributions. George D. Morgan sets the record straight by giving these forgotten figures of space travel their due.
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Narrator is great!
- By Audible Customer on 06-22-23
By: George D. Morgan
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Miss Leavitt's Stars
- The Untold Story of the Woman Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe
- By: George Johnson
- Narrated by: Stephen Bowlby
- Length: 3 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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How big is the universe? In the early twentieth century, scientists took sides. One held that the entire universe was contained in the Milky Way galaxy. Their champion was the strong-willed astronomer Harlow Shapley. Another camp believed that the universe was so vast that the Milky Way was just one galaxy among billions—the view that would prevail, proven by the equally headstrong Edwin Hubble.
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Henrietta Leavitt, the astronomical "computer"
- By Elisabeth Carey on 06-18-22
By: George Johnson
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Kent State
- An American Tragedy
- By: Brian VanDeMark
- Narrated by: Daniel Henning
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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On May 4, 1970, at Kent State University in Ohio, political fires that had been burning across America during the 1960s exploded. Antiwar protesters wearing bell-bottom jeans hurled taunts and rocks at another group of young Americans—National Guardsmen sporting gas masks and rifles. At half past noon, violence unfolded with chaotic speed, as guardsmen—many of whom had joined the Guard to escape the draft—opened fire on the students. Kent State meticulously re-creates the divided cultural landscape of America during the Vietnam War and popular anxieties around the country.
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Disappointed
- By Elwood Sulzer on 09-21-24
By: Brian VanDeMark
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The Georgian Star
- How William and Caroline Herschel Revolutionized Our Understanding of the Cosmos (The Great Discoveries Series)
- By: Michael D. Lemonick
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 5 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Trained as a musician, amateur scientist William Herschel found international fame after discovering the planet Uranus in 1781. Though he is still best known for this finding, his partnership with his sister Caroline yielded groundbreaking work, including techniques that remain in use today. The duo pioneered comprehensive surveys of the night sky, carefully categorizing every visible object in the void. Caroline wrote an influential catalogue of nebulae, and William discovered infrared radiation.
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Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream
- By: Tanya Lee Stone
- Narrated by: Susan Ericksen
- Length: 3 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Have you ever heard of the “Mercury 13” women? Did you know that nearly twenty years before the first women were let into NASA’s astronaut program, there were others who tried? What are the requirements for being shot into space, piloting a hunk of metal while carrying the hopes and fears of your nation? Mastery of flying, as well as courage, intelligence, resistance to stress, and fitness – any checklist would certainly include these. But when America created NASA in 1958, there was an unspoken rule in place....
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An inspiring listen
- By Kindle Customer on 05-19-18
By: Tanya Lee Stone
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Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars
- The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission
- By: Col. Eileen M. Collins USAF (Retired), Jonathan H. Ward
- Narrated by: Molly Secours
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Eileen Collins was an aviation pioneer her entire career, from her crowning achievements as the first woman to command an American space mission as well as the first to pilot the space shuttle to her early years as one of the Air Force's first female pilots. She was in the first class of women to earn pilot's wings at Vance Air Force Base and was their first female instructor pilot. She was only the second woman admitted to the Air Force's elite Test Pilot Program at Edwards Air Force Base.
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Nassau?
- By JUSTIN on 02-13-22
By: Col. Eileen M. Collins USAF (Retired), and others
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The Astronaut Wives Club
- A True Story
- By: Lily Koppel
- Narrated by: Orlagh Cassidy
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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As America's Mercury Seven astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, television cameras focused on the brave smiles of their young wives. Overnight, these women were transformed from military spouses into American royalty. Together with the other wives they formed the Astronaut Wives Club, meeting regularly to provide support and friendship. As their celebrity rose - and as divorce and tragic death began to touch their lives - they continued to rally together, and the wives have now been friends for more than fifty years.
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Sea of Tranquility Ocean of Storms
- By Cynthia on 06-15-13
By: Lily Koppel
What listeners say about Safely to Earth
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Michael N. Kafes
- 10-16-18
Jack Clemons has all the right stuff in this book
Safely to Earth is a wonderful look at the the people behind the curtain. The thousands of Men and women who had to do their job nearly perfect before the astronauts could even climb into their command modules.
Jack Clemons takes us for a wonderous and fascinating journey along his career as an inspired rocket scientist and computer programmer. We experience, through his eyes, the many successes and unfortunate failures that shaped the early days of the NASA space program.
He tells of his interactions with the NASA astronauts and lead personnel in an entertaining, and gripping narrative. I can't recommend this book enough!
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3 people found this helpful
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- M.Biblioswine
- 03-09-22
A solid book
This is a solid book from a re-entry engineer for the Apollo and space shuttle missions.
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- Melissa A. Bartell
- 05-19-23
Interesting Perspective on Apollo & Moire
We often hear the astronauts' perspective on the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo NASA missions, but this one is from one of the backroom guys - an engineer who literally made stuff go. It's interesting, honest, and sometimes funny. It's also a refreshing take on the subject, and one we don't get enough of. As a certified space junkie, I really appreciated this book.
The audiobook is well presented and the narrator, Tom Perkins, does a decent job but there are a couple of words that weren't pronounced quite properly. It wasn't enough to make me stop listening,but was momentarily jarring.
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