Shuttle, Houston

May 15, 2020
A passionate look at the U.S. space shuttle program through the life's work of the longest-serving flight director in NASA's history. As with many of his peers in the space and aeronautical industries, Dye's occupational choice was inspired by SF literature and the romantic longing to live out such cosmic possibilities in real life. The author was among the earthbound heroes at NASA flight control who helped guide space shuttles through all aspects of a mission. A former scuba instructor who studied aeronautical engineering at the University of Minnesota, the author fondly recalls in scrupulous detail the highlights of his three-decade career as a top NASA flight controller. He combines folksy anecdotes (he uses the term "folks" a lot) with esoteric mechanical details to convey how these technologically remarkable yet fragile, temperamental shuttles worked--or sometimes didn't. Although Dye's impressive recall of every aspect of his job history is largely both engaging and informative, he is overly indulgent with the aeronautical shoptalk, severely testing general readers' tolerance for acronyms (a common pitfall that both space and military memoirs share). On the whole, it's the author's simple anecdotes about everyday working life at mission control that make for the most readable, entertaining sections. For instance, Dye's recounting of the 1990s Shuttle-Mir program, a famously cooperative gesture between Russia and the U.S., is an insider's look at how two countries' very different work philosophies merged to successfully complete an unprecedented mission. We also read about the unforgettable time employee negligence led to the spontaneous combustion of the office coffee maker, creating widespread panic among the caffeine-addicted mission control employees. Most insightful are Dye's reflections on the 1986 Challenger disaster and the problematic mission control culture that led to this infamously televised catastrophe. Dye's memoir is a balanced mix of moments both banal and breathtaking.

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July 1, 2020

With NASA and SpaceX making history in May 2020 with the first flight into orbit from American soil in a commercially built and operated American crew spacecraft, the United States has entered a new era in Space Exploration. As the U.S. embraces commercial enterprises running critical components of its space program, Dye, NASA's longest-serving flight director, assesses the successes and failures of previous missions, and reflects on the future of space exploration. Dye provides an insider view of historic events like the Columbia and the Challenger explosions as well as the United States collaborating with Russia to create an international space program. The book is filled with personal stories and recollections from several of the 39 missions that Dye has been involved in, and he continues to discuss how scientists can begin to train future leaders and inspire teams. Embedded throughout the book are lessons about the importance of hearing everyone's voice, quality assurance, and scenario planning. VERDICT Spaceflight is an inherently risky business, and Dye sheds insight into how NASA has used culture, technology, and training to mitigate this risk. This motivating book shows people succeeding at their best: smart, cooperative, innovative, and caring.--Beth Dalton, Littleton, CO

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