First Flight -- Beginnings -- Freshman Fifteen -- Hey, There's an App for That! -- Answer the Phone, Will Ya? -- Baby Astronauts -- Hail Columbia! -- Age of Aquarius -- From Russia with Love -- Survival of the Fittest -- Sign of the Times -- Sixty-Two and Counting -- Dark Days of Summer -- Crime and Punishment -- The "Void" of Outer Space -- The Doctor Is In -- The Hard Thump of Reality -- The Serendipity of Chance -- Walking Tall -- Fame and Fortune -- Find Us Faithful -- Impacts -- The End Becomes the Beginning.
Summary:
"A memoir chronicling Clayton Anderson's quest to become an astronaut. From his childhood to working for NASA, and then eventually becoming an astronaut"-- Provided by publisher. "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 more than 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"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.