Out of This World
Life as an Astronaut
Peter BondA grounded, inside look at how astronauts live, train and survive in space.
Spaceflight may now seem routine, but it remains one of the most dangerous and demanding human endeavours. This book offers a clear-eyed account of what it truly takes to live and work in orbit – from gruelling training and long waits for assignment to everyday routines aboard space stations and moments of sudden crisis. Drawing on over 65 years of human spaceflight and rich with first-hand accounts, it captures the discipline, patience and resilience behind each mission. Illustrated with more than a hundred photographs, it reveals the reality of life beyond Earth – not just the extraordinary feats, but the challenges, teamwork and quiet perseverance behind them. A compelling look at how a select group of talented, dedicated people can accomplish the extraordinary in space.
A grounded, inside look at how astronauts live, train and survive in space.
Spaceflight may now seem routine, but it remains one of the most dangerous and demanding human endeavours. This book offers a clear-eyed account of what it truly takes to live and work in orbit – from gruelling training and long waits for assignment to everyday routines aboard space stations and moments of sudden crisis. Drawing on over 65 years of human spaceflight and rich with first-hand accounts, it captures the discipline, patience and resilience behind each mission. Illustrated with more than a hundred photographs, it reveals the reality of life beyond Earth – not just the extraordinary feats, but the challenges, teamwork and quiet perseverance behind them. A compelling look at how a select group of talented, dedicated people can accomplish the extraordinary in space.
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Out of This World is a journey across a century of human spaceflight dreams, development and reality, recording both the triumphs and tragedies along the way. An engaging account of the selection, training and experiences of those chosen few who have dared to leave the planet and encountered the challenges of living, working and surviving in the ultimate hostile environment.
'David J. Shayler, astronautical historian and author of Gemini 5: Eight Days in Space or Bust
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The book is an impressive accomplishment – an incredibly comprehensive and detailed, yet compact, account of human spaceflight. I was moved by the attention to detail, especially in the accounts of the tragic accidents and near accidents. Human spaceflight is equally a triumphant example of human creativity and tenacity and of humbling experiences in which lives have been lost and lessons learned to enable the next generation of explorers.
'Jennifer Fogarty, former Chief Scientist for NASA’s Human Research Program
Introduction
1 Learning to Leave Earth
2 The Chosen Few
3 Preparations
4 Walking in Space
5 Living in Space
6 Health and Happiness
7 Orbital Research
8 Fly Me to the Moon
9 A Risky Business
References
Select Bibliography
Acknowledgements
Photo Acknowledgements
Index
Peter Bond is a lifelong space and astronomy enthusiast. He was previously Space Science Advisor/Press Officer for the Royal Astronomical Society and a consultant and writer for the European Space Agency. He is the author of fourteen books, including Rosetta: The Remarkable Story of Europe’s Comet Explorer (2020) and Solar Surveyors (2022).