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  • Published: 15 January 2017
  • ISBN: 9781588344045
  • Imprint: Smithsonian Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 370
  • RRP: $35.00

Sky Walking

An Astronaut's Memoir



Astronaut Tom Jones had trained for years for one climactic moment: his first step through an airlock into the vast nothingness of space. What neither he nor anyone else had counted on was a door that refused to open. But that is the nature of spaceflight--anything can, and sometimes does, go wrong. Ultimately, Jones spent fifty-two days orbiting Earth, including more than nineteen hours outside during extravehicular activity--that is, sky walking. This is the tale of that amazing journey.

A gripping first-hand account of life in space and the making of an astronaut. What is it like to fly the space shuttle and work on and in the International Space Station? Veteran NASA astronaut Tom Jones is uniquely qualified to give the details: he flew four shuttle missions and led three space walks to deliver the US Lab to the Station. . From B-52 pilot during the Cold War, to a PhD in planetary science, to the unbelievable rigors of astronaut training, his career inevitably pointed him toward the space shuttle. Until the Challenger exploded. Jones's story is the first to candidly explain the professional and personal hardships faced by the astronauts in the aftermath of that 1986 tragedy. He certainly has 'The Right Stuff' but also found himself wondering if the risks he undertook were worth the toll on his family. Liftoffs were especially nerve-wracking (his mother, who refuses to even get on a plane, cannot watch) but his 53 days in space were unforgettable adventures. Jones uses his background as a scientist to explain the practical applications of many of the shuttle's scientific missions, and describes what it's like to work with the international crews building and living aboard the space station. Tom Jones returned from his space station voyage to assess the impact of the 2003 Columbia tragedy, and prescribes a successful course for the U.S. in space. Stunning photographs, many taken in space, illustrate his amazing journey.

  • Published: 15 January 2017
  • ISBN: 9781588344045
  • Imprint: Smithsonian Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 370
  • RRP: $35.00

About the author

Tom Jones

Date: 2013-08-06
Tom Jones is a writer and bestselling author of Tired of London, Tired of Life and Mad Dogs & Englishmen. He is happiest when discovering new things to do and believes it is important to make the most of where you live. Born near Stroud in the Cotswolds, he is the son of two shopkeepers and studied in York before moving to London. Tom's favourite pub is the Woolpack at Slad in Gloucestershire, and his favourite place in London is 19 Princelet Street. London, The Weekends Start Here is Tom's third book.

Sir Thomas Jones Woodward, OBE, known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer. He became one of the most popular vocalists to emerge from the mid-1960s. Since then he has sung nearly every form of popular music - pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, soul and gospel - and sold over 100 million records. Sir Tom has had thirty-six top 40 hits in the UK and nineteen in the US, including It's Not Unusual, Delilah, Kiss and Sex Bomb.

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Praise for Sky Walking

"A 'tell it like it is' flight crew report of living and working in space.... An inside story--well told!" --Neil Armstrong, Gemini 8 and Apollo 11 astronaut

"What it's like to be 'in the program.'... An excellent account." --John H. Glenn, first American to orbit Earth

"Wow!...Tom Jones writes as well as he flies, with humor, candor, and considerable wisdom." --Michael Collins, Apollo 11 command module pilot and author of Carrying the Fire