Columbia - Final Voyage

The Last Flight of NASA's First Space Shuttle

Philip Chien

About 400 people have had the opportunity to fly in space over the past 45 years. Only a few are famous or household names — primarily the ones who have flown on historic missions, and the ones who died. It’s regrettable that we remember the Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia crews primarily because of their deaths.

In contrast, most astronauts remain relatively anonymous people. In this book Philip Chien takes a passionate look at the people who flew on Columbia’s last mission. Not just as astronauts—but as people. Most reporters considered STS-107 to be a “boring non-newsworthy mission.” But Philip Chien went to the effort to get to know the astronauts and their mission in detail because they were important as human beings and their mission was important even if it wasn’t as historic as some other flights.

This book will tell you about the real people who flew on STS-107 and their mission.

From the Foreword by Buzz Aldrin.

Table of Contents Foreword by Jonathan B. Clark
Introduction by Buzz Aldrin
Preface

Chapter 1 A Modest Mission

PART I MISSION MAKERS
Chapter 2 Rick Husband: The Boy from Amarillo
Chapter 3 Willie McCool: Running Man
Chapter 4 Dave Brown: Pilot, Doctor, Gymnast
Chapter 5 Kalpana Chawla: The Girl from India
Chapter 6 Mike Anderson: The Kid Who Wanted to Fly
Chapter 7 Laurel Clark: Submarine Doctor, Mother
Chapter 8 Ilan Ramon: Israel’s First Space Traveler
Chapter 9 Dodging Bullets: The Astronauts Who Weren’t Selected
Chapter 10 It Isn’t Just the Astronauts

PART II THE LONG ROAD TO LAUNCH
Chapter 11 A NASA Primer
Chapter 12 The Eighteen Delays
Chapter 13 Training for the Mission
Chapter 14 Presenting NASA to the World
Chapter 15 Prequel: STS-112 and STS-113
Chapter 16 Preparing for Launch
Chapter 17 Launch Day
Chapter 18 Behind the Scenes
Chapter 19 Living in Space

PART III SIXTEEN DAYS IN SPACE
Chapter 20 Flight Day 2: MEIDEX, Phab4, ARMS, Ascent Video
Chapter 21 Flight Day 3: Calcium Kinetics, Press Interviews
Chapter 22 Flight Day 4: LSP, Spacehab Problems
Chapter 23 Flight Day 5: VCD, MPFE
Chapter 24 Flight Day 6: Ariel Sharon Call, Internet Questions
Chapter 25 Flight Day 7: MGM, Astroculture
Chapter 26 Flight Day 8: SOFBALL, CIBX
Chapter 27 Flight Day 9: S*T*A*R*S, FREESTAR
Chapter 28 Flight Day 10: BDS, BRIC, OSTEO
Chapter 29 Flight Day 11: ZCG, Biopack
Chapter 30 Flight Day 12: Ship-to-Ship Call, FRESH
Chapter 31 Flight Day 13: Mist, Biotube, Challenger Anniversary
Chapter 32 Flight Day 14: Press Conference
Chapter 33 Flight Day 15: MEIDEX, External Spacehab Payloads
Chapter 34 Flight Day 16: Automated Payloads, Preparing to Come Home

PART IV FEBRUARY 1, 2003
Chapter 35 Reentry
Chapter 36 The Accident
Chapter 37 Mission Control on Landing Day
Chapter 38 What Should Have Happened
Chapter 39 The Media’s Coverage of STS-107
Chapter 40 The First Hours After the Accident
Chapter 41 Viewing Columbia’s Reentry
Chapter 42 Where Were You . . . ?
Chapter 43 The Public’s Reaction

PART V AFTERMATH
Chapter 44 The Search for Debris
Chapter 45 Other Evidence
Chapter 46 Completing the Investigation
Chapter 47 Kooks and Myths
Chapter 48 Was a Rescue Possible?
Chapter 49 Memorials
Chapter 50 Legacy: The Science Not Lost


Afterword

Appendixes—

A: Charities
B: Companion CD-ROM
C: Emails with Columbia
D: The STS-107 Crew Logo
E: The 18 Delays to STS-107
F: Special Thanks
G: Bibliography
H: Glossary


Index

Extent: 432 pages
Binding: CB & J
Publication Date: January 2006
ISBN: 978-0-387-27148-4

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