Release of "Return to Flight" book - A True-Life Story that Involves a Historical Shuttle Disaster that Killed Seven Astronauts
HOUSTON, TEXAS. (PRWEB) July 13, 2015 -- "Return to Flight" is a true-life story that involves a historical shuttle disaster that killed seven astronauts. The story describes the passion and dedication from the men and women who, in the wake of the Columbia disaster, supported this nation’s Manned Space Program and strived to make the next Shuttle mission the safest ever flown. It is narrated by Dr. James F. Peters, who served as the Shuttle Debris Integration Chair. He was responsible for correcting the debris problems that led to the Columbia Accident on STS-107 and Returning the Shuttle Fleet to operational flight status. During the first Return to Flight mission, STS-114, he led a large team of NASA engineers and contractors dedicated toward working and solving debris issues. The very existence of the Shuttle Program hinged in the balance. The debris team did the difficult and when asked to do the impossible, it just took them a little longer.
The Columbia accident was a major disaster, from which it took a monumental effort to recover. After the accident in February, 2003, debris was identified as the highest risk to the Shuttle Program and remained the number one safety of flight issue for the next eleven flights. Each successive mission posed its own set of unique debris surprises and the only thing the debris team could count on was the unexpected. Despite the numerous debris challenges for each Return to Flight mission, intense pressure, and criticism from both inside and outside the agency, the team remained focused and steadfast in their efforts to work the issues, solve the problems and keep the Shuttle flying. “Return to Flight" was very interesting and easy to understand. I could not wait to read the next chapter to see what happened next. It beats out “American Sniper” as my favorite book - Keirnan Peters (Author’s 11-year old daughter).
America’s exploration of space didn’t end with the Apollo program. The challenges, the successes, the bravery, and the heroes during the Apollo program were multiplied many times in the Shuttle Program. "Return to Flight" is the story of the most difficult period in the history of the Shuttle Program, a period of self-doubt, reflection, fear, and anguish, during which astronauts, engineers, and scientists had to work together to ensure a third shuttle disaster would not light up the sky. They had to work together to prove that the destruction of Columbia in 2003 was not in vain. Difficult lessons were learned. Hard decisions were made. This is the story of the people who made them, told by an engineer who was at the center of the Space Shuttle Return to Flight missions.
About the Author
Dr. Peters has over 25 years of manned spaceflight experience and was the Shuttle Debris Integration Chair during the Space Shuttle Return to Flight missions. Jim is currently working for NASA on the Commercial Crew Program at Johnson Space Center. Prior to NASA, Jim was a nuclear submarine officer on the USS Hyman G. Rickover and graduate of the US Naval Academy where he was an All-American wrestler. He is also a Professor at Embry-Riddle University and Managing Partner at Quasar Data Center. Jim is married to wife Brenda and has two daughters, Keirnan and Jordyn.
For more information about "Return to Flight" or other author requests, please visit http://www.returntoflight.com or contact Dr. Peters at jpeters(at)quasardata(dot)com or 281-773-3604.
James Peters, Return to Flight, http://www.returntoflight.com, +1 (281) 773-3604, [email protected]
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