Product Description

In ‘Columbia: Final Voyage’ aerospace writer Philip Chien, who has over 20 years’ experience covering the US space program, provides a unique insight into the crew members who lost their lives in the Columbia disaster. Chien interviewed all seven crew members several times and got to know them as individuals. He reviews in detail their training, their scientific work and other activities during their successful 16-day flight, the background of the accident itself and a detailed first-hand account of what happened that fateful day in February 2003. The author provides a comprehensive and personal look at both the Columbia astronauts and the STS-107 mission, together with a behind-the-scenes account of other people involved in the mission and their personal reactions to the accident. Forward by Jonathan B. Clark, widower of Columbia astronaut Laurel Clark Introduction by Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #237309 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 454 pages

Review
From the reviews:

In terms of explaining the mission itself, Columbiaa "Final Voyage is unparalleled, and unlikely to be equaled[.]

a "Jeff Foust, The Space Review, February 20, 2006

The research, when combined with interviews with family, colleagues and scientists, results in what may be the most detailed account that will ever be written about what happened in space during the mission.

a "John Kelly, Florida Today: Space & Science, February 15, 2006

"Philip Chien in his book Columbia Final Voyage brings a comprehensive, personal, view of the most recent shuttle disaster. a ] Chiena (TM)s review provides plenty of interest a ] . Included are the experiments, with the identities and expectations of the principal investigators. a ] In total, hea (TM)s produced a warm memorial both for the people and the mission. a ] the book is an excellent source for someone wanting to relieve this mission or to reflect on the nature of the people involved or on people in general." (Mark Mortimer, Universe Today, April, 2006)

About the Author
Philip Chien is a full-time space journalist. Over the last twenty years, he has covered over a hundred Shuttle launches. His reports have appeared on CNN, in Popular Science, Time and in the Jerusalem Post, among other venues.

Customer Reviews

Excellent, if I a little too pro NASA
All in all this is a phenomenal account of both the story of the Colombia disaster and an insight into the lives and people behind the final mission. It is very well paced, never dwelling on any particular facet of the story to a degree where you are tempted to skim. Philip Chien is clearly the authority to write the story, and his personal insight and interaction with all of the involved parties is very apparent. It is beautifully constructed, with enough for both the enthusiast and also anyone who might be reading this as a "layman". There is a lot in this book that is in no other account of the tradgedy and as such is definately the best book on the particular subject. It is a fair assesment of the facts, having said that, it can sometimes seem that Philip Chien is a little too forgiving of the management decisions that were made, although I can't really blame him for this, I would hate to see his insider status revoked for being too critical of any one person or NASA as a whole. It would have been nice to see a little more honesty when it comes to the cultural problems that not only caused the disaster, but seem to plague NASA. I understand why he took a very neutral view on this, and it is not really a critsism, however the more poeple that bring this normalisation of deviance to the forefront of peoples minds then the more chance we have of NASA doing something about it. Let's face it, it was a very similar set of cultural circumstances that were observed by Diane Vaughn in her excellent book about the Challenger disaster, that prevailed in this case. I think to make this book even more complete this should have really been at least summarised or hinted that. I maintain that it deserves its five stars, as it certainley satisfies its title. It is very warm and human in its approach, and as such reminds us very readily that there was much more to this story than a foam strike. The included photgraphs are very well placed, and really go to complete the story. It is hard to forget one particular shot, of Evelyn Husband and her son, who were snapped at the runway awaiting the arrival of Colombia at about the exact time that it was certain that this was never going to happen. Excellent, warm, factual, and very very nearly complete.