NASA's First Space Shuttle Astronaut Selection

In their latest collaborative effort, the authors bring to life the story behind the selection of the first group of space shuttle astronauts. Throughout its remarkable 30-year history as the workhorse of NASA's human spaceflight exploration, twice halted through tragedy, the shuttle fleet overall performed magnificently. So too did these 35 men and women, swept up in the dynamic thrust and ongoing development of America's space shuttle program. The astronauts themselves formed an extraordinary team composed of men and women, pilots and engineers, military members and scientists, civilians, and various ethnicities, they signaled vast operational and cultural changes in the program. Through this motley crew, the role of "space explorer" expanded far beyond those with the original so-called "Right Stuff" astronauts. Using extensive research and revealing interviews, the book recounts and analyzes each astronaut's background and biography, the selection process, their training, and their first and subsequent missions. In doing so, the authors shows how this remarkable group came to be seen as a pivotal point in NASA and spaceflight history.