Forever Young: A Life of Adventure in Air and Space

by John W. Young, James R. Hansen (Contribution by)

Overview

"John Young has been at the center of human spaceflight since the mid-1960s, and his revealing autobiography speaks to internal issues, external possibilities, and the commitment of this individual to the movement of humanity beyond earth."--Roger D. Launius, senior curator, space history, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum



"Young covers over forty years of NASA history in this breakthrough memoir, one that will inspire admiration for his achievements but also raise questions about the overall American space-faring enterprise."--Michael H. Gorn, author of NASA: The Complete Illustrated History



He walked on the Moon. He flew six space missions in three different programs--more than any other human. He served with NASA for more than four decades. His peers called him the "astronaut's astronaut."

Enthusiasts of space exploration have long waited for John Young to tell the story of his two Gemini flights, his two Apollo missions, the first-ever Space Shuttle flight, and the first Spacelab mission. Forever Young delivers all that and more: Young's personal journey from engineering graduate to fighter pilot, to test pilot, to astronaut, to high NASA official, to clear-headed predictor of the fate of Planet Earth.

Young, with the assistance of internationally distinguished aerospace historian James Hansen, recounts the great episodes of his amazing flying career in fascinating detail and with wry humor. He portrays astronauts as ordinary human beings and NASA as an institution with the same ups and downs as other major bureaucracies. He frankly discusses the risks of space travel, including what went wrong with the Challenger and Columbia shuttles.

Forever Young is one of the last memoirs produced by an early American astronaut. It is the first memoir written by a chief of the NASA astronaut corps. Young's experiences and candor make this book indispensable to everyone interested in the U.S. space program.



John W. Young, retired astronaut and former NASA executive, has received more than eighty major awards for his career in aerospace, including six honorary doctorates. James R. Hansen is professor of history and former director of the Honors College at Auburn University. He has been associated with the NASA History Program for the past thirty-one years, and is the author of First Man: The Life of Neil Armstrong and coauthor of Truth, Lies, and O-Rings: Inside the Space Shuttle "Challenger" Disaster.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780813049335
Publisher:	University Press of Florida
Publication date:	09/10/2013
Pages:	424
Sales rank:	409,569
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 6.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

John W. Young, retired astronaut and former NASA executive, has received more than eighty major awards for his career in aerospace, including six honorary doctorates.

Table of Contents

Foreword vii

Prologue: "Go" or "No-Go" 1

Part I A Flying Career

1 From Cartersville to Georgia Tech 9

2 Gunnery Officer to Naval Aviator 23

3 Fighter Pilot to Test Pilot 32

4 Pax River 42

Part II Into Orbit

5 The New Nine and Project Gemini 57

6 Countdown 71

7 Three Orbits 79

8 Dual Rendezvous 86

Part III Lunar Journeys

9 From a Fire to the Moon 111

10 Call Sign Charlie Brown 125

11 From Tranquility to a Lost Moon 140

12 To the Descartes Highlands 152

13 In the Briar Patch 172

14 The End of Moon Landings 191

Part IV The Shuttle Era

15 Enterprise 213

16 "The Boldest Test Flight in History" 223

17 Advent of the "Operational" Shuttle 240

18 A Steep Spiral Staircase 254

19 The Challenger Disaster 272

20 A Mountain of Memos 295

21 "The Next Logical Step" 320

22 On a Wing and a Prayer 332

Epilogue: When Worlds Collide 356

Abbreviations 375

Notes 379

Index 403

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Young was the best engineer and best test pilot of all the astronauts of the early space age. Without question, he was the most important astronaut of the space shuttle era. He was the best ever chief of the Astronaut Office in Houston. Nobody matched him.”—Alan L. Bean

“As the only astronaut to fly the Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle ships, John’s passion for safety was the signature emphasis (even obsession) of his career.”—Glynn S. Lunney

"John Young has been at the center of human spaceflight since the mid-1960s, and his revealing autobiography speaks to internal issues, external possibilities, and the commitment of this individual to the movement of humanity beyond earth."—Roger D. Launius, senior curator, space history, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

"Young covers over forty years of NASA history in this breakthrough memoir, one that will inspire admiration for his achievements but also raise questions about the overall American space-faring enterprise."—Michael H. Gorn, author of NASA: The Complete Illustrated History

Editorial Reviews

A fascinating life.”—Space Review

“An intensely enjoyable book.”—AmericaSpace.com

“If you have been waiting for a book from the only moonwalker without one you will not be disappointed with Forever Young. John W. Young, with James R. Hansen, has written the epic story if his life not only of adventure, but service to his country and inspiration for the future.”—Ad Astra

“An incredible read, fast paced at times with great insight into Young’s mind as he takes you with him as he soars into earth orbit and upon the vast ocean of space.”—Examiner.com

From the Publisher

Engineer, astronaut, and moonwalker, Young looks back over his participation in the space program, from the days of testing fighter jets in the 1950s to the last space shuttle mission. He chronicles his first experience with leaking O-ring seals as (the flaw that destroyed the space shuttle Challenger) a test pilot]setting the stage for his continued obsession with flight safety and his guilt at not personally checking every aspect of the design for the Challenger. Between these two events lay the heady early days of the astronaut program, Gemini missions, loops around the moon, and finally, landing there as leader of the Apollo 16 mission. Staying with NASA, in 1974Young became chief of the NASA Astronaut office in Houston, involved in every aspect of the shuttles, and flew the first one. Packed with minute technical detail that space enthusiasts will devour, Young's story also reveals personal side of the program. His pain at the loss of his pal, Gus Grissom, in a 1967 equipment test, is still raw, as is the loss of the shuttle crews. There are also tales of pranks, mishaps, and corned beef in space. At 82, Young hasn't lost his enthusiasm for space exploration, one that he communicates on every page. 43 b&w ophotos. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

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