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  • Spaceman

  • An Astronaut's Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe
  • Written by: Mike Massimino
  • Narrated by: Mike Massimino
  • Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (53 ratings)

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Spaceman

Written by: Mike Massimino
Narrated by: Mike Massimino
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Publisher's Summary

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to find yourself strapped to a giant rocket that's about to go from zero to 17,500 miles per hour? Or to look back on Earth from outer space and see the surprisingly precise line between day and night? Or to stand in front of the Hubble Space Telescope, wondering if the emergency repair you're about to make will inadvertently ruin humankind's chance to unlock the universe's secrets? Mike Massimino has been there, and in Spaceman he puts you inside the suit, with all the zip and buoyancy of life in microgravity.

Massimino's childhood space dreams were born the day Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. Growing up in a working-class Long Island family, he catapulted himself to Columbia and then MIT, only to flunk his first doctoral exam and be rejected three times by NASA before making it through the final round of astronaut selection. Taking us through the surreal wonder and beauty of his first spacewalk, the tragedy of losing friends in the Columbia shuttle accident, and the development of his enduring love for the Hubble Telescope - which he and his fellow astronauts were tasked with saving on his final mission - Massimino has written an ode to never giving up and the power of teamwork to make anything possible. Spaceman invites us into a rare, wonderful world where science meets the most thrilling adventure, revealing just what having "the right stuff" really means.

©2016 Michael J. Massimino (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

What the critics say

"Drive, determination, and desire are the enduring qualities that are reflected throughout this audiobook, narrated by its author, former astronaut Mike Massimino… His joy is contagious, and his accomplishments are incredible. Everyone, not just science geeks, will enjoy this production. " ( AudioFile)

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The dream of many made reality by a few

Being a Spaceman was the dream of many rope in my generation, only a few could achieve it and this is the story of one of them.

Narration by the author was excellent, he had the ability to convey every emotion in the best way.

The story is remarkable and inspiring, listening to it was like being there and understanding what it meant to him, highly recommended.

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Human dimension of space

Of the astronaut biographies that I've read, Massimino's deals more with the Human Experience than the others.

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A true inspiration

Astronauts like Mike, Chris Hadfield and Mike Collins help me realize that on top of my fascination with the cosmos, the reason astronauts inspire me is because they're amazing people. Their love for their families, their work ethic and their selflessness really show you how amazing humanity can be.
this book was incredibly heartwarming and fascinating. I'm so glad I listened to it.

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Great listen, with a view from the Hubble

I loved this book. I've read quite a few astronaut accounts and none have given me a visceral sense of what it feels like to take off in a rocket, until Spaceman. Mike Massimino has a way with words, and narrating it himself is what makes it come to life. It's brilliant.

The other lasting memory I have from this book, which I listened to more than a month ago, is the view of earth from the Hubble. Again, he takes you there. First, he makes sure you realize how unique the view is, and that only a small handful of people have seen it. He contrasts the view from the moon, from which you can only see part of the earth, with the view from the Hubble, so high that you can see the entire sphere of earth. It was an ah ha moment for me. It wasn't until the Hubble launched that we earthlings saw pictures of the 'globe', the beautiful little round ball that is our planet. From there, Massimino brilliantly describes what it was like to see it firsthand. You are there, almost seeing it with him, forcing himself to look away so that he can perform his spacewalk work, as it was so mesmerizing it was almost impossible. Wow.

This is also a great book for Canadians who will enjoy getting an understanding of how the Canada Arm really works, and what it makes possible.

DEFINITELY time well spent.

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  • Rob
  • 2017-09-15

Such a fantastic book!

Great story! I was completely amazed the entire time I was listening. Thanks for sharing.

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