posted 03-26-2015 06:08 PM               

The real-life techno-thriller from a bestselling author and aviation expert that recaptures the historic moments leading up to the launch of the space shuttle Columbia and the exciting story of her daring maiden flight.

Using interviews, NASA oral histories, and recently declassified material, Into the Black pieces together the dramatic untold story of the Columbia mission and the brave people who dedicated themselves to help the United States succeed in the age of space exploration. On April 12, 1981, NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia blasted off from Cape Canaveral. It was the most advanced, state-of-the-art flying machine ever built, challenging the minds and imagination of America's top engineers and pilots. Columbia was the world's first real spaceship: a winged rocket plane, the size of an airliner, and capable of flying to space and back before preparing to fly again.

On board were moonwalker John Young and test pilot Bob Crippen. Less than an hour after Young and Crippen's spectacular departure from the Cape, all was not well. Tiles designed to protect the ship from the blowtorch burn of re-entry were missing from the heat shield. If the damage to Columbia was too great, the astronauts wouldn't be able to return safely to earth. NASA turned to the National Reconnaissance Office, a spy agency hidden deep inside the Pentagon whose very existence was classified. To help the ship, the NRO would attempt something never done before. Success would require skill, perfect timing, and luck.

Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, Into the Black is a thrilling race against time and the incredible true story of the first space shuttle mission that celebrates our passion for spaceflight

• Hardcover: 464 pages
  
• Touchstone (April 19, 2016)
  
• ISBN-10: 1501123629
  
• ISBN-13: 978-1501123627

posted 04-13-2016 12:53 PM               

Cambridge Man Returns Space Shuttle to Space

Cambridge based author Rowland White is a man with a lifelong ambition to go into space.

On 12th April, the 35th anniversary of the maiden flight of space shuttle Columbia, Rowland took a step closer to his childhood dream by launching a copy of his new critically acclaimed book, "Into the Black," the story of the first flight of NASA's revolutionary space shuttle, to the edge of space.

"Into the Black" was a 'labour of love' (The Times), and the culmination of a boyhood obsession. The space shuttle was the spaceship of Rowland's generation — not even born when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Obsessed with aeroplanes as a boy and on the back of Star Wars, Star Trek, and James Bond's Moonraker, the shuttle completely captured Rowland's imagination. He even rigged up a cassette recorder in front of the TV to record the BBC's pre-launch commentary.

Rowland comments: "The shuttle was grounded in 2011. But on the 35th anniversary of the first flight, it seemed fitting to return her to space — where she belonged — one last time as a reminder of the incredible achievement she represented. I want to rekindle a bit of the awe and wonder she generated when she first flew. The shuttle was the last great achievement of the Apollo generation."

The launch is particularly timely given Tim Peake's current location. Without the shuttle, it is safe to say there would have been no space station. Taking astronauts to and from a space station was what she was built to do.

As Rowland explains: "To send a book into space while a British astronaut orbits Earth is the icing on the cake. I was in touch with Tim Peake before his launch and I'll be tweeting him about our anniversary "shuttle launch." And telling him that there's a copy of 'Into the Black' waiting for him on his return — delivered by more traditional methods. But here's hoping that Tim will look out of the window and catch sight of this one though!"

posted 04-29-2016 03:57 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by KSCartist:
Just learned via my friend John McGauley that I'm mentioned in Roland White's book "Into the Black" (page 387).

---

posted 07-14-2016 09:06 AM               

Of particular note is how the history of the the Manned Orbiting Laboratory shaped the development of the space shuttle, in no small part due to the transplanted MOL astronauts and the pivotal roles they played in the early NASA program.

White's approach to telling the history of the space shuttle reads more like a novel than it does a text book, which is what really makes "Into the Black" an enjoyable, easy read.

posted 07-14-2016 12:42 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by p51:
...seemed to be extraneous info

---

posted 07-14-2016 02:10 PM               

Now, all that said, about 150-175 pages into the book, it really picks up and was WELL worth slogging through the first parts.

posted 08-09-2016 04:32 PM            

So much information I did not know about even after reading the excellent "Bold They Rise" from the Outward Odyssey series. The use of the NRO KH-11 Kennen spy satellite was new to me and was amazing.

Also good to read more of the group seven ex MOL astronauts who had to wait such a long time for their flights.

posted 04-18-2017 05:03 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kevmac:
I almost feel like I've been scammed.

---

posted 04-18-2017 08:25 PM               

I don't know the nature of the updates (and it is very possible the "revised edition" promo is more marketing by the publisher than actual revisions), but over the past couple of years there have been a good number of declassification releases (including all of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory files) that are relevant to this topic. There is no way Rowland White could have known what was going to come out when, and maybe there have been new insights in the interim. That's not the fault of the author or publisher, but just a coincidence of timing.

Likewise, what if the book reached the hands of someone who knew more about a topic or two but that White nor any of his contacts knew had such information when the book was written?