posted 03-10-2021 02:50 PM               

It's one of the most powerful and popular images in the history of space exploration: an astronaut in a snow-white spacesuit, untethered and seemingly floating alone in an expanse of blue. Bruce McCandless II is the man in that spacesuit, and Wonders All Around is the thoroughly engrossing, extensively researched story of his inspiring life and groundbreaking accomplishments, as told by his son, a gifted writer and storyteller.

McCandless, a Navy fighter pilot, joined NASA in 1966. He was Houston's capsule communicator — the person talking to the astronauts — as Apollo 11's Neil Armstrong made his giant leap for mankind in 1969. McCandless developed technology his fellow astronauts used until he himself rode Challenger into space on the tenth shuttle mission. But the road to that incredible feat was not the sure bet it should have been for such a gifted man.

Bruce McCandless II was an astronaut for 24 years, and his story encompasses the development of the space agency itself — the changes in focus, in personnel, in approach, and in the city of Houston that grew up with it.

Wonders All Around is more than a catalog of McCandless's many extraordinary achievements, which included work on the design, deployment, and repair of the Hubble Space Telescope. It is also a tale of science, perseverance, and devotion.

Recounted with insight and humor, this book explores the relationship between a father and a son, men of two very different generations. And finally, it is an exploration of the mind-set of one unique individual, and the courage, imagination, and tenacity that propelled him and his country to their place in the forefront of space history.

• Greenleaf Book Group Press (June 29, 2021)
  
• ISBN-10: 1626348650
  
• ISBN-13: 978-1626348653

posted 11-01-2021 11:55 AM            

I think it also explains why, as much as it possibly can, why Bruce McCandless was well down in the pecking order for a flight. Nothing to do with ability but he appeared to be on the outside when it came to being close to those in charge. Of his astronaut group of nineteen (down to seventeen in 1969) some were having to be the last selected and the more science orientated such as McCandless and Don Lind were the unlucky ones as there was a definate division between pilots and scientists at that time. I have always found it odd that in Skylab where scientists were needed that those two were not chosen as the command module pilots to give extra help to the scientist-astronauts selected, although having said that those who did fly seemed to have done a good job of the experiments. Just my two pennys worth!

posted 11-15-2021 04:44 PM               

I am very much looking forward to reading the book. I enjoyed speaking with B2 (as you call him... I called him "Mr. McCandless"!

He was very generous with his time, and I was fortunate to have a long conversation with him about the MMU and his time with NASA.

He told me a funny story about being on the support crew for Apollo XIV. The astronauts were out west (New Mexico, I think) and they returned to the hotel after a long day. Apparently, word had gotten out that the astronauts were staying in this particular hotel and a crowd was waiting for them. A few of the more aggressive members advanced toward them saying, "Mr. Shepard, Mr. Shepard, can I have your autograph?"