Sharing space An astronaut's guide to mission, wonder, and making change

Scientist, pilot, and former astronaut and U.S. Air Force colonel, Coleman shares her early life and what led her to NASA and the International Space Station (ISS). She writes vividly about how, in 1969, she almost missed Neil Armstrong's first steps on the Moon because of "space is for boys" cultural norms and how she noticed then that all the astronauts were white men. Later she received inspiration and "permission" from Sally Ride to pursue space exploration. Coleman describes her demanding journey from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to how surreal it felt when NASA selected her for the ISS mission to the breathtaking moment of donning the blue flight suit, recounting the punishing training process and her uncertainty countered by her determination. Looking to the larger picture, Coleman highlights the importance of having a broad support system, acknowledging vulnerabilities, and building deeply trusted friendships and professional bonds, while emphasizing counseling (particularly regarding the emotional preparation for the isolation of living aboard the ISS), and the impact of navigating cultural differences.

An upbeat memoir from a former astronaut who served on the International Space Station. Coleman, a former colonel in the Air Force, chronicles her 24-year career at NASA, during which she flew two missions on the space shuttle and spent six months on the ISS. Early on at the agency, women were largely ignored. "By the time I got to MIT in 1979, only six women had been selected as NASA astronauts," writes the author. "But seeing Sally Ride on the stage that day turned a possibility into a reality--a reality that could include me." Coleman recounts some of the prejudice she faced, but overall, she gives her fellow astronauts high marks. She joined the program in 1992, and she delivers vivid accounts of flying on the space shuttle. However, her greatest thrill was her time on the ISS. Chosen in 2007, she describes three years of intense practice, study, and simulation, during which she traveled the world before the mission itself. Coleman writes well, and readers will learn a lot about the technical details of spaceflight as well as the daily life, duties, and interactions of a career astronaut. Since she began her career, plenty has changed; the newer astronaut classes are 50% women. As always, however, the job requires top-level intelligence, fierce ambition, scientific and technical aptitude, a generous tolerance of human foibles, and physical and mental fortitude. "Throughout my career, navigating around my smaller size in the EVA suit required imagination, supreme negotiating skills, a sense of humor, and showing up cheerfully, even to meetings where I wasn't invited," she writes. Regardless, "blaming the equipment was not an option." An appealing account of a unique life that will encourage readers aspiring to a life in space. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.