Customer Reviews

Do Your Ears Pop in Space and 500 Other Surprising Questions about Space Travel

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read nearly the whole book the first time I picked it up. Mullane tells it like it is, in a straightforward and honest manner. The back cover is full of testimonials from astronauts and other persons involved in the space program. James Lovell, Commander of Apollo 13, writes, "This book has to be on the shelf of every space buff." I agree!

Is a great book. Mike Mullane has answered the most common questions about space travel in such a way that you become addicted to the book. Tells you how and why things are done in a perspective that you do not need to be a rocket scientist to understand. If you love space, buy the book.

This book is easy to read and is a must for any fan of space travel. The book format uses one line questions followed up with an answer of a paragraph or two. The great thing is that the questions cover EVERY aspect of life in outer space that you can imagine - sleeping, hygene, eating, going to the bathroom, bleeding, clothing and back pain! There is also a great chapter which gives tips on what it takes to get into the space program. Once I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down!

I bought this book at the Kennedy Space Center Space Store and at first thought the cover and title looked sort of juvenile. However, once I started reading it I couldn't put it down! Mullane answers so many questions I didn't even think to ask and answered questions I had in my mind while touring NASA. This book enriched my NASA experience and I feel so much more knowledgeable about what astronauts experience. His writing style is as lighthearted and accessible as it is thorough. From explaining how astronauts have to work the toilet system on shuttles to how they are chosen to be an astronauts to facts about the Challenger tragedy, the simple question/answer format makes it fast reading and easy to go back and peruse. Published in 1997, I wish Mullane would update it and add more, but this is such a good introduction to the whole shuttle experience, I won't complain. In fact, this book has given me a better understanding of the current spacewalks on the space station and the Cassini spacecraft that just reached Saturn's orbit. I can easily see how this book could be very inspirational for a wanna-be or don't-yet-know-they-wanna-be astronaut, as well.

It's always more fun hearing about space from an astronaut who's been there and especially one who includes a picture of himself in a "urine collection device." I guarantee you'll be glad for reading this one.

Three times Space Shuttle Astronaut R. Mike Mullane answers 500 questions regarding space traveling and life onboard the Space Shuttle. From the technical ones [Shuttle weight or the gravity escape velocity] to very simple questions [Do yor ears pop in space? or Have you seen any ufo's?] this book is a delight for anyone interested in knowing more about the current state of space exploration and shuttle manned missions. The format of the book is quite simple: A question in bold lettering followed by a simple, yet intelligent and informative answer. Topics covered range from Take off, reentering the atmosphere, life onboard the ship to some tips for becoming an astronaut. Some black and white pictures and illustrations make the book a little more atractive. The author also provides the reader with many email addresses throughout the book in order to contact him or other astronauts or space program workers. Once you star reading this book, you won't be able to put it down! A must for space enthusiasts, and if you want to know the answer to the title question, you'll have to get the book...

THIS BOOK ROCKS! This book explains so much about space travel and astronauts! It's all done in a humourus but very informational way. This book is for all space buffs! One of the reasons that it is so good is that it is written by a real astronaut, someone that has experianced space-travel first hand. IT'S A GREAT BOOK! NOW I REALLY WANT TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT!!!!!!

This book is appropriate for children and adults. A former space shuttle astronaut answers questions that people had written him. What are the jobs of each of the people on the space shuttle? How does the shuttle get into the right orbit? How do you go to the bathroom in space? What really happened to the Challenger?

As far as this book goes, it does a great job. A guy who has flown on the space shuttle answers questions about flying on the space shuttle. But I do have a few problems with this book.

1) It is dated. More than 15 years old, the manned space program is much different now.
2) Focus on space shuttles with very little focus on Apollo and Gemini programs, etc.
3) Mike Mullane goes on and on about how awesome the shuttle is, but if you read between the lines you can tell he thinks the shuttle is a useless waste of money. I just wish he'd come out and say it because the shuttle has hardly accomplished anything since fixing the Hubble Telescope. (And all shuttles will be decomissioned next year. NASA will shift their focus to unmanned flight.)

But even with those criticisms this is a pretty good book. I didn't read the answers to every single question, but the book really held my attention for a couple of days until I read all the stuff in it that interested me. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to know more about space travel.

This is a very light and interesting read. The Q&A format makes it a very easy reading, especially for younger space fans. All aspects of space (shuttle) flight are covered. My only issue is that it needs an updated edition. This is a 1995 book, and references about the "future" international space station sounds dated. Also some of the statistics could be brought up to date.
The Kindle edition is well formatted, no problems here, and graphics ans pictures are preserved.
Overall a 4 star reading for space enthusiasts.

Highly informative. A few aspects need to be updated, though. I'd buy a second edition without any hesitation.

I bought this book due to a farely recent, but obsessive, facsination with space travel. It answers every question I had ever thought of and more. It also made me think in a totally different way, and so I came up with a whole host of new questions. I feel this book has opened up a whole new part of brain that was previously closed off. Thankyou R M Mullane!!