Test Gods: Tragedy and Triumph in the New Space Race

The New Yorker journalist provides a definitive portrait of the adventurers leading the way to space tourism, drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews with Virgin Galactic's lead test pilot, Mark Stucky. The result is the most vivid exploration of an astronaut's inner life since Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 19 May 2022
Publisher: Cornerstone

In 2004, Richard Branson founded Virgin Galactic with a straightforward yet ambitious vision: to provide paying customers with the opportunity to experience space travel by the end of the decade. Seventeen years, numerous delays, and a catastrophic crash later, Branson's space tourism dream may finally be within reach.

Now, a New Yorker journalist has crafted the definitive portrait of the adventurers paving the way to the stars. Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews with Virgin Galactic's lead test pilot, Mark Stucky, Test Gods delves into the journey of a modern astronaut, encompassing their ascent from youthful aspirations to NASA, the Air Force, and Virgin Galactic. It also encompasses the grueling test flights that led to Stucky's first successful expedition beyond the Earth's atmosphere.

The result is a captivating exploration of an astronaut's inner world, reminiscent of Tom Wolfe's iconic The Right Stuff. It provides an intimate and unique insight into the emerging space race, offering readers a firsthand account of the trials, triumphs, and sacrifices involved in pursuing the ultimate frontier.

Weight: 500g
Dimension: 198 x 129 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781529157420