Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The launch director of the shuttle Columbia was one of the people who would welcome her home when she landed at 9:16 AM. But instead of hearing the customary booms, he heard silence. Something was terribly wrong. #2 In the midst of a spaceflight contingency, the administrator of NASA made a difficult decision and declared a spaceflight emergency. #3 I was the eighth launch director of the Space Shuttle Program, and I was in charge of all shuttle launch operations. I led the final Go for launch. #4 The crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia was made up of some of the most experienced astronauts in history, with a combined total of over 4,800 hours of training before launch.