Women in Space - Following Valentina [Paperback]

* This is the only book that provides the full story of the role of women in space exploration.

* Previously unpublished photographs of various aspects of training and participation in spaceflights are included.

* Personal interviews with female cosmonauts and astronauts.

* Traces the history of female aviation milestones from the early part of the 20^th Century to the current space programme.

Space exploration has developed from early, unmanned space probes through the pioneering years of the Manned Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions, to missions that now include women in the crew as a matter of course. Dave Shayler tells the story of the first woman balloonist in 1784 to their breakthrough as astronauts and cosmonauts in a range of professional roles. He covers the contribution women have made to space exploration and draws on interviews with Shuttle and Mir crew members who were women. These interviews detail the achievements of the first female Shuttle commander and the first female resident crew member of the International Space Station. These and many other events are presented in a detailed and highly readable account that recalls the difficult path to space exploration by women.

Into the wide blue yonder.- A seagull in orbit.- The Right Stuff, the wrong sex.- The rocket-plane and the Space Shuttle.- Shuttlenauts.- Sally and Svetlana.- Shuttle specialists and passengers.- Stations in space.- Earth orbit and beyond.- Conclusion.

From the reviews:

The purpose of this book is to celebrate the achievements of all the women who have taken part, in a multitude of ways, in missions of space exploration, and to chronicle those missions. & For any student of the subject here is the reference book par excellence, with ample cross-references to relevant literature, reports, and similar documents. & willl1