Sky Above

Colonel John H. Casper, USAF (Ret.), is a former combat fighter pilot, test pilot, NASA astronaut, and Space Shuttle commander. After graduating from the US Air Force Academy and earning a master's degree in astronautics at Purdue University, he flew 229 combat missions in Vietnam and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He served as a Cold War fighter pilot in Europe and later graduated from the USAF Test Pilot School. While a test pilot, he commanded a test squadron and flew classified aircraft. Casper is a veteran of four NASA Space Shuttle missions—three as commander and one as pilot. Following his spaceflight career, he provided senior leadership as director of safety, reliability, and quality assurance at NASA's Johnson Space Center. He also served as a senior manager in the Space Shuttle and Orion programs. He currently lives in Montreat, North Carolina.

• Part I1. A Lesson in Courage2. My Crazy Dream3. First Adventures4. Ramblin' Wrecks, Falcons, and BoilermakersPart II5. Tweets, Talons, and Super Sabres6. Combat with the Lucky Devils7. Cold War Fighter Pilot8. Experimental Test Pilot9. Life in the Puzzle PalacePart III10. Challenger and Return to Flight11. Space Shuttle Rookie12. Space Shuttle Commander13. Microgravity Lab14. Saving the Space Station15. A Four-Rendezvous FlightPart IV16. Safety Director17. The Unthinkable Happens18. Return to Flight . . . Again19. First Test Flight of OrionAcknowledgmentsAppendix: Aircraft and Spacecraft FlownGlossaryNotesBibliographyAbout the Author