The European Space Agency has a long history of human spaceflight, flying in space with both NASA and the Soviet/Russian space agencies over the years. This book tells the story of the ESA astronauts who have visited the International Space Station over its first decade and how they have lived on board, helped construct the space laboratory and performed valuable scientific experiments.
ESA has contributed the Columbus science laboratory as well as the Copula, the Leonardo PMM and the ATV supply ship to the station's infrastructure but it is the human endeavor that captures the imagination. From brief visits to six month expeditions, from spacewalking to commanding the Earth's only outpost in space, ESA astronauts have played a vital role in the international project.
Extensive use of color photographs from NASA and ESA depicting the experiments carried out, the phases of the ISS construction and the personal stories of the astronauts in space highlights the crucial European work on human spaceflight.
"Each chapter contains a biography of the astronaut, the specific activities of the mission, and beautiful color photographs of the crew member and mission patches, and ends with a description of the current status of the astronaut. Though the book will interest space enthusiasts, it is essentially a catalog and time line of activities that are readily available in other sources. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers." (J. Z. Kiss, Choice, Vol. 54 (4), December, 2016)
"In the Footsteps of Columbus will give you an overview rich in technical details about Europe's role in the ISS ? . best suited for future historians who will find it a useful reference as they dig deeper in the why and how, and not just the who and when, of Europe's place in space." (Jeff Foust, The Space Review, August, 2016)
"European human spaceflight is the topic of this fine book and encyclopedia. ? This book should belong to the library (or notebook) of every space-enthusiast, space engineer or layman interested in European space exploration. It should be within easy reach to be consulted as often as possible - you always glean something new." (Joachim J. Kehr, Journal of Space Operations & Communicator, Vol. 13 (4), 2016)
