Nothing captivates the human imagination like the vast unknowns of space. Ancient petroglyphs
present renderings of the heavens proof that we have been gazing up at the stars with wonder
for thousands of years. Since then mankind has systematically expanded our cosmic
possibilities. What were once flights of fancy and dreams of science fiction writers have
become nearly routine - a continuous human presence orbiting the Earth probes flying beyond
our solar system and men walking on the moon. NASA and the Russian space program make
traveling to the stars look easy but it has been far from that. Space travel is a sometimes
heroic sometimes humorous and always dangerous journey fraught with perils around every
corner that most of us have never heard of or have long since forgotten. Space Oddities brings
these unknown offbeat and obscure stories of space to life. From the showmanship and bravado
of the earliest known space fatality German Max Valier to the first ever indictment under the
Espionage Act on an Army officer who leaked secrets concerning the development of early U.S.
rockets and the story of a single loose bolt that defeated the Soviet Union's attempt to beat
America to the moon. Author Joe Cuhaj also sheds light on the human aspects of space travel
that have remained industry secrets - until now: how the tradition of using a musical playlist
to wake astronauts up began fascinating tales about inventions like the Fischer Space Pen
Omega watches and even Tang breakfast drink. In addition to fun and entertaining space trivia
Space Oddities also features stories of the profound impact that space travel has had on
challenges right here at home like the effort by civil rights leaders and activists in the
1960s to bring the money from the space program back home to those in need on Earth NASA's
FLATs (First Lady Astronaut Training) program and the 25 women who were selected to become
astronauts in 1960 but were denied a chance at flying even after successfully completing the
rigorous astronaut training program and the animals who many times sacrificed their lives to
prove that man could fly in space.Filled with rare and little-known stories Space Oddities
will bring the final frontier to the homes of diehard space readers and armchair astronauts
alike.
