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Renowned writer, poet, and NASA historian Bruce McCandless III (“Wonders All Around”) was raised near the thunderous roar of Apollo-era rockets and the Space Shuttle Program as the child of Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle astronaut Bruce McCandless II, who became the first individual to perform an untethered flight in space during a notable spacewalk on Feb. 7, 1984, among his many notable NASA achievements.
Currently, McCandless III has partnered with distinguished space journalist and podcaster Emily Carney to present a casual yet educational new book focused on the journey of human space exploration titled “Star Bound,” set to be released on Jan. 1, 2025, by the University of Nebraska Press.
The complete title of this extensive book, “Star Bound: A Beginner’s Guide to the American Space Program, from Goddard’s Rockets to Goldilocks Planets and Everything in Between,” is somewhat lengthy, yet it emerges as a 296-page summary of our nation’s fascination with rockets as they developed to facilitate initial ventures into outer space, lunar missions, aspirations of Mars, and beyond.
We conversed with McCandless from his residence in Nacogdoches, Texas, to gain further insight into the origins of “Star Bound” and to hear stories about growing up as the son of an astronaut.
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“Well, I believe the motivation for me stemmed from perusing a book by Colin Burgess entitled ‘Soviets in Space,’ which provided a sort of summary of the Soviet Space Program,” he recounts to Space.com. “I found it exceptionally well-crafted. It was clever without being overly technical and covered a broad spectrum. I hypothesized if perhaps a similar approach could be taken with the American Space Program. To my surprise, I discovered that while there are some quite significant books, a few of which are admirable but now outdated, there aren’t many medium-sized general introductions to the American Space Program.
“There is also an abundance of literature on specific topics, and one can delve as deeply as desired into various subjects spanning hardware and key figures. We aimed to develop a resource for educated individuals who, nonetheless, may feel somewhat daunted by the jargon associated with the program and the distinctive terminology that can hinder broader discussion.”
McCandless collaborated with Carney to cultivate a cohesive integration of ideas.
“She’s a strong advocate for the space program and is deeply committed to encouraging more women to participate, not only in the programs but also as engaged spectators and commentators. Therefore, we endeavored to maintain a balance in that aspect. She has particular affinities and is a devoted fan of the ’70s Skylab and is knowledgeable about some of the initial shuttle endeavors.
“She co-hosted a podcast called ‘Space and Things’ for three years, producing 150 episodes alongside Dave Giles. They interviewed numerous individuals, and the transcripts from those discussions ended up being quite valuable for our book. She spoke with astronauts, engineers, and mission control personnel, which provided a wealth of primary material.”
Growing up under the influence of
Houston’s Manned Spacecraft Center offered plentiful chances to immerse oneself in NASA activities due to his father’s profession.
“He was chosen for the program when I was just five years old,” McCandless reminisces. “He was pursuing a PhD at Stanford during that time, and upon his selection, we relocated from Palo Alto to a suburban area of Houston, Texas. Thus, I grew up surrounded by the whole Apollo initiative, followed by Skylab and the Shuttle. At that time, I wasn’t particularly keen on such matters, yet I absorbed a great deal of space history and information by osmosis as I listened to my dad speak and discuss the projects he participated in.
“He didn’t fly until I was away at graduate school in England, so I missed his inaugural launch. We were raised with the legacy that he had never quite received the opportunity he warranted, and that was part of the motivation behind my book, ‘Wonders All Around,’ which I penned in 2021. He eventually attained everything he desired and achieved great success, but we held this belief that he should have been given one of those Apollo opportunities.
“This forthcoming book takes an informal, pop culture-infused, occasionally slightly sardonic perspective on space history, and we aim to engage some younger audiences as well.”
“Star Bound” is set to be released on Jan. 1, 2025, and it is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.
Here’s the official comprehensive synopsis:
“‘Star Bound’ serves as a resource for anyone eager to learn about the American space program but uncertain about where to begin. First and foremost, it is a history — concise, clear, and direct. From rocketry innovator Robert Goddard’s initial flight experiments in 1926 to the establishment of NASA, from humanity’s first steps on the moon to the assembly of the International Space Station and envisioning a mission to Mars, readers will encounter the individuals and initiatives that have positioned the United States at the leading edge of space exploration. Throughout this journey, they will discover:
• How the United States outpaced the Soviets to reach the moon
• Why astronauts experience weightlessness in space (Hint: It’s not due to a lack of gravity!)
• The velocity rockets must achieve to maintain orbit around Earth
• How we can “peer back in time” using a space telescope
“As technology progresses and our comprehension of the universe broadens, we find ourselves entering an exhilarating era of space exploration. Authored by two seasoned space writers with distinct perspectives on the subject, ‘Star Bound’ narrates the tale of Americans in space while emphasizing the cultural and societal frameworks of the nation’s most significant missions rather than the engineering and technical details.
“Lively, optimistic, and witty, ‘Star Bound’ is brimming with facts and tales for budding space enthusiasts. Additionally, interspersed within the history are compilations of the finest space-themed songs, books, films, and more — all crafted to make space exploration accessible to even the most casual reader.”
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