View From Above

View From Above presents astronaut Terry Virts's experiences and photographs from his time aboard the International Space Station. The book combines Virts's personal narrative with images captured during his 200 days in space. The narrative tracks Virts's path from Air Force pilot to NASA astronaut, including his training and missions. His role as Space Station Commander and his work with crews from different nations form key parts of the story. The photography showcases Earth from orbit, spacewalks, life inside the ISS, and the operations of space missions. Virts documents both the technical aspects of spaceflight and the human elements of living in space. The book explores themes of international cooperation and the perspective-changing effects of seeing Earth from space. Through images and text, it presents space exploration as a unifying human endeavor that transcends national boundaries.

Readers appreciate Virts' personal stories and reflections from his time on the International Space Station, along with his photography of Earth from orbit. Reviews note the book provides both technical details about spaceflight and emotional perspectives about seeing our planet from above. Readers liked: - High quality photographs with detailed captions - Balance of technical and personal narrative - Behind-the-scenes look at astronaut life - Accessibility for non-technical readers Common criticisms: - Some found the writing style basic - Photo reproduction quality varies by edition - Limited coverage of certain space station operations Ratings: Goodreads: 4.4/5 (226 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (284 ratings) Notable reader comments: "The photos alone are worth the price" - Amazon reviewer "Offers unique insights into daily life in space" - Goodreads review "Would have liked more depth about mission operations" - Goodreads review

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🚀 Terry Virts spent over 200 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station as its commander, capturing more photographs of Earth than any other astronaut in history. 🌍 The book features over 300 photographs, many of which were taken through the ISS Cupola - a 360-degree viewing platform that offers unprecedented views of Earth. ⭐ Virts was one of only 4 astronauts selected for specialized training in the IMAX camera system, which he used to film sequences for the documentary "A Beautiful Planet." 🛸 Before commanding the ISS, Virts piloted Space Shuttle Endeavour during STS-130 and has logged a total of 213 days in space throughout his NASA career. 📸 The photographs in the book were selected from nearly 300,000 images that Virts captured during his missions, showing everything from aurora borealis to city lights to volcanic eruptions from space.