Chasing Space by Leland Melvin

Chasing Space by Leland Melvin

In this revelatory and moving memoir of perseverance, a former NASA astronaut and NFL wide receiver shares his personal journey from the gridiron to the stars, examining the intersecting roles of community, perseverance and grace that align to create the opportunities for success.

Leland Melvin is the only person in human history to catch a pass in the National Football League and in space. Though his path to the heavens was riddled with setbacks and injury, Leland persevered to reach the stars.

While training with NASA, Melvin suffered a severe injury that left him deaf. Leland was relegated to earthbound assignments, but chose to remain and support his astronaut family. His loyalty paid off. Recovering partial hearing, he earned his eligibility for space travel. He served as mission specialist on two space shuttle program flights aboard the shuttle Atlantis, working on the International Space Station.

In this uplifting memoir, the former NASA astronaut and professional athlete offers an examination of the intersecting role of community, determination, and grace that align to shape our opportunities and outcomes. Chasing Space is not the story of one man, but the story of many men, women, scientists, and mentors who helped him defy the odds and live out an uncommon destiny.

As a chemist, athlete, engineer and space traveler, Leland's life story, a powerful space exploration biography, is a study in the science of achievement. His personal insights illuminate how grit and grace, are the keys to overcoming adversity and rising to success.

In this unforgettable memoir, discover the story of a man who refused to give up:

• From the NFL to NASA: Leland Melvin is the only person in history to catch an NFL pass and a pass in orbit, a journey that required trading his cleats for the rigors of astronaut training.
• Overcoming Adversity: After a severe training accident left him deaf, Leland had to fight his way back from a medical disqualification that threatened to end his dream of space travel before it began.
• A Story of Second Chances: From a career-ending injury on the football field to a life-altering accident in the NASA training pool, this is a powerful testimony to the grit and grace required to defy the odds.
• The Power of Community: Discover how a network of family, mentors, and fellow scientists provided the foundation of support that made his uncommon destiny possible.

Leland Melvin is a NASA astronaut and a former wide receiver for the Detroit Lions. In October 2010, he was named NASA Assistant Administrator for Education after serving as a mission specialist on the space shuttle Atlantis. He was also a cochair of the White House's Federal Coordination in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Task Committee, which developed the country's five-year STEM education strategy. He is a judge on ABC's BattleBots and the host of the Lifetime show Child Genius. He is the recipient of four honorary doctorates and the NFL Player Association Award of Merit. He is a resident of Lynchburg, Virginia.