"We go into space to see far."
The Cold War's half-century nuclear standoff left Jim Van Laak, a fighter pilot standing alert on the US's northern frontline, aching for a vision of a better future with the nation's great strategic rival, Russia. He did not know that two great misfortunes of his youth, a low draft number and a dangerous airplane accident, had already set him on a course to not only see such a vision but to help bring it to fruition.
In To See Far, Van Laak takes readers along on his improbable journey from being a shy but gifted youth with a burning desire to fly to running manned spaceflight operations for the whole planet.
Van Laak's early brush with death made him determined to manage the dangers of flying by understanding its principles and machinery. In the wake of NASA's 1986 Challenger disaster, he seized an opportunity to apply his insights to the problems of spaceflight. He soon found himself untangling the complex issues of Ronald Reagan's envisioned Space Station Freedom.
When political changes redirected Freedom's development into an international project with Russia as a major player, Van Laak was tasked with managing the risks of Russia's participation. His later charge to lead the integration of the two nations' programs put him at odds with people in both countries who would have preferred to see cooperation fail.
Van Laak's efforts during the crises with American astronauts on Russia's Mir space station developed the techniques and relationships he needed to lead spaceflight operation during the International Space Station's critical, early construction. Managing its innumerable technical and human challenges brought him the long view of how rivals could work together.
In our time of seemingly intractable conflicts, To See Far brings a gentle, sensible vision that reaches beyond space enthusiasts to touch a deep cord in the human soul.
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