Dragonfly: NASA And The Crisis Aboard Mir

They say that fact is better than fiction, this story certainly bears that out. In a country where we expect perfection of our space program, this story came as a revelation. The bravely of the men and women who fly the MIR is simply incredible. In an outdated station falling apart around them the differences between the American and Russian ways of conducting business is highlighted. One is left after reading the book to wonder if such diametrical attitudes can coexist on the International Space Station. Dragonfly is one of the best books on the space program I have read. It goes beyond the surface and left me with a fuller understanding of both the Russian and US space programs than I had previously held.

What sets "Dragonfly" off from so many other books about space exploration is that the author understands that technology, unlike space, does not exist in a vaccuum. Like few other authors on the subject, Burrough realizes that complex technical systems, like Mir, interact with the variables of human personality, cultural background of the astronauts/cosmonauts, and indeed, the 'culture' which imbues organizations like Nasa and Energia. This book is totally absorbing, and I agree completely with the comment that it makes the reader feel, at times, as though he or she is actually aboard the Mir. In fact,"Dragonfly" should be required reading for ALL personnel who will be involved with the International Space Station. The author is right on target when he predicts that such a project will experience inevitable crises, and that how these are responded to will depend as much upon *human* as technological understanding. Finally, I must put in the supportive words for cosmonauts Tsibliyev and Lazutkin. These cosomonauts were heroes, facing and overcoming difficulties much greater than those encountered by Glenn and Gagarin. They deserved far better treatment upon return from Mir than being blamed for circumstances beyond their control. This book shows how much courage and ingenuity these men really had -- and that their safe return to earth and the saving of the Mir was due to their brave efforts. After reading "Dragonfly," I have the deepest respect for the leadership of Tsibliyev and Lazutkin. I hope they are given a chance to go to the new ISS -- their experience would be invaluable!

...it's being micro-managed and mismanaged right out of existence by politicians, bureaucrats and opportunists. While that may not be big news, through Burroughs' book, we can now put a name to these previously-nameless NASA parasites: George Abbey, Mark Albrecht, Dan Goldin...just to name a few who aren't in Congress.What struck me throughout this book is the courage, tenacity and intelligence of the men and women in NASA who, in spite of total lack of support, or worse, interference from, their politically-motivated managers, were able to pull off the Mir missions. I was also profoundly moved by the Russians' efforts to maintain their space program and their space station. This book corrected a lot of mis-impressions I'd had about their program. Yes, they take many more chances than NASA would ever contemplate, their equipment is old and falling apart. They are, however, the only program that has sucessfully maintained a long-lived station in space and they are the only humans with any experience in long-duration space flight. We have MUCH to learn from them. And they from us...This book leaves me in doubt as to whether the two space programs will indeed be allowed to profit from each others' experience. The Russian's money problems (which, as this book shows was a driving force behind the politically-inspired Phase One operation) and NASA's phalanx of self-centered, uninspired, non-technical management lead me to believe that if anything is accomplished it will only be through the individual efforts and dedication of the "rank and file" -- and that includes the astronauts.This book explained a lot for me: why my brother-in-law (who trains astronauts), once so purely, beautifully excited with just being a part of NASA, drags himself to work now; and why my husband, part of the initial tests ont he shuttle program when it started so many years ago, quit in disgust.NASA and the Russian space agency are still full of the brightest, most inspired, intelligent and motivated people the two countries have. (After reading this book, that's the only explanation I can come up with for the "success" of the Phase One program.) But unless we get the George Abbeys, and the Dan Goldins and the Hill Rats from Washington out of the equation, space exploration is doomed.

The Right Stuff Revisited: When Egos Collide "Dragonfly: NASA and the Crisis Aboard Mir" by Bryan BurroughBook review by Keith Cowing, Editor, NASA Watch..."Can't we just get along?" asked Rodney King amid the L.A. Riots. As you become engulfed in the portrayal of the Shuttle-Mir program outlined in this book, you half expect someone to jump up and say exactly the same thing.This book chronicles the lives of the people who endeavored to make the Shuttle-Mir program work. It sweeps through the lives of those who stayed behind as well as those who went to Mir. In so doing, the author has managed to weave a series of interviews, news reports, air-to-ground transmissions, and Congressional testimony into a compelling story - one which is hard to put down. The author is so adept at his craft that you often get the feeling that he is recollecting events instead of re-telling them. That alone makes this book worth reading.If there is one message this book leaves with the reader it is that technology is not the main challenge to space exploration today. Rather, it is the human factor. It is about the ability (or lack thereof) of people to get along with each other - and to be honest with each other in their working relationships. It is also about the awful consequences of not considering the human element of space operations i.e. depressed, isolated, over-worked, and scared people make mistakes. And finally, it is about the collision of culture and politics in the final frontier and the consequences that result when technical decisions are made for political reasons and political decisions are made for technical reasons.Strangely enough, throughout this book, one of the few people who come across as having any real grasp of what was broke amidst the human element on Earth or in space - or how to fix the situation - was Al Holland, Johnson Space Center's chief psychologist. Holland is portrayed as doing his best to help everyone cope - even when his help (and the obvious problems he cites) was not always welcome.What is truly astonishing is how ill prepared both America and Russia were to implement the Shuttle-Mir program. As the book unfolds it becomes painfully clear how little America knew about Russian spacecraft or operations and how misinformed Russia was about the expectations NASA had for their $400 million payment. As such, both countries rushed head on to make the agreement work and immediately encountered problems.All of the familiar faces appear in this book - the astronauts, the NASA managers, and the politicians. But there are also people portrayed in this book that the general public has never heard of. Perhaps the most interesting is Johnson Space Center Director George Abbey whom Burrough describes:"Abbey is regarded by many as the J. Edgar Hoover of NASA, a mysterious figure shrouded in myth and legend. Astronauts whisper about the file he is said to keep on every center employee. A thick green bind