Chasing Space
Audio only

Chasing Space

An Astronaut's Story of Grit, Grace, and Second ChancesBy Leland MelvinNarrated by Ron Butler
Length7h 14m

About this audiobook

In this moving, inspirational memoir, 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 from the gridiron 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 for two flights aboard the shuttle Atlantis, working on the International Space Station. In this inspirational memoir, the former NASA astronaut and professional athlete offers an examination of the intersecting role of community, perseverance, 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 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.

Audiobook details

Rating★★★★ 4.2 (2.7K)
Includes Goodreads, Amazon, StoryGraph, LibraryThing
GenreBiography and Memoir, Science and Nature
Length7 hrs 14 mins
Narrated byRon Butler
FormatAudiobook
Publish dateMay 23, 2017
LanguageEnglish
How to Test Negative for Stupid
How to Test Negative for StupidJohn Kennedy8h 13m4.7 (9.7K)$28 · $0.00
Defying Jihad
Defying JihadEsther Ahmad8h 50m4.7 (4.8K)$20
Bad Fat Black Girl
Bad Fat Black GirlSesali Bowen6h 32m4.7 (2.8K)$24 · $0.00
Send Me
Send MeMarty Skovlund, Joe Kent8h 10m4.7 (1.6K)$26 · $0.00
Left for Dead
Left for DeadEbony Canion5h 34m4.7 (2.2K)$17
John Muir: The Story of My Boyhood and Youth & Letters to a Friend (Annotated)
John Muir: The Story of My Boyhood and Youth & Letters to a Friend (Annotated)John Muir10h 13m4.7 (1.1K)$1.99 · $0.00
Invisible Storm
Invisible StormJason Kander6h 48m4.7 (3.2K)$24 · $0.00
Forever Boy
Forever BoyKate Swenson9h 27m4.7 (5K)$29 · $0.00
You Are Worth It
You Are Worth ItKyle Carpenter, Don Yaeger8h 53m4.7 (4.8K)$29 · $0.00
The Happiest Man on Earth
The Happiest Man on EarthEddie Jaku3h 48m4.6 (178K)$7 · $0.00
Motherland
MotherlandJulia Ioffe17h 52m4.7 (2.5K)$40 · $0.00
Evidence Not Seen
Evidence Not SeenDarlene Deibler Rose11h 11m4.6 (11.9K)$29 · $0.00
A Bridge Not Too Far
A Bridge Not Too FarDeepak Ohri4h 55m4.8 (179)$15
Where Cowards Go to Die
Where Cowards Go to DieBenjamin Sledge8h 42m4.7 (351)$20 · $0.00
Will You Love Me?
Will You Love Me?Cathy Glass9h 5m4.6 (9.3K)$29 · $0.00
Designing Terry Pratchett’s Discworld
Designing Terry Pratchett’s DiscworldPaul Kidby3h 52m4.7 (343)$20 · $0.00
Hostage
HostageEli Sharabi5h 25m4.6 (10.8K)$24 · $0.00
Finding Me
Finding MeViola Davis9h 15m4.6 (256.4K)$29 · $0.00
Scandal Between the Sheets & Stranded with the Tempting Stranger
Scandal Between the Sheets & Stranded with the Tempting StrangerBrenda Jackson9h 22m4.8 (141)$24 · $0.00
The Dangerous Truth about Today’s Marijuana
The Dangerous Truth about Today’s MarijuanaLaura Stack CSP, MBA9h 57m4.7 (384)$20 · $0.00

You may also like

Love It Forward
Love It ForwardJeff Brown2h 32m4.3 (385)$15
The Possibility Dogs
The Possibility DogsSusannah Charleson11h 18m4.3 (2.3K)$20 · $0.00
I'll Show Myself Out
I'll Show Myself OutJessi Klein6h 51m4.0 (18.6K)$24 · $0.00
Trustee from the Toolroom
Trustee from the ToolroomNevil Shute Norway11h 38m4.4 (8.4K)$2 · $0.00
Saint Gianna
Saint GiannaGiuliana Pelucchi6h 53m4.6 (263)$15 · $0.00
Moondust
MoondustAndrew Smith14h 6m4.2 (5.2K)$33 · $0.00
Not Everything Counts but Everything Matters: SPECIAL UPDATED GRAND FINAL EDITION WITH A NEW CHAPTER ON THE HISTORIC 4-PEAT WIN
Not Everything Counts but Everything Matters: SPECIAL UPDATED GRAND FINAL EDITION WITH A NEW CHAPTER ON THE HISTORIC 4-PEAT WINIvan Cleary6h 21m4.4 (574)$24 · $0.00
Hello, Fears
Hello, FearsMichelle Poler6h 9m4.3 (2.4K)$17
No Dream Is Too High
No Dream Is Too HighBuzz Aldrin5h 45m4.1 (2.2K)$17
Autism Out Loud: the instant New York Times Bestseller. Moving Stories and Parenting Lessons Learned from Three Mothers of Children with Autism
Autism Out Loud: the instant New York Times Bestseller. Moving Stories and Parenting Lessons Learned from Three Mothers of Children with AutismKate Swenson, Carrie Cariello, Adrian Wood8h 41m4.8 (2.1K)$26 · $0.00
The Last Man at the Inn
The Last Man at the InnR. William Bennett4h 54m4.4 (1.4K)$20
Pathways to Light
Pathways to LightPrakash Amte7h 6m4.6 (1.3K)$8
Ripple Effects
Ripple EffectsPam Tebow8h 33m4.4 (637)$20 · $0.00
Tested: Reflections and conversations on leadership and resilience with Julia Gillard, Nedd Brockmann & Prof. Richard Scolyer, FINALIST at the Australian Business Book Awards 2025
Tested: Reflections and conversations on leadership and resilience with Julia Gillard, Nedd Brockmann & Prof. Richard Scolyer, FINALIST at the Australian Business Book Awards 2025Pat Cummins7h 21m4.3 (306)$24 · $0.00
Backstage Pass
Backstage PassPaul Stanley4h 39m3.9 (2.4K)$20 · $0.00
Dead White Guys
Dead White GuysMatt Burriesci9h 11m4.1 (271)$14 · $0.00
American Wife
American WifeTaya Kyle, Jim DeFelice9h 54m4.3 (8K)$29 · $0.00
Not Even Wrong
Not Even WrongPaul Collins6h 51m4.0 (1.3K)$17
The Heart
The HeartMaylis de Kerangal8h 50m4.0 (14.9K)$20
Good Blood
Good BloodJulian Guthrie8h 14m4.0 (216)$20