Tim Peake became a national hero when he took off from Earth on his historic Principia mission. The first British European Space Agency astronaut to go to the International Space Station, his journey to the ISS and back was watched with anticipation and awe by the folks back home.

After he had re-adjusted back to life on Earth, Tim invited people to submit any questions using the hashtag #askanastronaut, and it is a selection of these questions that Tim answers with his customary warmth, wisdom and humour. In an age where reality TV 'celebrities' are idols and role models for children, Tim Peake is a refreshing change; a man who has gone out to achieve something spectacular in his lifetime, and with this book, give something back. Thanks to Tim, a whole new generation has been introduced to space travel and older generations have seen that spark of amazement and awe relit.

From his time training, to spacewalking, and coming back down to earth with a bump, Tim tells the stories behind the news reports, the real, human tale of being a spaceman. I think it should be part of the national curriculum, inspiring a new generation of space travelers; with diagrams, photos and illustrations, this is a great book for anyone of any age to enjoy, in addition, it's absolutely perfect for reading out loud with a younger reader or space enthusiast, or even better, both!

Honestly speaking, I had no idea who Tim Peake was prior to reading Ask an Astronaut. I'm now a fan. This book was written really clearly and felt like I was just sitting there having a conversation with him. The questions are done in a chronological type of way starting with liftoff in the beginning through the ride home at the end.

I learned so much that I never even thought to ask. The information contained in this book is thorough and often entertaining. I had no idea that astronauts are required to know Russian. It makes sense, but wasn't something I had ever thought of before. This book would be a great addition to anyone's library. Reading this expanded my knowledge and made me want to pick more books up about astronauts. Completely fascinating.

I can't help but feel this book should have been called "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Space (but were afraid to ask)", as it contains a lengthy Q&A between members of the public and astronaut Tim Peake.
Pretty much no stone is left unturned, from the predictable questions about doing one's daily ablutions in zero gravity, to less well-known facts, like how astronauts sleep. Peake shares so many amazing details of life on the ISS, from the training, to actually getting to the space station from Earth, to life on board, to his return home and readjusting to gravity. It's a fascinating read from start to finish and one that must leave everyone who reads it wishing they could witness the earth through the cupola window on the ISS.
Sadly, I doubt I'll get to visit space in my lifetime, as I don't have a spare $1m to give Richard Branson, so instead, I'll just live vicariously through the tales of my fellow Brit, Tim Peake. He boldly went and the accounts he shares are truly amazing reading.

As someone who has alway been in-awe and inspired by space, Ask An Astronaut is the perfect book to give you an inside look at what it is like to be an astronaut, and more importantly how you can become on elf you wish!

Set up in the form of Tim Peake answering various questions with the occasional illustration to give better insight into items like the Soyuz spacecraft and an astronaut space suit. Peake has also included some of the photos that he took whilst he was in space, as well as some from when he was training to go to space.

Split into 6 section (not including an afterword), Peake manages to cover the most frequently ask questions that any astronaut gets asked. In ‘Launch’, he details exactly what exactly goes on inside the Soyuz spacecraft and what it feels like to be strapped on top of an 300-tonne rocket. In ‘Training’ he details the exact training that is required for all aspect of life in space. In ‘Life and Work on the ISS’ he explain what it is like to live and work in microgravity. In ‘Spacewalking’ he details how you prepare for a spacewalk (it is a lot more complicated that it looks). In ‘Earth and Space’ he details how the experiments that they are conducting on the ISS (both inside and outside of its walls) are benefiting us back here on Earth. And in ‘Return To Earth’ he explains what it is like to reenter the Earth’s atmosphere at Mach 25 and what astronauts so in the immediate few weeks after returning from space.

Whether you are already deeply interested in space, or are looking for a book to read with a young child, Ask An Astronaut will leave you more excited about space than before.

European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake answers every pressing question about life on the ISS in this fascinating read. Peake's voice is confident, knowledgeable, and deeply personable. Despite the Q&A format, the book rarely felt repetitive. One of the best aspects of this title were the informative diagrams. I've been developing public space science programs as part of my work in a small library and finding clear diagrams to explain things like Soyuz launches isn't always easy...so these diagrams are worth the book cost alone! In addition, I gained clarity on just about every aspect of the ISS mission process and the afterword describing planned deep space missions left me hopeful and in awe. Essential reading as we continue to explore our solar system!

Can't read the PDF. No kindle format available sadly. So frustrating

It is amazing to consider that since 1961 when Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space that only 545 people have reached Earth's orbit. Tim Peake is one, having been on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2015. His book Ask and Astronaut: My Guide to Life in Space is as close as most of us will get to knowing what it is like.

When Tom Wolfe wrote The Right Stuff, he was talking about the first American astronauts who had come up from the ranks of pilots. Today's astronauts need very specific skills, including being good at language, since being in the ISS requires knowing Russian.

"NASA astronaut and ISS commander Scott Kelly told me that it is only the first ten years of studying Russian that are difficult."

The most important trait needed to be an astronaut is character and drive. Mike Massimino also wrote about that in his memoir Spaceman.

Peake wrote this book to answer the questions people ask all the time about being space. Chapters include Launch, Training, Life and Work on the ISS, Spacewalking, Earth and Space, Return to Earth, and Looking to the Future. There are great illustrations, diagrams, and color photographs.

I can't imagine living in 'a tin can' for months. And yet this is what today's astronauts do. And sharing that space with other people.

Okay, perhaps I can imagine that but I really can't imagine spacewalking. Leaving the 'safe haven' of the ISS for a black vacuum where temperatures can go from frigid to boiling in minutes, unprotected from various flying space stuff. One wrong move and--well, watch the movie Gravity and skip the happy ending. Peake notes it is actually quite easy to fall off the space station. The danger is palpable.

All this while wearing adult 'nappies'.

But other things can go wrong, too. In 1965 a Soviet astronaut was in space when his suit ballooned and stiffened. His hands and feet slipped from their places, and the only thing he could do was depressurize his suit. He was suffering from decompression sickness when, with much struggling, he entered the airlock.

Peake was part of a team to repair the ISS solar panel, restoring its electric power. Being in space gave him "the sensation of being a microscopic spectator in an immeasurably vast universe. It was, at the same time, the most astonishing and humbling experience of my life."

This is a great book for inquisitive minds, from the young to us older folk who grew up with the Space Race.

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.