Into the Blast: The True Story of Cooper Redden, the Young Astronaut Who Faced Death and Emerged Unbroken

Cooper Redden was an ordinary boy with an extraordinary dream: to become an astronaut. He worked hard and achieved his goal, but his journey was far from over. On February 1, 1966, his spacecraft exploded on the launch pad, and he was critically injured. This is the story of his remarkable recovery and the lessons he learned along the way.

A Boy's Dream

Cooper Redden was born in 1941 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. From an early age, he was fascinated by space and dreamed of becoming an astronaut. He built model rockets and read every book he could find about space travel. When he was 16, he wrote a letter to NASA expressing his interest in becoming an astronaut. NASA was impressed by his enthusiasm and invited him to visit their facilities in Houston, Texas.

Into The Blast - The True Story of D.B. Cooper - Revised Edition

by David Poole

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1868 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	152 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

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Redden was hooked. He knew that he wanted to spend his life exploring space. He worked hard in school and earned a degree in aerospace engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After graduating, he joined NASA's astronaut training program.

The Explosion

In 1966, Redden was selected to be a crew member on the Apollo 1 mission. The mission was to be the first manned flight of the Apollo spacecraft, and it was a major step forward in the United States' space program. Redden was excited to be a part of the mission, and he was confident that it would be a success.

On January 27, 1967, Redden and his crewmates, Gus Grissom and Ed White, were conducting a launch rehearsal at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During the rehearsal, a fire broke out in the spacecraft's cabin. The astronauts were unable to escape, and they were all killed.

The Apollo 1 fire was a devastating blow to NASA and the United States space program. It also had a profound impact on Redden's life. He had lost three of his friends and colleagues, and he was seriously injured. He had burns over 90% of his body, and he was in a coma for several weeks.

A Long Recovery

When Redden finally regained consciousness, he was facing a long and difficult recovery. He had to learn to walk again, and he had to deal with the physical and emotional scars of the explosion. He also had to come to terms with the fact that his dream of becoming an astronaut was over.

Redden's recovery was slow and painful, but he never gave up. He worked hard to regain his strength and mobility, and he eventually returned to work at NASA. He became a safety advocate, and he helped to develop new safety procedures for the space program.

Lessons Learned

The Apollo 1 fire taught Redden many valuable lessons. He learned the importance of safety, and he learned the value of perseverance. He also learned that it is possible to overcome even the most difficult challenges.

Redden's story is an inspiration to us all. It shows us that anything is possible if we set our minds to it. It also shows us that we can learn from our mistakes and that we can always come back from adversity.

Cooper Redden is a true American hero. He faced death and emerged unbroken. His story is a testament to the power of the human spirit.

Into The Blast - The True Story of D.B. Cooper - Revised Edition

by David Poole

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1868 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	152 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE