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As a special bonus, the NSS has secured four copies of “Bringing Columbia Home.” These books will be signed by co-authors Mike Leinbach and Jonathan Ward and will be given away as virtual door prizes.
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Mike Leinbach was the final Shuttle Launch Director at NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida. He was responsible for overall shuttle launch countdown policy, planning, and execution activities in the last eleven years of the program. Mike’s NASA career began in 1984 when he joined the agency as a structural engineer. He quickly rose through the ranks, initially leading design efforts for critical launch pad systems. By 1988, he became a NASA Test Director, overseeing daily operations at the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex.
In 1991 Mike was named Shuttle Test Director, conducting the terminal countdown and launch of seventeen shuttle missions. In August 2000 he became the Launch Director and led the Launch Team for all Shuttle missions from then to the end of the program in 2011, serving as the person to give the final “Go!” for launch.
In 2003, following the tragic breakup of Space Shuttle Columbia, Mike led the initial debris recovery efforts in Texas and Louisiana. He spearheaded the Columbia Reconstruction Team, which meticulously analyzed the collected debris to determine the cause of the accident. His innovative suggestion to loan the debris to academic institutions has contributed to the development of safer spacecraft. Following his retirement from NASA in November 2011, Mike transitioned to overseeing human space operations for United Launch Alliance ((ULA), where he helped to integrate ULA ‘s Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew program.
Mike collaborated with author Jonathan Ward on the project "Bringing Columbia Home," which chronicles the recovery efforts and legacy of the Columbia disaster. This project underscores his commitment to honoring the memory of the Columbia crew and advancing the field of space exploration. His many service awards include the Presidential Rank Award, NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal, and NASA’s Medal for Outstanding Leadership.
Jonathan Ward is the author of four space history books, a cruise ship astronomer and enrichment speaker, and an avid astrophotographer. Jonathan’s most recent book, “Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars,” was written in collaboration with astronaut Eileen Collins, the first American woman to pilot and command space missions. Jonathan and Eileen have given book signings and presentations about Collins’ life and spaceflight missions at regional and national conferences across the US. A feature-length documentary “Spacewoman,” based on the book and produced by Haviland Digital, is scheduled for release in 2025.
Jonathan is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador. Jonathan spends about half the year at sea as a space exploration lecturer and astronomer on ocean cruises. In the past two years he has been featured on Viking, Cunard, Atlas, Silversea, Celebrity, and Oceania voyages.
While he would not call himself a “thrill-seeker,” Jonathan does like to travel, explore, re-invent himself, and push himself out of his comfort zone to broaden his personal knowledge in his areas of interest. This has led to such diverse experiences as taking a zero-G flight, skydiving, and singing on two GRAMMY-winning albums with the National Symphony at “the Other Kennedy Center” (for the Performing Arts). He resides in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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