Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me about Our Home Planet—and Our Mission To Protect It

The iconic “Earthrise” photograph, taken by astronaut Bill Anders during the 1968 Apollo 8 mission, was part of the inspiration behind the modern environmental movement. This first-ever photo of the planet also inspired Stott (a retired NASA astronaut and aerospace engineer) to write about her experiences living on the International Space Station for two missions in 2009 and 2011. She determined that she wanted to share with everyone back home what she had learned by training for and living and working in space: that all living things are interconnected and interdependent, as well as the urgent need to be a responsible inhabitant of planet Earth. These life-changing experiences gave her a new perspective on what it means to be a “crew member” of the human race working together as one community for the greater good.