Paul Casey

1960 - 1999. Casey, a graduate of Columbia Basin Community College in Pasco, WA, spent his life researching the space program and interviewing many people involved in it, from scientists to astronauts. Casey, an accomplished technical writer, astronomy columnist, and artist, began to write this book after he was inspired as a young child when he witnessed, along with the rest of the world, Apollo 11 land three men on the moon in 1969. Casey enjoyed educating students about the space program and wrote this book to share an enthusiasm about science, especially for those never thought about looking up at the night sky and wondering about the stars. Casey wanted students to ask questions and to gain a perspective on how incredible science is. But mostly, he wanted to inspire students to pursue a career in science to continue the peaceful exploration of space for generations to come.

After graduating from Columbia Basin College, Paul studied Meteorology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa for his junior year (1989-1990). Upon his return from Hawaii, he came across a newspaper ad for a weekly astronomy columnist. This was a dream job for Paul, having the opportunity to reach the local community and inspire them about the complexities of space and astronomy.

Previously, Paul was also the local public information officer for all things NASA; and would publish an occasional feature article in the Tri-City Herald regarding the Space Program and Astronomy. Paul would speak at the local schools; the teachers and students enjoyed his presentations he gave because he had a knack for getting people excited about astronomy due of his genuine passion and knowledge for the stars. His writings/musings were appreciated by a large following because of his unique style of writing that appealed to everyone.

See list of books here.