Some astronauts will tell you that optimism got them to space, but Chris Hadfield will tell you that optimism in space will get you killed.

He's the first Canadian to ever command the International Space Station, five months in orbit,

leading an international crew in the most hostile environment humans have ever worked in.

Before that, he was intercepting Soviet bombers in the Arctic,

test-flying experimental aircraft for the U.S. Navy

and systematically preparing for a goal that didn't even exist when he started chasing it at age nine.

And then he made one of the most epic pivots in human history.

He became a best-selling fiction author, writing the Apollo murders, the defector, and the subject of today's conversation,

Final orbit. Chris draws on his 25 years in the military, not for his training on how to kill people,

but how to stop wars. He uses his expert knowledge about intercepting Soviet bombers and

flying into outer space to helping build the space station mirror with those same Soviets

that he once viewed as enemies, working cooperatively in peace in orbit. But now, in his new

thriller, Final Orbit, Hadfield tells the true story of the Chinese space program, political witch

hunt, an exile genius, battles in space, and 70 years of consequences later, we're still

dealing with a new rival that's rising in the east. And what the rise of conspiracy theorists

and even encounters with unidentified flying objects mean for the future of humanity and space.

This is Commander Chris Hatfield on how America created its worst rival,

but rose to the occasion. Let's go deep into the impossible. That's a great pleasure to have back on the

show. Commander Chris Hadfield, one of our most requested and favorite guest on the podcast. Welcome back

to the Into the Impossible podcast. Brian, I've been looking for a reason to be talking to you again, so I'm glad a new book is it. And I really enjoyed our last conversation. So thanks for having me back. I just couldn't resist when I saw this new book coming out. I begged, borrowed, stole. I love the audiobook, Chris. The narrator is just phenomenal. You guys did a great job on it. Thank you. Yeah, Ray Porter's the best in the business. Andy Weir, who wrote The Martian,

and Project Hail Mary is a good friend. phenomenal. You guys did a great job on it. Thank you. Yeah, Ray Porter's the best in the business.

Andy Weir, who wrote The Martian and Project Hail Mary is a good friend, and Ray does all of his books as well. But this book, it was great because Ray was actually stopping during the recording

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