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NEIGHBORS

Surprise-based author debuts with space thriller

Ernest's ‘Fourth Astronaut’ published

Posted 9/15/20

Surprise resident William H. Ernest just published his first novel, “The Fourth Astronaut.”

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NEIGHBORS

Surprise-based author debuts with space thriller

Ernest's ‘Fourth Astronaut’ published

Posted

Surprise resident William H. Ernest just published his first novel, “The Fourth Astronaut.”

The book is about a giant rock, the size of Connecticut, that slipped from the Milky Way Galaxy into an orbit around the Sun. The rock is destined to strike the Earth in one year.

The selection of the fourth astronaut for the first crewed flight of the Space Launch System is kind of a fluke or an afterthought, and he is not as qualified or as experienced as the other crewmembers. In the year 2021, he finds himself in the Orion Crew Module sitting on top a huge SLS rocket that is launching in 10 minutes.

He is extremely nervous and fears he will have a heart attack or stroke. He wonders what he is doing here on the mission to save the world. The book flashes back to 2016 and begins describing events that led to placing the fourth astronaut on that rocket.

“The Fourth Astronaut” is now on sale at Amazon, Barns & Noble, Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Bertram and other book sellers.

Ernest has a bachelor of science in education with a major in earth and space science, and a minor in biology. His master of science in education focuses on guidance and counseling. He has thirteen years’ experience with the United States Air Force Space Program, four as a USAF Officer, and nine years with Lockheed Martin Corporation.

He lives in Surprise with his wife, Mary Lou, and two dalmatians, Summer and Harvey.