BUY THE BOOK & REVIEWS

Dr. Kenneth Atkin’s “God Is My Copilot” is a fascinating autobiography of one of America’s space pioneers whose multi-faceted career with NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory included being Project Manager for NASA’s ground-breaking Stardust Mission to the comet Wild 2. But it is more than that. It is a tale of a nine-year career in the Air Force as a pilot, a love story, and a journey of faith. And not least it is the story of a small-town Texas boy who achieved the American dream. Beyond the content, it is written in a narrative prose which rivals any of today’s novelists.

Wow! I just completed the reading of “Stardust’s” “Lift Off” into Space…from Cape Canaveral…(Feb.7, 1999 I believe)! after reading for an hour (since 5 am): Ken’s step-by-step EXCITING moment-by moment description of all the amazing exacting details of all that was involved…including the “interrupting periodic stresses” and concerns…in a really AMAZING totally successful endeavor: which he led: in every way! Dealing with all the dramatic aspects: positive and potentially negative! The celebrations of the responsible professionals, the VIP’s, the Proud immediate family members and the public media coverage…as well as aerogel still-challenging concerns, stressful emotional intrusions, and even his own, thankfully brief, last-minute illness! All told in his own uniquely conversational, but thoroughly professional “literary style”! Wonderful!

Such a privilege… for him and Barbara to share this with us…at this time in life…after our lifetime of close friendship with them over all these years! Truly…a blessing and gift from God in our lives. “Definitely”!

After we finished reading the book: This book will definitely give you examples and inspiration of “how to have a happy life”: Pay attention to advise of your parent’s….honor & love them….take advantage of your opportunities…to develop your own talents & interests….prepare for future opportunities by getting the education &/or “know-how” you may need later. Especially: go to church & listen to Biblical, Godly sermons…Decide to believe Jesus and to trust Him and pray for His wisdom, strength and help. Read the Bible to learn God’s will and love. This is the first priority….Then Pray to Him & trust Him in “difficult times”…Don’t give up…and don’t give in to temptations “others” may present. …Keep your word, be “responsible” & and have integrity in all you do.

Read this book…to see God’s working throughout Ken’s life…as his title plainly says…”in life, in love, & in the Cosmos”.

Ken and Barbara have been our “best friends” since we met them, as newlyweds…all our life…so we’ve seen 1st hand how God has led them throughout…and to accomplish “His best”…for Ken, his marriage & children, in his work & career…and thankfully to show…in his own & in our life ….the love and blessings God gives…in amazing blessings, as well as in challenges….in important space explorations into the farthest reaches of our solar system….in the evolving roles of our individual lives.

(My husband Embert Page graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1962 (4th graduating class). We met Ken and Barbara when Ken was assigned as Embert’s “sponsor” at Embert’s 1st assignment: which was the 1st Minutemen Missile nuclear defense system both he and Ken were assigned to; and where they both completed their aerospace Master’s degrees. Embert went on to work as an aerospace engineer at Lockheed Martin , in space and defense systems.)

“ Dr. Ken Atkins wrote a detailed story of his entire life from childhood through to his final retirement culminating as a power-player in America’s space exploration successes. Ken takes us through his early youth and teen years as a Texas kid who yearned to fly. That drive to fly ended up as 9 years service as a USAF officer that ranged from being a fighter pilot all the way to being in SAC (Strategic Air Command) flying America’s largest aircraft. During that period of Ken’s career, he achieved an Aeronautical Engineering degree, followed by an Aerospace Engineering Graduate degree and then a PhD in Aerospace Engineering which morphed his whole career into the space-related world. I actually felt my heart racing when I read about Ken’s involvement during the Cold War period regarding the Cuban Missile crisis and Naval blockade of Cuba with the Russians. Ken was involved with an ICBM (Inter Continental Ballistic Missile) control center that was all ready to be launched against the Kremlin with massive American firepower. Nikita Khrushchev backed down.

Throughout all this career-based coverage, Ken talks about his parents through the lens of a child all the way to having his Mom and Dad go through their own later years of life. He also talks about his early dating life and his ultimate marriage to Barbara Evans who gave him two children, Lee and Laurie. Ken’s life had close connectivity to both his parents and Barbara’s parents.

Throughout the entire book, Ken’s faith in God is sprinkled throughout. He called his book “God is my Copilot” but any reader would also recognize Ken’s love of his wife Barbara as a solid “rock” throughout all the military upheavals in life and later being married to a Space powerhouse guy contributing to America’s greatness in space exploration. The reader will also come away acknowledging Barbara Atkins as a huge “Co-pilot” as well in Ken’s life – then and now.

Ken stands tall as a patriotic American who really made a huge difference in this country. Once you read his book, you will now come to realize that Ken was one of the many “behind the scenes” heroes who truly made America great.”