David Hitt (author)
Encyclopedia
William David Hitt is an American author specializing in spaceflight history.
Hitt is co-author of Homesteading Space, a history of the Skylab
program, with NASA
astronauts Owen K. Garriott
and Joseph Kerwin. Homesteading Space was published in 2008 by the University of Nebraska Press
as part of its Outward Odyssey: A People's History of Spaceflight Series. Hitt is currently working on his second book, also part of the Outward Odyssey series, to be published at a later date.
"Homesteading Space" was reviewed in the Spring 2009 edition of the National Space Society's "Ad Astra" magazine, by Rick Sturdivant in "Air Power History" in Spring 2010, by Roger Lanius in the January 2009 issue of "Air & Space Smithsonian" Magazine, and by the American Library Association's "Booklist" in November 2008. It was reviewed also in the Fall/Winter 2009 edition of "Faith & Family Matters" magazine.
. He graduated from Huntsville High School
in 1992; received a B.A. in Journalism from University of Mississippi
in 1996.
, a weekly newspaper in Indianola, Mississippi
, from August 1996 until October 1998, and from October 1999 until August 2002. He was employed by Boone Newspapers in Mississippi from 1998 to 1999.
In 2002 Hitt joined the NASA Educational Technology Services web team at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center
in Huntsville, Alabama.
He has been a volunteer at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center since 2005 and has served as a Policy Committee Member on the National Space Society
since 2010. He frequently participates in book signings and gives public talks related to the Skylab program.
Hitt has been an actor with Face2Face Improv, Inc. since 2006.
Hitt is co-author of Homesteading Space, a history of the Skylab
Skylab
Skylab was a space station launched and operated by NASA, the space agency of the United States. Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. It was launched unmanned by a modified Saturn V rocket, with a mass of...
program, with NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronauts Owen K. Garriott
Owen K. Garriott
Owen Kay Garriott, Ph.D. is a former NASA astronaut who spent 60 days aboard Skylab in 1973 and 10 days aboard Spacelab-1 in 1983. He is also the father of Robert Garriott and fellow spacefarer Richard Garriott, with whom he helped found Origin Systems.-Education and background:Garriott was born...
and Joseph Kerwin. Homesteading Space was published in 2008 by the University of Nebraska Press
University of Nebraska Press
The University of Nebraska Press, founded in 1941, is a publisher of scholarly and popular-press books. It is the second-largest state university press in the United States and, including private institutions, ranks among the 10 largest university presses in the United States...
as part of its Outward Odyssey: A People's History of Spaceflight Series. Hitt is currently working on his second book, also part of the Outward Odyssey series, to be published at a later date.
"Homesteading Space" was reviewed in the Spring 2009 edition of the National Space Society's "Ad Astra" magazine, by Rick Sturdivant in "Air Power History" in Spring 2010, by Roger Lanius in the January 2009 issue of "Air & Space Smithsonian" Magazine, and by the American Library Association's "Booklist" in November 2008. It was reviewed also in the Fall/Winter 2009 edition of "Faith & Family Matters" magazine.
Education and background
Hitt was born in 1975 in Huntsville, AlabamaHuntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
. He graduated from Huntsville High School
Huntsville High School
Huntsville High School is a public high school in Huntsville, Alabama, United States.-History:Due to growth in Huntsville in the 1920s, Huntsville High moved to a location on Randolph Avenue and White Street in 1927. This building served the high school until 1954, when a new building opened on...
in 1992; received a B.A. in Journalism from University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
in 1996.
Career
Hitt was a reporter and news editor of The Enterprise-TocsinThe Enterprise-Tocsin
The Enterprise-Tocsin is a newspaper in Mississippi. The newspaper offices are in Indianola. The newspaper is distributed in Sunflower County and sections of northern Humphreys County. It is published weekly, on each Thursday.-External links:*...
, a weekly newspaper in Indianola, Mississippi
Indianola, Mississippi
Indianola is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sunflower County.-History:...
, from August 1996 until October 1998, and from October 1999 until August 2002. He was employed by Boone Newspapers in Mississippi from 1998 to 1999.
In 2002 Hitt joined the NASA Educational Technology Services web team at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center
Marshall Space Flight Center
The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center is the U.S. government's civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center. The largest center of NASA, MSFC's first mission was developing the Saturn launch vehicles for the Apollo moon program...
in Huntsville, Alabama.
He has been a volunteer at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center since 2005 and has served as a Policy Committee Member on the National Space Society
National Space Society
The National Space Society is an international nonprofit 501, educational, and scientific organization specializing in space advocacy...
since 2010. He frequently participates in book signings and gives public talks related to the Skylab program.
Hitt has been an actor with Face2Face Improv, Inc. since 2006.