What do you think?
Rate this book
Astrotwins #2
Project Rescue
Twins Mark and Scott discover an abandoned Apollo command module and take off to rescue a stranded Russian cosmonaut in the second Astrotwins adventure from retired NASA astronaut and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Mousetronaut, Mark Kelly.
Mark and Scott Kelly, who are mostly known for getting into trouble, are finally back from their first space adventure. The twins have wanted to explore space ever since they were little and watched Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. And when they hear that a Russian cosmonaut is trapped inside the Salyut space station now orbiting 220 miles above the surface of the Earth, they wish they could find a way to help.
While staying in the countryside at their grandfather s house with their friend Jenny (aka Egg), the twins repurpose a NASA Titan 2 rocket ship being stored nearby. Complete with spacesuits and snacks, the twins take off on their rescue mission. Will they ever see their family or their grandfather s backyard again?
Written by a NASA astronaut with four space flights under his belt, the second exciting Astrotwins story includes extensive back matter on the space program with fantastic facts and details."
Mark and Scott Kelly, who are mostly known for getting into trouble, are finally back from their first space adventure. The twins have wanted to explore space ever since they were little and watched Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. And when they hear that a Russian cosmonaut is trapped inside the Salyut space station now orbiting 220 miles above the surface of the Earth, they wish they could find a way to help.
While staying in the countryside at their grandfather s house with their friend Jenny (aka Egg), the twins repurpose a NASA Titan 2 rocket ship being stored nearby. Complete with spacesuits and snacks, the twins take off on their rescue mission. Will they ever see their family or their grandfather s backyard again?
Written by a NASA astronaut with four space flights under his belt, the second exciting Astrotwins story includes extensive back matter on the space program with fantastic facts and details."
272 pages, Library Binding
First published March 1, 2016
7 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
About the author
Mark Edward Kelly
11 books36 followersMark Edward Kelly is a retired American astronaut, engineer and U.S. Navy Captain. He is the husband of former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, an author, political activist, and aerospace executive and consultant.
A naval aviator, Kelly flew combat missions during the Gulf War. He was selected to become a NASA Space Shuttle pilot in 1996 and flew his first mission in 2001 as pilot of STS-108. He piloted STS-121 in 2006 and commanded STS-124 in 2008 and STS-134 in 2011. STS-134 was his final mission and the final mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour.
His wife was the target of an attempted assassination in Tucson, Arizona, on January 8, 2011. After the shooting, in which six people were killed, both Kelly and Giffords were thrust into the media spotlight. His wife's shooting led to a broad national conversation ranging from the duties of a husband to what is acceptable civil discourse.
Kelly's identical twin brother, Scott Kelly, is also an astronaut. The Kelly brothers are the only siblings to have both traveled in space. In 2015, Scott Kelly began a mission spending a year in space on the International Space Station. He returned to Earth on March 1, 2016 after 340 days in space. During and after Scott's year-long mission, the brothers were studied to find differences between living on Earth and in space
A naval aviator, Kelly flew combat missions during the Gulf War. He was selected to become a NASA Space Shuttle pilot in 1996 and flew his first mission in 2001 as pilot of STS-108. He piloted STS-121 in 2006 and commanded STS-124 in 2008 and STS-134 in 2011. STS-134 was his final mission and the final mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour.
His wife was the target of an attempted assassination in Tucson, Arizona, on January 8, 2011. After the shooting, in which six people were killed, both Kelly and Giffords were thrust into the media spotlight. His wife's shooting led to a broad national conversation ranging from the duties of a husband to what is acceptable civil discourse.
Kelly's identical twin brother, Scott Kelly, is also an astronaut. The Kelly brothers are the only siblings to have both traveled in space. In 2015, Scott Kelly began a mission spending a year in space on the International Space Station. He returned to Earth on March 1, 2016 after 340 days in space. During and after Scott's year-long mission, the brothers were studied to find differences between living on Earth and in space
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 30, 2017
Full disclosure: I'm a space geek - and my kids are, too. I love anything to do with space. So a book about twin boys who launch a NASA rocket into space to save a Russian cosmonaut was right up my alley. Astrotwins: Project Rescue is a great book for upper elementary-aged kids. Though it's the second book in the series, the storyline was easy to follow. The fact that it was authored by an astronaut shines through, lending authenticity to the kids' project and many historical references.
Project Rescue is a fun story about twins Mark and Scott Kelly and their friends. They are all fascinated with space exploration and have previously built and launched their own manned rocket, literally sending Scott Kelly on a trip around the world the summer before. I love that this book shows how compassion for others is universal - it doesn't matter a person's background or nationality. When NASA decides that they're not going to send astronauts to save the Russian cosmonaut, the kid's compassion is what ultimately drives the rescue mission to space.
The book doesn't only include boys. Egg, the girl of the group, is just as capable as the boys and just as critical to the their safe launch and return. I love that she's such a strong character in the book.
Though Kelly admits in the Author's Note that the story isn't plausible, it's an incredibly fun read. Astrotwins should be considered a must read for kids and even adults interested in space travel. I certainly enjoyed it. It makes me want to read the first book and I seriously hope that Kelly adds other stories to the series. He does a marvelous job incorporating scientific facts into a fictional story about space travel.
Project Rescue is a fun story about twins Mark and Scott Kelly and their friends. They are all fascinated with space exploration and have previously built and launched their own manned rocket, literally sending Scott Kelly on a trip around the world the summer before. I love that this book shows how compassion for others is universal - it doesn't matter a person's background or nationality. When NASA decides that they're not going to send astronauts to save the Russian cosmonaut, the kid's compassion is what ultimately drives the rescue mission to space.
The book doesn't only include boys. Egg, the girl of the group, is just as capable as the boys and just as critical to the their safe launch and return. I love that she's such a strong character in the book.
Though Kelly admits in the Author's Note that the story isn't plausible, it's an incredibly fun read. Astrotwins should be considered a must read for kids and even adults interested in space travel. I certainly enjoyed it. It makes me want to read the first book and I seriously hope that Kelly adds other stories to the series. He does a marvelous job incorporating scientific facts into a fictional story about space travel.
January 27, 2017
This is a fun and informative book for younger kids. While this is the second book about the Astrotwins, it was easy to follow on its own. Mark Kelly's own experience and expertise as an astronaut shines through lending authenticity to the kids' project.
Project Rescue is a fun story about twins Mark and Scott and their friends. They are all very interested in space exploration and even already launched their own manned rocket the summer before the events in this novel. In planning a space trip to save the stranded Russian astronaut, the kids in this book show that compassion for others is universal, it doesn't matter a person's background or nationality...their life is just as important as anyone else's life. Their team includes not only boys, but girls, showing that the ability to become a scientist/engineer/etc isn't just for boys. Egg, the girl of the group, is just as capable as the boys, and just as important in a safe launch and return. Additionally, they enlist the support of a few adults in their plans, showing that we can learn from each other whether young or old, each set has something to teach the others.
I will definitely be sharing this book with my younger cousins, and future children. Can't wait to read the first Astrotwins book and add it to my collection. This is a must read for children, teens, and adults interested in space exploration. Kelly does a great job of giving a fictional story with both actual historic and scientific facts.
*Note: I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads giveaways*
Project Rescue is a fun story about twins Mark and Scott and their friends. They are all very interested in space exploration and even already launched their own manned rocket the summer before the events in this novel. In planning a space trip to save the stranded Russian astronaut, the kids in this book show that compassion for others is universal, it doesn't matter a person's background or nationality...their life is just as important as anyone else's life. Their team includes not only boys, but girls, showing that the ability to become a scientist/engineer/etc isn't just for boys. Egg, the girl of the group, is just as capable as the boys, and just as important in a safe launch and return. Additionally, they enlist the support of a few adults in their plans, showing that we can learn from each other whether young or old, each set has something to teach the others.
I will definitely be sharing this book with my younger cousins, and future children. Can't wait to read the first Astrotwins book and add it to my collection. This is a must read for children, teens, and adults interested in space exploration. Kelly does a great job of giving a fictional story with both actual historic and scientific facts.
*Note: I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads giveaways*
May 9, 2016
The second in a series about the childhoods of Mark and Scott Kelly and their growing interest in space travel. In this the twins are concerned with the fate of a Russian cosmonaut stuck on a spacelab with no way home, thus revamping the team from the first book that successfully sent Scott out to space. Humorous with slap happy language, filled with interesting techie information about space travel, and adventurous, I think kids will enjoy this series. However as an adult, (and I realize it was written for adults), I am always bothered by stories where children unrealistically manage to do things they don't have the skills, knowledge, maturity etc. for, thus becoming puffed up heroes.
Want to read
March 14, 2017I received a copy of this book from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 17, 2017
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.0 of 5
A children's book about pre-teen astronauts written by an actual astronaut?! Heck, yeah!
It is 1976 and the Cold War and Space Race are in full swing. Twin brothers Mark and Scott Kelly are bright and curious and along with their friends Barry and 'Egg' and their grandfather (from whom they appear to have inherited their curiosity and general trouble-making) they have put together a working spaceship from some left-behind scraps from a discarded NASA storage space. Some of them have already made a journey into space (in a previous book, Astrotwins: Project Blastoff).
In current space news, a Russian cosmonaut has had some trouble in his Soyuz capsule and is now stranded as he orbits the earth. After careful consideration and discussion with the Russians, NASA has announced that they will not be able to send a rescue ship to help the cosmonaut and the Russians have announced that they are not able to launch a rescue mission.
Cosmonaut Ilya Ilyushin will die in space, trapped in his Soyuz capsule, unless something can be done.
But it's the 1970's. No one else has the ability to put a ship in orbit other than NASA and the Russian space administration. No one except the Kelly twins and their friends, using cast-off NASA pieces!
After some very careful planning and with one of their group traveling to Russia to help coordinate the rescue efforts, twins Mark and Scott blast-off and plan an extra-vehicular activity - a spacewalk to the Soyuz ship to retrieve Ilya.
The book does a really nice job of capturing and explaining some of the 1970's (in particular, what the 'cold war' was). It also does a fine job of portraying the energy and excitement of a youngster and the belief that all things are possible.
Clearly there's a lot of fiction here, and I absolutely loved author Mark Kelly's note at the end of the book stating that even as smart as he and his brother were, they weren't likely to have ever gone into space without the training of NASA. Of course this wouldn't have been able to happen, but it appeals to a youngsters desire to be an astronaut, to explore and to do something that most adults haven't done. It certainly appealed to the 12-year-old in me.
And as I stated in the beginning, the fact that this was written by a twin astronaut only makes it so much more interesting.
The downside to the book is that it's set in the 1970's. It makes a lot of sense, given the story-line, but it could almost as easily have been set today. Although the U.S. and the Russians work together on the International Space Station there could still be a need for a rescue that only the ingenuity of the youngsters could manage.
Still, this was a real treat and should have great appeal to any youngster who's ever looked at the stars and longed to explore.
Looking for a good book? Astrotwins: Project Rescue by astronaut Mark Kelly is an exciting historical adventure for elementary and middle school students that will appeal to a sense of adventure and the interest in the space program.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
A children's book about pre-teen astronauts written by an actual astronaut?! Heck, yeah!
It is 1976 and the Cold War and Space Race are in full swing. Twin brothers Mark and Scott Kelly are bright and curious and along with their friends Barry and 'Egg' and their grandfather (from whom they appear to have inherited their curiosity and general trouble-making) they have put together a working spaceship from some left-behind scraps from a discarded NASA storage space. Some of them have already made a journey into space (in a previous book, Astrotwins: Project Blastoff).
In current space news, a Russian cosmonaut has had some trouble in his Soyuz capsule and is now stranded as he orbits the earth. After careful consideration and discussion with the Russians, NASA has announced that they will not be able to send a rescue ship to help the cosmonaut and the Russians have announced that they are not able to launch a rescue mission.
Cosmonaut Ilya Ilyushin will die in space, trapped in his Soyuz capsule, unless something can be done.
But it's the 1970's. No one else has the ability to put a ship in orbit other than NASA and the Russian space administration. No one except the Kelly twins and their friends, using cast-off NASA pieces!
After some very careful planning and with one of their group traveling to Russia to help coordinate the rescue efforts, twins Mark and Scott blast-off and plan an extra-vehicular activity - a spacewalk to the Soyuz ship to retrieve Ilya.
The book does a really nice job of capturing and explaining some of the 1970's (in particular, what the 'cold war' was). It also does a fine job of portraying the energy and excitement of a youngster and the belief that all things are possible.
Clearly there's a lot of fiction here, and I absolutely loved author Mark Kelly's note at the end of the book stating that even as smart as he and his brother were, they weren't likely to have ever gone into space without the training of NASA. Of course this wouldn't have been able to happen, but it appeals to a youngsters desire to be an astronaut, to explore and to do something that most adults haven't done. It certainly appealed to the 12-year-old in me.
And as I stated in the beginning, the fact that this was written by a twin astronaut only makes it so much more interesting.
The downside to the book is that it's set in the 1970's. It makes a lot of sense, given the story-line, but it could almost as easily have been set today. Although the U.S. and the Russians work together on the International Space Station there could still be a need for a rescue that only the ingenuity of the youngsters could manage.
Still, this was a real treat and should have great appeal to any youngster who's ever looked at the stars and longed to explore.
Looking for a good book? Astrotwins: Project Rescue by astronaut Mark Kelly is an exciting historical adventure for elementary and middle school students that will appeal to a sense of adventure and the interest in the space program.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
December 14, 2025
-2.5 stars.
-kinda funny that Mark Kelly wrote this whole book about him and his twin being astronauts and now he’s an astronaut turned senator.
-cute math lesson. I wish rocket science was just Pythagorean theorem and triangles.
-very simplified science — I think that is what I thought aerospace engineering was before I changed majors lol.
-children’s book so not shocked but lacking some detail and emotion.
-probably going to end up in the donation pile for another person to be able to own.
-kinda funny that Mark Kelly wrote this whole book about him and his twin being astronauts and now he’s an astronaut turned senator.
-cute math lesson. I wish rocket science was just Pythagorean theorem and triangles.
-very simplified science — I think that is what I thought aerospace engineering was before I changed majors lol.
-children’s book so not shocked but lacking some detail and emotion.
-probably going to end up in the donation pile for another person to be able to own.
February 1, 2024
My 9 year old son is obsessed with space right now and wants to be an astronaut. This book was perfect for him! Although it does have some technical stuff in it, it is ultimately a novel geared towards kids and my son thought it was the coolest thing that it was written by an actual astronaut. I didn’t realize it was a sequel, so we’ll be reading the first book next!
December 1, 2024
This book finds both Mark and Scott Kelly going into space to rescue a Russian cosmonaut and animals. The author’s note does explain that the overall story is fiction with elements of real life at that time current events mixed in.
Read
September 4, 2019It was a great book just like the first one.
December 19, 2018
Mark and Scott Kelly are twins with an interest in all things space-related. But what kids actually get determined enough to build a rocket? The twins do, with the help of some of their friends.
Kids who enjoy learning about space will enjoy this one.
Kids who enjoy learning about space will enjoy this one.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews