Final Orbit
an action-packed space thriller from astronaut and bestselling author Chris Hadfield
Published on 7. October 2025
Book
Hardback
416 pages
978-1-5294-3595-5 (ISBN)
Description
Houston, 1975. A new Apollo mission launches into orbit, on course to dock with a Russian Soyuz craft: three NASA astronauts and three cosmonauts, joining to celebrate a new dawn of Soviet-American cooperation. But as NASA Flight Controller Kaz Zemeckis listens in from Earth, a deadly accident changes everything.
Meanwhile, from a remote location in east Asia, the first Chinese spacecraft secretly launches. On board is China's first astronaut, Fang Kuo-chun, whose mission puts him on a collision course with the Apollo crew. As Kaz races against an enemy on the ground and for answers beyond the sky, the safety of the remaining crew hangs in the balance . . .
Full of intrigue and real history - including the fascinating story of Professor Tsien Hsue-shen, the 'Father of Chinese Rocketry' and founder of China's space program - Final Orbit accelerates to a thrilling conclusion that captures the beauty and terror of survival 270 miles above Earth, as could only be written by one of the most experienced astronauts alive.
Praise for the Apollo Murders series
'A nail-biting Cold War thriller' James Cameron
'An exciting journey to an alternate past' Andy Weir
'Not to be missed' Frederick Forsyth
'Explosive' Gregg Hurwitz
'Exciting, authentic' Linwood Barclay
Meanwhile, from a remote location in east Asia, the first Chinese spacecraft secretly launches. On board is China's first astronaut, Fang Kuo-chun, whose mission puts him on a collision course with the Apollo crew. As Kaz races against an enemy on the ground and for answers beyond the sky, the safety of the remaining crew hangs in the balance . . .
Full of intrigue and real history - including the fascinating story of Professor Tsien Hsue-shen, the 'Father of Chinese Rocketry' and founder of China's space program - Final Orbit accelerates to a thrilling conclusion that captures the beauty and terror of survival 270 miles above Earth, as could only be written by one of the most experienced astronauts alive.
Praise for the Apollo Murders series
'A nail-biting Cold War thriller' James Cameron
'An exciting journey to an alternate past' Andy Weir
'Not to be missed' Frederick Forsyth
'Explosive' Gregg Hurwitz
'Exciting, authentic' Linwood Barclay
Reviews / Votes
Hadfield expertly weaves fact, fiction and his own experiences in orbit to produce a novel that is both technical and entertaining . . . a master of the genre * New Scientist * Hadfield is a terrific storyteller, and his blending of the real and the made-up is seamless. Another terrific thriller from a writer who is uniquely qualified to write it * Booklist * Hadfield delivers a pulse-pounding adventure about a 1975 U.S.-Soviet space mission that devolves into a battle hundreds of miles above Earth . . . the crackling finale is well worth the wait * Publishers Weekly * Hadfield is as deft at racking up the tension as he is at explaining complex technology simply to non-technical readers * The Irish Independent * Action-filled, believable drama that flows. Readers of sci-fi thrillers by Isaac Asimov, Andy Weir, and James Michener will enjoy the realism of Hadfield's latest * Library Journal * [A] wham-bang plot . . . Hadfield has developed a signature style that fluidly blends real historical personages and events with explosive action . . . Hadfield has established himself as a reliable brand in grounded, retro-flavoured SF * Toronto Star * No holds are barred in this seat-edge thriller * Peterborough Telegraph * Engrossing. . . . Deftly chronicles how China's clandestine launch of its first astronaut in east Asia leads to an international espionage incident and an accident that puts the entire joint mission in jeopardy * Space.com * Equal parts spy novel, sci-fi yarn, historical tale and action hero thriller . . . a superbly detailed account of the real-life mission * The Irish Times * PRAISE FOR THE APOLLO MURDERS SERIES: 'A nail-biting Cold War thriller' * James Cameron * An exciting journey to an alternate past * Andy Weir * Not to be missed * Frederick Forsyth * Explosive * Gregg Hurwitz * Exciting, authentic * Linwood Barclay * You are in for a ride in overdrive . . . the sheer pace and energy is first-class . . . Jolly good fun * Crime Time *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Trade binding
Illustrations
N/A
Dimensions
Height: 238 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 38 mm
Weight
628 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5294-3595-5 (9781529435955)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Chris Hadfield
Final Orbit
an action-packed space thriller from astronaut and bestselling author Chris Hadfield
E-Book
10/2025
Quercus
€6.49
Available for download
Person
CHRIS HADFIELD is one of the most experienced and accomplished astronauts in the world. He was the top test pilot in both the US Air Force and the US Navy, and a Cold War fighter pilot intercepting armed Soviet bombers in Canadian airspace. A veteran of three space
flights, he served as capsule communicator - CAPCOM - for 25 Shuttle missions, as NASA's Director of Operations in Russia and as commander of the International Space Station. Hadfield's books An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, You Are Here and The Darkest Dark have all been international bestsellers, and topped the charts for months in Canada. His two previous novels, The Apollo Murders and The Defector, were both instant number one bestsellers.
flights, he served as capsule communicator - CAPCOM - for 25 Shuttle missions, as NASA's Director of Operations in Russia and as commander of the International Space Station. Hadfield's books An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, You Are Here and The Darkest Dark have all been international bestsellers, and topped the charts for months in Canada. His two previous novels, The Apollo Murders and The Defector, were both instant number one bestsellers.