David Hitt
William David Hitt is an American author specializing in spaceflight history. Hitt is co-author of Homesteading Space: The Skylab Story, 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's second book, Bold They Rise: The Space Shuttle Early Years, 1972-1986, also part of the Outward Odyssey series, was published in June 2014. 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.
In the 60s "Astronaut happiness wasn’t a factor” says historian David Hitt. On Skylab 4, in 1973, the crew was overworked with packed schedules each day. They told NASA they couldn't keep up. This event is misreported as a "mutiny," but it had big effects. Astronauts now work 9-5, with weekends off.