Mission: Earth, Voyage to the Home Planet is a children's literature book by science writer June A. English and astronaut Thomas David Jones that was published in 1996 by Scholastic. Jones was among the crew members of the Space Shuttle Endeavour during an eleven-day mission in space, which was launched in April 1994 to study the ecological well-being of Earth using specialized radar technology. The book, which is illustrated with radar images and picturesque photographs, chronicles the mission and Jones' experiences of it. Mission: Earth, Voyage to the Home Planet received a generally favorable reception in media coverage and book reviewers. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said, "The authors convey the awe and wonderment of seeing Earth from space and the intricate delicacy of the Earth's ecology". The Dallas Morning News said, "The astronaut's descriptions are vivid". A review in Booklist was more critical; it said, "The authors try to cover too much in so few pages, and the narrative, with several focal points, becomes simplified at times". School Library Journal wrote, "It provides a unique look at a new method of research and an opportunity for youngsters to read one scientist's account of what it's like to engage in this exciting field of endeavor". The book was selected for inclusion in books Best Books for Children, and Adventuring With Books, or educating youths about history by using children's literature works. Background June A. English is an author who specializes in science writing. She has published works within the genre of children's literature. Thomas David Jones was a member of the United States Air Force prior to working for NASA. As Jones was a United States federal employee at the time of the book's publication, he did not receive profits from sales of the work. English and Jones later produced another collaborative work, Scholastic Encyclopedia of the United States at War, which was published in 1998. Jones wrote another book about his experiences in space, Sky Walking: An Astronaut's Memoir, which was published in 2006. Contents In Mission: Earth, Voyage to the Home Planet, astronaut Thomas David Jones recounts his experiences studying the Earth during his first mission with the United States space agency NASA. Jones' space mission lasted eleven days. Jones was a member of the crew of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, which left Earth in April 1994. The mission was intended to provide the Space Radar Lab with a view