Former NASA astronaut and space photographer Col.Terry W. Virts is a veteran of two spaceflights, three spacewalks and recently directed his debut film, One More Orbit. He took over 300,000 stunning photographs while in space – more than anyone on any previous space missions – and spent more than 200 days in space in total, documenting nearly of them with his camera. He is now a world-renowned speaker, thought leader and the author of a best-selling book for National Geographic – View from Above, which tells his fascinating stories about spaceflight alongside his remarkable photographs, also touching on his thoughts on life on earth.

Born in Baltimore, U.S., Virts favourite book as a child was about the Apollo Moon Missions. He majored in applied mathematics at the US Air Force Academy and a Master’s degree in aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University US Air Force Academy, and earned his pilot wings at Arizona’s Williams Air Force Base, going on to log over 5,000 flight hours in 40 different types of aircraft and serving as test fighter pilot. NASA chose Virts as a Space Shuttle pilot in 2000, and during his time in space he took part in three spacewalks, performed vital scientific experiments and commanded the International Space Station, also working with Russian Space Agency cosmonauts.

Virts went to on to shoot and star in the National Geographic IMAX film A Beautiful Planet, which features some of the incredible images that he took during his time in space. Virts is now an in-demand speaker and involved in several television and film projects. His eagerly anticipated second book – The Art of Space Travel – is due to be published in 2020.