About Amy
Amy holds a Bachelor's degree with combined honours in History of Science and Technology and Classics (U. of King's College and Dalhousie University) and a Master's degree in Science and Technology Studies (York University).
Amy has had a lifelong passion for spaceflight; researching for a second-grade project on Venus, she was captivated by a cartoon image of two astronauts on the Moon and had to know everything about the Apollo program. As such, she specialized in space history throughout her academic life, culminating in her MA thesis about the little-known Gemini-Rogallo wing; she will happily show you the tattoo to illustrate what that looked like.
University life, however, held little allure for Amy, and so she turned her back on academia in favour of popular science writing. She began with her blog, Vintage Space, and soon parlayed that into a career as a science writer with a solid focus on spaceflight history. Vintage Space spawned a YouTube channel of the same name and ultimately led to her first book, Breaking the Chains of Gravity (Bloomsbury, 2015). Her interests, however, go well beyond space. She also loves early aviation, early technological evolutions, and she's endlessly fascinated with mid-century America.
She also loves punk rock, boxing, bowling, old movies, thinks fashion can be immensely powerful, and still plays her Super Nintendo. Born in Toronto, Canada, she lives in Pasadena, California, with her (adult) kitten, Pete Conrad.
Books
Fighting For Space, Grand Central Publishing, 2020
Apollo Pilot, University of Nebraska Press, 2016
Breaking the Chains of Gravity, Bloomsbury, 2015
Select Video Works
Amy Shira Teitel (Namesake YouTube channel)
The Vintage Space - creator, writer, host, editor, producer
Pluto in a Minute (NASA) - creator, writer, host, editor, producer
TIME Eclipse Coverage
DNews/Seeker - writer and host
Martian Moments (NASA) - host
Select TV Appearances (Full listing on my IMDb Page)
NASA's Unexplained Files - Science Channel
America Fact vs. Fiction - American Heroes channel
Secret Space Escapes - Science Channel
Impossible Engineering - Science Channel
Aliens on the Moon - Netflix
Mysteries at the Museum - The Travel Channel
Monumental Mysteries - The Travel Channel
Selected Writing
Blog at Medium
Vintage Space at Popular Science
Nerdist - August 2014 to February 2015
Physics Focus - January 2013 to December 2014
Motherboard - April 2011 to February 2015
DVICE (the site no longer exists) - July 2012 to July 2014
Discovery News Space (the original site is long gone) - March 2012 to April 2014
Al Jazeera English - March 2013 to March 2014
AmericaSpace - April 2012 to March 2013.
Universe Today - November 2011 to April 2012.
"Small steps: How NASA prepared for the first moonwalk" BBC Science Focus, July 17, 2019.
"What Solar Eclipses Have Taught Us About the Universe" Time Magazine, August 9, 2017.
“It’s Not Just Tang: NASA’s Widespread Influence on Everyday Design.” Medium. October 1, 2014.
“99 Problems, and a Wild Gecko Space Orgy is Just One.” Nautilus. August 1, 2014.
“Neil Armstrong’s Message to the Future.” The Guardian, August 26, 2012.
“NASA’s Key to Efficient Mars Landings: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Discover Magazine blog The Crux, September 5, 2012.
“Why Is the Night Sky Turning Red?” Discover Magazine blog The Crux, August 23, 2012.
“Venus’ Transits Through History.” Scientific American Guest Blog, June 5, 2012.
“Exomars and the History of Mars Exploration – Can Russia Help?” Soapbox Science, nature.com, April 18, 2012.
“Spaced Out Physiology.” Arizona State University’s Ask a Biologist program, February 22, 2012.
“John Glenn: The Man Behind the Hero.” Scientific American Guest Blog, February 20, 2012.
“Apollo 1: The Fire That Shocked NASA.” Scientific American Guest Blog, January 27, 2012.
Sky Crane – How NASA Will Land Curiosity on Mars.” Scientific American Guest Blog, November 28, 2011.
“The Lost Art of the Saturn V." Hacker Monthly (reprint of an old blog post). Issue 49. June 2014.
“The Engineer as Astronaut: Neil Armstrong.” Timeline Magazine, October/December 2012.
“Riding Rockets: Neil Armstrong’s and the X-15.” Timeline Magazine, July/September 2012.
“Blast Off! The Most Powerful Rocket Ever.” All About Space Magazine, Issue 1. July 2012.
A full list of Amy's past and upcoming speaking engagements can be found on the Events page.