Earthbound — Milton Lesser

When cadet Peter Hodges receives the devastating news that he will never fulfill his dream of captaining an interplanetary spacecraft, his world crumbles. The son of a famous space captain, Peter grew up idolizing the cosmos and aspiring to follow in his father's footsteps. Now, denied the future he always envisioned, Peter grapples with bitterness and disappointment.
In his despair, Peter becomes embroiled with a band of interplanetary racketeers intent on plundering the very space liners Peter trained to protect. As he sinks deeper into the shadowy world of his new allies, Peter hatches a daring plan for escape. He volunteers for a perilous solo mission into the asteroid belt, knowing the authorities expect him to fail.
Will Peter's thirst for adventure lead to his redemption? Or will the endless blackness of space swallow him whole? With propulsive plotting and suspenseful twists, Earthbound explores the depths of one young man's yearning for purpose among the stars. Though crushed by fate's cruelty, Peter Hodges clings to the belief that he alone can pilot his destiny.