SOLVED. science fiction novel man psychically bonds with spaceship [s]

[Lee]

Trying to remember a title / author of a sci fi book I read back in the 80s, basically am astronaut/spaceship pilot somehow is psychicly bonded to his ship (astral projection?) and is able to control it while out of body, another female scientist is also able to somehow join him and they end up exploring an alien world. There may have been elements if an alien human war, and they were trying to find a way to make peace. Sorry if it's too vague!

[Melanie]

Could it be McCaffrey's The Ship Who Sang?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Lee]

No - the main character is a male, and his companion is female. Thanks though :-)

[LauraW]

There are other books in that series.

[Bryan457]

Maybe The Forever Man

[D.M.]

It's definitely the Forever Man. The pilot and the scientist are fused into the pilot's fighter to explore behind enemy lines.

(view spoiler)[ They fuse him to his ship by drugging him up and simulating his ship's destruction. They found it was possible when a similar fighter made its way back home without a human pilot in it and so beat up it was impossible for it even to move. (hide spoiler)]

[Lee]

yes! brilliant! thanks so much :)