As a long-term advocate of space colonization Iâve always been drawn to Mars, not by adventure stories but by the idea that ordinary people may someday live there. So this was the theme of my first novel. I wrote it before we had gone to the moon, though it wasn't published until 1970, after my better-known book Enchantress from the Stars. When in 2006 I revised it for republication, little about Mars needed changing; mainly I removed outdated sexist assumptions and wording. Yet the book still hasnât reached its intended audience because though meant for girls who arenât already space enthusiasts, its publishers persisted in labeling it science fiction rather than Young Adult romance.
Robert Zubrin is the foremost authority on how to get to Mars, and in addition to his engineering expertise, he is one of the most prominent advocates of colonizing it. This classic book, now in its updated 25th Anniversary edition, should be read by everyone interested in the future of humankind. It contains more technical detail about space travel than some people will care to learn, but that can be skimmed; the section about colonization, and the concluding chapter explaining why going to Mars is important, are what I chose it for. In Zubrin's opinion and my own, Mars is "the door to an open future, a new frontier on a new world, a planet that can be settled, the beginning of humanity's career as a spacefaring species."
The Case for Marsmakes living in space seem more possible than ever in this updated 25th anniversary edition, featuring the latest information on the planet's exploration and the drive to send humans there.
Since the beginning of human history, Mars has been an alluring dreamâthe stuff of legends, gods, and mystery. The planet most like ours, it had long been thought impossible to reach, let alone explore and inhabit. But that is changing fast.
In February 2021, the American rover Perseverance will touch down on Mars. Equipped with a powerful suite of scientific instrumentsâincluding some that will attempt to makeâŚ
I wrote and drew a book about the Russian dog called Laika, the first living being to go into orbit around the planet Earth. Part of the conception of this book was that I wanted to create a graphic novel that almost anyone could read - a comic for people who might not usually read comics. It had to be accessible - you didnât have to be steeped in comics lore, geek culture or space history to find your way into it. I've been creating books, magazines, comics, and stories for both adults and children for more than thirty-five years, with work published all over the world.
This book came out right after I completed Laika, but I wish Iâd been able to use it in my research (although Dubbsâ earlier book, Space Dogs: Pioneers in Space Travel was extremely useful).
If Siddiqiâs book focuses more on the human journey behind the Soviet space program, this is a parallel account of some other unwitting (and undersung) pioneers: the experimental animals who were sent ahead of humankind. We share this world with animals and they were dispatched on our behalf to test the deep waters of the heavens also. It was thought - correctly - that if they could survive, so could we. Laika may very well be the most famous of these pathfinders (at least beyond Russia), but there were many more. This book is a history of all those other animal astronauts launched into space both prior to Laika and aboard more recent missions.
This book is as a detailed, but highly readable and balanced account of the history of animal space flights carried out by all nations, but principally the United States and the Soviet Union. It explores the ways in which animal high-altitude and space flight research impacted on space flight biomedicine and technology, and how the results - both successful and disappointing - allowed human beings to then undertake that same hazardous journey with far greater understanding and confidence. This complete and authoritative book will undoubtedly become the ultimate authority on animal space flights.
Iâm an award-winning science journalist at Falmouth University, UK, and have written for just about every major science magazine going. When Iâm not teaching, I try and emulate Indiana Jones by going off on incredible adventures â so far, my hunt for stories in the name of science has taken me to 75 countries and every continent. Science writing doesnât have to be dull: I adore the weird, quirky stories of science history, about humans being brilliant idiots and somehow making our world a better place.
Ever heard about the founder of NASA who ran a devil-worshiping sex cult? Strange Angelis a story that, when you read it, you think it has to be fiction. John Whiteside Parsons was an eccentric who, in his short life (spoiler alert: he blew himself up) helped create the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, became a cult leader and summoned a demon woman, got into a court battle with L. Ron Hubbard, and was accused of spying for both the Communists and the Israelis. His life was so astonishing it was made into a HBO TV show: it ran for two seasons and it didnât even get to the best bits.
'Forget geek stereotypes. Parsons' life seems straight out of a Hollywood thriller ... Pendle's book leaves us with a taste of genius's energy and fragility' Los Angeles Magazine
'You couldn't make it up' Physics World
'As a history of space travel, STRANGE ANGEL is a cornerstone ... Highly recommended' Ray Bradbury
BRILLIANT ROCKET SCIENTIST KILLED IN EXPLOSION screamed the front-page headline of the Los Angeles Times on 18 June 1952. John Parsons, a maverick rocketeer whose work had helped transform the rocket from a derided sci-fi plotline into a reality, was at first mourned as a tragically young victim ofâŚ
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Imagine the classic, stereotypical 1950s rocketship. Now, imagine that rocketship is propelled by hundreds of nuclear bombs, and those nuclear bombs are dropping out the bottom and exploding, causing the rocketship to shoot skyward, sending humans to Marsâor beyond.
That was the wild premise of Project Orion, a realâand really classifiedâgovernment project that began in 1957 and continued for an astounding seven years.
For a book with loads of heavy technical concepts, Dysonâs writing is sublime. He mixes vivid environments with colorful character backstories to weave the perfect science story. I resonated with his very successful attempt to document true history, some of which is still classified. I was enormously disappointed when the book was over; I wanted to stay in the shroud of secrecy Dyson created for his reader.
In 1957, a small group of scientists, supported by the U.S. government, launched an attempt to build a four-thousand-ton spaceship propelled by nuclear bombs. The initial plan called for missions to Mars by 1965 and Saturn by 1970. After seven years of work, political obstacles brought the effort to a halt.
The Orion team, led by the American bomb-designer Theodore B. Taylor, included the physicist Freeman Dyson, whose son George was five years old when the existence of the project was first announced. In Project Orion, George Dyson has synthesized hundreds of hours of interviews and thousands of pages ofâŚ
My fascination with agriculture began in childhood, growing up in the countryside, where traditional farming was the way of life. This early exposure fueled my desire to pursue a career in agricultural engineering at university and continue farming on a larger scale. With years of experience in machinery design and mechanization, I have been inspired to document my journey. Hearing about great pioneers who had innovatively transformed farming through their inventions into a more efficient and enjoyable practice from the Industrial Revolution to the present day deepened my passion for writing on agricultural mechanization. I am so confident you will enjoy these books as much as I enjoyed writing about their innovations.
Gene Kranz gave a precise and concise description of historic events around the creation of Americaâs manned space program and presented the key players at the forefront of NASAâs space exploration Missions. His participation in the space program from the early days of the Mercury program to the last Apollo mission was dramatically documented in this book to my admiration. A fascinating firsthand account by a veteran mission controller of one of Americaâs greatest achievements, this book reflects on what has happened to the space program and offers his own bold suggestions about what we ought to be doing in space now.
I fell in love with this book because of the authorâs personal involvement and perceptions in some of the Mission programs. The graphic description of different explorations kept me spellbound to read each exploration to the end. Again, the book was written with simple and easy-flowing English grammarâŚ
The man who headed the "tiger team" that saved the Apollo 13 astronauts gives an insider's view of NASA Mission Control, from the early years of trying to catch up with the Russians to the end of the manned spaced program.
I love playing with my kids. When my eldest was eight and we were sitting on the porch together he said, âOn my last day of being playful, I want to play with you the whole day. I sure hope itâs on a Saturday.â My kids know that I turn most things into a game, that Iâll screech and stop for a tarantula on the road because itâs educational, that I'll get them to sing their quiz answers, and that Iâll sculpt a cake into almost anything for a school project. I believe learning should be fun, so we would drink lemonade out of measuring cups, guess how many hops from the bed to the closet, and have Whipped Cream Spray Wars every summer (outside, thank you). I also think families would spend more time together if they had a great collection of coolâand easyâstuff to do together. As a writer Iâm creative, and never run out of fun ideas. Why not share them with the world?
I love science and this book specializes in astronomy. Nichols helps kids get excited about the night sky, planets, and much more. She shows them how to make their own telescope and uses a microwave and a chocolate bar to teach them about the speed of light. A great dip into a wonderful topic.
Explore the wonders of the universe through hands-on fun! In Astronomy Lab for Kids, science educator Michelle Nichols has compiled 52 labs and activities that use everyday materials from around the house to encourage kids, their friends, and their families to look up, down, and around at everything from the shadows on the ground to the stars in the sky.
Mini astronomers will learn about things such as the size and scale of planets using sandwich cookies and tennis balls, how to measure the speed of light with a flat candy bar and a microwave, how to make a simpleâŚ
I have read most of the books written about Apollo, especially those ostensibly written by my fellow participants. I have read these books for pleasure, to find out about parts of the moon effort that I did not see first-hand, and to learn what I could from the authorsâ mistakes and successes â with a view to the writing of my own book. The books I have come to value the most are the books that seem to have been created for some other reason than commercial gain, the books unmarred by ghostwriting or heavy-handed editing, the books where the authorâs authentic voice speaks from the page.
I visited Grumman in Bethpage, New York after Apollo 14 and had the rare privilege of entering the cavernous cleanroom where the final moon landers were being assembled. Grumman loved me because my software fix had kept their defective switch from ruining the mission. I believe Tom Kelly was at the table in the executive dining room that day. His book is a gritty account of how, finally, after many failures, many frustrations, NASA pressure, managerial chest-thumping, test and retest, the lunar modules were finally delivered. Even the bookâs flaws are interesting, such as how he spins certain inflight events, of which I believe my own account is more balanced.
Chief engineer Thomas J. Kelly gives a firsthand account of designing, building, testing, and flying the Apollo lunar module. It was, he writes, âan aerospace engineerâs dream job of the century.â Kellyâs account begins with the imaginative process of sketching solutions to a host of technical challenges with an emphasis on safety, reliability, and maintainability. He catalogs numerous test failures, including propulsion-system leaks, ascent-engine instability, stress corrosion of the aluminum alloy parts, and battery problems, as well as their fixes under the ever-present constraints of budget and schedule. He also recaptures the exhilaration of hearing Apollo 11âs Neil Armstrong reportâŚ
Iâm fascinated by robots. As a former computer programmer, systems analyst, and consultant, Iâve had an interest in technology since my first programming class in high school. Iâve been to robotics labs in Boston, Massachusetts, and Lausanne, Switzerland. My husband is a mechanical/software engineer, so STEM is a big part of our lives. In addition to Robo-Motion, Iâm the author of a number of Minecraft books with STEM and coding sidebars. Iâve also published many magazine articles, one of which was the inspiration for this book. I wrote about the CRAM cockroach robot for the March 2017 issue of MUSE.
This nonfiction picture book takes an unusual approach in presenting the story of the Curiosity rover. Curiosity tells the reader about her extraordinary journey to Mars. I was fascinated and enlightened reading details about the construction, launch, and landing of this complex robot. The illustratorâs earthy palette compliments the subject matter. The last illustration of the tiny rover on the red planet left me in awe. It reminded me of standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon and gazing at a scene so vast I couldnât possibly take it all in. Check out the roverâs path here!
A stylishly illustrated non-fiction book about the search for life on Mars, told from the unique perspective of NASA's Mars rover, Curiosity.
Discover the incredible story of the search for life on Mars, told from the unique perspective of Curiosity, the Mars Rover sent to explore the red planet. Markus Motum's stylish illustrations and diagrams reveal how a robot travelled 350,000,000 miles to explore a planet where no human has ever been. Shortlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize 2018.
Iâve followed the history of space exploration since I was a kid! Although I spent decades photographing assignments in exotic international locations and co-authored visually driven books on astronomical phenomena, my dream was to photograph in NASAâs restricted space exploration work cultures. Never giving up, I achieved unprecedented access into the shuttle mission that saved the Hubble Space Telescope and, for more than a decade, with the New Horizons team that first explored the Pluto system. Iâve been published in media like Smithsonian, Nat Geo, WIRED, New Scientist, and NPR. Honored that my photographs of astronaut space tools are in the permanent collection of the Smithsonianâs National Air & Space Museum.
âWeightlessness is like a new toy you get to unwrap every day, again and again â and itâs a great reminder, too, that you need to savor the small stuff, not just sweat it.â One of many lessons learned offered by the Canadian astronaut (yes, the one who sang a creative version of David Bowieâs âSpace Oddityâ) and flew on both the American Shuttle and Russian Soyuz. Like other next-generation astronauts influenced by the Apollo era, Chris reveals a non-jargon view about training and spaceflight with international crews. As Commander of the International Space Station during Expedition 34/35, he writes, â⌠donât assume you know everything, and try to be ready for anythingâ is wisdom that can be related to here on Earth and up there in space.â
Back on the earth after three spaceflights, Chris Hadfield's captivating memoir An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth reveals extraordinary stories from his life as an astronaut, and shows how to make the impossible a reality. This edition contains a new afterword.
Colonel Chris Hadfield has spent decades training as an astronaut and has logged nearly 4,000 hours in space. During this time he has broken into a Space Station with a Swiss army knife, disposed of a live snake while piloting a plane, been temporarily blinded while clinging to the exterior of an orbiting spacecraft, and become a YouTubeâŚ
I am a nurse, mother, and writer, and as such, consider myself a life-learner. When my children come to me with questions, I love being able to grab a beautiful picture book to begin exploring whatever topic is on their minds. I canât answer all their questions perfectly, but I enjoy searching for the answers with them and hope to impart that love of learning as they grow. Astronomy has always fascinated me, and the books Iâve picked do a fantastic job of discussing everything from gravity to aliens to the first African-American female in space. I hope you enjoy these books as much as I have!
The title pretty much speaks for itselfâI mean, who wouldnât want to have their birthday party on the Moon? And what would it be like? This book makes the perfect birthday gift (or anytime gift!) for any child questioning what itâs like on the Moon. The reader discovers what itâs like to swing at a pinata in low gravity, make moon-angels, and discover what happens to candles and balloons in Moonâs atmosphere. There are tons of facts about space woven throughout the book, as well as a glossary of terms at the end.
If you had your birthday party on the moon, what would it be like? Blast off to an extraterrestrial celebration and find out!
This cool picture book combines fun and facts to help kids learn all about outer space. Have your birthday party on the moon and everyone will come! After all, who wouldn't want to ride in a rocket and celebrate for a day that lasts as long as a month on Earth? Then, young partygoers could romp in a low-gravity playground; watch candles and balloons behave weirdly in the Moon's atmosphere; and see why theâŚ
