Product Description
Russian spacesuits is a unique contribution to space science. The authors, part of the original Zveda team that manufactured spacesuits for the first Russian space flights, still play an integral role in spacesuit research and development. Thus there is no-one better to describe the technical innovations of the past 40 years, which enabled Gagarin's first flight in 1961, the first space walk in 1965 and the Mir missions of the 1980s and 1990s, and which have culminated in today's International space Station. The authors also describe how the political climate within the Soviet Union and internationally has affected the development of the space programme and their work. Many documents are published for the first time that, together with photographs, detailed descriptions of the events of the time and the authors' personal memories, provide a fascinating review of a previously unknown aspect of space science. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Dressing for vacuum
Spacesuits should be of renewed interest with the upcoming private space tourist ventures.

I bought this book after I had the opportunity to examine, hands-on, a Russian SOKOL rescue suit. What struck me was the sheer simplicity of the design and I wanted to know more about this suit.

This book provides much of that background, plus that of the famous Orlan EVA suits and others in the history of the Russian space program.

Compared to the related books on US Spacesuits (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration), it is remarkable how different Russian suits are, and how much more conservative their designs are.Russian suits, like their spacecraft are relatively stable designs undergoing incremental improvements, probably in response to the much fewer resources available to them for development.

The book covers the development well, although I did not notice any mention of ideas borrowed from US suits, whereas the book on US spacesuits has a wry mention of the remarkable similarity of some US suit components to Russian ones.

As with the US spacesuit book, the same comments on the lack of color illustrations and technical details apply.

Suits for the Space Pioneers
In Russia, the need for suits to be worn in the upper atmosphere, developed in the 1930:ies, engendered the suits to be used in spacecrafts, outside spacecrafts and on the Moon. Naturally, the use of a protective garment inside the space cabin was the first usage, Juri Gagarin wore such a garment on his historic flight. Even today the protective garment is the iconic spacesuit, which we see Cosmonaut wearing as their uniforms for the trip off the Earth. Suits for extravehicular activities, EVA, are quite different. The Soviet Union, of course, never made it to the lunar surface, but had a cosmonaut, probably Alexei Leonov, made a landing, he would havebeen dressed for the occasion. After all, the first Space Walk ever was also a first testing of a garment to be worn on the Moon, by the man who was supposed to wear it!
The space suit technology, as developed in the Soviet Union, was even applicable to our canine friends, some of which did ballistic flights into space dressed more or less like the dog Milou in Hergés "Tin-Tin on the Moon". Thus we know where to turn if we want to walk our dogs on the Moon.
When Westerners started to fly in space alongside the Soviets, laterRussians, in Saljut, Mir and International Space Station, it was as had inhabitants from different planets met. Now we may appreciate all those differences in technical culture as exemplified in the space suits of the Cosmonauts. There is, of course all the common ground resulting from like problems demanding like solutions, but overlying we see these subtle differences arising from different technical and engineering usages of two different cultures.
The book is co-authored by some of the actual developers of space suits in the then Soviet Union, later Russia, and thus as authoritative on the subject as can be. Fascinatingly, also, the historical developments inside the Soviet Union/Russia and internationally, reflect in much that the space suit developers had to contend with.
The scope of common activities betveen the Russians and the West European ESA was news to this rewiewer. We also note, that the Chinese "taikonauts" wear protective suits designed by the nowadays "Zvezda Development and Production Company". We also read of the challenge of rendering original technical texts in Russian into readable English, and concomitant difficulties inherent in the fact that, not only is translation of language required, but even the transliteration from one system of letters, i.e. Cyrillic, into our Roman alphabet poses its own problems and pitfalls. On the whole, the endeavour has been crowned with success. The system of measurements are, thankfully, the same on both sides of this barrier of language and glyphs.
All in all fascinating facts from a space program now slowly opening itself to inquisitive Western eyes. Great hopes for the future is embodied in the prospects of joint developments of the advanced spacesuits for space station EVA and the lunar and martian surfaces.

Russian Spacesuits
This is an excellent book with details not before shown outside the formerly closed confines of the old Soviet space program, except in various technical society papers. It has many excellent b&w photos and diagrams of Russian spacesuits from the SK-1, used for Vostok, up to the most modern Russian investigations of Mars EVA suits. The text is somewhat general in content though well written. It is also done in the typical style of Russian/English transliteration. Readers in the West, if they have not previously read any Russian technical papers, may find the transliteration hard to follow at times; but, this does not detract from the value of Mr. Ibramov's good work. If I had any complaint about the book it would be two items. First, the book lacks some technical detail in specific areas, so it sometimes creates more questions than it answers. If I did not already have a background in pressure suits some explanations would have confused me. The inclusion of a few explanatory drawings could have avoided this. Second, while the book gives credit, for the first time, as to which designers at Zvzeda created various general concepts, it does not often shed light on specific contributions, or the dynamimics involved in individual contributions. Nevertheless,I recomend this book. It is a MUST for your library. If the reader wants a technical look at Russian spacesuits I recommend "Pressure Suits and Systems For Work In The Open Cosmos" by Abramov, Severin, Stoklitsky and Sharipov. It is, however, a nearly impossible to find textbook. ... Read more

Product Description
Three hundred spectacular views of Earth taken by the latest generation of satellites.

For orbiting satellites, no place on Earth is isolated. The Himalayas are as easy to photograph as Manhattan. While satellite images are important for science and technical needs, they can also be appreciated for their astonishing beauty.

Earth From Space shows how satellite imaging - also called remote sensing - works and showcases some of the most extraordinary photographs ever published.

In the mid-1990s a new generation of satellites began to orbit the Earth. More powerful and accurate than ever, they can record the effects of human and natural forces, and how the planet is changing through time can be clearly seen.

The book also dispels popular misconceptions like those used in Hollywood movies for dramatic effect such as exaggerated surveillance capabilities of orbiting satellites. However, what the satellites do see is nothing short of spectacular.

Earth From Space presents stunning color photographs of:- Coastal ports and major world cities- Military installations such as the Russian Pacific submarine fleet- Rebuilding lower Manhattan and the Pentagon after 9/11- Landscapes of wars including Iraq and Iran- Rain forests, wetlands, coral reefs, rivers and mountains- Effects of deforestation and desertification

Earth From Space covers subjects ranging from aeronautics to history to ecology with unforgettable illustrations - an expansive big picture view of the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Thisbookcould be useful as well as being "an eye catcher"
This should be a delight to look at as well as useful for all age groups as well as useful to geologists like myself and of course geographers.

Coffee table book -- for students
If you want a colorful, generalized book about the types of things remote sensing satellites can 'see' and 'detect' this is a book for you. The aerial photography is stunning and the commentary about the photos is well done, although too short and lacking in detail.

As there is little 'depth', this is not a book for the academic-minded. It's niche seems to be as a 'coffee table' book, but unfortunately my copy came paperbound (instead of hardcover) so it makes a rather 'floppy' coffee-table package.

I would have given 4-stars if the book were hardbound (even if it cost $4 more that way) but, as-is, I'd recommend the paperback edition only for the most budget-minded. However the price is very low and the color reproduction is excellent.

Earth From Space: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
The condition of the book is good.
It took about 10 days to delivery the book from US to Hong Kong. The delivery is quick.

The view from above
This collection of color satellite images is fascinating and awe inspiring. Dramatic images show weather phenomena like active hurricanes, forest fires and tornado paths. Rivers, oceans, lakes and deserts illustrate the varieties of our planet and other images show how man-made constructions have altered the earth. Especially distressing are images that show the effects of deforestation and oil spills. Cities like Paris and New York are featured as well as famous structures like the pyramids, Statue of Liberty, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in New Orleans and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. City views alone would make a fascinating book - this volume shows aerial views of Paris, New York, Venice, San Francisco, San Diego, Pittsburg, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. One of the most memorable images is a photo of Earth taken at night showing city lights.

really nice visuals
Lots of computer graphic enhanced pics, Not alot of text, But it does have lots of pics of the natural world and human impact.A must for a geography lovers library. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is not so much about the Sun, but about the opportunities for amateur astronomers to observe the Sun. Compared with other areas of astronomy solar observing has a number of advantages: Observation can be carried out during the day. You do not have to stay up all night and arrive at work the next day exhausted!There is an abundance of light. Unlike "Deep Sky" astronomy you actually have to discard much of the light reaching your telescope. You can set up your observatory in your own backyard - even in the city -there is no need to escape light pollution at remote locations.Observations can be made practically every clear day and some simple programs like sunspot counts can be done in just a few minutes. You do not need a monster telescope, even a small telescope will show an amazing amount of detail. The view is constantly changing, the Sun's appearance has never been, nor will it ever be exactly the same as today.This book was conceived and written by a group of German amateur observers. Each section was the responsibility of the amateur who had made that aspect of solar astronomy his specialty. The emphasis was on the practical and covers the kind of solar astronomy within the reach of most amateurs. Soon after publication it was declared by many reviewers as the "standard work" and much correspondence reached the authors from abroad requesting an English translation.In terms of content the basic infor ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Is a good book, but, need more logic.
I saw this book and can say that is good, but, something chapters is outside, because first explain a observation and never features of the sun (size, speed, move, etc), that I think maybe firts. ... Read more

Product Description
Infrared astronomy is a dynamic area of current research. It has been revolutionized in the past few years by the advent of large, sensitive, infrared arrays, and the success of several infrared satellites. This handbook provides a clear, concise and accessible reference on all aspects of infrared astronomy. Throughout, the emphasis is on fundamental concepts, practical considerations and useful data. Starting with a review of the basic infrared emission mechanisms, we are shown how the earth's atmosphere affects and limits observations from ground-based telescopes. The important systematics of photometric accuracy are treated in detail. Spectroscopy--both stellar and otherwise--is explained, and illustrated with useful examples. An important chapter is devoted to dust, which plays such a central role. Finally, the technical background to infrared instrumentation is covered to help the reader develop a proper understanding of the capabilities and limitations of infrared observations. This volume provides both an essential introduction for graduate students making infrared observations or reducing infrared data for the first time, and a convenient reference for more experienced researchers. ... Read more

Product Description
In this new edition of their classic guide, Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion bring the night sky down to earth with brand new sky charts, diagrams, and photos that enrich the clear, engaging text. Stars and Planets will delight both latent astronomers who have yet to touch a telescope and the more star-savvy who have spent many a night outside craning their necks behind a lens.

The introduction presents the basics of astronomical observation while answering such questions as: How did constellations come to be? Do the stars within them have anything to do with one another? Do stars really flicker? Next comes the book's centerpiece: an excellent series of maps of the night sky from hemisphere to hemisphere, month to month and, above all, charts showing all 88 constellations, including some 5,000 stars. The text vividly relates the human history behind each constellation and notes their most prominent stars while offering sundry stimulating facts.

The second section focuses on the astrophysics behind stars, galaxies, the sun, the planets, comets and meteors, and more. Striking full-color photos, maps, and illustrations appear on almost every page. The guide concludes with helpful tips on the optical tools of the trade and on astrophotography. Astrophysicists and amateur skywatchers agree that Stars and Planets is simply the most user-friendly, compact source of celestial information available. No one should leave home at night without it.

• Up-to-date full-color photos and data, including recent planetary images
• Monthly maps of the night sky as seen from latitudes throughout the world
• Charts of all 88 constellations, with data and notes on bright stars and other objects of interest
• Illustrated introduction to stars, nebulae, galaxies, and the solar system
• Advice on choosing and using binoculars and telescopes

Customer Reviews (7)

Great field guide for those new to the sky
I sat down at a local book retailer and compared this book with both the Peterson Field Guide, and the National Audubon Society's Field Guide to the Night Sky. I was purchasing this book for a teenager who is taking a serious interest in the stars, and I wanted him to have a field guide to accompany the 10x50 binoculars I bought him. My immediate response was to look at the Audubon text because I had an older edition and was attracted to the plastic blue cover. I also knew of 'Peterson' since I had one of those growing up as a teenager. I looked at them both, and also found this Princeton edition which I had no experience with.

A quick run-down of build (binding, pages), charts, photos, and arrangement of content is listed for each text:

Audubon: nice plastic cover, very thin paper for text (not suitable for dew or teenage abuse) and nice paper used for charts and photos, charts are okay, photos are not listed beside text (lose context of photo), lots of other good info, but maybe too much info and not well organized(?)

Peterson: good cover, good paper, charts are very detailed but good for indoor use only (not suitable for red light use at night) because of colored stars (color of stars specify spectral types - not useful to beginner looking for clusters and galaxies with binoculars). I don't recall other info since I put the book down after seeing the star charts.

Princeton: good cover and paper (thick - should handle dew and typical teenage abuse), charts are good contrast white stars on light blue background (stars to mag 5 or 6, I think?), very good info on historical significance of each constellation, and any objects viewable in that constellation - also shows most significant objects in context of the constellation they are found.

I sat down at home and thumbed thru the text a few times and was quite pleased with it. It has a brief run down on each planet (sort of an introduction) along with some decent photos. We've used the book a couple times since purchasing it, and I would have to say that it is a joy to use when trying to get acquainted with the night sky. I don't expect it to tell me anything and everything about equipment and the nature of the universe - I just need it to help me find what I'm looking for.

Outstanding for novice or intermediate amateur astronomers
If you own only one astronomy field guide, this should be it. The charts are accurate & easy to read, the text is informative but not overpowering, and the design is very reader friendly. The monthly star charts can be used from most latitudes - both northern and southern.
This is the third edition of this book. I've been a fan of it since it was first published in the mid 1980s.

Nice coffee table book
I found this book to be interesting, but not in-depth enough for intermediate astronomers. The information on the planets is overly simplistic and for entertainment purposes. For example, instead of having a graph of basic information for every planet, sometimes it lists essential information (like orbital period) and sometimes it doesn't which makes it useless as a reference.

I suggest it for the younger prospective amateur, but for older users get the Peterson's Field Guide: Stars and Planets. Very sturdy build and good guide for charting the planets.

Nice starter book...
This is a nice, streamlined book. Logical layout, sharp photography, and a clean, crisp design. The first portion discusses the universe and stars (addressed below), and is followed by another section that provides a 2-4 page profile on each planet, including when and where in the sky it's visible until 2009. Following these sections, is a large section covering all the official constellations in alphabetical order with at least one interesting item to check out from each constellation. Obviously, some have more: Sagitarius, Scorpius, Orion, etc. A brief constellation history is provided, along with a small map depicting the constellation stars, surrounding stars, and objects of particular interest. These objects are coded with simple icons to denote "viewability": naked eye, bino, scope, etc. The last section of the book has monthly sky maps. I purchased the flex-cover edition, which is made of some quasi-vinyl material that's quite nice. The book itself seems well made and durable. Why only 4 stars? I have two issues.#1, I wish it were spiral bound.#2, it's not as forthright about its hypothetical aspects as it should be (planetary core composition, Big Bang mechanics, Oort Cloud (!), etc.)Other than that, the book is highly recommended and a pleasure to read/use.

So Simple, Even I Can Find What I'm Looking For!
I am one of those people who has trouble finding specific constellations, and is never quite sure whether I'm looking at Jupiter or Venus.I carry around little scraps of paper from the newspaper so I can figure out which planets are visible . . . but have a hard time reading the scraps in the dark.

With this book, I can see when and where each planet will appear through 2012.I can also get all the help I need to know what constellations are up there now, and which ones will be present when.

As a result, I can finally introduce the starry heavens in an appropriate way to younger people.I already know a lot about astronomy, but the night sky was beyond me.No longer!Whew!

Although my four children did not get much help with the heavens from me, the grandchildren will receive great benefits from this resource.

Even if you are good at identifying objects in the night sky, this book will be a valuable, convenient reference for you.

Enjoy the lore that our ancestors appreciated by seeing new aspects of the night-time sky! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Essential classic in its subject
In 1905 JLE Dreyer, an astronomer and biographer of Tycho Brahe, published this wonderful overview of the development of western astronomy from the ancient Greeks to the time of Kepler (obviously). To this day (2008) it has not been surpassed by any English-language book. As the original title (History of the Planetary Systems from Thales to Kepler) implies, Dreyer devotes most of his attention to the arrangement and the motions of the planets (this includes the sun up to the 16th century, and the earth for the last part of the book). Although it is sometimes dated, I am continually amazed at the depth as well as breadth of coverage in this highly readable work. It is not too technical, so if you've been scared off from the subject by some of the more intensely mathematical works, don't be afraid to try this. It is a fundamental work on pre-telescopic astronomy: many later authors assume you already know the big picture that Dreyer provides. Other good books of this kind (also available in cheap Dover reprints) are Thomas Heath's "Aristarchus of Samos" (on ancient Greek astronomy, covers much more than the title implies) and Anton Pannekoek's "A History of Astronomy" (much better coverage than Dreyer of pre-Greek astronomy, and goes on past the invention of the telescope virtually up to the present).

I cannot say enough good things about this book. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Too technical for small children
Though for an adult this book is great and gives lots of information.It is too technical and advanced for use with my three young children who are just starting to learn about astronomy.It is also mostly about the history of space exploration as opposed to being about astronomy. ... Read more

Product Description
Each year as Earth cruises through space a number of amazing and remarkable events occur. For example, like clockwork, we’ll run head-on into asteroid and cometary debris that spreads shooting stars across our skies. On occasion we’ll get to watch the disk of the Moon passing the Sun, casting its shadow upon the face of the Earth, and sometimes we’ll get to watch our own shadow as it glides across the face of the Moon. The Sun’s path will constantly change across the daytime sky, as will the stars and constellations at night. During this time, we’ll also get to watch the other majestic planets in our solar system wander the skies, as they, too, circle the Sun in this elaborate celestial dance.
Astronomy explains the patterns of the heavens, the equinoxes and the solstices, the major meteor showers, and the solar and lunar eclipses. It’s a guided tour of the solar system and beyond and explains how the way we measure time itself is intimately related to celestial phenomena. Astronomynot only helps readers become experts in space and time, it’s also a fun ride! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Perfect for children, not adults
Would be nice to be able to tell whether such books are intended for the the understanding of children, so that we could make the right choice. This would be a great gift for a child.

to the moon
I have always been interested in astronomy, but always a novice.From my early experiences at the smithsonian museum of air and space to a few electives in college.This book is great, the pictures arecaptivating, and the material is great.This is a great gift or a fantastic buy for the home enthusiast. ... Read more

Product Description

This book is intended for amateur astronomers who are readers of Sky & Telescope magazine or similar astronomy periodicals – or are at least at the same level of knowledge and enthusiasm. In particular, those of us who have reached a point where enjoyment is fading because the challenges have run out will appreciate it, because it takes such people to the "next level" in observational astronomy.

It begins with teaching astronomers to use their most important astronomy tool, their eyes. Then it discusses how to select the right telescope – taking into account that everyone is unique – and shows readers how to set up and care for their instruments. Subsequent chapters take the readers on a tour of the solar system as they have never viewed it before… through their own eyes. We start close to home with the hidden treasures of the Moon, on to investigate the power of the Sun, incredibly hot Mercury, the subtleties of Venus, the changing surface of Mars, the outer solar system and then on into deep space. Each chapter includes a series of observing challenges that will entertain and push the reader to continually higher levels of achievement.

Amateur astronomers will learn, through this book, many of the same lessons that professionals learned as they conducted similar observations.

Customer Reviews (2)

easy to read
This is a easy book to read. well done.
alot of helpful info. I have learned a
few new things.A must read for anyone
starting out with stargazing..........

Observing techniques
I expected this book to be more detailed concerning human vision in observing thenight sky - i.e an update to Clark's book on Visual Astronomy of the Deep Sky. It is not really that, but does have many interesting observing exercises. I would rate it as good for the mid-level observer who has worked through some of the best and brightest. ... Read more

Product Description

This volume deals specifically with recent original research in the history of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Islamic, and Indian astronomy. It strikes a balance between landmarks in the history of ancient and medieval astronomy in the Orient on one hand, and on the other the transmission of European astronomy into the countries of the Orient. Most contributions are based on research by experts in this field.

The book also indicates the status of astronomy research in non-European cultural areas of the world. It will be of interest to historians of astronomy and science, and students of cultural heritage.

Product Description
In this simple guide, David Levy inspires readers to experience the wonder of eclipses and other transient astronomical events for themselves. Covering both solar and lunar eclipses, he gives step-by-step instructions on how to observe and photograph eclipses. As well as explaining the science behind eclipses, the book also gives their historical background, discussing how they were observed in the past and what we have learned from them. This personal account contains examples from the 77 eclipses the author has witnessed himself. The guide also includes chapters on occultations of stars and planets by the Moon and of asteroids by stars, and the transits of Mercury and Venus. Tables of future eclipses make this invaluable for anyone, from beginners to practised observers, wanting to learn more about these fascinating events. ... Read more

Product Description

The recent years have seen breathtaking progress in technology, especially in the receiver and digital technologies relevant for radio astronomy, which has at the same time advanced to shorter wavelengths.

This is the updated and completely revised 5th edition of the most used introductory text in radio astronomy. It presents a unified treatment of the entire field from centimeter to sub-millimeter wavelengths. Topics covered include instruments, sensitivity considerations, observational methods and interpretations of the data recorded with both single dishes and interferometers. This text is useful to both students and experienced practicing astronomers. Besides making major updates and additions throughout the book, the authors have re-organized a number of chapters to more clearly separate basic theory from rapidly evolving practical aspects.

Further, problem sets have been added at the end of each chapter.

Customer Reviews (2)

A "must have" for RA. business
this is one of the fundamental books you have to have in your library... if you are a "Radio Astronomy" guy (Engineer, astronomer,etc). However sometimes it can be a little bit complex (compared to its newest 5th edition), but still an excellent book.

One of the best introductions to the field
Although Rohlfs and Wilson have only made perfunctory changesbetween this and the previous edition of the book, it still stands asone of the best introductions to the field of radio astronomy.It still doesn't cover some topics (such as calibration techniques) as well as I would have liked, and Kraus' _Radio Astronomy_ (2e) does a better job (IMHO) on the mathematical details as well as specific applications.Because of its length, the topics of millimeter and submillimeter astronomy are not covered in as much as centimeter wavelengths.However despite all this, the book is highly readable for a student in the field, and is invaluable to have on one's bookshelf, or even to take observing (for those who only dabble in radio astronomy). ... Read more

Product Description

Observations and physical concepts are interwoven to give basic explanations of phenomena and also show the limitations in these explanations and identify some fundamental questions.

Compared to conventional plasma physics textbooks this book focuses on the concepts relevant in the large-scale space plasmas. It combines basic concepts with current research and new observations in interplanetary space and in the magnetospheres.

Graduate students and young researchers starting to work in this special field of science, will find the numerous references to review articles as well as important original papers helpful to orientate themselves in the literature.

Emphasis is on energetic particles and their interaction with the plasma as examples for non-thermal phenomena, shocks and their role in particle acceleration as examples for non-linear phenomena.

This second edition has been updated and extended. Improvements include: the use of SI units; addition of recent results from SOHO and Ulysses; improved treatment of the magnetosphere as a dynamic phenomenon; text restructured to provide a closer coupling between basic physical concepts and observed complex phenomena.

Product Description

This detailed account of the possibilities of tethers in space, from very practical applications to (near) science fiction, gives an overview of the past, present and future of space tether development and presents the various concepts, ranging from those feasible in the near future to extremely innovative and challenging ideas. It shows how space tethers have already been used to stabilize spacecraft using tidal forces and to generate artificial gravity using a spinning system with a spacecraft connected to a counterweight via a cable. Tethers can also generate electricity by dragging spacecraft through the Earth’s magnetosphere, as was attempted with partial success during two Space Shuttle missions. Using electrodynamic forces, conductive tethers can also accelerate or brake a spacecraft.

Probably the most exciting tether concept is the space elevator, consisting of an incredibly strong long cable that stretches from the Earth’s surface into space. Solar powered "climber" machines, which are already under development, could use such a cable to haul cargo into orbit. The author also describes how space tethers can change the orbit of satellites, by effectively moving their center of gravity through the deployment of long cables. Tethers rotating at high speed can be used to accelerate or slow down spacecraft that briefly latch to them. In principle, such "momentum exchange" tethers can be used to fly a space probe from low Earth orbit all the way into orbit around Mars, without the need for rocket propulsion. A tether can also provide scientific information on the magnetosphere of the planet it’s orbiting.

Michel van Pelt explains the principle of space tethers: what they are and how they can be used in space. He introduces non-technical space enthusiasts to the various possibilities of space tethers, the technological challenges, the potential benefits and their feasibility. He illustrates how, because of their inherent simplicity, space tethers have the potential to make space travel much cheaper, while ongoing advances in tether material technology may make even seemingly far-fetched ideas a reality in the not too distant future.

Product Description
The man celebrated as "the Christopher Columbus of Mars" brings us to the very brink of human exploration.

Using nuts-and-bolts engineering and a unique grasp of human history, Robert Zubrin takes us to the not-very-distant future, when our global society will branch out into the universe. From the current-day prospect of lunar bases and Mars settlements to the outer reaches of other galaxies, Zubrin delivers the most important and forward-looking work on space and the true possibilities of human exploration since Carl Sagan's Cosmos.

Sagan himself said of Zubrin's humans-to-Mars plan, "Bob Zubrin really, nearly alone, changed our thinking on this issue." With Entering Space, he takes us further, into the prospect of human expansion to the outer planets of our own solar system--and beyond.

"An exhilarating and informative ride." --The San Diego Union-Tribune

"Robert Zubrin is a true engineering genius like the heroic engineers of the past." --Frederick Turner, American EnterpriseAmazon.com Review
Humans are not native to the Earth. So posits astronauticalengineer Bob Zubrin in the opening of Entering Space. We'renative to just a small sliver of it, the spot where our speciesoriginated in tropical Kenya. We set out from that paradise about50,000 years ago, north into "the teeth of the Ice Age," and all theground we've gained since then has been thanks to our tenacity and ourtools.

Zubrin reasons that it's time we cover a little moreground. Written with a boyish enthusiasm and formidable techieknow-how, Entering Space urges us to realize "the feasibility,the necessity, and the promise" of becoming a space-faringcivilization, of colonizing our own solar system and beyond. AndZubrin, author of the influential and widely acclaimed The Case for Mars,knows his stuff--NASA adapted his plans for near-term humanexploration of Mars, and Carl Sagan gave the author no less credit:"Bob Zubrin really, nearly alone, changed our thinking on this issue." Entering Space plots the second and third phases of humanity'scourse--now that we've mastered our own planet, Zubrin says we mustfirst look to settling our solar system (beginning with Mars) and thento the galaxy beyond.

With its practicable visions of using"iceteroids" to terraform Mars and harnessing the power of theoutlying gas giants ("the solar system's Persian Gulf"), EnteringSpace succeeds at making the fantastic seem attainable, the stuffof science fiction, science fact. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Zubrin does it again. Another great book.
Dr Robert Zubrin is a masterful past rocket engineer, president of the Mars Society and great writer. Read A Case for Mars (5 stars), Mars on Earth (5 stars) and How to Live on Mars (3 stars). His second book Entering Space ( Case For Mars was first) is well written and an easy read. Finished it in 2 days.

A few parts of rocket formulas are a little technical and the first few chapters are a little slow to get going but after that his book is a rocket ship. Wonderful. Plus there are several futuristic beautiful colored artwork pages showing some of the things he describes.

Robert lists civilization into three categories. #1 Beginning of mankind to complete communication global network and space program a little more advanced than today. #2 Man's exploration and colonization of the solar system. moon observatories, research center, Mars colony, asteroid mining, outer plant Helium 3 harvesting for using a deuterium/he3 mixture for fusion reactors, moving ice asteroids for water, metal gathering of asteroids, and a sling shot effect around Jupiter and/or Saturn is discussed. Much much more. #3 Galactic exploration. He goes into possible propulsion systems to take us to the stars using present understanding of physics without going into the obscure and way out theories.

The Mars Society is discussed as well as the HAB ( Mars research station) to be built on Devon Island in the far north Arctic. They actually do it. Read his #3 book Mars on Earth (5 stars).

Again in Entering Space Robert talks about "Mars Direct" which is the safest and most economical way of sending a crew of 4 to Mars and back and allowing them 1 1/2 years to explore the Red Planet.

If NASA ever goes this "Mars Direct" route (and it should) I strongly believe Dr. Zubrin should get a Nobel Prize. I was so impressed with Dr. Zubrin's writings, his "Mars Direct" idea and the back breaking hard work he and others did on Devon Island . Plus being interested in the expansion of the human race and Mars colonization ,I became a paid Mars Society member.

Important work
Although this may be some of Zubrin's more speculative work, it is in the main backed up by his sound technical foundation in engineering and physics. However, the real importance of this book is in Zubrin's willingness to speak out against the status quo, and put his vision into a form suitable for a wide audience.

In particular, his ability to tie in the future of space with the past Enlightenment values and traditions of exploration, expansion, freedom, and democracy. Without these goals, we doom our descendants to a crowded, resource poor, stagnant, and depleted civilisation.

The optimism and achievability of the essentials of Zubrin's vision more than make up for any frustrations he expresses at things that he sees as hindrances.

Zubrin's got it goin on.
If your really into realistic ideas and plans for space exploration and future human travels then you must read this book.I'm no math or science major but Zubrin writes to a happy medium that anyone with the enthusium for the topic can easily follow along with.Great book full of brilliant designs and superb desciptions.You'll be daydreaming for weeks after reading this one.

Great balance
It is a great balance between scientific technospeak and general ideas.It's easy to follow though, because if you aren't really into and/or understand things like velocity and chemistry, you can continue reading and he explains it in another way.As you read it, many of the questions that pop up in your mind are soon answered.He does sound a bit bitter and frustrated on some NASA related manners, though it seems understandable.However, I do sense a hint of derision about the other sometimes important aspects of the federal budget that is sometimes annoying.He makes a convincing case about the ability and necessity of going into space.

The single most authoritative book on the potential human future in space
Astonishingly imaginative and technically authoritative, this is the single best and most important book that exists right now on the possibilities for the human future in space. Full disclosure: I have written articles for books Zubrin has edited. Dr. Zubrin, a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering with master's degrees in physics and aeronautics and astronautics, probably did more than any other single person to change everyone's thinking, including NASA's, about human missions to other planets, with the mission architecture he came up with for sending humans to Mars.

With Entering Space, he lays out a full overview of the human exploration and settlement of space, beginning with a penetrating look at the lack of progress in our human spaceflight capabilities over the past few decades, and progressing through manned missions to the Moon, Mars, the asteroids, throughout the solar system, and then to other star systems. His vision is of a thousand people on Mars a hundred years from now, and millions of people on thousands of planets a thousand years from now. There are plenty of other books covering at least some of these topics, to wildly varying degrees of plausibility. But Zubrin has the technical expertise to walk through the physical and engineering arguments to show how thoroughly plausible his ideas are.

His wide-ranging attention also extends to economic evaluations, historical analogies, and references to past ages of exploration and to Enlightenment ideals of freedom and democracy. He embraces confidence in science and the human capability to engineer our surroundings to our benefit, rejecting the now common pessimism toward those ideals. The result is an encouraging outlook: the world is what we make of it - whichever world that may be. ... Read more

Product Description
The development of the space industry in the Asian and Pacific Rim region provides the context for this book. The two major countries hoping for leadership in the area (apart from China), are Japan and India, both of whom have significant launcher capabilities. There is a general introductory chapter which places the space programmes of the region in the comparative context of the other space-faring nations of the world. The author reviews the main space programmes of Japan and India in turn, concentrating on their origins, the development of launcher and space facilities, scientific and engineering programmes, and future prospects. The book concludes with a chapter comparing how similarly/differently Japan and India are developing their space programmes, how they are likely to proceed in the future, and what impact the programmes have had in their own region and what they have contributed so far to global space research. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Insightful
This was an interesting read.I liked it because it changed what I thought about India's and Japan's space programs, and because it was quick to read through.The inclusion of payload masses and engine specifications was useful to me.

It also appears to be thoroughly comprehensive in its cataloging of orbital launches (successes and failures) through 1999 (minus perhaps one from Japan). It also mentions sounding rockets developed and used.

One curious omission is any discussion of India's military or defense goals with its space program.Perhaps there really are none, but the book describes tensions between the US and India over KVD-1 engine sales from Russia, suggesting to me that there is more of a story here than is told.

The limited budget information provided is insightful.

Certain sections are redundant and perhaps poorly written, but other than that, it wasn't bad. ... Read more

Product Description
Forty-one years after Apollo 11 landed on the moon, we seek clean energy sources, a healthy environment, and a peaceful world. Achieving these goals will require implementing new approaches. "Business as usual" is no longer acceptable. Energy and resources are limited on the Earth and acquiring them adversely impacts the environment. Conserving and improving efficiency of energy and resource use, performing tasks more efficiently, and transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources are all important. These actions may not be sufficient, however, especially when considering the global demand. In space, energy and resources are present in abundance and can be acquired without damaging ecosystems. By including space activities in our efforts to achieve these goals, we can attain benefits that other answers alone cannot provide, while protecting the Earth's environment. In this way we can have a secure, sustainable future with abundant energy, resources, and opportunities for all to have more fulfilling lives. We will soon have the ability to utilize the opportunities of space, what we need is a clear vision of what could be achieved and the determination to reach for the vision. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

In Space Travel the Future Is Looking Up
Crossing the Threshold: Advancing into Space to Benefit the Earth Written by retired NASA life support engineer Paul Wieland Crossing the Threshold is a compact 193 page book, not including a helpful but lengthy section of end notes and its very complete index, that is primarily concerned with advancing its author's arguments for continuing and better research in space exploration. The book is well-done, inexpensive, and quite clear, I would say even well-written, with a bare minimum of jargon. It also has loads of engaging quotes and lots and lots of jazzy new ideas (carbon nanotubes, space elevators, solar sails, and the like come to mind, for example) many of which will be very much less than familiar to all but true "Space Buffs."

Wieland's own non-traditional path to going to work for NASA is most likely responsible for the unique design. The book's author was born and raised in the South and did all his earlier work in botany not rocket engineering so bits of history and place --both his own and otherwise-- are sprinkled throughout. This helps liven and infuse the book with good perspective and a most pleasant feeling of optimism. Certainly what one can learn in Crossing the Threshold goes far beyond this reader's expectations for a book of this type. A report it certainly is not.

At its heart for Wieland doing future space research is (and has to be) in all of our interest, but it has to change by being more concerned with making itself relevant to the common future by keeping the complexities of modern life, the dangers and huge costs of doing more, and all the other intrinsic threats to our world ecology foremost.

I very much recommend this book to any reader who fondly remembers the halcyon days of Sputnik, Alan Shephard, and the Apollo moon shots but also to those of younger generation who have only read about these exciting exploits in books or may have even been turned off by the two dreadful Shuttle accidents. As the author might say about the latter group, it is now they who must become excited enough to take things over and to carry this important work on.

My view is that he was successful arguing his points. This is a very good read for anyone has been wondering about how relevant space research is and whether it can come to benefit either the nation or mankind and the earth in general. For a where-we-have-come-from and where-we-need-to-be-going tale and about space research no less it's quite likely the only book now available. You should see for yourself.
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