Book Description
Praxis Log of Manned Spaceflight 1961-2006 will open with a section entitled: Quest for Space, which will provide an explanation of the methods employed to get in and out of orbit and brief overviews of the different international space programmes. It will be a complete chronological log of all attempted orbital manned spaceflights, including the X-15 "astroflights" of the 1960s that only achieved an altitude of c. 50 miles and the two 1961 Mercury and Redstone missions which were non-orbital. There will be an image depicting each manned spaceflight, and data boxes containing brief biographies of all the space travellers and basic flight data. The main text will be a narrative of each mission, its highlights and accomplishments, including those strange facts and humorous stories that are connected to every mission.
By targeting publication in September 2006, the return to flight of the Shuttle, two more Soyuz TMA launches and, quite possibly, a second Chinese manned mission. The resulting book will be a handy reference to all manned spaceflights, the names astronauts and cosmonauts who flew on each mission, and their roles and accomplishments. Recent announcements of a return to the Moon and eventual manned flights to Mars, as new hardware and procedures are developed to support these long-range programs, emphasizes the case for future updates of this book.
Customer Reviews:
Praxis Manned Spaceflight Log 1961-2006 .......2007-06-27
A very comprehensive account of manned space flight. The book contains a time period overview of space travel plus a detailed account of each flight. Enjoyable reading. A must-have for all space buffs!
Who did what - and When?.......2007-04-20
This one is big as a medium size telephone directory - around 820 pages - but it has to be. Chronicling some 250 space flight since April 12, 1961 up to September 29, 2006, and the participants from Yuri Gagarin to Anousheh Ansari, in lucid prose and memory-stirring photographs, this is a worthy follow-up of the Tim Furniss earlier chronicling of the first 103 space flights. That milestone was passed in April 1983. We tend to equal "space flight" with "flights to Earth Orbit" or "Flight to the Moon", but suborbital flight to more than 80 kilometres - 13 in the X-15 rocket plane and 3 in the comercial "Spaceship One" are included as official flights that reached space. Aborts during launches are also included, as are the incredibly sad listings of the crew of STS 51-L, where Gregory Jarvis and Christa McAuliffe attained only 1 minute of spaceflight experience, before that ascent was so cruelly - and unnecessarily - terminated.
The Authors have visely chosen to present all the numerical data in both metric and imperial measurement. If I have to search for something missing, I would wish for an alphabetic index of persons, who participated in which flight style, but then the size of this volume, already in that class which seriously hampers the compulsory bed-reader, clearly would have grown quite out of hand. Let us be thankful for the mass of facts we already have got here.
For the veteran armchair astronaut this volume brings back a lot of memories, and still succeeds in serving up a plethora of data that has slipped the memory over those 45 years. For the young reader, this presents the scope of Mankinds first forays off our planetary shores and trips to the offshore island of the Moon. It's an incredible history after all, and it's all here.
A very great book.......2007-03-30
I was really impressed by the Praxis Manned Spaceflight Log 1961-2006.
Simply the best !!! A book with many details of each manned space mission since the Gagarin's flight. Highly recommended. More than 820 pages rich with any type of information.
A must have!.......2007-02-11
An amazing publication: covers Vostok-1 (Gagarin) to Soyuz TMA-9. Tons of info for each flight: International designation; launched; Launch site; Landed; Landing site; Launch vehicle (for the shuttle you have the tank number, the SRB set and the SSME engines); Duration; Callsign; Objective; Flight Crew; Flight Log and finally Milestones. Also three chapters cover respectively: Reaching the heavens (access/method; Space flight methods/launch systems); The Quest for Space; The orbital programmes (Vostok, Mercury, Apollo, Shuttle, Salyut, Shenzhou etc..).
An outstand reference works for anybody who is interested in the history of spaceflight!
A must have on one's bookshelf.
Book Description
"FASCINATING . . . MEMORABLE . . . REVEALING . . . PERHAPS THE BEST OF CARL SAGAN'S BOOKS."
--The Washington Post Book World (front page review)
In Cosmos, the late astronomer Carl Sagan cast his gaze over the magnificent mystery of the Universe and made it accessible to millions of people around the world. Now in this stunning sequel, Carl Sagan completes his revolutionary journey through space and time.
Future generations will look back on our epoch as the time when the human race finally broke into a radically new frontier--space. In Pale Blue Dot Sagan traces the spellbinding history of our launch into the cosmos and assesses the future that looms before us as we move out into our own solar system and on to distant galaxies beyond. The exploration and eventual settlement of other worlds is neither a fantasy nor luxury, insists Sagan, but rather a necessary condition for the survival of the human race.
"TAKES READERS FAR BEYOND Cosmos . . . Sagan sees humanity's future in the stars."
--Chicago Tribune
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
Rating the physical book, not the content.......2007-07-23
First, I must say that I am enjoying the book very much. I love reading Professor Sagan's books very much. So this rating applies more to the decision of the publisher than the book itself.
I have never written a review on Amazon before, and I have been coming here for years. I had to say something about this. After I finish this, I plan on emailing the publisher with the same review.
Wow. A book named Pale Blue Dot, inspired by the famous photograph of the Earth of the same name. It is referenced in the first few chapters heavily and Prof. Sagan asks us to visit and revisit the photo several times as he builds his introduction. I think to myself "Great! Can't wait to see it. Now where is it?" This then led to the disappointing finding that there are no pictures at all in this printing. None, not one, not even just the one of the Pale Blue Dot image itself. How can you publish a book inspired by a photo and not include the picture itself, not even a low res poorly printed picture? All you get is a few instructions to look at it, but you won't be able to look at it in here. Apparently, the hardback and first soft-back printing had photos. I guess I can understand (not like, mind you) why the decision was made to eliminate photos, but to get rid of the Pale Blue Dot photo is mind boggling. Surely this decision couldn't have been made on purpose. Surely, this was just an oversight. If this was a conscious decision, then it speaks volumes about how Ballantine views this work and it makes you wonder if they have any idea why it was written in the first place.
Anyway thanks for listening.
Pale Blue Dot.......2007-01-04
This was very interesting reading. Carl has a wonderful way of relating science, technology and his vision in very understandable language.
Perspective from Pluto.......2006-08-19
As I write this review, scientists around the world are in one more tizzy about whether Pluto is a planet, and exactly what a planet is.
They are missing the boat, or spaceship as it were. Pick up a copy of Carl Sagan's "Pale Blue Dot," and it becomes clearer. Just take the much longer view, courtesy of Sagan's vivid and creative mind.
No matter how many times I read it, the look back at our solar system by the Voyager 1 spacecraft in 1990 stimulates my imagination in a huge way. After passing the orbit of Pluto and visiting Neptune and its spectacular moon Triton,the Voyager 1's camera turned back and took a family portrait of the solar system....caught in a mosaic of 60 pictures, saved on the ship's tape recorder and then slowly, over a period of three months, sent back to big radio telescopes on Earth.
The camera caught not only Earth (the pale blue dot), but also Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Pluo and Mars were too small and Mercury was lost in the glare of the Sun.
Just think, a look back at all of us, from a place I dream of being ---out past the orbit of Neptune/Pluto, but will never get to. It boggles the mind to even estimate how long it will take to get any human to that distant vantage point. But here it is ....a wonderful book which covers this, and so many other space marvels. Buy it and keep it close to your bed for months and months of inspiration.
Earl
Let's take the first steps .......2006-04-13
This book really focuses on something I believe is of uttermost importance for human kind: our long-term survival as a species and the essential role of space exploration. Many ideas and facts presented in Pale Blue Dot have already been expressed elsewhere, not least in science-fiction, but here they are collected and presented to us in a formidable way, with the focus on the potentially new era awaiting us where we would finally quit our Earth cocoon and start expanding through the Universe. As a scientist, I believe that this is a realistic view even if it definitely won't happen in our lifetimes. Sagan gives very convicing arguments why it is necessary to take the first steps in this direction: now, without delay!
A great sequel to Cosmos.......2005-03-09
The title of this book refers to Earth- all that our planet is in the big scheme of things is a Pale Blue Dot, as photographed by the Voyager spacecraft, departing our solar system. It's very humbling. Sagan went before his time, and didn't even get to see the landing of Mars Pathfinder in 1997, but that mission was renamed "The Sagan Memorial Mars Station." Whereas Cosmos talked about the past and future of space travel, this book talks about the future. It's written 20 years after "Cosmos" so builds upon what that book says. It used many charts and interesting pictures and graphs. This is better than "Cosmos" in my opinion, and is my favorite book ever.
Average customer rating:
- Fresh Perspectives on a Fragile Planet
- An excellent choice for anyone of any age
- Only Being in Orbit Could Give You a Better View!!!!
- A new perspective
- best book on earth
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The Home Planet
Kevin W. Kelley
Manufacturer: Addison Wesley Publishing Company
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ASIN: 0201550954 |
Customer Reviews:
Fresh Perspectives on a Fragile Planet.......2006-01-28
Let's not forget we're living on a little planet, what some like to call spaceship earth. If earth is a spaceship, this is the owner's manual: THE HOME PLANET. Political boundaries are dissolved by a moon's-eye view of Earth to create bold visions of the planet through 150 color photographs culled from the American and then-Soviet archives. Commentary is provided solely by eloquent quotes from astronauts of 18 nations which are shown both in original language (be it Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindi, Mongolian, French, German, Spanish, Hungarian, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Bulgarian, Dutch, or Russian) and English translation. The message is simple--we are all citizens of the same global nation.
An excellent choice for anyone of any age.......2002-03-07
This superb coffee table book by Kevin W. Kelley is especially apt in this day and age, when so much in life feels precarious and precious. A simple and simply eloquent collection of photographs and quotations, it is so much more than the sum of its parts.
The astronauts who have either landed on the moon or have orbited the earth have so much to tell us and it's easy to see from the photographs why they feel words fail them. Luckily for us, words DON'T fail them. This select, small group of men and woman try mightily to tell us what their experiences were, and overwhelmingly they succeed in conveying the mystery and beauty they saw from their unique perches in space. A few of the better bits include:
"[From space] you have an almost dispassionate platform--remote, Olympian--and yet [seeing the earth from up there is] so moving that you can hardly believe how emotionally attached you are to those rough patterns shifting steadily below."
- THOMAS STAFFORD, USA
"O. Henry, the American writer, wrote in one of his stories that if you want to encourage the craft of murder, all you have to do is lock up two men for two months in an eighteen-by-twenty-four-foot room. Entering 'Salyut,' which was to be both our home and our office for six months, we told each other: We are brothers. I am you and you are me."
- VALERIE RYUMIN, USSR
"Before I flew, I was already aware of how small and vulnerable our planet is; but only when I saw it from space, in all its ineffable beauty and fragility, did I realize that humankind's most urgent task is to cherish and preserve it for future generations."
- SIGMUND JAHN, GERMANY
In no book that I can think of does the phrase "A picture is worth a thousand words" better fit. The photographs herein are astonishing in showing the exquisite planet we occupy. A view of England's North Sea coast looks like a slab of lapiz lazuli, its surface flecked with sparkle and hue. Canada's Lake Winnipeg from space has the appearance of something primal, almost fetal. The Indian Ocean off Madagascar looks like a sheet of slate over which some divine presence has tossed a handful of diamonds. So few of us can ever hope to share the experience of these men and women that this book is all the more precious, and beautiful.
Only Being in Orbit Could Give You a Better View!!!!.......2001-03-28
This coffee table book presents some of the best photographs taken of the Earth and the Moon by both astronauts and cosmonauts. Due to the large size of the book, these photographs are even more stunning. In addition to the photographs, several quotes by those who have flown in space accompany each photograph.
One of things that I really liked about the book is that other than the small quotes, there is very little accompany text. The only real text is at the end of the book, where NASA's chief photographic planner describes "Why Space Photography?" I found thispart kind of chilling where he states, "it is a far more air-polluted Earth today than it was in the past ... twenty years ago"
A new perspective.......1999-03-09
A wonderfully moving and beautifully compiled collection of images. Mountain ranges and river deltas dissolve into abstract designs of astounding beauty. The accompanying commentaries show a world united in space in a way that is sadly absent on Earth. The book would make anybody want to become an astronaut.
This is the perfect present for any occasion. It has touched the hearts of everyone I know who has ever seen it. Highly recommended.
best book on earth.......1999-02-21
Political boundaries are dissolved by a moon's-eye view of Earth to create bold visions of the planet through 150 color photographs culled from the American and then-Soviet archives. The pictures are allowed to speak for themselves, with only tiny captions describing locales and weather conditions. Commentary is provided solely by eloquent quotes from astronauts of 18 nations which are shown both in original language (be it Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindi, Mongolian, French, German, Spanish, Hungarian, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Bulgarian, Dutch, or Russian) and English translation. The message is simple--we are all citizens of the same global nation.
Conceived and edited for the Association of Space Explorers, no earthling will be unmoved by the views, both photographic and verbal, regarding our home. From desert to arctic, ocean to breadbasket, this book will delight anyone who's ever looked outside an airplane window to marvel at the forms below.
Book Description
Here is a rare perspective on a story we only thought we knew. For Apollo 11, the first moon landing, is a story that belongs to many, not just the few and famous. It belongs to the seamstress who put together twenty-two layers of fabric for each space suit. To the engineers who created a special heat shield to protect the capsule during its fiery reentry. It belongs to the flight directors, camera designers, software experts, suit testers, telescope crew, aerospace technicians, photo developers, engineers, and navigators. Gathering direct quotes from some of these folks who worked behind the scenes, Catherine Thimmesh reveals their very human worries and concerns. Culling NASA transcripts, national archives, and stunning NASA photos from Apollo 11, she captures not only the sheer magnitude of this feat but also the dedication, ingenuity, and perseverance of the greatest team everthe team that worked to first put man on that great gray rock in the sky.
Customer Reviews:
Will use this in class........2007-05-12
I will use this book in my middle school curriculum when I teach about space. When I showed it to students, they pretty much just looked at the pictures. After they watched "Apollo 13" it made a lot more sense to them. Then they wanted to understand more about the technology available at the time. This book makes a great companion piece to "The Right Stuff" and "The Dish" as well. If you are trying to get a historical perspective on that time period and didn't live through it as some of us did, please do yourself a favor and read it. The current textbooks cannot portray the taste of adventure we felt each time the astronauts voyaged out into dangerous places,as students back home gathered around black and white TV's brought into the classrooms to watch splashdowns. Knowing that the support structures have to be so huge may help people both understand why it costs so much to run a space program as well as perhaps pursue careers in the aerospace industry that are not just in the small astronaut corps.
team moon.......2007-03-25
i thought this book was great. i added it to my classroom library and the students love it too.
A Good Read for all ages.......2007-01-10
Definitely a juvenile-oriented work, but nonetheless very interesting and full of information not generally provided in accounts of the first manned moon landing.
An Adventure in Science Fiction.......2006-11-22
Though I typically lean towards fantasy and adventure-themed novels, this was one of the few science fiction books I was able to appreciate, not only for its interesting word choice, but also for its unexpected suspense. The author of this book really paints an image in your mind. The beginning, for me, was something I had to somewhat struggle through, but once I got past it, I was able to dive into the past, understanding the fears of the unknown that the people of that time must have faced. What was it like to go to the moon, to step onto that land that no man can describe? And 400,000...that's no small number, just as it was no small feat to land Apollo 11 on the moon.
~From the reader
Simply Breathtaking.......2006-11-08
I apologize for paraphrasing the title of Dr. Jones's review, but it really is appropriate and fitting; the book does give you "a catch in the throat [and] a hint of a happy tear in [your] eye in admiration for the men and women of Apollo" on so many different levels. Through her compelling writing and her keen eye for selecting breathtaking photos (in Thimmesh's context, even black and white, mission control shots are "breathtaking"), as well as the stunning layout and design she herself put together for the book, Ms. Thimmesh truly impresses on the reader the incredible nature of the mission and the accomplishments of so many who contributed to the endeavor.
I would reiterate the comments dismissing out of hand Mr. Waldron's completely off the mark review (and would ask other readers to consider the response to Mr. Walderon's review by clicking on the comments to his review). It would be a shame if any reader (and particularly children who did not have the privilige of experiencing those historic events first hand) were disuaded from reading the book and sharing, at least at some level, in the wonderous accomplishments of so many. It is hard to understand how one could not encourage everyone they know to read this book; failing to do so would not only deprive someone of (re)experiencing the truly awe inspiring nature of this epic event, it also deprives those who did so much for mankind (and it is hard to overstate the importance of their accomplishments--if on no other level than the perspective it gave humanity on the chunk of rock they share with each other) of some long overdue recogintion.
This is truly a book that should be read by everyone--not just children--to try and regain that perspective. I recomend it wholeheartedly to everyone.
The book is Simply Breathtaking!
Customer Reviews:
The real deal.......2005-10-07
Col Aldrin shares not only his personal insite of the space race and space flight mechanics, but offers his intellect and wisdom on the future of mankind. The book is a must read for all space exploration enthusists and would be adventure seekers. Col Aldrin is truely the cutting edge of man's reaching out in the universe. Highly recomended read.
The best book on the Apollo program I have read.......2004-12-02
When there is a discussion regarding the creation of a vast new technology, proponents generally use the phrase, "Manhattan project for _________." This is of course a reference to the vast project that led to the development of the atomic bomb. It surprises me that this is used rather than a reference to the Apollo project that put people on the moon. To date, no one has found a use for nuclear weapons other than destruction, but the technical and psychological benefits of the American space program were tremendous. Both projects were enormous in scope and success required the invention of whole new technologies.
Buzz Aldrin was one of three astronauts in the Apollo 11 mission and the second man to walk on the moon. He was a fighter pilot, but like the rest of the early astronaut corps, combined that with a great deal of intelligence. Buzz earned a Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in manned space rendezvous. Therefore, he understands a great deal of the theory behind the movement of space vehicles, which was very helpful in the early days of trying to rendezvous with another space vehicle.
This book is his recollection of the American space program; from the time the first German V2 delivered a deadly warhead to the ignominious aftermath of the Apollo program. His fundamental understanding of many of the principles of space flight is evident, making this different from most of the other histories of the American space program. He also creates two parallel time tracks, one describing the American successes and the other the actions of the Soviets.
Those who understand the history of the times realize that the greatest single impetus for the American space program occurred in the Soviet Union. Their launching of the Sputnik satellite and then the more incredible event of orbiting Yuri Gagarin created a great deal of anxiety in the United States and led to the "space race." While it was a source of great national pride and tremendous technical advancement, the space programs of the two superpowers was just another area of competition. Aldrin explains, as best he could in 1989, how the Soviet Union was able to accomplish what it did. Since most Soviet records were still unavailable at that time, there are many occasions when he resorts to informed speculation.
Aldrin was selected for the astronaut corps in 1963, while the Mercury project was still active. He describes the talent of the astronauts, as well as their fiercely competitive camaraderie. These people were fighter pilots and combat veterans. While they competed with the enemy for their lives and with their fellow pilots for advancement and glory, they also shared the common bonds of people who choose the life of danger. This is the best book about the Apollo program that I have read. Aldrin's combination of astronaut insider and knowledge of the technical details is what made it that way.
Another fine book by Buzz Aldrin/Apollo 11.......2000-05-28
This book is almost as good as Buzz's first book--Return To Earth from early 70's. Dr. Aldrin at least takes his time and makes the effort to share the Apollo 11 experience with us and also what was happening [space related] in America and in RUSSIA during Cold War/ Space race era, and compares the two " superpowers'" and what was happening at both places at same time intervals in the 60's. Much research and time spent in book
Buzz Moon.......2000-04-26
Aldring give us his insides in the Apollo 11 mission. His personal toughs about the Space Program the feelings of been one of the firsts to walk on the Moon. This is a must reed for any enthusiast of the Apollo Program.. You can relive the Gemini 12 space walk and the trill of the trying for the historic Apollo 11 mission
Lost in space.......2000-01-09
The author of this book went to the the moon but unfortunately the book still lurches in Earth orbit. Yes, the book is hard to get and my grateful thanks to Amazon for getting me a copy. Despite the splendor of the subject matter the book was a tough read. Too dry, too technical, too lost in words. Where was the personal touch? Where was Aldrin's inspiring rehabilitation from alcholism, the personal difficulties, the controversy over who would walk first on the moon. The latter makes it in print, but only just, and one can't quite help but feel with much selective editing. For real space buffs only.
Book Description
Hubble: 15 Years of Discovery forms a key element of the European Space Agency's 15th anniversary celebration activities for the 1990 launch of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
As an observatory in space, Hubble is one of the most successful scientific projects of all time, both in terms of scientific output and its immediate public appeal.
Hubble continues to have an enormous impact by exploiting a unique scientific niche where no other instruments can compete. It consistently delivers super-sharp images and clean, uncontaminated spectra over the entire near-infrared and ultraviolet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. This has opened up new scientific territory and resulted in many paradigm-breaking discoveries.
To mark the 15th anniversary on 24 April 2005, the European Space Agency presented a series of unique activities in collaboration with partners all over Europe. This included an exclusive, full-length DVD film (one of the most widely distributed documentary films ever); please see the link to info about the film below:
ttp://www.spacetelescope.org/projects/anniversary/
Customer Reviews:
Hubble review.......2007-06-02
The pictures are stunning, as one would expect. The naritive is pretty good but a bit basic. Not only is it a good coffee table book it is a nice reference book to have on the shelf.
Beautiful imagery from the world's premier astronomical instrument.......2007-05-07
I can't say if fifteen years seems like a long or short time. In one sense, it doesn't seem like that long ago that Hubble went up. In another, it seems as if Hubble has been a fixture in American life, as if it's always been there. It's hard to remember a time when fantastic Hubble imagery didn't come down every few weeks or so.
And of course that's what Hubble is known and, someday, will be remembered for. The astronomers know it as a fantastically useful tool, but everyone else knows it for the stunning imagery. And that's about the way this book handles it. Coffee-table-sized, it contains all the breathtaking photos you could ask for, with text explaining the science behind the photos. But you're going to remember the book - and want it - for the photos, not the text. But that's reason enough.
Fantastic voyage.......2007-03-10
One of most beautifull pictura that I ver seen. If you can travell to the unverse this is the guide.
Latest Hubble book.......2007-01-08
I bought Postcards from Mars and this Hubble book right before Christmas. Both were pretty fascinating to read and were well written. I gave this book 4 stars because I thought the pictures should have been larger to emphasize the grandeur. More pages and more text would justify the price.
Fun Picture Book.......2007-01-04
While undertaking a graduate-level course recently to understand big science project development using the Hubble Space Telescope as a classic example, I ran across this book. The images from HST are as meaningful to me as the Apollo 8 Earthrise. In fact, the younger generations will probably give me awe to the HST images than those stunning first pictures of Earth from Apollo 8 and Apollo 17 published so frequently around the globe. The profound images from the HST are many. This book captures much of the soul-searching visualizations that the HST science team has provided us. It is not a full-blown text of the technical aspects of the HST, but it is a high-qaulity picture book of results of BIG science.
Average customer rating:
- good pics
- Beautiful Book
- Breathtaking photos of our Solar System
- Look At the Stars & What Do You See?
- Gorgeous!!! Nothing Comparable.
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Beyond: Visions Of The Interplanetary Probes
Michael Benson
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
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ASIN: 0810945312 |
Book Description
"These images are a spectacular reaffirmation that we are privileged to live in the greatest age of exploration the world has ever known."-From Arthur C. Clarke's foreword
Since the 1960s the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has been sending unmanned satellites to explore the planets, moons, and sun. These probes have amassed a stunning visual record of other worlds, revealing not one but scores of new frontiers, from rust-red Mars to the ethereal rings of Saturn.
Author Michael Benson has spent years compiling and digitally processing the best of these images. In Beyond this "deskbound cosmic pilgrim" (Atlantic Monthly) has pulled together the most spectacular of them into one volume that presents these photographs for the first time as art. The resulting book consists of two parts: the first is a spectacular visual tour of the solar system, with views every bit as compelling as the work of the great landscape photographers on earth; the second is a series of beautifully written essays that explain the story behind these photographs: the history of the probes' journeys, how they work, and why they were built. This book shows us how modern science has revealed the astonishing beauty and mystery of the solar system and its awe-inspiring worlds far beyond any places human beings have ever directly observed.
Customer Reviews:
good pics.......2007-10-02
this has a lot of good pictures in it. It is well worth the purchase if you are looking for a reasonable compilation of planetary images. The one problem is that is does not have any of the Cassini-Huygens images of Saturn. This is extremely unfortunate because the book would have benefited greatly by these images. Other than then that it is mostly pictures without a lot of explanation. So if you have a decent knowledge of the planets or you are in the mood to do some internet research on the things that you see, it is a great book.
Beautiful Book.......2007-05-09
beautiful coffee table book. not the sort of thing you sit and read, but great to have out when guests come over. fantastic images.
Breathtaking photos of our Solar System.......2007-01-05
I am floored every time I open this book of pictures of our Solar System. The images are so amazing and clear. I sometimes wonder that these are actually our neighboring planets.
The main planets themselves are mind-blowing in and of themselves. Io is perhaps the single most jaw dropping moon - a planet in its own right - and evokes so much imagination. Gallisto is also a fascinating moon with its craters coming to life.
Only two regrets with this book. First, the pictures of the moon were not satisfying at all. They didn't portray the moon in any way that is as beautiful as the rest of the solar system. Instead the pictures focus on close up pictures of its surface, which is interesting as well, yet I would have still liked to see whole far off pictures of the moon. And lastly, one of Saturn's moons is mentioned in passing - Titan - as perhaps the most interesting and fascinating of the solar system, and yet it isn't included. Why? Because they didn't want to detract from Saturn and its rings! Including Titan, if it is as fascinating as they are saying, would only add more to Saturn.
Both are trivial and it doesn't in any way change my view of this fantastic collection of pictures of our Solar System. This is a must for all households. A definite recommend.
5 stars.
Look At the Stars & What Do You See?.......2005-10-28
Have you looked up into the night sky or early morning to see the plethora of stars in their stark beauty. On a clear day, it is a spectacular sight, as on this morning's. Mars is getting closer to the Earth, but that is not the sight you will get if you go out and observe the solar system in all its glory.
Near the outer reaches, the second largest planet hovers like a shimmering star with its rings; Saturn is 250,000 miles wide and formed of minute to boulder-size particles held in the gravitational grip of a rapidly spinning central sphere. Jupiter, the largest, has two moons as discovred by the Galileo probe in its fourteen year mission.
Galileo Galilei made telescopic discoveries of the universe; Johannes Kepler used meticulous mathematical charting of the planets; and NASA's 'Spunik' and 'Ranger' spaceflights of the past four decades shows the beauty of the spheres as they appear "suspended in space like weightless jewels." Venus is out nearest and Mars the other next-door neighbor. The 'Mariner 9' probe showed the vastness of the "grandest canyon in the entire solar system and as wide as the continental United States." Venus is the brightest planet we can see from Earth.
Mercury speed around the Sun every 88 days faster than any other planet. It is forty percent larger and far denser than our Moon. It has an overall magnetic field and an iron core, like Earth. Jupiter and Neptune have also been closely obsrved by NASA's 'Voyager 2.' Jupiter is the largest planet with fourteen moons; no, make that sixty-one, according to the 'Voyager 1' probe.
Once upon a time, some years ago, I gave a tour of the Solar System to a literary group. Being a new member, I had stuck with travel books until I got a firm footing and learned what the others were reviewing. So, I began, "Today I will take you on a tour, but not like one you've ever been on before -- we will soar out into the sky and view the Universe as man knows it today." Much has been discovered since then, as the photographs Michael Benson uses in this book show in detail. He confesses that he retrieved most from NASA's Planetary Photojournal web site. They are "out-of-this-world" in every aspect.
Gorgeous!!! Nothing Comparable........2005-07-11
This book is really a space buff's wet dream. I mean, there is not a single book on the market, anywhere, that has such gorgeous, exquisite and detailed pictures of the planets and moons of our solar system as this book has (made by Voyager, Galileo, Maggelan and the like). You just won't believe your eyes. And the essays of Benson (and those of Arthur C. Clarke and Lawrence Weschler) are also splendid, one by one. Convince yourself and surf to the website of Kinetikon Pictures to behold some of the photographs offered in this book and to read some of the essays (and even more). Robotic planetary photography made into (abstract expressionist and impressioinst) art, that is what Beyond is all about. Buy this hefty beast of a book before it is sold out.
Book Description
On 25 May 1961, John F Kennedy announced the goal of landing an American man on the Moon by the end of the decade. This challenge forced NASA to review the planned lunar landing of a three-man spaceship named Apollo in the mid-1970s. In 1962, it was decided that a specialized vehicle would accompany the main spacecraft, to make the lunar landing while the mothership remained in lunar orbit. To send these vehicles to the Moon would require the development of an enormous rocket. Development was protracted, but in December 1968 Apollo 8 was launched on a pioneering mission to perform an initial reconnaissance in lunar orbit. When Apollo 17 lifted off from the Moon in December 1972, the program was concluded. Now, at long last, there is a real prospect of a resumption of human exploration of the Moon.
This book provides an overview of the origins of the Apollo program and descriptions of the ground facilities, launch vehicles and spacecraft that will serve as an invaluable single-volume sourcebook for space enthusiasts, space historians, journalists, and programme-makers on radio and TV. It supplements tha other books that have focused on the politics and management of the Apollo program, the astronauts, and their training and exploits.
Customer Reviews:
Great Summary of Project Apollo.......2006-04-11
Excellent material covering all both unmanned and manned Apollo lunar programm flights. This is definitely not a technical stuff, this is factographical and chronological history of each of the Apollo missions from preparations to recoveries mapping all flight events in detail. Equiped with high quality b&w photos and a lot of tables covering - sometimes rather exotic - things like astronaut personal weights before and after the flight, rocket fuel consumptions and many others this book is a valuable source of Apollo missions facts. Highly recommended to all who want to have all basic flight informations in one place.
Book Description
Project Constellation is NASA's initiative to develop a replacement for the aging Space Shuttle. It's main goal is to provide spacecraft for returning to the Moon by the year 2020. This Pocket Space Guide, #9 in the series, gives the background information on how the program was formed and what it is destined to accomplish.
Details are given for all of the elements of the Project Constellation, from the Lunar Precursor Robotic Program to the Orion spacecraft, Ares launch vehicles, and the Lunar Surface Access Module. Project Constellation is realizing President Bush's "Vision" for space and this book chronicles the progress and outlines the plans for tomorrow.
Customer Reviews:
A Little Giant.......2007-04-19
Project Constellation seems to be more than just a single "project", in fact it is developing into a manned/highlift Space Transportation System, reaching from Low Earth Orbit to the Moon and, ultimately, to the planet Mars. Of course such a politically concieved system may lose its backing in the next election, but, assuming that it succeends in gathering financial and politcal momentum, it may eventually become what NASA now is aiming for.
What, then, is it all about? Well, you get the answer in this booklet, most of an answer anyway, as conceived in the year 2006-07. Today it is a veritable Little Giant of information and explanation. A couple of years from now it will, of course, be dated. Still some more years in the future, it will be a historical reference of what was visualized after the first NASA perusal of the George W Bush clarion call for Manned Space Exploration in the 2000:ies. I hope I will live long enough to compare the vision of 2006 with the reality of 2020.
Why only four stars? Again the bane of conflicting systems of weights and measures: ancient foot-pounds in the US, metric in the civilized world. One could use either, or, or both in parallell, in this booklet there is no clear line of preference. Please note, that NASA has decided that the lunar part of the program will be planned and executed in metric. All honour to the NASA of old, which landed 12 men on the Moon using the old imperial measurements in conjunction with the computer technology of the 1960-ies.
On the way to the stars!.......2007-04-11
Tim McElyea has done a great job at revealing the opening shots of Project Constellation and the Orion program. This book is a must for people that are just coming aboard the project and for those that want to know where the governments money is going on the Space Shuttle's replacement. It highly utilizes computer illustrations to show the next step in America's long road to the Moon and Mars.
Let there be no mistake here- this is THE first book on the subject, and it will be changed and modified over the next few years as this program shapes up.
Writer McElyea even goes over the possible changes to the program like the use of Ares IV booster instead. His illustrations show the breakdowns of the launchers and spacecraft. He has done a wonderful job at showing how the Orion Spacecraft, lunar lander, Ares I and V rockets will work. Not too technical, not too simplistic.
I heartily recommend this book for all ages. It will be the book in the back pocket for those who are in school now but will someday be riding these mighty vehicles to the Moon and Mars.
Book Description
When, in July 1969, the Americans decisively beat the Soviet Union in the race to put an astronaut on the moon, this event had profound historical, scientific and political implications. This book tells the story of the Soviet and Russian lunar programme, from its origins to the reconsideration of a lunar programme in the present-day federal Russian space programme. Following Sputnik, the first Soviet lunar flights achieved the key goals of hitting, circling and photographing the moon in 1959. The Soviet Union planned to achieve the biggest prize of them all –the first person to land on the moon – and built all the key spaceships required to do so, such as a lunar orbiter and lander. Brian Harvey describes the techniques devised by the USSR for lunar landing, from the LK lunar module to the LOK lunar orbiter and tested versions in Earth orbit. He asks whether these systems would have worked and, examining how well they were tested, concludes that they would have: the Soviet Union lost the moon race for political, not technical reasons. Designs for moon bases were even drawn up. In the end, the Soviet Union ran an impressive series of robotic missions from 1968 to 1976 to circle the moon, map the far side, conduct scientific observations from orbit, recover samples and rove over the surface. The scientific haul from these missions is surveyed: what was actually learned about the moon, its rocks and the lunar environment, that will be useful for the present plans by the United States to return to the moon and for other countries, such as India and China, to conduct their own lunar exploration.
The book opens in Surgut, Siberia, in August 1976, with a largely forgotten event: the return to Earth after a three-day journey from the moon, under a single parachute, of the tiny Luna 24 cabin, with a core sample drilled deep into the Sea of Crises, a remarkable scientific and engineering achievement. It ends with an examination of projected missions, from plans to explore the far side and set up lunar observatories to the Luna Glob explorer of the 1990s. There is also discussion of lunar tourism, using a modernized version of the Zond spacecraft which flew around the moon from1968 to 1970.
Customer Reviews:
The other side of the race.......2007-06-05
Once again a "Harvey book" which fulfills the expectations one has come to expect when looking at the by-line. This time the theme is the stamina and heroics you had to exhibit in Soviet Russia when planning and trying to win the race to the Moon. We all know that the Soviets started out by winning the initial laps but finally lost the finals in the Race, here we get to know why. We re-live the tragedies of the main protagonists, who not only had to master a demanding complex of technology, but also had to appease and cajole a not very understanding but very capricious bureaucracy in order to further their aims. Their case was not helped by the internal dissensions and jockeying for position.
Well, the US administrations and Congress did show it's inconsistency of purpose, but at any rate, they allowed NASA to win before withdrawing the support. The difficulties to be faced in the Soviet Union was of quite an other order of magnitude. S.P.Koroljov, N. Tichonravov and the other enthusiasts had their successes, but ultimately they had to concede failure and defeat. That was not, however because of lack of trying. The background vas elucidated for the historians a decade ago by A Siddiqi, now Brian Harvey tells the story to us, an audience of interested laymen. As usually the style is clear, the exposition masterful. Even as most of us readers know the outcome, the drama unfolds with breathless suspense. I myself have lived through those years as an active observer, and still did not put down the book until arriving at the last page.
Books:
- Principles of Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis
- Reflecting Telescope Optics I: Basic Design Theory and its Historical Development (Astronomy and Astrophysics Library)
- Resources of the Earth: Origin, Use, and Environmental Impact (3rd Edition)
- Rocket Propulsion Elements, 7th Edition
- Rocket Propulsion Elements, 7th Edition
- Sams Teach Yourself Macromedia Flash 8 in 24 Hours (Sams Teach Yourself)
- Sandworms of Dune
- Son of the Morning Star
- Standing in the Spaces: Essays on Clinical Process, Trauma, and Dissociation
- Stephen Hawking's Universe: The Cosmos Explained
Books Index
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