Review by Choice Review
Launius, a prolific historian and author retired from both NASA and the National Air and Space Museum, provides a broad-brush survey of space travel and investigations through the years. Rocketry, spacecraft, and manned flight all receive detailed coverage. More countries have space programs now than most people realize; Launius does well in acquainting us with them. Throughout Smithsonian History, illustrations and remarks recall science fiction books and films that paralleled or preceded corresponding developments in spaceflight. The saga of failures and occasional brilliant successes in Mars missions is well covered. But some space science topics are inadequately treated or plagued with inaccuracies, such as the confusion of ICE, a NASA probe that visited Comet Halley, with IUE, an Earth-orbiting satellite that observed Halley's ultraviolet light from afar (p. 310). The section on the Hubble Space Telescope mentions the telescope's notorious early focus problem but not the less publicized yet even more serious flaw, a repetitive jitter that interfered with the spacecraft's ability to lock onto guide stars and track a target. (See the account by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Avis Lang, Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance between Astrophysics and the Military, 2018.) Summing Up: Recommended. With reservations. Undergraduates and general readers. --Stephen P Maran, American Astronomical Society
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
This oversize offering is a space nerd's dream come true. Appealing one- and two-page spreads address everything celestial, from ancient astronomers to sixteenth-century, dogma-changing scientific discoveries to rudimentary weapons and warfare, Sputnik, our current space age, and the future of exoplanetary exploration. The international, rounded coverage considers technology, of course (specifications, satellites, spacecrafts, suits, propulsion models, surface rovers, probes), plus social context: people, politics, international treaties, commercialization, tourism, triumphs and disasters, media coverage, books, movies, and those ever-popular alien conspiracy theories. Pages are laden with graphics, which include illustrations, reproductions, maps, archival photos, charts, graphs, and time lines, all accompanied by captions and credits. Fun for reading cover to cover or dipping into, the book is also set up in a logical, roughly chronological flow, which will assist with research. Whether used as a beginning point for research (no source notes, alas), a lure for browsers, or an irresistible read for fans of strange new worlds (to infinity and beyond!), this will make a handsome addition to popular-science collections.--Kathleen McBroom Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Launius (former associate director, Collections and Curatorial Affairs, Smith-sonian Air and Space Museum) lends his expertise to this comprehensive history of space exploration. In the first chapter, the author briefly examines space discoveries from ancient times to the 1930s. In the remaining sections, he covers the period from World War II onward, when space exploration accelerated dramatically; in particular, technological advances in rocketry, which increased rapidly during the war, especially in Germany. After the conflict, Nazi scientists and equipment were captured by the Allies and then brought to both the United States and the Soviet Union resulting in the space race. This competition between the two superpowers led to advances such as the first satellite, the first manned space mission, and the moon landing. The author also examines the space programs of China, Japan, Great Britain, and elsewhere. He speculates about lunar tourism, humans on Mars, and the pursuit of interstellar space exploration. Furthermore, Launius recognizes the impact of space exploration on popular culture in sf books and movies. VERDICT A recommended introduction to space exploration, this readable history is further supplemented with sidebars, historical photographs, and charts.-Dave Pugl, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A generously illustrated, wonderfully detailed survey of space exploration by a Smithsonian curator who was also a chief historian of NASA for more than two decades.The boundless open sky has always lured people to look upward in wonder, and Launius (Historical Analogs for the Stimulation of Space Commerce, 2014, etc.) tells the story of the scientists who made dreams of traveling through space a reality. "The story of space exploration was motivated by fantastic dreams, the spirit of discovery, and the thrill of voyaging into the unknown," he writes. "Properly conducted, space exploration can provide a hopeful future." From early rocketry to the possibility of interstellar flight, the author explains how it works and what the stakes are, and he does it effectively, without relying on jargon. His clear and concise writing takes readers through scientific and mechanical achievements, as he revels in such details as how pressure suits were designed and what a lunar research station would look like. Astronomers from ancient times through the present have worked to understand the cosmos and achieve space travel, and they have made great strides, including sending a man to the moon and launching satellites to the far reaches of the galaxy. Launius argues that even these accomplishments are just a taste of what is possible, not only in terms of manned space exploration, but also in regard to our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of lifeand, perhaps, extraterrestrial intelligence. On every page, stunning photographs provide a visual history of the incredible people and mechanics behind each groundbreaking advance, setting this volume apart from others. Readers of all ages will discover something new every time they revisit these pages.Part history, part nostalgia, part cutting-edge science, this entertaining book reminds us of the magnitude of space flightand hints at what's to come. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
