Why did support for the space program decrease so sharply after (or, really, even before) the first moon landing? Clearly this decline had much to do with the waning of the original Cold War impetus that had sparked the moon program to begin with. As Cold War tensions with the Soviets eased by the late 1960s, and the United States won the space race with the successful moon landing, there was little incentive to continue to expand or even maintain steady funding for a program that, for all its real contributions to technological advancement, entertainment, and national esteem, had largely come to be seen as a Cold War goal rather than a continuing, sustained program of space exploration. In this context, which a good number of Americans accepted, the moon was not a starting point for a glorious era of exploration, but an endpoint in a Cold War race with the Soviets. Unusual works on space history, this fluidly written debut book looks at the Apollo moon landings in the late 1960s and early 1970s from a cultural perspective. Rather than examining them in their familiar Cold War context, Matt Tribbe uses them to explore larger trends in American culture and society during this period, specifically the turn away from the rationalism that dominated social thought through the 1950s and early 1960s and found its fullest expression in the urge to go to the moon. Rather than studying the space program itself, he focuses more on the peculiarities of an American society and culture that sent men to the moon semiannually over the 1968-72 period, and then stopped. Hippies used the event to comment on the lameness of "straights," straights to lambast hippies. Intellectuals on the Left discussed it in their critiques of American society and culture; intellectuals on the Right discussed it in their critiques of intellectuals on the Left. Those who placed their faith in technocratic rationalism praised it as a triumph of rational planning, while growing numbers of skeptics pointed out the spiritual emptiness of such a rationalist endeavor. The "man in the street," of course, had something to say as well, and he or she expressed a wide variety of views in countless newspapers and television interviews. Meanwhile, armchair philosophers of all stripes, from newspaper editorialists to politicians to NASA technocrats, waxed poetically about what it revealed of "the nature of man" and "mankind's destiny." While not a traditional space history, this book will appeal to those fascinated by postwar culture and society and will particularly add to the growing area of the history of the 1970s.

How One Man Masterminded the Soviet Drive Beat America to the Moon.

"Fascinating . . . packed with technical and historical detail for the space expert and enthusiast alike . . . Great stuff!"—New Scientist

"In this exceptional book, James Harford pieces together a most compelling and well-written tale. . . . Must reading."—Space News.

"Through masterful research and an engaging narrative style, James Harford gives the world its first in-depth look at the man who should rightly be called the father of the Soviet space program."—Norman R. Augustine, CEO, Lockheed Martin.

"In Korolev, James Harford has written a masterly biography of this enigmatic 'Chief Designer' whose role the Soviets kept secret for fear that Western agents might 'get at' him."—Daily Telegraph.

"Harford's fluency in Russian and his intimate knowledge of space technology give us insights that few, if any, Americans and Russians have had into this dark history of Soviet space."—Dr. Herbert Friedman, Chief Scientist, Hulburt Center for Space Research Naval Research Laboratory.

"Reveals the complex, driven personality of a man who, despite unjust imprisonment in the Gulag, toiled tirelessly for the Soviet military industrial complex. . . . More than just a biography, this is also a history of the Soviet space program at the height of the Cold War. . . . Highly recommended."—Library Journal.

"For decades the identity of the Russian Chief Designer who shocked the world with the launching of the first Sputnik was one of the Soviet Union's best-kept secrets. This book tells vividly the story of that man, Sergei Korolev, in remarkable detail, with many facts and anecdotes previously unavailable to the West."—Sergei Khrushchev, Visiting Senior Fellow, Center for Foreign Policy Development.

This book provides a unique insight into the research and recent developments undertaken among the African Remote Sensing community in regard to the environment. It includes reports of the latest research outcomes in the field of remote sensing and geospatial information technologies, analyses discussions around operational topics such as capacity building, Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI), applications of advanced remote sensing technologies (LiDAR , Hyperspectral) in Africa, big data, space policy, and topics of high actually in the field of climate changes, ocean and coastal zone management, early warning systems, natural resources management or geospatial science for sustainable development goals. The book comprises the contributions of the AARSE (African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment) international conference which is conducted biennially across Africa, alternately with the AfricaGIS conference. It is the premier forum in Africa for research on remote sensing technologies and geospatial information science, gathering leading scholars from the remote sensing and related communities. The conference is co-organised by the Arab Academy of Science and Technology, in partnership with the National Authority for Remote Sensing & Space Sciences (NARSS) of Egypte, and continues a long series of successful AARSE conferences which started in 1996, in Harare (Zimbabwe) and has been held in Abidjan (Cote D'Ivoire) in 1998, Cape Town (South Africa) in 2000, Abuja (Nigeria) in 2002, Nairobi (Kenya) in 2004, Cairo (Egypt) in 2006, Accra (Ghana) in 2008, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia) in 2010, El Jadida (Morocco) in 2012, Johannesburg (South Africa) in 2014, and in Kampala (Ouganda) in 2016. The book is mainly addressed to practitioners and experts from academia, politics and industry.

The future evolution of the debris environment will be forecast on the basis of traffic models and possible hazard mitigation practices. The text shows how large trackable objects will have re-entry pinpointed and predictions made on related risk assessment for possible ground impact. Models will also be described for meteoroids which are also a prevailing risk.

A History of Astronomy, first published in 1907, offers a comprehensive introduction to the steady development of the science since its inception in the ancient world up to the momentous progress of the nineteenth century. It includes biographical material relating to the most famous names in the study of astronomy - Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Herschel - and their contributions, clear and accessible discussions of key discoveries, as well as detailing the incremental steps in technology with which many of the turning points in astronomy were intimately bound up.

The development and exploration of space are technical engineering and scientific pursuits. However, politics determine which space programmes and projects are pursued, and establish cost, performance and schedule parameters for these ends. The goal of this volume is to provide an overview of the politics of space with regard to national space efforts, and the role played by national and international organizations. The Politics of Space: A Survey includes essays written by experts in the field, which explore a variety of issues, including the Politics of Space, National Security Space, Developed Space Programmes, Moderate Space Powers, Commercial Space Actors, International Organizations in Civil Space Affairs, Non-governmental Space Organizations and Public Sector Actors. Following the essays a comprehensive glossary of cross-referenced entries focuses on space organizations, including national space agencies, governmental organizations with a role in space, intergovernmental organizations, space and aerospace companies, satellite communications service companies and non-governmental organizations. Illustrations and documentation, comprising figures, tables and documentation on key issues of space politics are also included. Important figures include: models of space political processes; issues related to national security space management, challenges and environment; geopolitics of space; the dynamics of relations between the government and commercial space sectors. Tables of significance highlight programmatic attributes of national security space, comparisons in the development of space programmes among states worldwide, and the functions and roles of international organizations that deal with space. Documentation covers texts of space policy and law related to the regime of international space law, European space programmes and a number of other organizations.

This book provides an overview of the space sector in African countries, from a legal and policy point of view, analysing how the African Union's Space Policy and Strategy (ASPS) is implemented and highlighting the various space activities in each country. Against this backdrop, it investigates the ASPS, identifying its policy goals identified and discussing its strategy. Moreover, it explores the on-going regional cooperation programmes, the continent's leading space actors and their roles, and the space-related regional fora and organizations, reflecting on various initiatives, including the African Leadership Conference on Space Science and Technology for Sustainable Development (ALC), the Regional African Satellite Communications Organisation (RASCOM), and the African Resource Management Satellite Constellation (ARMS-C). As such, it is a valuable source of information on space capacities in African countries.

The awe-inspiring history of humanity told through our relationship with stars and the night sky. 'Excellent . . . This books makes you rethink the traditional story of the history of astronomy . . . Effortlessly readable.' BBC Sky at Night 'Stuart Clark's picture of the yawning gaps in our understanding of the cosmos is fuller than most.' Nature From the Stone Age to the Space Age, Stuart Clark explores a fascination shared across the world, one that has unequivocally shaped us as civilisations and as individuals, housing our hopes and fears. In the stars, we can see our past - and ultimately, our fate.

A History of Astronomy, first published in 1907, offers a comprehensive introduction to the steady development of the science since its inception in the ancient world up to the momentous progress of the nineteenth century. It includes biographical material relating to the most famous names in the study of astronomy - Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Herschel - and their contributions, clear and accessible discussions of key discoveries, as well as detailing the incremental steps in technology with which many of the turning points in astronomy were intimately bound up.

This textbook introduces the theories and practical procedures used in planetary spacecraft navigation. Written by a former member of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) navigation team, it delves into the mathematics behind modern digital navigation programs, as well as the numerous technological resources used by JPL as a key player in the field. In addition, the text offers an analysis of navigation theory application in recent missions, with the goal of showing students the relationship between navigation theory and the real-world orchestration of mission operations.

Without the mighty Saturn V rocket, the Apollo 11 moon landing would not have been possible in July 1969. Even today, nearly fifty years later, it remains by far the largest and most powerful rocket ever used. Equipped with computers that are easily surpassed today by any mobile phone, the Saturn V was an unprecedented technical achievement. This book, part of the America in Space series, tells the gripping story of the development and creation of the Saturn V in concise, detailed text, and features numerous high-quality color images, technical drawings, and specification/dimension charts. As well as a detailed look at the Saturn Vs design and construction, all thirty-two Apollo missions are discussed, including the later Skylab and ApolloSoyuz Test Project.

This is a long-overdue volume dedicated to space trajectory optimization. Interest in the subject has grown, as space missions of increasing levels of sophistication, complexity, and scientific return - hardly imaginable in the 1960s - have been designed and flown. Although the basic tools of optimization theory remain an accepted canon, there has been a revolution in the manner in which they are applied and in the development of numerical optimization. This volume purposely includes a variety of both analytical and numerical approaches to trajectory optimization. The choice of authors has been guided by the editor's intention to assemble the most expert and active researchers in the various specialities presented. The authors were given considerable freedom to choose their subjects, and although this may yield a somewhat eclectic volume, it also yields chapters written with palpable enthusiasm and relevance to contemporary problems.

More than 20 years after the last book on the subject the worldwide precipitation community has produced a comprehensive overview of its activities, achievements, ongoing research and future plans. Measuring Precipitation from Space presents state-of-the-art rainfall estimation algorithms, validation strategies, precipitation modelling, and assimilation in numerical weather prediction models. Clouds and precipitation observations and modelling are addressed for the improvement of the rainfall product quality. Special attention is given to the applications to monitoring and forecasting weather events and to climate monitoring in a frame of growing public interest.

Why, today, would anyone undertake a plan to launch a spacecraft some 30 years in the future, and on a journey that would take some 40 years to complete? Paul Gilster investigates the science, and the spirit, of the NASA and JPL researchers who are actually at work on just such a project.

From the reviews:

"Gilster introduces the challenges of imagining and planning interstellar exploration by leading readers through the difficulties of reaching and exploring the nearest bright star, Alpha Centauri. Seeded by ideas and concepts of the late Robert Forward, the narrative is framed as a learning process undertaken simultaneously by writer and reader. Although Alpha Centauri is astronomically nearby, a postulated trip by robot spacecraft, followed by manned exploration, would take 50 to 1,000 years, depending on the type of spacecraft propulsion used. Various methods for interstellar travel are introduced and discussed, including solar sails that use the power of starlight, nuclear fusion, antimatter hybrid systems, and beamed laser propulsion. One challenge is to get there in a reasonable time so that funding support, public interest, and events on Earth will not divert attention from the mission. Another challenge is timing the mission relative to available technology, because with better technology it might be possible to send a later robot on the same mission in less time. The book has no figures, tables, or illustrations but does include 30 pages of notes and an adequate 14-page index. Though the concepts presented are often fanciful, this book will appeal to readers who wonder about the future of exploration beyond the solar system. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Generalreaders; professionals." (W. E. Howard III, CHOICE, March 2005)

Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human. How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can t walk for a year? have sex? smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a space walk? Is it possible for the human body to survive a bailout at 17,000 miles per hour? To answer these questions, space agencies set up all manner of quizzical and startlingly bizarre space simulations. As Mary Roach discovers, it s possible to preview space without ever leaving Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Roach takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth.

Spacecraft Power Technologies is the first comprehensive text devoted to the technologies critical to the development of spacecraft electrical power systems. The science and engineering of solar, chemical, and nuclear systems are fully examined together with the constraints imposed by the space and thermal environments in which the systems must operate. Details of present technology and the history that led to the current state-of-the-art are presented at a level appropriate for the student as a textbook or the practicing engineer as a reference.

The development and exploration of space are scientific and engineering pursuits. However, politics determine which space programmes and projects are pursued, and establish cost, performance and schedule parameters for these ends. The goal of this volume, The Politics of Space: A Survey, is to provide an overview of the politics of space with regard to national space efforts, and national and international organizations. Contents include: * essays, written by experts in the field, which explore a variety of issues, including National Security Space, Developed Space Programmes, Moderate Space Powers, Commercial Space Actors, International Organizations in Civil Space Affairs, Non-governmental Space Organizations and Public Sector Actors. * a comprehensive A - Z Glossary of cross-referenced entries on space organizations, including national space agencies, governmental organizations with a role in space, intergovernmental organizations, space and aerospace companies, satellite communications service companies, and non-governmental organizations * illustrations and documentation, comprising figures, tables and documentation on key issues of space politics. Important figures include: models of space political processes; issues related to national security space management, challenges and environment; geopolitics of space; and the dynamics of relations between the governmental and commercial space sectors. Tables of significance highlight programmatic attributes of national security space, comparisons in the development of space programmes among states world-wide, and the functions and roles of international organizations that deal with space.

Forty years ago, Buzz Aldrin became the second human, minutes after Neil Armstrong, to set foot on a celestial body other than the Earth. The event remains one of mankind's greatest achievements and was witnessed by the largest worldwide television audience in history. In the years since, millions more have had their Earth-centric perspective unalterably changed by the iconic photograph of Aldrin standing on the surface of the moon, the blackness of space behind him and his fellow explorer and the Eagle reflected in his visor. Describing the alien world he was walking upon, he uttered the words "magnificent desolation." And as the astronauts later sat in the Eagle, waiting to begin their journey back home, knowing that they were doomed unless every system and part on board worked flawlessly, it was Aldrin who responded to Mission Control's clearance to take off with the quip, "Roger. Understand. We're number one on the runway."
The flight of Apollo 11 made Aldrin one of the most famous persons on our planet, yet few people know the rest of this true American hero's story. In "Magnificent Desolation," Aldrin not only gives us a harrowing first-person account of the lunar landing that came within seconds of failure and the ultimate insider's view of life as one of the superstars of America's space program, he also opens up with remarkable candor about his more personal trials-and eventual triumphs-back on Earth. From the glory of being part of the mission that fulfilled President Kennedy's challenge to reach the moon before the decade was out, Aldrin returned home to an Air Force career stripped of purpose or direction, other than as a public relations tool that NASA put to relentless use in a seemingly nonstop world tour. The twin demons of depression and alcoholism emerged-the first of which Aldrin confronted early and publicly, and the second of which he met with denial until it nearly killed him. He burned through two marriages, his Air Force career came to an inglorious end, and he found himself selling cars for a living when he wasn't drunkenly wrecking them. Redemption came when he finally embraced sobriety, gained the love of a woman, Lois, who would become the great joy of his life, and dedicated himself to being a tireless advocate for the future of space exploration-not only as a scientific endeavor but also as a thriving commercial enterprise.
These days Buzz Aldrin is enjoying life with an enthusiasm that reminds us how far it is possible for a person to travel, literally and figuratively. As an adventure story, a searing memoir of self-destruction and self-renewal, and as a visionary rallying cry to once again set our course for Mars and beyond, "Magnificent Desolation" is the thoroughly human story of a genuine hero.

"From the Hardcover edition."

In the span of a single lifetime, light pollution stemming from Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) has severed our connection with the stars that we've had since the dawn of time. With the nocturnal biosphere significantly altered, light's anthropogenic influence has compelled millions of people to seek out the last remaining dark skies. This book explores the burgeoning growth of the astrotourism market, identifies star seeker trends, how the stars have shaped civilizations, and the budding space tourism industry. Discover ways to develop a destination for those who will cater to the astrotourist, share the night with guests, how to find customers, and the 2024 Great North American Eclipse. Meteor storms, eclipses, auroras, and other celestial phenomena have lured travellers for years. Here, the author expands the field of astrotourism with the inclusion of astronomical clocks, megaliths, and sundials, which are used to track the movement of the stars.

If you had a trillion dollars and a year to spend it for the good of the world and the advancement of science, what would you do? It's an unimaginably large sum, yet it's only around one per cent of world GDP, and about the valuation of Google, Microsoft or Amazon. It's a much smaller sum than the world found to bail out its banks in 2008 or deal with Covid-19. But what could you achieve with $1 trillion? You could solve the problem of the pandemic, for one, and eradicate malaria, and maybe cure all disease. You could end global poverty. You could settle on the Moon and explore the solar system. You could build a massive particle collider to probe the nature of reality like never before. You could build quantum computers, develop artificial intelligence, or increase human lifespan. You could even create a new life form. Or how about transitioning the world to clean energy? Or preserving the rainforests, or saving all endangered species? Maybe you could refreeze the melting Arctic, launch a new sustainable agricultural revolution, and reverse climate change? How to Spend a Trillion Dollars is the ultimate thought experiment but it is also a call to arms: these are all things we could do, if we put our minds to it - and our money.

This revised edition provides an up-to-date summary of the field of ultra-high energy cosmic rays, dealing with their origin, propagation, and composition,. The authors reflect the enormous strides made since the first edition in the realm of experimental work, in particular the use of vastly improved, more sensitive and precise detectors. The level remains introductory and pedagogical, suitable for students and researchers interested in moving into this exciting field. Throughout the text, the authors focus on giving an introductory overview of the key physics issues, followed by a clear and concise description of experimental approaches and current results. Key Features: Updates the most coherent summary of the field available, with new text that provides the reader with clear historical context. Brand new discussion of contemporary space-based experiments and ideas for extending ground-based detectors. Completely new discussion of radio detection methods. Includes a new chapter on small to intermediate-scale anisotropy. Offers new sections on modern hadronic models and software packages to simulate showers.

The range of solar sailing is very vast; it is a fully in-space means of propulsion that should allow us to accomplish various mission classes that are literally impossible using rocket propulsion, no matter if nuclear or electric. Fast and very fast solar sailings are special classes of sailcraft missions, initially developed only in the first half of the 1990s and still evolving, especially after the latest advances in nanotechnology.
This book describes how to plan, compute and optimize the trajectories of sailcraft with speeds considerably higher than 100 km/s; such sailcraft would be able to explore the outer heliosphere, the near interstellar medium and the solar gravitational lens (550-800 astronomical units) in times significantly shorter than the span of an average career ( 35 years), just to cite a few examples. The scientific interest in this type of exploration is huge.

Long used in undergraduate and introductory graduate courses, Astrophysical Techniques, Seventh Edition provides an accessible yet comprehensive account of the innovate instruments, detectors, and techniques employed in astronomy and astrophysics. Emphasizing the underlying unity of all astronomical observations, this popular textbook provides a coherent state-of-the-art account of the instruments and techniques used in current astronomy and astrophysics. Fully updated throughout, this seventh edition builds upon the sixth edition, covering improved techniques and cutting-edge methods in the field, as well as other exciting new developments in gravitational waves, dark matter and energy, the use of photonics, and astronomy education and outreach, in addition to further detailed discussions on the latest scientific instruments and individual detectors. The book is written in a very accessible manner, and most of the mathematics is accessible to those who have attended a mathematics course in their final years at school. Nevertheless, the treatment of the topics in general is at a sufficiently high level to be of use to those professionals seeking technical information in areas of astronomy with which they might not be completely familiar. Key Features: Details the instrumentation and theory of astronomical observations, including radio waves, gamma rays, cosmic rays, neutrinos, gravitational waves and dark matter and energy and more Presents the background theory and operating practice of state-of-the-art detectors and instruments Fully updated to contain the latest technology and research developments