posted 02-29-2012 01:45 PM               

An exciting inside look into missions to Mars...

In the next decade, NASA, by itself and in collaboration with the European Space Agency, is planning a minimum of four separate missions to Mars. Clearly, exciting times are ahead for Mars exploration.

In Destination Mars, award-winning science writer and documentary producer Rod Pyle provides an insider's look into the amazing projects now being developed here and abroad to visit the legendary red planet. Drawing on his contacts at NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pyle provides stunning insights into the history of Mars exploration and the difficulties and dangers of traveling there.

After an entertaining survey of the human fascination with Mars over the centuries, the author offers an introduction to the geography, geology, and water processes of the planet. He then briefly describes the many successful missions by NASA and others to that distant world. But failure and frustration also get their due. As Pyle makes clear, going to Mars is not, and never will be, easy. Later in the book, he describes in detail what each upcoming mission will involve.

In the second half of the book, he offers the reader a glimpse inside the world of Earth-based "Mars analogs," places on Earth where scientists are conducting research in hostile environments that are eerily "Martian." Finally, he constructs a probable scenario of a crewed expedition to Mars, so that readers can see how earlier robotic missions and human Earth simulations will fit together.

All this is punctuated by numerous firsthand interviews with some of the finest Mars explorers of our day, including Stephen Squyres (Mars Exploration Rover), Bruce Murray (former director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory), and Peter Smith (chief of the Mars Phoenix Lander and the upcoming OSIRIS-REx missions). These stellar individuals give us an insider's view of the difficulties and rewards of roaming the red planet.

The author's infectious enthusiasm and firsthand knowledge of the international space industry combine to make a uniquely appealing and accessible book about Mars.

• Paperback: 280 pages
  
• Publisher: Prometheus Books (April 24, 2012)
  
• ISBN-10: 1616145897
  
• ISBN-13: 978-1616145897

posted 04-07-2012 07:29 PM               

How naive.

The battle on the hill continues. Our local representative, Adam Schiff, lobbies to reinstate funding. As does every other rep who has a space-oriented district. Despite some motion re SLS and Orion and MSL, it has not felt this bitterly cold in space exploration funding circles for some time.

But perhaps the timing was not so bad after all. This book, while intended to be international in scope, became a largely JPL-driven affair as any reasonable-length Mars book must. And that story boils down to: success after success (marred by the occasional appearance of the Great Galactic Ghoul), missions going far, far beyond their intended lifespans, and incredible returns for (usually) modest budgets.

So I would ask: is there a better time to remind people what JPL does and what unmanned exploration of our solar system, whether Mars or beyond, whether JPL or ESA or another, is all about?

I hope those of you who buy the book enjoy it. You will doubtless find much familiar, some new, and ever a few surprises. I just hope you enjoy it.

posted 04-08-2012 01:19 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by rodpyle:
So I would ask: is there a better time to remind people what JPL does and what unmanned exploration of our solar system, whether Mars or beyond, whether JPL or ESA or another, is all about?

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