The Complete Book of Spaceflight: From Apollo 1 to Zero Gravity
~
David Darling
Review
&this is as comprehensive as it gets& -- Focus, April 2003
"...Darling's content and presentation will have any reader moving from entry to entry..." -- The Observatory Magazine, October 2003
"...this is as comprehensive as it gets..." -- Focus, April 2003
"Darling's is the most current work available on this subject, and the detail it provides on satellite missions is notable" -- Library Journal, January 15, 2003
This one-volume encyclopedia divides its coverage of space flight into three areas: biographies of astronauts, rocket scientists, etc.; histories of manned and unmanned space missions; and the science and technology related to space flight. Darling, who has a Ph.D. in astronomy, has written several books on extraterrestrial life and cosmology. Although this volume offers a single source for comprehensive space flight information, its added value may be limited, as many libraries likely already own biographical resources (such as Michael Cassutt's Who's Who in Space), space-mission histories (such as Tim Furniss's The History of Space Vehicles), and science and technology references (such as the McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology). In addition, readers will find the cross references lacking. Many entries, such as "MECO," are entered under their acronym or initials, but there is no cross reference from the fun form, in this case "Main Engine Cut Off". In addition, entries for scientific terms are often inadequate. For example, "weightlessness" is a mere one paragraph, though one would expect much fuller treatment of such a major aspect of space flight. Despite these flaws, Darling's is the most current work available on this subject, and the detail it provides on satellite missions is notable. Wherever it doesn't duplicate existing references, this book is recommended for large academic and public libraries. Jeffrey Beall, Univ. of Colorado Lib., Denver (Library Journal, January 15, 2003)
"...this is as comprehensive as it gets..." (Focus, April 2003)
"...Darling's content and presentation will have any reader moving from entry to entry..." (The Observatory Magazine, October 2003)
Product Description
A commanding encyclopedia of the history and principles of spaceflight––from its humble beginnings to its likely future
"Our reason for spaceflight is just this: we are human, and to be human is to be inquisitive. At heart, we are explorers with a universe of billions of new worlds before us."
–– from the Introduction
The Complete Book of Spaceflight compiles more than 3,000 extensively cross-referenced entries, spanning every historic milestone and technological achievement in the quest to conquer space. In this all-inclusive reference, astronomer David Darling provides fascinating insights into the cultural development of spaceflight, including its history, science, and technology; the people involved; spaceflight’s role in popular culture; and much more. The Complete Book of Spaceflight includes:
* All key missions, manned and unmanned
* Notable fictional portrayals of space journeys
* Biographies of astronauts, rocket engineers, and others involved in space exploration
* Current concepts for future interplanetary and interstellar missions
* Extended, highlighted articles on major topics from Project Mercury to Mir
# Hardcover: 576 pages
# Publisher: Wiley; 4 edition (November 8, 2002)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0471056499
# ISBN-13: 978-0471056492
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