Author: Rod
Pyle
Author's Website:
http://www.rodpylebooks.com
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Book Previews at http://www.previewthebook.com/
Title:
Destination Mars
Description:
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.Rod Pyle (
Pasadena, CA) is the author of the widely praised books
Destination Moon and
Mission to the Moon, as well as a popular audiobook called
The Space Race. He has produced numerous documentaries for the
History Channel and
Discovery Communications, including the acclaimed
Modern Marvels:
Apollo 11. He is also an adjunct professor at the
University of La Verne and a lecturer with
NASA/Johnson Space Center.
Reviews &
Excerpts:
"The enigmatic
Red Planet does not easily give up its secrets. Yet Rod Pyle's Destination Mars takes the reader on a first-class journey to this new world, one that continues to be a magnet for inquisitive scientists and space engineers. This is a superb, fact-filled, up-to-date book that portrays the legacy of spacecraft and personalities---from cheerleaders to unsung heroes, that have opened up the terra incognito that is Mars to extraordinary exploration." --Leonard
David,
Insider Columnist,
SPACE.com
"Destination Mars brings to life an extraordinary part of human exploration: the preliminary reconnaissance of the planet of dreams over the last fifty years. Enlivened by interviews with many of the participants, you will feel as if you are exploring the planet with them." --Steven J.
Dick, former NASA
Chief Historian
"Mars has long held a special fascination for
Americans, perhaps it might even be a planet that harbors life. Rod Pyle has written a fine account of this fascination; outlining the history of the robotic space probes sent to the red planet and the knowledge gained through these expeditions." --Roger D. Launius, PhD, senior curator,
Division of
Space History,
National Air and Space Museum,
Smithsonian Institution
"Destination Mars is an optimistic, enthusiastic survey of humanity's ongoing duel of wits with our neighbor planet.
Interviews with some of the people involved in Mars missions show the thread of curiosity and wonder connecting the Mars exploration projects of the last fifty years. Getting to Mars has been really difficult, but for Rod Pyle the problems just make it more interesting and worthwhile." --Stephen Fentress, director,
Strasenburgh Planetarium,
Rochester, New York,
Museum &
Science Center
- published: 17 Jul 2012
- views: 1496