Human Travel to the Moon and Mars

Human Travel to the Moon and Mars PDF

Author: Matt Doeden

Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books

Published: 2011-08-01

Total Pages: 116

ISBN-13: 0761380779

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Americans are divided over the future of the U.S. space program. Some say it's time to send astronauts back to the Moon, as well as to Mars for the first time. They believe that exploring these worlds will lead to all sorts of payoffs, including new scientific knowledge, new sources of energy, and perhaps even future homes for humans. Others strongly disagree. They argue that the dangers and costs of crewed space exploration are too great to be justified. They believe that robots can do a better job of exploring the Moon, Mars, and other parts of space—for much less money and with no risk to human life. Understanding this debate involves looking at the facts and figures and talking to experts on both sides. It also involves some probing questions: • In a time of economic crisis, should the United States be spending billions of dollars on crewed space exploration? • How would science, industry, and human society benefit from crewed missions to the Moon and Mars? • Who should foot the bill—the United States, a consortium of nations, or private business? To answer these questions, this book looks at the costs of crewed missions to Mars and the Moon, as well as the potential payoff; the dangers of space exploration, both physical and psychological; and the potential for human settlement on Mars. We'll hear a variety opinions—from astronauts, astronomers, U.S. presidents, and NASA officials. Supplemented with quotes, anecdotes, and discussions from the pages of USA TODAY, The Nation's No. 1 Newspaper, this book will broaden your understanding of the issue and help you form your own opinion, either for or against crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.

NASA's Journey to Mars: Pioneering Next Steps in Space Exploration

NASA's Journey to Mars: Pioneering Next Steps in Space Exploration PDF

Author: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Publisher: Government Printing Office

Published: 2016-02-05

Total Pages: 36

ISBN-13:

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This document communicates NASA’s strategy and progress to learn about the Red Planet, to inform us more about our Earth’s past and future, and may help answer whether life exists beyond our home planet. Together with NASA’s partners in academia and commercial enterprises, NASA’s vision is to pioneer Mars and answer some of humanity’s fundamental questions: • Was Mars home to microbial life? Is it today? • Could it be a safe home for humans one day? • What can it teach us about life elsewhere in the cosmos or how life began on Earth? • What can it teach us about Earth’s past, present, and future?

Mission to Mars

Mission to Mars PDF

Author: Buzz Aldrin

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2013-05-07

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 1426210183

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Can astronauts reach Mars by 2035? Absolutely, says Buzz Aldrin, one of the first men to walk on the moon. Celebrated astronaut, brilliant engineer, bestselling author, Aldrin believes it is not only possibly but vital to America's future to keep pushing the space frontier outward for the sake of exploration, science, development, commerce, and security. What we need, he argues, is a commitment by the U.S. President as rousing as JFK's promise to reach the moon by the end of the 1960 - an audacious, inspiring goal-and a unified vision for space exploration. In Mission to Mars, Aldrin plots that trajectory, stressing that American-led space exploration is essential to the economic and technological vitality of the nation and the world. Do you dare to dream big? Then join Aldrin in his thought provoking and inspiring Mission to Mars.

Spacefarers

Spacefarers PDF

Author: Christopher Wanjek

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2020-04-14

Total Pages: 401

ISBN-13: 0674247035

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A Telegraph Best Science Book of the Year “A witty yet in-depth exploration of the prospects for human habitation beyond Earth...Spacefarers is accessible, authoritative, and in the end, inspiring.” —Richard Panek, author of The Trouble with Gravity It’s been over fifty years since Apollo 11 landed on the moon. So why is there so little human presence in space? Will we ever reach Mars? And what will it take to become a multiplanet species? While many books have speculated on the possibility of living beyond the Earth, few have delved into the practical challenges. A wry and compelling take on the who, how, and why of near-future colonies in space, Spacefarers introduces us to the engineers, scientists, planners, dreamers, and entrepreneurs who are striving right now to make life in space a reality. While private companies such as SpaceX are taking the lead and earning profits from human space activity, Christopher Wanjek is convinced this is only the beginning. From bone-whittling microgravity to eye-popping profits, the risks and rewards of space settlement have never been so close at hand. He predicts we will have hotels in low-earth orbit, mining and tourism on the Moon, and science bases on Mars—possibly followed (gravity permitting) by full blown settlements. “Nerdily engaging (and often funny)...Technology and science fiction enthusiasts will find much here to delight them, as Wanjek goes into rich detail on rocketry and propulsion methods, including skyhooks and railguns to fling things into orbit...He is a sensible skeptic, yet also convinced that, in the long run, our destiny is among the stars.” —The Guardian “If the events of this year have had you daydreaming about abandoning the planet entirely, [Spacefarers] is a geekily pleasurable survey of the practicalities and challenges.” —The Telegraph “The best book I’ve read on space exploration since Isaac Asimov.” —Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic

Forging the Future of Space Science

Forging the Future of Space Science PDF

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2010-03-08

Total Pages: 166

ISBN-13: 0309215897

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From September 2007 to June 2008 the Space Studies Board conducted an international public seminar series, with each monthly talk highlighting a different topic in space and Earth science. The principal lectures from the series are compiled in Forging the Future of Space Science. The topics of these events covered the full spectrum of space and Earth science research, from global climate change, to the cosmic origins of life, to the exploration of the Moon and Mars, to the scientific research required to support human spaceflight. The prevailing messages throughout the seminar series as demonstrated by the lectures in this book are how much we have accomplished over the past 50 years, how profound are our discoveries, how much contributions from the space program affect our daily lives, and yet how much remains to be done. The age of discovery in space and Earth science is just beginning. Opportunities abound that will forever alter our destiny.

The Human Exploration of Space

The Human Exploration of Space PDF

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1998-01-30

Total Pages: 174

ISBN-13: 0309060346

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During 1988, the National Research Council's Space Science Board reorganized itself to more effectively address NASA's advisory needs. The Board's scope was broadened: it was renamed the Space Studies Board and, among other new initiatives, the Committee on Human Exploration was created. The new committee was intended to focus on the scientific aspects of human exploration programs, rather than engineering issues. Their research led to three reports: Scientific Prerequisites for the Human Exploration of Space published in 1993, Scientific Opportunities in the Human Exploration of Space published in 1994, and Science Management in the Human Exploration of Space published in 1997. These three reports are collected and reprinted in this volume in their entirety as originally published.