Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Probably the best book on space out there, 3 Mar 2003
Compelling, inspirational, imaginative, realistic - it's hard to praise this book enough.
For those of us that like to look beyond the everyday chores of life, and strive for something more, this book shows what could be achieved by us and our descendants. Nothing less than claiming the Galaxy!
The author steers away from the more fanciful unscientific notions of other writers in this regard, but without ever losing his grip on the reader's sense of wonder.
Step-by-step he shows us how we can begin our journey into space, starting with technology that we've had for over 30 years.
The book is totally convincing, and by the end you wonder what on Earth we're still doing here.
I recommend this book to anyone who has any imagination!
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent book; well written, informative, and inspirational, 2 April 2002
After "A Case for Mars", I was eager to read more of Zubrin's books on Space Exploration. I was not disappointed.
"Entering Space" starts out by explaining what the author sees as the great shortcomings of the present space exploration strategy persued by national governments, and how all the 'cost-saving' measures have only reduced program effectiveness, but not actual cost. He pleads the case for focussed efforts on the part of governments and the private sector to open up space as the next frontier - for the good of humanity, to not only forestall extinction in case of a meteor impact, but also to rekindle the 'frontier shock' situation which has in the past always catalysed an era of progress, both social and technological. And all with present-say technology.
Zubrin goes on to describe the future course of humanity once it has established itself as a spacefaring civilisation: The Moon, Mars, the outer planets... inspirational stuff indeed. And explained in plausible, understandable terms.
Finally, the last chapters are devoted to interstellar travel, and what may lie beyond. Fusion drive, antimatter engines, magsails - all technology which is possible with our present understanding of physics, and which would make humanity's colonisation of nearby stars possible.I highly recommend this book to anyone who looks up at a Saturn V rocket and thinks "we flew to the Moon forty years ago... why aren't we doing it today?". Inspirational stuff, indeed.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
An excellent treatise on why we must enter space., 3 Sep 1999
By A Customer
Dr. Robert Zubrin has a talent that is rare amongst rocket scientists: the ability to communicate effectively. Dr. Zubrin shows us that entering space would not merely represent the realized dream of a few rocket scientists and science fiction authors (though undoubtedly that would be the case), but also that it is a natural action made neccessary by a logical examination of the facts. Especially enlightening are his first-hand descriptions of America's aerospace industry and NASA. He provides numerous examples of how we might accomplish the much needed task of entering space and why it is important that we do so. Also included is important information regarding The Mars Society and how the reader can become involved in helping humanity to become a Type II (interplanetary) Civilization.
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