Vacation Guide to the Solar System: Science for the Savvy Space Traveler

With private space companies now offering brief trips to orbit the Earth and the moon, this colorful vacation guide provides a timely and non-technical look at what future space tourists should anticipate. Science exhibit designer Koski and science educator Grcevich open with a brief look at the preparation needed before undertaking space travel, especially since a voyage anywhere beyond the moon and the closest planets will require years, even decades. Many details here will be old news for space travel fans: shoes are unnecessary; Velcro and duct tape can fix nearly anything; and with lift costs around $10,000 per pound to escape Earth’s gravity, travelers must pack light and expect to wear their clothes as long as possible. Tourist excursions include visiting historic landing sites and the final resting places of old probes, or trying exotic sports such as terrasurfing on Venus, rock-climbing on Mars, skydiving through the colorful clouds of a gas giant, or skiing the pink snows of Pluto. Colorful poster art and graphics add appeal. This is an ideal introduction to the solar system for younger readers and casual space fans who crave an imaginative trip into the possibilities of real space tourism. Agent: Rachel Vogel, Waxman Leavell Literary. (June)

This review has been corrected. A previous version listed the incorrect imprint.