Space Stations: The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space

NASA project manager Kitmacher, science writer Miller (Aliens: Past, Present, Future), and space historian Pearlman deliver a generously illustrated crash course in the history, present, and future of space stations. After describing early cosmology, the authors move through the first theoretical and fictional descriptions of permanent space-based structures, the early days of space travel, the first working stations, and a longer look at the International Space Station. A section on space stations’ depiction in pop culture, from German author Karl Laffert’s 1926 novel about a “Weltraumstation” to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, provides an intriguing perspective, and the authors finish with the possible implications for humanity, such as outposts like the ISS becoming “the means by which we leave our planet behind and find new places to live.” The layout is visually appealing, with plentiful drawings, diagrams, and photos to aid understanding. The physics and early historical background are at times rushed and repetitive, but the technical descriptions are unimpeachable and wonderfully complemented by accounts of the minutiae of everyday life in space. The authors have created an information-packed starting point perfect for anyone interested in space stations, but unsure where to begin. 400 color illus. (Oct.)