Space 2069: After Apollo: Back to the Moon, to Mars and Beyond

Science journalist Whitehouse (Apollo 11: The Inside Story) forecasts what awaits the American space program over the next 50 years in this vivid outing. After NASA’s heyday during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, Whitehouse writes, lack of political will on the part of later administrations stalled further progress for decades. However, over the past 20 years, the Artemis program has come together: a plan to put astronaut boots on the moon, and ultimately Mars, via a “Lunar Gateway” space station. Artemis builds on information gathered during previous lunar missions, notably the evidence of water ice on the moon found in 2009. Bolstered by both international and commercial allies, NASA is newly optimistic about establishing permanent research stations and colonies beyond Earth, using new and theorized technologies such as 3-D printing and a device for producing oxygen from Martian carbon dioxide. However, Whitehouse takes care to show that the American space program still faces plenty of issues, from the psychological stresses of space travel, to the competition presented by China’s program. He wraps up with a whirlwind tour of other targets for exploration, including Jupiter, Saturn, and their moons. Space fans will find plenty to spark their imaginations. (Oct.)