Aerospace and aviation technology Books

Book SynopsisPart 1.- The Beginning.- Of Landers and Orbiters.- The Grandest Tour.- Part 2.- The Decade of Halley.- The Era of Flagships.- Faster, Cheaper, Better.- Part 3.- The Last Flagship.- Faster, Cheaper, Better Continues.- Mars Invaded.- Part 4.-New frontiers of the solar system.- Red Planet blues.- The future.Trade Review“This work completes the authors’ review of Solar System missions up to about 2013. … I particularly liked the selection of photographs, both technological and scientific, many of which I had never seen before. … as source of detailed descriptions of any planetary mission you have heard of, and possibly a few you haven’t, it is an excellent reference source.” (John Davies, The Observatory, April, 2016)“Space historians Ulivi and Harland serve up the fourth book in this series on international planetary exploration missions, covering the most recent ten years. Their compendium does a superb job of capturing what seems like ‘insider’ details of each major mission. … This fourth volume could stand on its own as a reference for those interested only in modern missions. … Summing Up: Highly recommended. All space history/exploration collections.” (T. D. Oswalt, Choice, Vol. 52 (9), May, 2015)Table of ContentsPart 1.- The Beginning.- Of Landers and Orbiters.- The Grandest Tour.- Part 2.- The Decade of Halley.- The Era of Flagships.- Faster, Cheaper, Better.- Part 3.- The Last Flagship.- Faster, Cheaper, Better Continues.- Mars Invaded.- Part 4.- New frontiers of the solar system.- Red Planet blues.- The future.

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Book SynopsisIn this definitive study, J. D. Hunley traces the programme’s development from Goddard’s early rockets (and the German V-2 missile) through the Titan IVA and the Space Shuttle, with a focus on space-launch vehicles. Since these rockets often evolved from early missiles, he pays considerable attention to missile technology, not as an end in itself, but as a contributor to launch-vehicle technology.Focusing especially on the engineering culture of the programme, Hunley communicates this very human side of technological development by means of anecdotes, character sketches, and case studies of problems faced by rocket engineers. He shows how such a highly adaptive approach enabled the evolution of a hugely complicated technology that was impressive—but decidedly not rocket science.Unique in its single-volume coverage of the evolution of launch-vehicle technology from 1926 to 1991, this meticulously researched work will inform scholars and engineers interested in the history of technology and innovation, as well as those specialising in the history of space flight.

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