Space Chronicles Facing the Ultimate Frontier

Neil deGrasse Tyson is a rare breed of astrophysicist, one who can speak as easily and brilliantly with popular audiences as with professional scientists. Now that NASA has put human space flight effectively on hold'¬ ;with a five- or possibly ten-year delay until the next launch of astronauts from U.S. soil'¬ ;Tyson'¬"s views on the future of space travel and America'¬"s role in that future are especially timely and urgent. This book represents the best of Tyson'¬"s commentary, including a candid new introductory essay on NASA and partisan politics, giving us an eye-opening manifesto on the importance of space exploration for America'¬"s economy, security, and morale. Thanks to Tyson'¬"s fresh voice and trademark humor, his insights are as delightful as they are provocative, on topics that range from the missteps that shaped our recent history of space travel to how aliens, if they existed, might go about finding us.

Editor's Note	p. xiii
Prologue: Space Politics	p. 3
Why
The Allure of Space	p. 21
Exoplanet Earth	p. 26
Extraterrestrial Life	p. 33
Evil Aliens	p. 42
Killer Asteroids	p. 45
Destined for the Stars	p. 55
Why Explore	p. 63
The Anatomy of Wonder	p. 64
Happy Birthday NASA	p. 66
The Next Fifty Years in Space	p. 69
Space Options	p. 75
Paths to Discovery	p. 84
How
To Fly	p. 107
Going Ballistic	p. 113
Race to Space	p. 121
2001-Fact vs. Fiction	p. 128
Launching the Right Stuff	p. 130
Things Are Looking Up	p. 138
For the Love of Hubble	p. 140
Happy Anniversary, Apollo 11	p. 144
How to Reach the Sky	p. 152
The Last Days of the Space Shuttle	p. 160
Propulsion for Deep Space	p. 163
Balancing Acts	p. 172
Happy Anniversary, Star Trek	p. 178
How to Prove You've Been Abducted by Aliens	p. 182
The Future of US Space Travel	p. 186
Why Not
Space Travel Troubles	p. 191
Reaching for the Stars	p. 199
America and the Emergent Space Powers	p. 203
Delusions of Space Enthusiasts	p. 213
Perchance to Dream	p. 221
By the Numbers	p. 232
Ode to Challenger, 1986	p. 242
Spacecraft Behaving Badly	p. 244
What NASA Means to America's Future	p. 252
Epilogue
The Cosmic Perspective	p. 254
Appendices
National Aeronautics and Space Act of 19 5 8, As Amended	p. 263
Selected Statutory Provisions Applicable to NASA	p. 293
A Half Century of NASA Spending 1959-2010	p. 331
NASA Spending 1959-2010	p. 333
NASA Spending as a Percentage of US Federal Government Spending and of US GDP 1959-2010	p. 335
Space Budgets: US Government Agencies 2010	p. 337
Space Budget: Global 2010	p. 339
Space Budgets: US and Non-US Governments 2010	p. 341
Acknowledgments	p. 343
Index	p. 345
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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Space Chronicles Facing the Ultimate Frontier

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