Deep Space Probes: To the Outer Solar System and Beyond (Springer Praxis Books / Astronautical Engineering) [Hardcover]

Gregory L. Matloff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 5, 2005 | ISBN-10: 3540247726 | ISBN-13: 978-3540247722 | Edition: 2nd

The Space Age is nearly 50 years old but exploration of the outer planets and beyond has only just begun. Deep-Space Probes Second Edition draws on the latest research to explain why we should explore beyond the edge of the Solar System and how we can build highly sophisticated robot spacecraft to make the journey. Many technical problems remain to be solved, among them propulsion systems to permit far higher velocities, and technologies to build vehicles a fraction of the size of today’s spacecraft. Beyond the range of effective radio control, robot vehicles for exploring deep space will need to be intelligent, ‘thinking’ craft – able to make vital decisions entirely on their own. Gregory Matloff also looks at the possibility for human travel into interstellar space, and some of the immense problems that such journeys would entail. This second edition includes an entirely new chapter on holographic message plaques for future interstellar probes – a NASA-funded project.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews of the second edition: "In this new edition … Matloff updates the contents and lays the groundwork for understanding the role of robotic and human space travel. The book contains a useful description of the solar system and an explanation of the stellar world around us. … the book is a good place to learn about this solar system, interplanetary space travel, and journeys to the stars. … well supplemented by good figures and tables. … Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals." (W. E. Howard, CHOICE, March, 2006) "The author has concentrated heavily on propulsion techniques touching on some esoteric techniques like anti-matter propulsion, magnetic surfing and warp drive, whilst paying also sufficient attention to nuclear propulsion and solar sailing – of which the author is clearly a proponent. The discussion is sprinkled with graphs and mathematical formulas ... . I can see that it will be of high interest to readers who have specialised in interplanetary and interstellar travel and are looking at the future challenges this branch of astronautics provides." (Jos Heyman, The News Bulletin of The Astronautical Society of Western Australia, Vol. 31 (1), November, 2005)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 310 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 2nd edition (August 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3540247726
• ISBN-13: 978-3540247722
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,181,363 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Greg Matloff, is a leading expert in possibilities for interstellar propulsion , especially near-Sun solar-sail trajectories that might ultimately enable interstellar travel. and is an astronomy professor with the physics department of New York City College of Technology, CUNY, a consultant with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, a Hayden Associate of the American Museum of Natural History and a Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Astronautics. He co-authored with Les Johnson of NASA and C Bangs Paradise Regained (2009), Living Off the Land in Space (2007) and has authored Deep-Space Probes (edition 1: 2000 and edition 2: 2005). With C Bangs, he authored "Biosphere Extension: Solar System Resources for the Earth," in 2011. As well as authoring More Telescope Power (2002), Telescope Power (1993), The Urban Astronomer (1991), he co-authored with Eugene Mallove The Starflight Handbook. (1989). His papers on interstellar travel, the search for extraterrestrial artifacts, and methods of protecting Earth from asteroid impacts have been published in JBIS, Acta Astronautica, Spaceflight, Space Technology, Journal of Astronautical Sciences, and Mercury. His popular articles have appeared in many publications, including Analog. In 1998, he won a $5000 prize in the international essay contest on ETI sponsored by the National Institute for Discovery Science. . He served on a November 2007 panel organized by Seed magazine to brief Congressional staff on the possibilities of a sustainable, meaningful space program.

Professor Matloff is a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society and a Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Astronautics. He has chaired many technical sessions and is listed in numerous volumes of Who's Who. In 2008, he was honored as Scholar on Campus at New York City College of Technology. His most recent book, co-authored with Italian researcher Dr. Giovanni Vulpetti and Les Johnson, is Solar Sails: A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel, Springer (2008). In addition to his interstellar-travel research, he has contributed to SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), modeling studies of human effects on Earth's atmosphere, interplanetary exploration concept analysis, alternative energy, in-space navigation, and the search for extrasolar planets. His website is www.gregmatloff.com