Customer Reviews

Emerging Space Powers: The New Space Programs of Asia, the Middle East and South-America (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having previously read two books on China's Space Program by Brian Harvey and having a popular media awareness of the other Asian space powers, I immediately wanted to read Emerging Space Powers: The New Space Programs of Asia, the Middle East and South America, purchased it from Amazon, and read I did. The book is worthy of every serious space technology and policy buff. The authors Harvey, Smid, and Pirard have obviously expended serious time researching this current and timely book.

The work provides an overview of the direction of the would-be space powers now emerging in the global context. In many ways the book demonstrates how Russian, American, and to a lesser extent Chinese space technology transfer is impacting the global space market and space launch capacity. One can better understand how India's technology will place humans in orbit in this decade with others to subsequently follow by some means.

The Japanese spent hundreds of millions of USD in seeking to develop a mini-space shuttle 'HOPE-X'
as documented quite well in this work. It made me wonder how much of the Japanese R&D has gone into the USAF-DARPA X37-B to launched on an Atlas booster soon.

The most thought provoking realization from this book is how much Japan, India Brazil, Iran, Israel, North Korea and South Korea are doing at this moment to develop launch capability and place on the global commercial market. Moreover, it is interesting to learn the technology transfer flows from one nation to another. Russia appears to have the significant space launch niche in providing space launch development assistance.

This book is worthy. I purchased it at the more expensive pre-order price yet believe it to have been worth every cent. Having a significant space science and technology library, this book is an excellent supplement and contribution to place the Russian, American, and Chinese space launch programs in a larger global context. It provided one more reason to root for SpaceX and Orbital Sciences Corporation to make breakthrough and open the commercial space launch market to American competition. Several nation are now 'in-play' as emerging space powers as the United States deliberates the future.

What a great book! Not only is it exactly what I need I was able to get it from this vendor before it was available anywhere else this year! Thanks!