Living in Space: From Science Fiction to the International Space Station [Paperback]

Giovanni Caprara (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 7, 2000

This book traces the history of living in space through science fiction through to science fact and give the full story of the successes and disasters that marked the way. It looks at what living in space will be like in the near future.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Current through 1999, this Italian picture book covers the history of the concept as well as the reality of space habitation, from the theoretical work of Hermann Noordung in the 1920s to the first launchings of modules for the International Space Station. It also presents fictional space stations, including those in the movies 2001, Star Wars, and Aliens; the classic "wheel" proposed by Wernher von Braun; and so on. Much of the text covers areas already dealt with in other recent histories of space flight, but Caprara's selection of graphic material is marvelous. Certain to be devoured by casual space buffs and serious space advocates alike, this lavish volume should be welcomed by both space exploration and popular culture library collections. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

A good way... to satisfy their natural curiosity about what it must really be like to live 'out there.' (Raymond L. Puffer Kliatt 20011001)

The best reason to buy this book is its illustrations. Every page displays generously sized photos or diagrams. (Bradley W. Carroll Science Books and Films )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (October 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552095495
• ISBN-13: 978-1552095492
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,871,956 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on a neglected part of the space program, January 31, 2002

By 

Kevin W. Parker (Greenbelt, MD) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Living in Space: From Science Fiction to the International Space Station (Paperback)

There are many books about the moon landings but only a handful about a different aspect of the manned space program, the effort to put a long-term human presence into orbit. This book is therefore a welcome addition.

It begins with science fiction and speculation: Edward Everett Hale's (author of "The Man Without a Country") "Brick Moon," about a round, masonry space station is the science fiction. The speculation involves the "big three" of early astronautics: Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Hermann Oberth, and Robert Goddard. The first two speculated in detail about the possibility, benefits, and technology of space stations, while Goddard did the engineering to help make them possible. Two unfamiliar (to me) names also appear: Baron Guido von Pirquet, who published articles describing space station design in the German Rocketry Society's newsletter, and Hermann Noordung, who published a book with more than a hundred engineering drawings of a proposed space station. And the groundwork would not be complete without a mention of von Braun's fifties-era vision as published in Collier's, with dramatic illustrations.

The book moves on from there to what has really happened. The first of these chapters focuses on Skylab in some detail but also covers the eventually cancelled Manned Orbiting Laboratory military effort. The Russians deservedly get two chapters, one on Mir's predecessors, the Salyut series, and one on Mir itself. The International Space Station also gets two chapters, one on all the permutations it has gone through and one on how it turned out once it truly became "International." A short final chapter addresses colonies in space, focusing on Gerard K. O'Neill's visionary concepts.

These chapters are very detailed and sumptuously illustrated, providing details on each mission and what they were intended to accomplish, as well as the design of each space station (with the myriad Soviet Salyuts, this is a significant amount of information). The Russian chapters are particularly good, briefly covering the engineering details as well as the politics behind them (as two rival factions in the Soviet space establishment strive to impose their vision on a Soviet manned presence in space). The ISS chapters are somewhat depressing, pointing up how much money was spent before anything was built and how much the actual cost has exceeded the estimates. However, the illustrations are particularly good for the ISS, showing it in great detail as it is planned to be built as well as the many discarded permutations.

All in all, this is an excellent book for those interested in the subject.