Customer Reviews

The Starflight Handbook: A Pioneer's Guide to Interstellar Travel (Wiley Science Editions)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an excellent book for anyone intersted in the engineering possibilities of interplanetary and interstellar spaceflight. I read this book years ago as an aerospace engineering undergrad and it helped inspire me in my dream to help make starflight a reality. As can be found here, the technologies for limited interstellar flight have already been investigated, and in some cases, could be implemented today with sufficient funds. The books provides background on all types of rocket based propulsion, covering chemical, nuclear, anti-matter, electric (ion), solar sail, and solar thermal propulsion systems. It also provides an introduction to astrodynamics, space power systems, and the inherent problems encountered by long duration spaceflight over vast distances. As wonderful as this book is, it is badly in need of an update. It barely touches on more recent ideas like long range laser power transmission, as well as more "out-of-the-box" concepts like propellant-less propulsion. Granted there is alot of controversy surrounding notions of artificial wormholes and warp drives, but I'd like to see such ideas at least included as possibilities. As mentioned before, this book is not exceptionally mathematically rigorous, but that could be beneficial to those interested in these concepts without having to possess a background in differential calculus. These ideas stir the imagination and perhaps, someday, we may see these dreams become reality as mankind reaches out to the stars.

This is a very, very good book. It covers the basics of space flight, and covers specifics such as different types of propulsion methods and possible interstellar missions.

However, this book is not mathematically rigorous. Although I suggest everyone buy THIS book, anyone who wants a better mathematical treatment of the topic should try to find a copy of the out-of-print _Prospects for Interstellar Travel_, by Mauldin.

I have read this book over and over about 20 times and absolutely love it. There are many other books out there that also delve into the subject in great detail, but were not written to come down to the every day person level. It is not meant for the person that has aspirations of flying around the universe in a "USS Enterprise" vessel within the next 100 years, but looks at all of the possible means by which we may reach our nearest stars within the next 500-1000 years. Besides being great leisure reading it is also a great starting point for those people who wish to get more involved in the study of the theory around star flight. It left me with the impression that many many meathods have been devised and although many of them will probably never be realized, none should be discounted, because it will probably be some dreamer that actually stumbles on the loop hole in all of the "Laws" that enables us to blink out of existence here and re-appear many light years from our home.

This book covers the strengths and weaknesses of various types of spacecraft, and often adds visuals and drawings to help explain the ways these crafts might work. Electromag-ramjets, light-sails, Nuke powered, they're all here. It's 15 years old, however, but it is nonetheless a good starting point to understand the possibilities of interstellar travel. This book also covers the basic physics behind space propulsion. The book is obviously a good resource for science fiction writers, futurists, and people who want to wow their friends w/ insightful comments on space colonization. W/ the new Mars initiative by NASA, designed to be fulfilled w/in 50 years, maybe NASA might fulfill some of the theories outlined in this book. Be ahead of the curve.

This is a very, very good book. It covers the basics of space flight, and covers specifics such as different types of propulsion methods and possible interstellar missions.

However, this book is not mathematically rigorous. Although I suggest everyone buy THIS book, anyone who wants a better mathematical treatment of the topic should try to find a copy of the out-of-print _Prospects for Interstellar Travel_, by Mauldin.

This book takes the nuts and fits the bolts together. How could we hope to make it to the stars with real technology? Can we really answer this now? Mallove and Matloff have done just that. How to make a starship, based on what we really know today. What are the options? What needs to be done? Anyone who has looked up as a child to the stars, and who loves technical detail, will enjoy this book.

This is a well written, informative, inspiring book. It's got a well rounded topical look at technologies used and proposed to go to the stars. Can't say enough good things about it!
BK

This book is intended for the more technically-oriented reader. it covers the more technical aspects of interstealler spaceflight, even going so far as to provide formulae for alot of the problems generated by such flights. However, the writers are obvious devotees of Einsteinian physics because they immediately discount any type of faster-than-light travel as impossible and tend to pshaw the subject and hope it will just go away.

One of the most readable, interesting, and "gentle" space science books for the general reader I've ever come across. More, more, more!

If you've found his book and this stuff is your bag then you won't be disapointed. I frequently reread sections of this book that especially engaged me. Its a great reference for sci-fi daydreamers or aspiring authors alike and I can't reccamend this book enough.