Entering Space: Creating a Spacefaring Civilization (Paperback)

~ (Author) "HUMANS ARE NOT native to the Earth..." (more)
Key Phrases: haust velocity, dry mass fraction, percent lightspeed, United States, Main Belt, Oort Cloud (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Humans are not native to the Earth. So posits astronautical engineer Bob Zubrin in the opening of Entering Space. We're native to just a small sliver of it, the spot where our species originated in tropical Kenya. We set out from that paradise about 50,000 years ago, north into "the teeth of the Ice Age," and all the ground we've gained since then has been thanks to our tenacity and our tools.

Zubrin reasons that it's time we cover a little more ground. Written with a boyish enthusiasm and formidable techie know-how, Entering Space urges us to realize "the feasibility, the necessity, and the promise" of becoming a space-faring civilization, of colonizing our own solar system and beyond. And Zubrin, author of the influential and widely acclaimed The Case for Mars, knows his stuff--NASA adapted his plans for near-term human exploration of Mars, and Carl Sagan gave the author no less credit: "Bob Zubrin really, nearly alone, changed our thinking on this issue." Entering Space plots the second and third phases of humanity's course--now that we've mastered our own planet, Zubrin says we must first look to settling our solar system (beginning with Mars) and then to the galaxy beyond.

With its practicable visions of using "iceteroids" to terraform Mars and harnessing the power of the outlying gas giants ("the solar system's Persian Gulf"), Entering Space succeeds at making the fantastic seem attainable, the stuff of science fiction, science fact. --Paul Hughes --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Astronautical engineer Zubrin stirred up more than a few imaginations with his 1996 The Case for Mars, which explained how and why humans could visit the red planet cheaply and soon. Zubrin's confident followup divides its predictions and programs into three sections: the first covers near-term projects in Earth orbit, with a view to commercial possibilities. The second part takes on the Moon, Mars, asteroids and the outer solar system, and the third adopts an optimistic view of interstellar travel and extraterrestrial life. Zubrin's range can amaze: he begins with the Space Shuttle (misguided and inefficient, he argues) and ends with speculation about how humanity might "change the laws of the universe." In between, Zubrin (privy to some of the dealings involved) shows how American politics quashed recent chances of cheap space flight; how "shake-and-bake" processing can profitably mine helium from the Moon; what we can do to defend life on Earth against a real-life Armageddon asteroid; and how a magnetic sail might speed up and slow down a starship. Zubrin's engineering background and his crisp prose make him a confident explainer, as technical as he needs to be but rarely more so. Regular readers of science fiction and anyone else with high school chemistry and physics will understand his arguments about the engines, ships and industries he proposes to create. His gung-ho clarity may even raise suspicions, especially when he moves from physics to metaphysics: Will the species really stagnate unless we become a "Type II" civilization? But anyone who cares about space travel will care about some part of this book. While some will gravitate to the near-term proposals, others will happily escape their pull and reach, with Zubrin, for the stars. Agent, Laurie Fox of the Linda Chester Literary Agency. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher (August 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585420360
• ISBN-13: 978-1585420360
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #88,206 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring, April 21, 2001

By	J. N. Mohlman (Barrington, RI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Entering Space (Hardcover)

Although less focused than his excellent "The Case for Mars", "Entering Space" is an excellent book. I say less focused because in this work, Zubrin is considering a number of points for colonization (the Moon, Mars, asteroids, other solar systems), and a much broader time horizon. Thus, as one might expect, his "plans" are less thorough than the one outlined in his previous work. That said, they are equally sound at their core, and are rigorously supported through the use of easy to understand physics, chemistry, and even a little biology.

Most importantly, though, "Entering Space" reiterates Zubrin's core argument: that it is an human imperative to explore, and that the failure to do so can only negatively affect our species. Ultimately, he's trying to get people excited about space exploration, to get them thinking about the enormous benefits, rather than the cost, and possible risk.

This is a wonderful, inspiring work that should be read by anyone who's ever dreamed of treading on another planet; and perhaps more so by those who haven't. Enjoy!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A touch preachy, speculative and stodgy, January 13, 2004

By A Customer

Robert Zubrin is obviously dissatisfied with the state of affairs with NASA. He complains about the lack of funding for certain programs and the lack of direction from the top brass. He makes his point but he should have cut it short.

The author seems to overlook potential pitfalls in his ideas. On using nuclear fusion for propulsion, Zubrin states that exhaust speed could reach 5 percent lightspeed, therefore Alpha Centauri could be reached in 86 years. This assumes that extra time for acceleration is negligible. For acceleration time to be negligible, the power involved would be well beyond what current research in fusion power suggests is reasonable. This oversight makes be doubt the feasibility of his much wilder proposals.

I appreciate technical details but Zubrin uses a pedantic style of writing more suitable for a textbook than a leisurely read. Zubrin's previous work, The Case for Mars, was never so tedious.

However, Zubrin does a good job on explaining many principles and concepts that would be of great interest to the space enthusiast--mainly on how to best exploit the solar system's resources while achieving inspirational goals for humanity. He also gives a concise overview of the debate on extraterrestrial intelligence an their detection.

I do recommend this book for space enthusiasts, but they should take it with a grain of salt.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Zubrin Zooms Full Speed Ahead, January 22, 2001

By	Michael Pinto "Anime Fan" (NYC, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Disclaimer: I've been a big fan of space exploration since childhood, so I'm already in the ranks of the converted. I got turned onto Zubrin through his previous book "The Case for Mars" which is one of the most important books on space exploration done in the last twenty years. So I came to this book with a high set of expectations.

Where the Mars book was very specific, this book deals with the big picture. This works well when Zubrin goes into detail, but things fall apart when he is too theoretical. For example he gives a great survey on various potential methods for interstellar travel - but tends to get lost on more subjective topics like "if the aliens are out there".

At heart Zubrin is an engineer, and this is where he shines. Even when he is taking apart previous concepts like L5 space colonies or Dyson spheres he is doing it with care and love. He does get a bit technical, and as I don't have a professional understanding of physics I did have to wonder at points if he was 100% on the level or not. Zubrin also tends to be a bit lost when he is dealing with non-tech topics like economics or politics, but you can excuse this because he is a non-apologetic advocate of his cause.

If you are already into the subject matter this book is a must have addition for your personal library. However this book may be a bit much if you are new to the topic or get turned off by seeing scientific equations. But if you love the stuff like me, then you gotta have it! Now that it's in paperback you can also get a copy or two for your other geek friends.