Russia in Space: The Failed Frontier? (Paperback)

by Brian Harvey (Author) "The Soviet space programme began in 1921 when a scientist quite unknown to the outside world, Nikolai Tikhomirov, set up what was called the Gas..." (more)
Key Phrases: cosmonaut squad, photoreconnaissance programme, rocket frontier, Soviet Union, United States, Proton Baikonour (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews of the first edition:

"Harvey presents a good summary of all aspects of the Russian space program and an excellent summary of Russian activities since the Cold War ended. … Harvey writes very well and includes well-chosen anecdotes. … Highly recommended as a thorough, well-balanced, up-to-date treatise of the Russian space program." (W. E. Howard III, Choice, September, 2001)

"The author describes the various satellite programs, the facilities, international cooperation and the space industry in a logical manner, providing at the same time the necessary links with the past. The descriptions are concise and to the point, accompanied by tables where appropriate and a few illustrations. … This is a ‘must have’ book - it is highly recommended." (News Bulletin of the Astronautical Society of Western Australia, Vol. 28 (2), 2002)

"This is the third of Brian Harvey’s books about the Soviet / Russian space programme … . I found this new work informative and refreshing … . The book follows the decline of the old Soviet military programme as the USSR disintegrated and describes the more modest Russian projects which followed it. Many different types of military missions are described with photographs, or sketches, of the satellites themselves. … Personally, I liked this book and enjoyed reading it." (John Davies, The Observatory, Vol. 121 (1164), 2001)

"This book covers the period 1992-2000. He reviews the previous achievement of the Soviet Union putting into context the programmes flown under both regimes. It is a good companion volume to the one he wrote earlier on the Soviet Programme. The pictures are really excellent." (Rex Hall, Spaceflight, Vol. 43 (8), 2001)

"Space writer Brian Harvey’s Russia in Space offers a comprehensive guide to the nuts and bolts of today’s Russian space programme, plus an assessment of where the Russians now are in space, how they got there, and where they might go next. … Harvey has produced a useful and timely guide for evaluating Russia as a partner in Western space activities." (James Oberg, New Scientist, February, 2001)

Product Description
In the 1950s and 1960s, Soviet rockets conquered the cosmos.

The Russians put the first satellite into orbit, the first man into space, and landed the first probes on the moon. They sent spaceships to Mars and Venus. Not for nothing were these later called the golden years of the Soviet space program!

By the early 21st century, the Soviet dream of conquering space had become a nightmare. Budgets ran out, space industries contracted, space facilities rotted, the tracking ships were scrapped. Ambitious programs like the space shuttle Buran, were cancelled. The great space station Mir was contracted out to private investors and tourists, and even the personal effects of cosmonauts were auctioned in a doomed desperate attempt to keep the Russian space program alive.

Russia in Space - the Failed Frontier? tells the inside story of the traumatic events that engulfed the once-glorious Soviet space program. It is a story of desperation and decline, but also a tale of heroic efforts to save the space station Mir and the construction - along with their old rivals, the Americans - of the new International Space Station.

So perhaps this isn't the end. The 1990s saw the introduction in Russia of powerful new rockets, commercialization, advanced spycraft, the building of new cosmodromes and the recruitment of new teams of cosmonauts.

This comprehensive history of the Russian Soviet space programme, from its origins to the present, addresses the technical, political, historical, human and organisational issues and provides a balanced focus on manned and unmanned programmes. It is the first book to access the Russian space programme over the ten-year period since the fall of communism and provide an historical and contemporary treatment.

Only time will tell, but Russia could be a great spacefaring nation once again.

Brian Harvey received his BA in History and Political Science at Trinity College, Dublin in 1975 and his MA in History at the University College, Dublin in 1987. He works as a research consultant in the areas of poverty, homelessness, social exclusion and European affairs, and is a writer and broadcaster on space exploration and related themes. He is a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society and a Gold Medal winner in the University Philosophical Society, Dublin. He is married to Judith Kiernan. They have a daughter, Valerie, and a son, Alistair.

Product Details

• Paperback: 330 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (January 25, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852332034
• ISBN-13: 978-1852332037
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #976,095 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good review of Soviet space hardware, April 24, 2008

By	Richard Ulrich (Fayetteville, AR) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a rather technical book aimed at Soviet space-age hardware. Looking at it another way, it's the history of their space program told through the equipment involved, not the people. I found it an interesting read. You can easily skip around from one topic to another without loss of continuity if you want to learn about the Soviet version of the space shuttle one day or Mir the next. I found it to be accurate and clearly-written.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars compares well to NASA, January 25, 2007

By	W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

For Americans, brought up on NASA's many successful exploits, this book gives a useful different perspective. Much of the narrative details the Soviet space achievements during the Cold War. And indeed, there were many notable firsts. From Sputnik to Vostok, Gagarin to Tereshkova, the Soviets made impressive strides. But Harvey shows that they also had their share of failures. From unmanned probes that got lost, to cosmonauts who perished.

Comparing the Russian and American space programs, you can see how the former played to their strengths. By emphasising massive launch capability (like the Proton and Energiya rockets) and a can-do attitude necessitated by small budgets, especially after the end of the Cold War. Arguably, the Americans had the most advanced vehicle, in the form of the Space Shuttles. But scarcely perfect, given 2 that were destroyed, and the lengthy regular maintenance costs even when matters were routine. The book also shows the deep experience of prolonged spaceflight that the Russians amassed, via their space station. Something the Americans largely gave up after Skylab was abandoned.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A well researched and detailed history of Russia in Space, February 14, 2005

By	David S. Strubbe (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Brian Harvey has clearly done a tremendous amount of research to create "Russia in Space - The Failed Frontier?"

It does a great job of covering the manned, unmanned, military, and civilian space operations in the Soviet Union and Russian programs.

This is not a light read. It is more of an academic work with great detail on costs, system capabilities, and history.

There is a lot of detail on how the program changed when the USSR dissolved.