Beyond Earth: The Future of Humans in Space (Apogee Books Space Series) [Paperback]

Bob Krone PhD (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Providing a foundation for space planners and anyone interested in human settlement in the solar system, this book theorizes about the near future, when the heretofore significant steps of humankind—traveling to the moon and building space stations—will be dwarved by new progress. Scholars and scientists raise and answer such questions as Why does space matter to us? What will ordinary life be like in space? and What will our homes be like on Mars or the Moon? This collection of findings by professionals documents important research, laying the bricks for space-faring civilizations and even consults future space-dwellers—kids—for their visions. Working from the assumption that humankind has a biological need to explore and improve the quality of life, the wide variety of contributors successfully argue that space as a future human habitat is not simply possible, but manifest.

About the Author

Bob Krone, PhD, is a former U.S. Air Force jet pilot, commander, headquarters personnel officer, and chief of the nuclear policy section of NATO. He is an emeritus professor of systems management at the University of Southern California, a distinguished visiting professor in the school of business at La Sierra University, and an adjunct professor for doctoral programs for the International Graduate School of Business at the University of South Australia. He is also a member of the Aerospace Technology Working Group. He lives in Fallbrook, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Collector's Guide Publishing Inc (May 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1894959418
• ISBN-13: 978-1894959414
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,346,904 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Science Faction, August 6, 2006

By	James A. Wakefield, Jr. (California State University,) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Beyond Earth: The Future of Humans in Space (Apogee Books Space Series) (Paperback)

The Science Faction
Reviewer: James A. Wakefield, Jr., Ph.D. (California State
University, Stanislaus)

Stephen Hawkins recently said that we must colonize space in
order to survive. This conviction is shared by all the contributors
to "Beyond Earth: The Future of Humans in Space." Bob Krone, Ph.D.,
Kenneth Cox, Ph.D., and Langdon Morris of The Aerospace Technology
Working Group have compiled and edited a series of readings frankly
designed to make this conviction more prevalent. Although not
argumentative in tone, the book is likely to undermine factions that
(a) react to space exploration by placing higher priorities on other
human endeavors as well as factions that (b) distract from space
exploration by proposing cheaper ventures limited to, say, the Moon--
been there, done that! (With apologies to JFK, we should not be
distracted with calls to "ask not what your country can pretend to do
for you.")

With the word future in the title, the book had to begin by
asserting that "This book is about science, not science fiction."
Indeed, only a few chapters hint at the role of science fiction in
forming children's visions of space, defining the meaning of space,
setting space exploration as a public goal, and sowing inspiration
among the explorers, and the bulk of the book deals with functional
aspects of organizing people and machines to explore space. The
motivation for the book is not so much to provide a handbook for
space exploration as to allow the political "science faction" to
support the goal of space exploration by providing material to answer
both (a) the reaction faction and (b) the distraction faction.

For the reaction faction, important human endeavors that support
(and are supported by) space exploration receive ample coverage in
Beyond Earth. Chapters on leadership, law, governance, cooperation,
ethics, art, music, education, ideology, the "meaning of the
heavens," the soul, and human evolution are featured in the section
on "Human Factors in Space" which comprises roughly half of the
book. The answer is that space exploration "ought" to be done for
our own good, although a delightful child drawing on page 130
recognizes that our ability to explore space does not imply that we
should. "Is" still does not imply "ought."

The distraction faction is answered in about a third of the
book, "Science, Technology, Engineering, and Management for Space,"
with chapters covering resource management, risk taking, commercial
development, and exploration operations. These chapters (as well as
others in the book) take on the hard issues of whether long range
space exploration can be done. The answer, as might have been
guessed, is that it can--and not because it "ought" to be done (that
would be science fiction)--but because the technology "is"
available.

The most important contribution of this book is bringing
together a variety of answers from the science faction in one
source. Those interested in human factors (as is this reviewer) may
have difficulty with some chapters outside this area (as did this
reviewer), and it is likely that readers with different interests
will have difficulty with other chapters. This wide-ranging book, in
its entirety, is clearly not a book for every reader. Various parts
will inform most readers, and as a statement from the "science
faction" (The Aerospace Technology Working Group), it is valuable to
us all.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A few of our future in space, January 11, 2007

By	Stephen B. Buckbee (Escanaba, Mi USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Beyond Earth: The Future of Humans in Space (Apogee Books Space Series) (Paperback)

I found the book to be exciting and it will be good for people who have an interest in what's just around the corner. Whole new areas of study like remote viewing, space law, robotics, evolutionary psychology and more. I found the optimism of the human sprit refreshing and exciting.
It is not a book for one sitting, rather it is a book best taken slowly, however the reader can move about the book as their interests dictate as most chapters stand on their own in content.
The authors all have very impressive backgrounds in the fields discussed and show excitement and hope about possibilities. I often wonder how we can let people know the we are on the edge a major revolution in space, that change is coming, and it is being driven by the same hopes and wishes that motivates all explorers past and future. The space race is on and many never heard the gun go off. This book is great for catching up and even getting a picture about what is ahead.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond Earth: A Worth While Read, March 16, 2007

By	Franklin H. Neal III (Castle Rock, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Beyond Earth: The Future of Humans in Space (Apogee Books Space Series) (Paperback)

I'm a real space enthusiast. As an avid reader of sciene fiction and space science fact, I loved this book. The book covers the gambit of subjects and really makes you think about what our future in space can and will bring, if only we can just focus on it. It focuses on age old questions like "can space travel be done?", "why should space travel be done?", and "how should we do space travel?" The book also discussed areas that you would never think about in regards to space, such as space law, space art, and space sociology. In my opinion, this book is well worth it.