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Robert Zubrin
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Mars Direct: Space Exploration, the Red Planet, and the Human Future: A Special from Tarcher/Penguin Kindle Edition

by Robert Zubrin (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 187 ratings
“Bob Zubrin really, nearly alone, changed our thinking on this issue.”

—Carl Sagan, The Denver Post
 

If you ever daydream about space travel and human space flight—or hope to one day rove the Red Planet alongside Curiosity—then MARS DIRECT will teach you how we can get there

The human race is at a crossroads. In the coming decades, we will make decisions regarding our human spaceflight program that will lead to one of two familiar futures: the open universe of Star Trek, where we allow ourselves the opportunity to spread our wings and attempt to flourish as an interplanetary species—or the closed, dystopian, and ultimately self-destructive world of Soylent Green, constantly at war with one another over humanity’s “limited” resources. If we plan to survive ourselves and one day travel to the stars, the human race’s next stepping-stone must be a manned mission to and the eventual colonization of Mars.

In this four-part e-special, Mars Society founder Dr. Robert Zubrin details the challenges of a manned Earth-to-Mars mission. Challenges which, according to Zubrin, we are technologically more prepared to overcome than the obstacles of the missions to the moon of the sixties and seventies. Dr. Zubrin’s relatively simple plan, called Mars Direct, could feasibly have humans on the surface of Mars within a decade. Zubrin also discusses the current predicament of NASA, the promise of privatized space flight from companies like SpaceX, and the larger implication behind the absolute necessity to open the final frontier and transform from a planetary society into an interplanetary society. Our future as a species requires us to take baby steps away from the cradle that is planet Earth or, ultimately, perish here.

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  1. Print length
    102 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    TarcherPerigee
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    February 12, 2013
  6. File size
    2.4 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert Zubrin is the author of several highly successful books, including Energy Victory and The Case for Mars. He frequently writes, lectures, and gives radio and TV interviews on a wide range of policy questions as a fellow of the Center for Security Policy, the president of the Mars Society, and a contributing editor to The New Atlantis. A scientist and engineer by training, he has nine US patents granted or pending.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00AMOO98I
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ TarcherPerigee
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 12, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.4 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 102 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781101617861
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1101617861
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 187 ratings

About the author

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Robert Zubrin

Robert Zubrin

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Dr. Robert Zubrin is the author of The Case for Nukes: How to Beat Global Warming and Create a Free, Open, and Magnificent Future, and The Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must. He is an internationally renowned nuclear and aerospace engineer with four decades of technical experience. Formerly a Senior Engineer at Lockheed Martin, since 1996 he has been President of Pioneer Astronautics, an aerospace research and development company. In that capacity he has led over 70 highly successful technology development projects for NASA, the US military, the Department of Energy, and private clients. He holds Master of Science degrees in Nuclear Engineering and Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a doctorate in Nuclear Engineering, all from the University of Washington. He is the author of 14 books, over 200 technical and non-technical papers in areas relating to aerospace and energy engineering, and is the inventor of over 20 US patents, with several more pending. In 1998 he founded the non-profit Mars Society, and personally led it in building a simulated human Mars exploration station in the Canadian Arctic, some 900 miles from the North Pole. He remains president of the Mars Society today. Prior to his work in aerospace, Dr. Zubrin worked in areas of radiation protection, nuclear power plant safety, thermonuclear fusion research, and as a secondary school science and math teacher. He lives in Golden, Colorado with his wife Hope Zubrin, a retired Middle School science teacher. They have three daughters, Sarah, Rachel, and Oakley, all now out of the house, and a loyal Sheltie named Strelka and Siberian cat Luna, who remain at home.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
187 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book to be a great short read that is easy to understand, with one customer noting it uses layman's language. They describe it as thought-provoking and inspirational, with one review highlighting it as one of the best pieces written about human spaceflight to Mars.

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ReadabilityEase of readingThought provokingSpace travel
15 customers mention "Readability"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read, describing it as a great short read.

"Great short read for anyone interested in Mars or Space science...." Read more

"Great read......" Read more

"...create a Kindle version of "Entering Space" - I view this as your best work, and it's my favorite book." Read more

"...Definitely worth a read. If you already own The Case for Mars, this little book helps to update that case (to 2013 anyway)...." Read more

8 customers mention "Ease of reading"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read, with one mentioning it uses layman's language and provides a clear path in a surprisingly short format.

"An updated summary of the plan first introduced in The Case for Mars, and a critique of the attitudes in government and NASA that have prevented..." Read more

"Well articulated and to the point using layman's language...." Read more

"...This book is a short and concise primer on the talking points of why a manned mission to Mars today is not only possible but plausible and not being..." Read more

"Great presentation on how and why we need to colonize Mars in plain English by an expert...." Read more

8 customers mention "Thought provoking"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and inspirational, with one customer noting that the author's philosophical world view resonates.

"...But sadly, he happens to be right. There's also an intriguing glimpse into Zubrin's meetings with Elon Musk and one possible scenario for how SpaceX..." Read more

"...And without breaking the bank.. A thought provoking read." Read more

"There was some interesting and thoughtful ideas about travel to mars along with insight about how a base camp can be set up...." Read more

"...Also the author's philosophical world view resonates." Read more

5 customers mention "Space travel"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's coverage of space travel, with one customer noting it contains the best pieces written about human spaceflight to Mars, while another mentions it serves as a perfect addendum to "Case for Mars."

"...This is an excellent read if you really care about a bright future for human space flight." Read more

"There was some interesting and thoughtful ideas about travel to mars along with insight about how a base camp can be set up...." Read more

"...and easily digestible version of that the same message: we can send people to Mars and here is how we can do it now...." Read more

"One of the best pieces written about human spaceflight to Mars. I regard the book as a must read to any spece entusiast" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Jeff&I
    5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect addendum to "Case for Mars"
    Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2013
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I completely disagree with the review that said this is merely a condensed version of Robert's classic book, "Case For Mars". On the contrary, it shows that Robert can still weave his magic without merely rehashing old topics. True, the first of four parts of this book does summarize the Mars Direct Plan, but the rest is completely new material, material that would fit nicely into an updated Case For Mars edition.

    A few examples of the new material in this book covered with perfect Zubrin flair:

    -> How concerns for human safety have mired NASA, and how they compare with a rational, engineering risk analysis.
    -> An augmented plan, dubbed "Mars Indirect", showing how we could get to Mars using existing crafts from the SpaceX corporation.
    -> How the latest political onslaught has killed off the last bits of NASA in the recent 2010-2012 time frame.

    I think the timing was perfect for this publication to counter Buzz Aldrin's proposals, which make some interesting points, but seem hopelessly naive in their desire to work from within current politics.

    Warning - what is revealed about what the Obama administration has done to the remaining functional projects at NASA will infuriate you. It saddens me that we as a country have no issue launching a protest to save the Internet against SOPA, yet we won't do something similar to protect the 1% of NASA's budget that actually gets results.

    P. S. Amazon, Robert, PLEASE create a Kindle version of "Entering Space" - I view this as your best work, and it's my favorite book.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Andrée Rydén
    4.0 out of 5 stars A straight-forward, no BS-plan that could've brought us to Mars all those years ago!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Zubrin doesn't fetish around with exaggerated, over-the-top-costly manned missions of the sorts that'll
    easily be rejected by any economically driven, realistic business man or bureaucrat. Zubrin introduces a
    cost-effective, direct approach which NASA could've committed themselves to in the 1980's. Too bad it
    never turned out that way. Zubrin went off to found The Mars Society, and Mars Direct Plan was exiled to
    the shelves where many other great ideas had been filed.

    This book is a recommendation to anyone who's been fooled into believing a Mars journey and settlement
    have to be insanely expensive and profoundly complicated. Read it!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Nicolas Nelson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent compact book for Mars newbies, Zubrin fans, and old Mars aficionados who aren't yet familiar with Zubrin's thinking!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I thought this would be an edited-down pocket version of The Case for Mars, but it is not! of course it contains some of the same information, but also new stuff, written more recently... including some scathing indictments about "Apollo Mode vs. Shuttle Mode thinking" that won't make Zubrin any more friends at NASA. But sadly, he happens to be right. There's also an intriguing glimpse into Zubrin's meetings with Elon Musk and one possible scenario for how SpaceX might facilitate Mars exploration and (later on) settlement. That scenario works whether SpaceX serves as a NASA subcontractor or whether SpaceX does it independently with basic NASA cooperation (there's no substitute for the Deep Space Network, for instance). Definitely worth a read.
    If you already own The Case for Mars, this little book helps to update that case (to 2013 anyway). If you're new to Zubrin's thinking, this little book is a great place to begin.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Shyriath
    3.0 out of 5 stars Would have been better without the politics.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2014
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I've read Robert Zubrin's previous works concerning Mars exploration and colonization, and the need for a robust plan for achieving both, and I approve both of the ideal and of the Mars Direct plan. In this work, I enjoyed the updates as to what's happened with Mars missions so far and what's yet to be done. But speaking of the reasons for the lack of progress in Mars exploration, he pins the blame - in a rather hysterical tone - on the American left, not merely considering them to be interfering with the missions themselves but apparently believing their very worldview to be antithetical to the development of a realistic manned space program. A thoughtful work on this subject could have done without that kind of blanket accusation, particularly since I don't at all believe that an obsession with unrealistic standards of safety is restricted to the left.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • Rodger Raubach
    5.0 out of 5 stars An update on the status of missions to Mars.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2016
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is more than a condensed version of The Case for Mars, and contains an insightful critique of shortcomings at NASA. I've been "on board' with Dr. Zubrin's approach of a somewhat minimalist journey to Mars, coupled with a year and half stay as a precursor to building a continuous human presence on the Red Planet. His description and comments regarding the Mars sample return mission proposed by NASA are incisive, and point out the dangers associated with allowing a bureaucratic approach to space exploration. The complicated and very expensive mission panders to all the different groups within the space agency, and is highly reminiscent of the ill-fated GHW Bush "90 day plan," for a human mission to Mars.
    This is a very useful book when discussing travel to Mars. I gave it 5 stars, only because there wasn't a 6 star rating possible.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • R V
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great optimistic read...dankie!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I enjoyed the optimism despite every reason to resent the masive failures sufferer due to the lack of leadership in the once great NASA. It is clear that we have to step up and take this vital challenge upon ourselves. We cannot wait, dependant on ANY government as the window for great governments is closed shut. We as scientists, inventors and humans :) have to learn to look inwards to achieve this great goal. Looking at governments wil postpone indefinitely, fact. Thank you for the great booklet, I look forward to an update.
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  • Michael W.
    4.0 out of 5 stars A strong Position Paper advocating a mission-focused approach to manned space flight and Mars exploration
    Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    An updated summary of the plan first introduced in The Case for Mars, and a critique of the attitudes in government and NASA that have prevented movement toward a realistic mission. A good intro for those not familiar with his earlier book, but a bit short if you are looking for a detailed explanation of the mission plan and architecture. For that, The Case for Mars is still the place to go.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Guillermo Ribeiro
    5.0 out of 5 stars excellent
    Reviewed in Spain on October 1, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Las razones que da para seguir la exploración espacial son lógicas más allá de la duda razonable en mi opinión
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  • Frederick Ford
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is another one of Zubrin's excellent books. It is definitely recommended for anyone who ...
    Reviewed in Canada on June 4, 2016
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is another one of Zubrin's excellent books. It is definitely recommended for anyone who has an interest in man exploring and then colonizing Mars. Zubrin outlines a manner to execute a Mars mission that will cost less than NASA's plan and it will get us there sooner. I am writing a science fiction novel on Mars and I found his book invaluable.
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  • AmazonAddict
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 20, 2015
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Interesting read, makes Elon Musk's plans more credible..
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  • Shaun Moss
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most important and disruptive Mars mission plans ...
    Reviewed in Australia on March 28, 2015
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    One of the most important and disruptive Mars mission plans ever developed. Virtually required reading for anyone interested in human exploration and settlement of Mars.
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  • Patrick
    5.0 out of 5 stars Go to Mars!
    Reviewed in France on May 8, 2013
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Zubrin est un visionnaire pragmatique et ne s'embarrasse pas de bons sentiments. Aller sur Mars comporte des risques comme toute entreprise humaine. L'aventure mérite d'être tentée et le sera tôt ou tard lorsque les décideurs se seront débarrassés de leur vision de l'avenir empruntée au 19ème siècle. Pourquoi perdre du temps ? Un monde nous attends ! Les retombées dépasseront nos espérances.
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