I thought there might be some merit in UMSF members alerting each other to forthcoming books that seem especially interesting. This book complements Phil Stooke's new book quite well, and looks like a lot of fun:

Robert Godwin -- The Lunar Exploration Scrapbook (Apogee Books) coming Dec. 1, 2007 (224 pages) $18.48 at Amazon.com (US site)

Description: From single-seat landers to rocket backpacks and lunar bulldozers, this study takes readers into the imagination of the world's top aerospace engineers by presenting NASA's lunar spacecraft research. A unique blend of history and imagination, this resource covers not only the actual exploration of the moon conducted during the Apollo program of the 1960s and 1970s, but also includes a presentation of dozens of spacecraft that were never built. Vivid, colorful renderings of the conceptual crafts--many of which are not available anywhere else--are also included, providing a visual progression of NASA's technological advancements.

(At least I hope this isn't redundant of Phil Stooke's forthcoming reference standard.)

Aaargh! That's it, I'm withdrawing mine and turning to writing cookbooks!

Phil

This book sounds interesting, but it looks limited to American spacecraft, and seems to be more about the actual spacecraft than the moon itself. Very interesting (and will probably reside on my shelf soon), but very different.

Professor Colin Pillinger compiled an unusual spaceflight/astronomy book entitled:
"Space is a Funny Place - The funnier side of Space seen through the eyes of cartoonists"

The book has photos of spacecraft and is basically a collection of space-related cartoons into a coherent order.
It's worth noting that Colin Pillinger has not left cartoons on his ill-fated "Beagle 2" out of the book.
This is a 2000 copies limited edition Hardcover book for British £ 17.50, available via The Open University

"The Lunar Cookbook: How to go from regolith to ravioli in 180 days! Includes new Solar Flare Surprise - good for eating and as a radiation shingle!"

(Imagine cover picture of a Lunar astronaut with a frying pan in one hand and a rock in the other.)

This is disturbing...now I'm hungry...

Not a book, but the upcoming monthly issue of Spaceflight magazine for the month of March 2008, will have an article by 2 UMSF.com forum-members (Ken Kremer on DAWN & Philip Corneille on COROT). Keep an eye on: http://www.bis-spaceflight.com/sitesia.asp...id/1649/l/nl-be

Robots in Space: Technology, Evolution and Interplanetary Travel
http://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title_pages/9417.html

April 10, 2008
Titan Unveiled: Saturn's Mysterious Moon Explored
by Ralph Lorenz, Jacqueline Mitton
Publisher: Princeton University Press

Just received an 'Internet Rumour' : Robotic Exploration of the Solar System- Part 2 could be released earlier than planned, probably July 2008, with volume 3 already planned for next year.

Have you read part one, I have seen it on Amazon a few times, thought about getting it...

A book I would like to see "coming soon..." would be an updated " The Planetary Scientist's Companion " by Katharina Lodders and Bruce Fegley. The most recent copie I could find dates from 1998, so the 13-pages Asteroids listing table is incomplete...

Well Paolo, what about a preview on "" Robotic Exploration of the Solar System - part 2 "":
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dave.harland/...ooks/index.html

Phil,
you asked it. Part 2 will have three chapters, and this is more or less the TOC. all titles are to be confirmed

Chapter 4 (the chapter numbers are carried over from Part 1) "The decade of Halley"
- The Crisis: about the planetary exploration crisis in the US in the 80s
- The Face of Venus: about VOIR and Venera 15 and 16
- The Mission of a Lifetime: Halley mission planning and description of Giotto, Suisei, Vega etc.
- To Venus for the Last Time: Vega at Venus
- Two Lives, one Spacecraft: ISEE 3/ICE
- "But Now Giotto has the Shout": Halley exploration
- Extrended Missions: the successive missions of Suisei, Sagigake and Giotto to G-S
- Low Cost Missions: Take One: Planetary Observer and Mariner Mk II
- Comet Frenzy: Comet exploration projects: CAESAR, SOCCER, CRAF, the Rosetta sample return etc.
- The Rise of Vermin: Asteroid exploration projects: Vesta, Piazzi, AGORA, Asterex, NEAR etc.
- An Arrow to the Sun: Solar probes
- Into the Infinite: Interstellar probe precursor studies
- Europe tries harder: Kepler, Mercury orbiters etc.
Chapter 4 is complete and we are correcting it

Chapter 5 "The Era of Flagships"
- The Final Soviet Debacle: Fobos
- Mapping Hell: Magellan
- The Reluctant Flagship: Galileo
- Asteroids into Minor Planets: Galileo to Venus, Gaspra, Ida etc.
- A New Galilean Satellite: Galileo primary mission
- Return to Europa and Io: Galileo Europa and millennium missions, end of mission
- Beyond the Pillars of Hercules: Ulysses
- The Darkest Hour: Mars Observer
- Overdue and Overexpensive: the Mars Rover and Sample Return mission of the 80s
Chapter 5 is almost complete and I am making the first correction pass

Chapter 6 "Faster, Cheaper, Better"
- Sails Return: the Martian solar sail regatta etc.
- A New Hope: the Discovery program, Clementine 1 and 2
- In Love with Eros: NEAR
- Completing the Census: Pluto Fast Flyby, Pluto Kuiper Express etc
- NASA Licks its Wounds...: Mars Global Surveyor
- Sinking the Heritage: Mars 96 and Russian projects
- Wheels on Mars: Mars Pathfinder
Chapter 6 is 70 per cent complete as of today

Besides Ralph's book, there will also be:

http://titanaftercassini.com/index.asp

and an update of: http://www.worldscibooks.com/physics/4142.html

There's quite a bit of choice!

There's also going to be a Saturn book (I'm sure that's not the only one either!):
http://www.saturnaftercassini.org/

A shame these conferences are so horrendously expensive...

More & more books about the (cold) solar system beyond Neptune:

What the sitrep on Paolo's 2nd book: "" Robotic Exploration of the Solar System - part 2 ""

Thanks for the interest Phil! We are waiting for the first printed draft. We are about one month behind in schedule, and I think it will be out in November.
Waiting for the drafts, I have just resumed working on part 3.

next obvious question: what will be covered in part 3 ( post-2001 missions ? ) ?

Part three will cover 1997 to the present... unless we split it futher of course!

Due out in September...

"Extreme Science: Space Tourist"

wow, almost everyone on this forum wrote a book! impressive...

The Universe in a Mirror: The Saga of the Hubble Space Telescope and the Visionaries Who Built It
Available via Amazon.co.uk or the author's website:
http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3cxxp/zimbib.htm

As a co-author on one of the International Space Station books by the British Interplanetary Society, I just noticed these are on sale, so get one while You can
http://www.bis-spaceflight.com/sitesia.asp...ge/1820/l/en-us

Bought this one and it's a must have!

Comet/ Asteroid Impacts and Human Society: An Interdisciplinary Approach
by Peter Bobrowsky

An update on Robotic Exploration of the Solar System Part 2. We just finished the second correction of the proofs and indexing. It should be ready for printing by next week

Available by next month:

a passion for Mars

Hi Philip,

Just noticed 'A Passion for Mars' in a local Barnes & Noble Bookseller's today. Perused the book; looks to be quite nicely done!

Jay Gallentine

Yup - it's very VERY good - I actually met up with Andy Chaikin in June to have a chat about it ( but couldn't say anything until it was released ) hopefully there will be an interview on Planetary Radio in the not too distant future!

Doug

Came across a very good small (19x12 cm) book entitled:
Jane’s Space Recognition Guide – 2008
ISBN 978-0-00-723296-3
By Peter Bond.
Small softcover with 384 glossy pages listing every spacecraft ever launched.
A must-have for unmanned spaceflight fans as 98% is on unmanned vehicles.
Each spacecraft gets 1 page with a good photo and text about manufacturer, launch, weight, orbit, …
ISBN 978-0-00-723296-3

Not so much "Coming soon" as "probably in your local bookstore now and screaming out from the shelf to be bought..."

I bought Andrew Chaikin's new book "A PASSION FOR MARS" and I'm afraid to say that I'm seriously considering hitting him with a lawsuit for compensation, specifically for loss of earnings. I have things to do. I have Outreach talks to plan, school talks to organise, writing and editing deadlines of my own, oh, and a full time job to go to too, but I can't get ANYTHING done because Andy's book is so good. If you've read "A MAN ON THE MOON" you'll be familiar with his writing style and passion for the subject; well, this book - as its name suggests - has passion in bucketfuls. It's just a wonderful read, lots of "Wow, I never knew that!" insight into what goes on behind the scenes of the Mars exploration community.

There are also some fantastic pictures, many I've never seen before, including some remarkable Mariner photos that look incredibly crisp and detailed, much better than any I've seen elsewhere.

I could say more, but no point really. If you have an interest in Mars this book is a must-buy! But if you really don't like lyrical waxings then it might not move you as much as it did me, 'cos Andy is definitely as deeply in love with Mars, and the beauty of space exploration, as many of us here are, and he wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to how he feels about this stuff.

I was fortunate enough to read a preview copy. It's bloody amazing. And for those who are interested - I actually did a short interview with Andy a few months back ( after the final draft - but before it hit the printers ) that I'll be putting online this weekend!

Doug

Completely by chance I ran across a new Europa book, "Unmasking EUROPA".

It is published by Copernicus Books, whom I had never heard of. A quick look inside the cover informs us that they are "An imprint of Springer Science-Business Media", and associated with Praxis Publishing Ltd. So, not a new player after all.


It is written by Richard Greenberg, the same author as "Europa: The Ocean Moon" I loved that book, but as previously discussed here on UMSF the author does have a political ax to grind with the scientific powers-that-be on the Galileo project. His arguments that the thick ice interpretation on Europa is flawed sound convincing, but when you are hearing only one side of a story it always does.


The new book is stripped of much of the mathematical and geologic terminology used in the original in order to reach a wider audience. I would prefer not to say it is "dumbed down", the best analogy I could think of is comparing a special issue of SCIENCE dealing with Europa, vs. the same information delivered in a long article in Scientific American.


I've only read the first few chapters. If anything this one feels even more political than the first, possibly because the author is spending more time describing the process of discovery of Europa's secrets. But I get the sense that the politics takes a mostly back seat for most of the rest of the book, and pops back up again towards the end.


Europa: The Ocean Moon was a pricey book, I think I paid $90 for it. "Unmasking EUROPA" is only $27.50, so it's a lot cheaper.
The first book had a lot more images in it, including a lot of context images and mosaics I had never seen elsewhere. If you only buy one of the two I would go with the first one. But being an outer planets junkie, I bought both without hesitation.

Had the pleasure to browse a preview copy of Jim Bell's "Mars 3-D: A Rover's-Eye View of the Red Planet" book recently; very cool format with a fold-out front cover that has the red/blue glasses built in (so they can't get lost) and a hole for your nose :-). "Regular" images and explanatory text on the left hand pages, and the (sideways) anaglyphs (including color ones) on the right hand pages. Minor drawback might be for "older" readers that the distance from the glasses to the anaglyph page is not that far, thus perhaps forcing the use of reading glasses?

Tons of pictures and text; should be a keeper! And a good price too, e.g.:

http://www.amazon.com/Mars-3-D-Rovers-Eye-...118&sr=8-11

Airbag

Robotic Exploration of the Solar System 2 should be out in a few days. I received my author's copies yesterday

Paolo, Amazon.co.uk starts to send "" Robotic Exploration of the Solar System part 2 "" out this week (finally got an e-mail it will be delivered).

IYA2009 book + DVD:
http://www.wiley-vch.de/publish/en/books/b...c1kpv9akpvkq1f2

Sir Patrick Moore combining his love for astronomy and the English game of cricket:

Paolo Ulivi's " Robotic Exploration of the Solar System - Part 2 - Hiatus and renewal 1983-1996 " is a must have!
535 pages covering Venus Orbiting Imaging Radar, Giotto, Vega, Magellan, Galileo, Ulysses, NEAR, Mars 94/96, Sojourner... to name a few missions!

(re: cricket on Mars) The swing, seam, and spin bowlers would be massacred in the thin, dry atmosphere - like a dull Sunday afternoon at Minor Counties v. Dutch Tourists - and I find a purely pace attack lacks much of the essential cat-and-mouse drama. On the other hand, if anyone can make sense of Duckworth-Lewis, it'd be JPL...

A Passion for Mars – Intrepid Explorers of the red planet
Superb Hardcover edition with 279 glossy pages telling the Mars exploration story from Percival Lowell to Steve Squyres. Excellent and rare color photos (Leighton, Sagan, Murray, Soffen, Lee, Mutch, Hibbs, Malin, Theisinger, Manning, Garvin, ...).
As best 2008 book on Mars-related unmanned spaceflight = a must-have!

Thirded - I'm half-way through my copy (of "A Passion for Mars") and it does live up to the glowing reviews above. I also greatly enjoyed Doug's interview with Andrew Chaikin, which I'd been saving up until I'd read at least some of the book.

Also from Jim Bell: Moon 3-D: The Lunar Surface Comes to Life

Another Mars-related book:

On a lighter note: "Space is a funny place" by Colin Pillinger, on 50 years of space history through comics strips and cartoons. Nice book!

Received a lovely pressie for Christmas: "NASA/ART 50 Years of Exploration", jam-packed full of paintings and sketches from the NASA ART program, ranging from the truly beautiful and realistic ("The Great Moment" by Paul Calle) to the thought-provokingly unusual and 'different' ("Go For The Stars" by P.A. Nisbet) to the Aw, come on, you're [i]having a laugh, right?[/i] abstract and 'modern' ("Moonwalk 1" by Andy Warhol and "Commemorating Apollo 11" by Nam June Paik). For anyone with an interest in the history of space exploration and/or art, this is a must buy.

I saw this at Barnes and Noble
Mars, A Cosmic Stepping Stone: Uncovering Humanity's Cosmic Context

I'm looking forward to " Ambassadors from Earth " by UMSF forum-member Jay Gallantine...

Definitely. I read some of the drafts, and it has some very good pages about James van Allen for example, sometimes even better than JVA's biography

Personally I just bought;

The Solar System Beyond Neptune ( a large hardcover in the Arizona LPI Space Science Series )

To discover that this a new title on the subject:

New Horizons: Reconnaissance of the Pluto-Charon System and the Kuiper Belt

by C.T. Russell (Editor)
List Price: $169.00
* Hardcover: 406 pages
* Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (January 1, 2009)
* ISBN-13: 978-0387895178