Best of
Space

1996

The Case for Mars


Robert Zubrin - 1996
    The planet most like ours, it has still been thought impossible to reach, let alone explore and inhabit.Now with the advent of a revolutionary new plan, all this has changed. leading space exploration authority Robert Zubrin has crafted a daring new blueprint, Mars Direct, presented here with illustrations, photographs, and engaging anecdotes.The Case for Mars is not a vision for the far future or one that will cost us impossible billions. It explains step-by-step how we can use present-day technology to send humans to Mars within ten years; actually produce fuel and oxygen on the planet's surface with Martian natural resources; how we can build bases and settlements; and how we can one day "terraform" Mars--a process that can alter the atmosphere of planets and pave the way for sustainable life.

The Magic School Bus Out Of This World: A Book About Space Rocks


Joanna Cole - 1996
    There's only one way Ms. Frizzle and the gang can stop it, and that's with a field trip -- to outer space! Hop on the Magic Space Bus and learn all about asteroids, comets, and other space rocks. It's a class trip that's out of this world!

Mining the Sky: Untold Riches From The Asteroids, Comets, And Planets


John S. Lewis - 1996
    In this visionary book, noted planetary scientist John S. Lewis explains how we can mine these precious metals from the asteroids, comets, and planets in our own solar system for use in space construction projects. And this is just one of the possibilities. Join John S. Lewis as he contemplates milking the moons of Mars for water and hollowing out asteroids for space-bound homesteaders—all while demonstrating the economic and technical feasibility of plans that were once considered pure fiction.

The Challenger Launch Decision: Risky Technology, Culture, and Deviance at NASA


Diane Vaughan - 1996
    Many still vividly remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard about the tragedy. In The Challenger Launch Decision, Diane Vaughan recreates the steps leading up to that fateful decision, contradicting conventional interpretations to prove that what occurred at NASA was not skulduggery or misconduct but a disastrous mistake.Journalists and investigators have historically cited production problems and managerial wrong-doing as the reasons behind the disaster. The Presidential Commission uncovered a flawed decision-making process at the space agency as well, citing a well-documented history of problems with the O-ring and a dramatic last-minute protest by engineers over the Solid Rocket Boosters as evidence of managerial neglect.Why did NASA managers, who not only had all the information prior to the launch but also were warned against it, decide to proceed? In retelling how the decision unfolded through the eyes of the managers and the engineers, Vaughan uncovers an incremental descent into poor judgment, supported by a culture of high-risk technology. She reveals how and why NASA insiders, when repeatedly faced with evidence that something was wrong, normalized the deviance so that it became acceptable to them.No safety rules were broken. No single individual was at fault. Instead, the cause of the disaster is a story not of evil but of the banality of organizational life. This powerful work explains why the Challenger tragedy must be reexamined and offers an unexpected warning about the hidden hazards of living in this technological age.

Space Shuttle: The History of the National Space Transportation System--The First 100 Missions


Dennis R. Jenkins - 1996
    This book has been totally revised and updated since it was last published in 1996.

Space Jam


Francine Hughes - 1996
    Coyote--into a real jam. There's only one man who can guarantee their win in a critical game against a crew of space creatures--the greatest athlete ever--Michael Jordan! 8-page color photo insert.

Rain Of Iron And Ice: The Very Real Threat Of Comet And Asteroid Bombardment


John S. Lewis - 1996
    This study examines such impacts and the implications for future life on Earth.

Black Holes


Heather Couper - 1996
    -- School Library Journal

Undesigning the Bath


Leonard Koren - 1996
    Extraordinary baths instead are complex and distinctly elemental; earthy, sensual and animistic. They are created by natural geologic processes by composers of sensory arousal working in an intuitive, poetic, open-minded manner. incapable of creating deeply satisfying bathing environments?

Princess of the Empire (Seikai no Monshou, #1)


Hiroyuki Morioka - 1996
    They are of human origin, but have been genetically modified so that each Abh has superior talent, skill, beauty, and longevity.In the face of the Abh's awesome military power, Martine's president surrenders without any resistance. Through a bizarre twist of fate, his son Jinto becomes a nobleman in the Abh's vast, intergalactic empire. His new status thrusts him into a world of turmoil, political intrigue, and high-speed adventure.This pulse-pounding space opera is the first novel in the Seikai: Crest of the Stars series.

Bold Endeavors: Lessons from Polar and Space Exploration


Jack Stuster - 1996
    In addition to polar and space explorers, he culls from diaries and other accounts of shipwreck and dis

I Wonder Why Encyclopedia


Mike Stotter - 1996
    Combining solid information with quirky facts, the "I Wonder Why Encyclopedia" provides children with a comprehensive reference to over 500 questions and answers.

Trials and Tribble-Ations


Diane Carey - 1996
    Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise first encountered the irresistible (and astonishingly prolific) lifeform known as the tribbles, resulting in one of the most unusual adventures in the annals of Starfleet. Now Captain Benjamin Sisko and the crew of the USS Defiant are transported back in time to that historic occasion, where Darvin, a devious Klingon spy, plots revenge against Captain Kirk. Using the seemingly harmless tribbles, Darvin attempts to destroy Kirk – but for the misplaced residents of Deep Space 9, saving the original Enterprise will be nothing but "tribble."

Halfway to Anywhere


G. Harry Stine - 1996
    It relates the story of the development and future potential of the reusable Single-Stage-To-Orbit (SSTO) spaceship, and an experimental rocket, the DC-X, built from parts scrounged from space junk yards. The DC-X first flew in 1993 and was repeatedly flown and tested until 1995, proving the concepts of reliability and quick turnaround. The author describes SSTO as economical, reliable, on-demand space transportation of people and cargoes to and from low Earth orbit early in the 21st century. He argues that commercial spaceships that operate like airliners are both possible and profitable.

Exploring The Solar System


Nicholas Booth - 1996
    At one time, the planets and moons of our Solar System were elusive and distant worlds that shimmered tantalizingly through telescope eyepieces; today they are landscapes as vivid and real as those of our own planet. Robotic explorers on missions deep into space and new techniques of image processing have provided us with remarkably realistic views of planetary surfaces and have led to the visual bounty seen in this book. More than 300 of the finest full-colour pictures from the missions of NASA - including the latest discoveries from the Hubble Space Telescope - and the space agencies of Europe, Russia and Japan show us the planets, moons, comets, and asteroids, and the mighty Sun itself. Exploring the Solar System is more than just a picture book, and the opening up of the Solar System has not just provided us with exciting pictures. The book describes and explains the important scientific advances that have been made in the course of space exploration, including recent discoveries about our own planet, Earth, through satellite imaging. It also tells the story, rich in drama and surprises, of the ingenuity and indomitable pioneering spirit that have enabled scientists to reach out and explore the farthest reaches of the Solar System.