November 1, 2017
From the first Mercury astronaut to travel into space to the Apollo moon landing to inhabiting the International Space Station (ISS), space exploration has been under the purview of the U.S. government's National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA). After the demise of the space shuttle program in 2011, the future of space exploration and travel was uncertain. Aerospace journalist Pappalardo (editor in chief, Dallas Observer) explores how spaceflight has been reinvented and reinvigorated through the initiatives of private corporations and pioneering entrepreneurs. Companies such as Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, Elon Musk's SpaceX, and Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin stand at the forefront of commercial spaceflight and aim to develop a thriving space tourism business through building spaceports and space ships. They also have been contracting out their transport services, resupplying the ISS for NASA, and launching satellites for telecommunications companies and the military. VERDICT The author's engaging style and clear explanations of the technology and processes that are involved in the exciting world of commercial spaceflight will delight space buffs, technology enthusiasts, and the general science reader.--Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL
Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.