Moon Hunters: NASA's Remarkable Expeditions to the Ends of the Solar Systems - Softcover

Kluger, Jeffrey

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0684865599 ISBN 13: 9780684865591

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2001

Synopsis

A look at the scientists who design and fly the spacecraft exploring the outer reaches of the solar system discusses unmanned missions to Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune.

About this title

Review

Earth's moon is a gray, lifeless place, interesting geologically but perhaps a little disappointing to those of us looking for strange, colorful new worlds. But our moon is only one of more than 60 planetary satellites in the solar system, most of which are entirely unexplored. In Moon Hunters (published in hardcover as Journey Beyond Selene), Jeffrey Kluger chronicles these unsung places and the heroes who explore them: the Jet Propulsion Lab's staff of dedicated adventurers, who build and fly sleek, unmanned spacecraft to investigate other moons. "When astronauts finally did reach the moon," Kluger writes, "the lean, fleet ships of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory had already gone elsewhere."

Why explore the satellites of other planets when the planets themselves remain mysterious? Kluger describes astronomers' first realization that in contrast to the lifeless gas giant Jupiter, its moons were a veritable scientific playground:

There were big moons and small moons, patterned moons and plain moons, brightly colored moons and pasty-pale moons.... There were moons that could have atmospheres, water, and even, perhaps, a spark of internal heat. Put them together, and you had moons that could, in theory, harbor life.

Moon Hunters chronicles the history of a little-understood aspect of humanity's quest to discover new worlds. From the early Ranger orbiters through the incredible journeys of Voyager and Galileo, Kluger gives credit where credit is long overdue. They may not be astronauts, but these space jockeys have the right stuff. --Therese Littleton

About the Author

Jeffrey Kluger is a senior writer at Time who specializes in science and the space program. He is the coauthor with Jim Lovell of the bestseller Apollo 13 and a former contributing editor and columnist for Discover magazine. He lives in New York City with his wife Alejandra and their daughter Elisa.

About this edition

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0684865599
• ISBN 13: 9780684865591
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320