klaes@mtwain.dec.com (CUP/ML, MLO5-2/G1 8A, 223-3283) (01/20/89)
For the person who requested some information on the history of planetary exploration by space probes, I recommend the following works, categorized in three groups: General overviews, specific books on particular space missions, and periodical sources on space probes. This list is by no means complete; it is primarily designed to give you places to start your research through generally available works on the subject. If anyone can add pertinent works to the list, it would be greatly appreciated. Though naturally I recommend all the books listed below, I think it would be best if you started out with the general overview books, in order to give you a clear idea of the history of space exploration in this area. I also recommend that you pick up some good, up-to-date general works on astronomy and the Sol system, to give you some extra background. Most of these books and periodicals can be found in any good public and university library. Some of the more recently published works can also be purchased in and/or ordered through any good mass- market bookstore. General Overviews (in alphabetical order by author): Merton E. Davies and Bruce C. Murray, THE VIEW FROM SPACE: PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPLORATION OF THE PLANETS, 1971 Kenneth Gatland et al, THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY, 1981 Kenneth Gatland, ROBOT EXPLORERS, 1972 Clayton R. Koppes, JPL AND THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM: A HISTORY OF THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY, 1982 Arthur Smith, PLANETARY EXPLORATION: THIRTY YEARS OF UNMANNED SPACE PROBES, 1988 Carl Sagan, PLANETS, 1969 (LIFE Science Library) Andrew Wilson, (JANE'S) SOLAR SYSTEM LOG, 1987 Specific Mission References: Charles A. Cross and Patrick Moore, THE ATLAS OF MERCURY, 1977 (The MARINER 10 mission to Venus and Mercury, 1973-1975) Joel Davis, FLYBY: THE INTERPLANETARY ODYSSEY OF VOYAGER 2, 1987 Irl Newlan, FIRST TO VENUS: THE STORY OF MARINER 2, 1963 Margaret Poynter and Arthur L. Lane, VOYAGER: THE STORY OF A SPACE MISSION, 1984 Carl Sagan, MURMURS OF EARTH, 1978 (Deals with the Earth information records placed on VOYAGER 1 and 2 in case the probes are found by intelligences in interstellar space, as well as the probes and planetary mission objectives themselves.) Other works and periodicals: NASA has published very detailed and technical books on every space probe mission it has launched. Good university libraries will carry these books, and they are easily found simply by knowing which mission you wish to read about. I recommend these works after you first study some of the books listed above. Some periodicals I recommend for reading on space probes are NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, which has written articles on the PIONEER probes to Earth's Moon Luna and the Jovian planets Jupiter and Saturn, the RANGER, SURVEYOR, LUNAR ORBITER, and APOLLO missions to Luna, the MARINER missions to Mercury, Venus, and Mars, the VIKING probes to Mars, and the VOYAGER missions to Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus (and soon Neptune). More details on American, Soviet, European, and Japanese probe missions can be found in SKY AND TELESCOPE, ASTRONOMY, and SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN magazines. TIME, NEWSWEEK, and various major newspapers can supply not only general information on certain missions, but also show you what else was going on with Earth at the time events were unfolding, if that is of interest to you. Space missions are affected by numerous political and economic factors, as you no doubt know. Depending on just how far your interest in space probes will go, you might also wish to join The Planetary Society, one of the largest space groups in the world dedicated to planetary exploration. Their periodical, THE PLANETARY REPORT, details the latest space probe missions. Membership in the Society is $20 yearly for U.S. citizens. Write to The Planetary Society, 65 North Catalina Avenue, Pasadena, California 91106 USA. Good luck with your studies in this area of space exploration. I personally find planetary missions to be one of the more exciting areas in this field, and the benefits human society has and will receive from it are incredible, with many yet to be realized. Larry Klaes
dalex@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Dave Alexander) (01/21/89)
In article <8901200053.AA23790@decwrl.dec.com> klaes@mtwain.dec.com (CUP/ML, MLO5-2/G1 8A, 223-3283) writes: > Space missions are affected by numerous political and economic > factors, as you no doubt know. If this is a particular interest, let me recommend "...the Heavens and the Earth: A Political History of the Space Age" I believe that the author's name is Patrick Houghton. It discusses the political factors that helped to shape the development of the space age, looking at both the military and civilian aspects of the American space program. Most of the information is about the American space program, with some speculation about what was happening in the U.S.S.R. The time period begins with WWII. It told me a lot about the origins of the arms race as well as the space program. I recommend it highly to anyone curious about either. -- Dave Alexander -- "Experience has proved that some people indeed know everything." -- Russell Baker
henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) (01/23/89)
I'm amazed at the omission of Oran W. Nicks's "Far Travelers", NASA SP-480, which is a history of NASA's unmanned planetary exploration by the man who was in charge of most of it. -- Allegedly heard aboard Mir: "A | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology toast to comrade Van Allen!!" | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu