Reviews (2)

Quality space tech book
This book is well worth the money. It is in the same
"space technology series" that the "Lunar Base Handbook"
is in.

Finally! *THE* Book on Manned Space Systems.
Not since Koelle's "Handbook of Astronautical Engineering" from the dawn of the Space Age way back in 1961 has there been a comprehensive astronautics text that details requirements for manned spaceflight, including analysis for near term missions to the moon and Mars. For the past 10 years the aerospace industry has been focused on engineering concepts for geosynchronous communications satellites and related trivia, and unfortunately the technical texts have followed in the spirit of this singularly uninspiring application. This book manages to inform as well as inspire the modern space systems engineer that the dream of manned spaceflight is still alive. My compliments to Dr. Larson, and all involved in the production of this magnificent publication! ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

On the night of July 20, 1969, our world changed forever when two Americans, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, walked on the moon. Now the greatest event of the twentieth century is magnificently retold through the eyes and ears of the people who were there. Based on the interviews with twentythree moon voyagers, as well as those who struggled to get the program moving, journalist Andrew Chaikin conveys every aspect of the missions with breathtaking immediacy: from the rush of liftoff, to the heartstopping lunar touchdown, to the final hurdle of reentry. ... Read more

Reviews (92)

If you could have only one book about the Apollo missions...
This is it. Man on the Moon is an indepth read of all the Apollo missions, and the numerous individuals involved in fulfilling President Kennedy's desire to land a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth before 1970. Man on the Moon influenced, to a large extent, the HBO mini series "From the Earth to the Moon", which is my opinion,one of the best pieces of television ever made.

All the Apollo missions are covered, beginning with the illfated Apollo 1, when Grissom, White and Chaffee died of asphyixation, to Apollo 7 (the first manned mission after Apollo 1), to the last mission Apollo 17, when Cernan and Schmitt were the last men to walk on the moon. Some missions naturally have more attention focussed on them; Apollo 8, Apollo 11, and Apollo 13. Despite this, Chaikin still devotes much time to the other missions, and the circumstances surrounding them.

Chaikin has a particularly easy reading style, which given the technical backdrop for the book, is impressive. He introduces the reader to all the major players, Astronauts, Engineers, and Officials of NASA, all brought vividly to life. He provides plenty of ancedotes in his discussions of each particular mission, making for entertaining reading. If you want to know about the manned Apollo missions, get this book. You won't regret it.

Great book! This is what got me interested in space flight!
I would have to say that this is my all-time favourite book! Chaikin takes you through each of the Apollo missions that went around the moon. He has interviewed almost all of the Apollo astronauts, so his story is as close as the real thing as you can get. Also, to add excitement to his book he has included several pages of pictures of the humans on the moon, plus the crews and ships involved in getting them there. Chaikin has also used a map of the moon to show you where each of the lunar missions landed. The text is easy to read and exciting. Compared with James A. Michener's "Space" and Jim Lovell's "Lost Moon", this book is the best

A dream for many, a reality for a few
Space flight - the dream of so many youngsters, is the topic of Andrew Chaikin's book "A Man on the Moon". Chaikin has given us the story of the Apollo space program - the only program launched by NASA that has landed humans on another world.

Chaikin launches the book with the story of the tragic fire that claimed the lives of three astronauts - the first three austronauts to die either in preparation for or during a mission for NASA. The loss of Grissom, White, and Chaffee would pave the way to significant improvements in the Apollo program and probably helped to save the crew of Apollo 13 a few years later.

The book races through the thrills of the Apollo 11 mission and the first humans to set foot on another world - Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, as they landed on the moon. Chaikin captures the tribulations of the Apollo 13 mission where Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise were nearly the first space casualties and the heroic efforts of the NASA staff to return them safely to Earth. He continues through the remaining Apollo missions, concluding with Apollo 17, the final moon landing.

Chaikin has taken terrific interviews and conversations with the astronauts and other members of the Apollo program into account when writin this book. The book covers every topic from the exhiliration of launch to the post-recovery doldrums experienced by some of the astronauts. He explains how space flight changed some of the men, and merely enhanced traits seen in others.

This book is a tremendous piece of literature that belong in every space afficinado's library, and any historian of space travel must read this to understand how the Apollo missions paved the way for the Space Shuttle program and any upcoming manned missions that humans may have planned for the Moon, Mars, or beyond. I highly recommend this book to anyone with any interest in the history of space travel. It is easy to read, and very enjoyable.

Been there...
I am one of the lucky few to have been on the moon. Six times. Thanks to Andrew Chaikin.

Man's Greatest Voyage of Exploration Superbly Presented
My review is of the sumptuous three-volume slipcased Time-Life edition of Chaikin's original work. On the jacket of these volumes that describe the amount of work that went into them, the editors wrote concerning the photographs: "The result, published here, is hundreds of compelling, often lyrical images assembled into a collection that may well never be equaled."

After enjoying hours of reading Chaikin's text and viewing the wonderful photographs compliled to complement it, I would have to agree that this will remain the definitive history of the Apollo program. It certainly would mean most to those who were old enough to witness the first landing on the Moon, as I was.

On July 20, 1969, I was in the lobby of the Seaview Hotel in Ocean City, New Jersey with other guests watching the most momentous event of the 20th century unfold. Our eyes were riveted to a television set and we were watching Neil Armstrong leave the lunar module and work his way down the ladder to the surface of the Moon. No one could say a word; we could only watch in wonder as Armstrong placed his boot on the lunar surface and spoke those immortal words.

This three volume set was published 1999 by Time-Life on the 30th anniversary of that first lunar landing. Chaikin's original book was published five years before; the entire text is included and the Time-Life editors compiled hundreds of the best photos from their own vast collection as well as those from NASA and other sources to complement the text. The result was too big for one or even two volumes, so it was published in three volumes and slipcased. What a treasure this set is!

After an appropriate introduction covering the Mercury and Gemini programs that were necessary stepping stones to reaching the Moon, the books cover each Apollo mission, including the diastrous Apollo 1 pad fire. Each manned mission to the Moon is covered--from Apollo 8 to Apollo 17--in engaging text and memorable photographs. However, much of what was done on Earth in preparation for reaching the Moon is also covered, the training as well as the engineering, written in an understandable style.

This multi-volume set is out of print but can be found through online auctions and used booksellers for a very reasonable price. When you find it, buy two sets--one for yourself and one for a friend would can appreciate it as much as you. We probably will never see another opportunity to go to the Moon in our lifetime. This multi-volume set is the best published record that we actually went there and is a wonderful tribute to the countless dedicated men and women who worked to make it happen. ... Read more

Book Description

Deployable structures can vary their shape automatically from a compact, packaged configuration to an expanded, operational configuration. The first properly engineered deployable structures were used as stabilization booms on early spacecraft. Later on, more complex structures were devised for solar arrays, communication reflectors and telescopes. In other fields there have been a variety of developments, including retractable roofs for stadia, foldable components for cars, portable structures for temporary shelters and exhibition displays. Three main themes are discussed in this book: concepts, working principles, and mechanics of deployable structures, both in engineering and biology; in addition: theory of foldable bar structures and application to deployable tensegrities; formulation of large-rotation analysis of deployable structures and finite-element simulation methods. ... Read more

Book Description

Space Vehicle Dynamics and Control provides a solid foundation in dynamic modeling, analysis, and control of space vehicles. More than 200 figures, photographs, and tables are featured in detailed sections covering the fundamentals of controlling orbital, attitude, and structural motions of space vehicles.

The textbook highlights a range of orbital maneuvering and control problems: orbital transfer, rendezvous, and halo orbit determination and control. Rotational maneuvering and attitude control problems of space vehicles under the influence of reaction jet firings, internal energy dissipation, or momentum transfer via reaction wheels and control moment gyros are treated in detail. The textbook also highlights the analysis and design of attitude control systems in the presence of structural flexibility and/or propellant sloshing. At the end of each chapter, Dr. Wie includes a helpful list of references for graduate students and working professionals studying spacecraft dynamics and control. A bibliography of more than 350 additional references in the field of spacecraft guidance, control, and dynamics is also provided at the end of the book.

Space Vehicle Dynamics and Control requires a thorough knowledge of vector and matrix algebra, calculus, ordinary differential equations, engineering mechanics, and linear system dynamics and control. The first two chapters provide a summary of such necessary background material. Since some problems may require the use of software for the analysis, control design, and numerical simulation, readers should have access to computational software (i.e., MATLAB) on a personal computer. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A great addition to the literature
Bong Wie's "Space Vehicle Dynamics and Control" is, by far, one of the best books ever published in the AIAA Education Series. It packs a lot of info on a multitude of subjects which don't usually come together in a single book. The mathematical preliminaries and the sections on dynamics and control of flexible structures are particularly well done. (This is perhaps the first time a textbook covers the interlacing property of poles & zeros of certain transfer functions, particularly those associated with flexible structures.) In addition, the inclusion of the "H-infinity" topic the way the author did it is very good since, in general, books do not feature the subject in such a concise, objective, useful way. The same is true of the section on halo orbits, as well. Best of all, Wie's having included Kharitonov's theorem comes as a blessing, since the issue is rarely seen in non-European texts.

Unfortunately, in its present form (first edition), the book is not without its flaws. The alphabetical index should indicate explicitly where one can find subjects like the aforementioned interlacing property, as well as bang-bang-type controls. Also, a couple of topics have been omitted altogether: yo-yo devices (possibly deemed too simple) and the more advanced issues pertaining to the extremely important time-varying nonlinear systems (e.g.: time-varying eigenvalues). This is arguably OK, as this last subject, requiring a lot of preliminary material on operator theory, might be considered too advanced for a non-systems book, especially one in the Education Series.

In closing, one must acknowledge Bong Wie for bringing this more-than-welcome addition to the controls literature. ... Read more

Book Description

Buried pipes are a highly efficient method of transport. In fact, only open channels are less costly to construct. However, the structural mechanics of buried pipes can be complicated, and imprecisions in the properties of the soil envelope are usually too great to justify lengthy, complicated analyses. Designers and engineers need principles and methods that simplify analysis and maximize their knowledge of the pipe's performance and performance limits.Structural Mechanics of Buried Pipes minimizes complicated theories, breaks through the imprecisions in the properties of soil, and presents principles that simplify analysis and lead to designs of higher performance and safety. With knowledge built on experience, experimentation, and sound principles, the authors guide readers through the design and analysis processes. They use examples based on actual buried structures and analyze a variety of pipe-soil interaction problems. Sound principles, plentiful examples, and a straightforward presentation provide an outstanding framework for hands-on application and an ideal self-study guide. ... Read more

Book Description

This series of textbooks and supplements for pilots, student pilots, aviation instructors, and aviation specialists provides information on every topic needed to qualify for and excel in the field of aviation. Most FAA Knowledge Exams' questions are taken directly from the information presented in these texts.

This textbook presents the elements of applied aerodynamics and aeronautical engineering that directly relate to the flight training and general flight operations of naval aviators. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A very good reference on basic concepts in Aerodynamics.
I purchased this book on a recommendation from my mentor. Although I have not have much experience in the field, I found most concepts simple to understand and follow. The book is slightly old, thus lacking some of the useful CAD generated diagrams. The pictures are slightly blurry but overall, it is the text that counts.

Great overview of concepts and physical nature of aero
My father used an early version of this when he went to test pilot school, and it is still very useful to introduce aerodynamics to an audience that has had little exposure to the topic. And yet, it does manage to cover the key theoretical concepts as well. ... Read more

Book Description

Identification Modeling and Characteristics of MiniatureRotorcraft introduces an approach to developing a simple andeffective linear parameterized model of vehicle dynamics using theCIFERâ identification tool created by the Army/NASA RotorcraftDivision. It also presents the first application of the advancedcontrol system optimization tool CONDUITâ to systematically andefficiently tune control laws for a model-scale UAV helicopter againstmultiple and competing dynamic response criteria.Identification Modeling and Characteristics of MiniatureRotorcraft presents the detailed account of how the theory wasdeveloped, the experimentation performed, and how the results wereused. This book will serve as a basic and illustrative guide for allstudents that are interested in developing autonomous flyinghelicopters. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A very well-written introduction
Jack Moran's book is an excellent introduction to the field of aerodynamics. It is written in an appealing lecture-like style which involves the reader. The explanations are clear. Moran has the ability to explain difficult concepts in an easy to understand way that enhances the reader's understanding of the underlying physics.

The book covers a variety of topics, ranging from potential flows to supersonic flows and turbulence. The physical and mathematical modelling are clearly presented. Numerical modelling is discussed in great detail for potential flow codes (VLM, panel methods) and Navier-Stokes (finite differences). Example programs are given in the book that can be used in computer labs (although they will likely have to be rewritten in a modern language as Moran uses old style Fortran). ... Read more

Book Description

The Classic Guide by the "Father of Model Rocketry" Now Completely Revised and up to Date… This new edition of the model rocketeer’s "bible" shows you how to safely build, launch, track, and recover model rockets—and have fun doing it. Whether you’re a beginner or a veteran model rocketeer, the Handbook of Model Rocketry, the official manual of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR), will become your well-used reference book. G. Harry Stine has been a model rocketeer since 1957 when he founded the NAR and started the first model rocket company. Stine’s Handbook, after satisfying rocket enthusiasts for nearly three decades, remains the definitive resource. Recent technological progress has had a major effect on the model rocket hobby and sport. This revised and updated edition covers such new technology as:

• revised computer programs that use improved versions of Basic composite propellant model rocket motors
• recently approved reloadable model rocket motors building and flying large model rockets
• radio-controlled boost gliders and rocket gliders
• solid-state, microchip, computer-readable modules used to measure temperature, pressure, acceleration, and airspeed

Reviews (14)

After All These Years, Still the Best
The late Harry Stine is owed by all of us model rocket enthusiasts, active and (like myself) inactive, a debt of gratitude for the work he did to make model rocketry safe, and, more importantly, legal.

While in the end Mr. Stine was not in synch with the average model rocket enthusiast (which were going into high powered rocketry) he was still admired by all for his contributions.

If you want to find out the basics of model rocketry, up to a discussion of the then emerging (big time) high powered rocketry, this book is your bible. Carry it with you if you want to know about engine sizes, stability, recovery devices, everything you need to know to shoot your rocket into the sky and bring it back in one piece (I should add as a side note that rockets that go bad are kind of fun to watch, but really hard on the makers nerves).

Handbook of Model Rocketry
I got this book from the library as a beginner hoping it would be useful. I opened it up when I got home and was amazed. This book had everything i needed to know and much more. It Has a good description of everything about model rockets Including tricks and tips, what not to do, how things work and how to get them to work properly, flight, safety, and construction. This is a great book and perfect to keep by your work table if you want a new idea or need to know something. So overall, i think this book could not of been better!

Gives more than enough information on Model Rocketry.
I use this manual to help me teach both Sea Cadets and CAP Cadets about Model Rocketry. Or more to the point, I use parts of it. Even though the late Mr. Stine had ensured that this book is fully comprehensive, It can have a tad TOO MUCH information. Still, the book does not detract from telling the reader how good, fun, and educational Model Rocketry is. I would recommend it for educators and advanced Model Rocketeers who wish to take their interest to the next level.

Thorough
I'm interested in a lot of different things, and good books is a way to educate yourself on the basics of almost anything. I picked up this book to satisfy my curiousity on model rockets, and boy was it satisfied. This book covers the subject better than anything I have read on model rockets. If after reading and understanding this volume, you still have questions, you should probably not get involved in model rocketry. Highly recommended for beginners and experience rocketeers alike.

Some Good things to know
This book has some good things to know in it and it is more about the sport of model rocketry than anything else. Note of caution, there is very little in this book on designing model rockets from scratch beyond the basics. I was designing a rather advanced rocket and this book didn't help me very much.

But when taken for what it's intended for it's a rather good book. It gives a lot of advice that you might not have come up with on your own and in fact is a pretty good guide for anyone who is a light hobbyist model rocketeer and is looking at getting into clubs and more frequent and serious model rocketry. He keeps the book interesting and amusing with some comments that I found absolutely hilarious. For example he always refers to trees as "Rocket Eating Trees" and in one illustration he has a rocket saying "Bye Bye" as it is carried off with the breeze. I found those kept the book readable. While I liked the anecdotes to his own rocketry experience and found them enlightening those after pure facts may find them excessive. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Just the Aeroelasticity
It's an useful book in order to learn the essence of Aeroelasticity. ... Read more

Book Description

This is a modern textbook that guides the reader through the theory and practice of satellite orbit prediction and determination. Starting from the basic principles of orbital mechanics, it covers elaborate force models as well as precise methods of satellite tracking. Emphasis is on numerical treatment and a multitude of algorithms adopted in modern satellite trajectory computation are described in detail. The accompanying CD-ROM includes all source codes written in C++ and relevant data files for applications. The result is a powerful and unique spaceflight dynamics library which allows easy software extensions by the user. An extensive collection of Internet resources is provided through WWW hyperlinks to detailed and frequently updated online information on spaceflight dynamics. The book addresses students, scientist working in the field of navigation, geodesy and spaceflight technology and satellite engineers and operators focusing on spaceflight dynamics. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Superb textbook on Maths of Satellite Orbit determinations
Satellite Orbits, Models, Methods and Applications is a great reference on Satellite orbit computation/determination. Chapters include; 1. Around the world in hundred minutes 2. Introductory Astrodynamics 3. Force Model 4.Numerical Integration 5. Time and Reference Systems 6. Satellite Tracking and Observation Models 7. Linearization 8. Orbit Determination and Parameter Estimation 9. Applications + Apendices and list of symbols.
This book's emphasis is on the mathematical methods and algorithms used in modern satellite trajectory computations. It also contains extensive list of WWW URLs on spaceflight dynamics.
Hardcover book measures 24 X 16 centimeters, contains 370 glossy pages with a dozen of color photos in the first chapter but lots of graphics ( Ground projections of satellite orbits, perturbations of satellite orbits, orbit determination analysis, ' ) and comes with a CD-ROM on the applications usable in Win98 / NT4.0 or Linux SUSE 7.2.
Excellent textbook designed for post-graduate students and engineers working in the field of spaceflight dynamics, navigation and geodesy.
Philip CORNEILLE

Excellent software
The sections dealing with orbit estimation are very sketchy. Needs to filled out with specific and detailed computational algorithms (e.g. Escobal).
Excellent! software, however.

Outstanding book
This book is a very thorough review of Orbital Mechanics. Current, up to date material that goes from the basics to graduate level. Outstanding CDROM has a lot of source code and compiled applications. The best book I've come across on this subject, highly recommended.

The best book in the field of numerical astrodynamics so far
This book gives a very good overview of numerical orbit determination methods. I would recommend it to anyone who has the basic knowledge of astrodynamics and is interested in orbit determination. It deals with different force models, numerical integration methods, time and reference systems and filter methods. Every chapter has exercises at its end. These exercises are extremely helpfull for understanding the theory of this chapter. The CD-ROM accompanying the book is absolutely great. It contains all source code (C++) for the different exercises in the book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In Full Moon, one of the best science photography books ever published, Michael Light presents a voyage in images to the Moon and back. Light took NASA's master negatives of photos taken by Apollo astronauts and scanned them electronically. The resulting pictures are so vivid they seem more clear than real life. Light orders the photos sequentially, selecting the most arresting images from each mission, to create a truly cinematic experience. In the first section, depicting blastoff, you can almost feel the violent shaking of the rocket as it strains to escape Earth's gravity. Then you see the quiet stillness of weightlessness, the astronauts' view down at a perfectly silent Earth, boundless oceans contrasting with bright white clouds. A spacewalk adds vertigo--the astronaut looks fragile and very alone as he floats outside his capsule far above his home planet. Then comes the waiting, as the long voyage toward the Moon continues.

As you watch the cratered surface get closer and closer, you have no sense of scale until you see the miniscule silver and gold lander dropping gently to land on the Moon. Leaving the cluttered interior of the capsule in bulky, awkward suits, the astronauts bring delicate tracings of color--gold on the lander; red, white, and blue on the spacesuits' flag patches--to this black-and-white world. Five huge gatefolds in this section give you indescribable views of the intricately scarred surface of the Moon.

You return to space for the reuniting of the lander and capsule, and a repetition of the tedious journey back home. Finally, you watch a chaotic splashdown in the riot of colors that is Earth.

A nice section in the back of the book explains each photo with a detailed caption, and an essay by author Andrew Chaikin (A Man on the Moon) adds more written context to this stunning visual experience. The book is printed on very high-quality paper, with matte black frames for the photos and a gorgeous, wordless cover. Every space fan should have a copy. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (52)

The best space picture book ever
This is a fantastic book! Who would have thought to use actual NASA negatives, a little photo technology, and presto, create a stunning book of Apollo photos? This is a great addition to anyone's personal library. However, I was slightly dissappointed. It says that the author wanted to avoid the more famous pictures, like the one of Buzz Aldrin on the moon. But why? I think the famous ones need to be seen like you are actually there instead of yellowed fourth and fifth generation duplicates more than the "never-before-published" photos. Other than that small dissapotinment, you ought to get it.

Breathtaking collection of moon/Project Apollo photos
This is a gorgeous collection of photographs celebrating the Apollo missions to the moon. The photos are huge, rendered in beautiful detail, and are marvelously selected to provide almost the experience of going and being there. Some almost cheat a little bit: larger and larger photos of the moon to indicate the trip there, and likewise with the earth on the trip back. The photos from the moonwalks are wonderful, though, and frequently ones I've never seen before (which is saying something). You can see each footprint and rover track. This is a book I'll be perusing again and again.

Simply brilliant
This is a superb pictorial record of man's journey to the moon.

The photographs are simply stunning, detailed, and beautifully bound.

Simply brilliant.

The Perfection of Apollo
The moon landing is the greatest thing this country has even done and Michael Light, like no one before him, indelibly captures the glory and majesty of the Apollo program. Drawing from NASA's stock of thousands of photographs, Light takes us on a hypothetical moon voyage from launch to splashdown. The flames of a Saturn booster are juxtaposed with the unreal contrasts of the lunar surface. Such a collection of space photography is an unprecedented event.

His achievement is all the more impressive when one considers that the photographs he has compiled were not strictly the work of professionals, but rather the work of astronauts -- scientists, pilots and engineers who captured the beauty of an alien world as well as any painter could hope to do.

Full Moon
A voyage to the Moon & back: a stunning, mysterious, elegant sequence of 145 photographs-most of them never before published-selected from 32,000 taken by the Apollo astronauts & preserved in the NASA archives. Chosen by Michael Light & arranged to show us a composite voyage, infinitely more immediate & moving than any special-effects simulation we have seen, these breathtaking photographs reveal the experience of space travel in all its audacious splendor. Here is the baptism by fire at liftoff; the vertiginous experience of space-walking; the utterly incomparable emptiness of the lunar landscape. We see the Moon's surface irrevocably changed by the arrival of men & their equipment; & the glowing blue ball of Earth, indescribably beautiful at such enormous physical & psychological distance. Wonderful in the truest sense of the word, Full Moon makes astronauts of us all, allowing us to see one of the most extraordinary journeys of all time through the eyes of the men who made it. ... Read more

Book Description

At a time when airport construction is poised for a boom, this Third Edition provides the most up-to-date engineering and design methods on the topic. Coverage includes drainage and pavement design, airside layout, landside access design, passenger and cargo facilities and terminal design. Also, special coverage is included on airport master and system planning. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great for the airport enthusiast!
Great book. But the price you are selling it for is about $35.00 above a regular price. ... Read more

Book Description

The simplest, most intuitive book on the toughest lessons of flight--addresses the science of flying in terms, explanations, and illustrations that make sense to those who most need to understand: those who fly. Debunks long-rooted misconceptions and offers a clear, minimal-math presentation that starts with how airplanes fly and goes on to clarify a diverse range of topics, such as design, propulsion, performance, high-speed flight, and flight testing. Not-to-be missed insights for pilots, instructors, flight students, aeronautical engineering students, and flight enthusiasts. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Gets the Job Done
The authors want to give you "the SIMPLEST way to master an understanding of the science of flight". They do this without any real math to speak of, but their text, illustrations, and pictures very well convey the physical description of lift and other material that they strive to present to the reader. A good book for the layman, the beginning and/or more experienced pilot, but too basic for the engineer. There are typos that may confuse (as on page 24), but for the most part the authors have delivered on what you're looking for when you purchase the book.

Book editors must be in short supply.
The authors' attempt at giving the reader a feel for the physics of flight is lost in a sea of laughably poor grammar and typographic errors.

My favorite error is in Figure 2.10 which shows the 'Angel of Attack' of a wing. All I can think of is 'Cherubim with an attitude'.

Understanding Flight
I teach aerodynamics at San Jacinto College in Houston and have been searching for a number of years for what I consider to be satisfactory textbook. "Understanding Flight" meets a college level criteria for the explanation of aerodynamic theories and concepts without the complicated math and geometry. The authors, David Anderson and Scott Eberhardt, have published some interesting papers over the net in the past. I was excited when I found that a book covering all phases of aerodynamics had been produced by the two. A new and refreshing approach to old subjects and misunderstood opinions filled the pages. I have read everything I could find in order to give my students the latest information available. These concepts and the methods used to explain them have not been addressed in a complete textbook up until now, at least to my knowledge. The fact that a physicist and a professor of aeronautics have delivered these principals and ideas in a texbook format lends a tremendous amount of credibility to their validity. I'm thrilled to be able to present these explanations in the classroom but every aviator should possess the understanding this book provides about what's going on about him or her each time they leave the ground.

Understanding flight - good subject, stodgy text.
fascinating book hampered by some fairly poor sentence crafting. For example, on the flight of insects, the authors say

"Circulation is a model developed for large aircraft that does not apply to small insects, by blowing air down."

I have yet to figure out this sentence.

And there is the interesting typo on page 232 "Remember, the Coanda effect is the pheromone that causes a flowing liquid such as air to wrap around a solid object."...

A Must-Read For everyone interested in machines that fly
. Both authors are scientists and pilots and have teamed up to scientifically challenge some of our traditional explanations of flight found in ground school texts and popular books on airplanes and flying. In fact, the authors point out (and prove) some of the traditional explanations of the physics of flight are just plain wrong. Together these co-authors present an impressive combination of knowledge about airflows, physics, aeronautics, and piloting.

The authors make the argument that the airplane wing produces lift because it is literally reacting upward in response to the huge amounts of air being drawn across the top and diverted down behind the trailing edge of a wing.

A must-read for every pilot is the book's description of the physics of flowing air bending around the a curved wing surface. We learn that it is the Coanda Effect, viscosity, and boundary layer that keep the air bent over the curvature of the wing. And without these phenomena flight is not possible. These explanations will lead us to answering such intriguing questions as how vortex generators work, why we can't hose the dust off our car, why golf balls are dimpled, why frost on airplane wings is a problem, and how baseball pitchers throw a curve ball.

This book should become a standard reference for pilot training. ... Read more

Book Description

Intended for both majors and non-majors taking a first course in Introduction to Aerospace Engineering or Introduction to Flight, Newman's INTERACTIVE AEROSPACE ENGINEERING & DESIGN text will inspire students with its integrated bound-in CD-ROM (PC & Mac compatible); and with its strong emphasis on introducing the design process in a way beginning students can understand. The text/CD's active visual approach and inclusion of space-oriented topics make it ideal for the changing needs of the Aerospace Engineering field. Newman's book is the first in its course area to include integrated multimedia resources. The CD-ROM, bound in with every book, includes the entire text in pdf form for electronic viewing options. It also integrates extensive animations, QuickTime movies, and Matlab-based simulations to motivate student readers. Quicktime movies of a student design project competition is included to convey the importance of team-oriented design to readers, and a section on human-powered flight points out the design choices made for these types of machines. A gallery of additional full-color illustrations, keyed to the text, is also included on the CD-ROM. Newman also provides strong coverage of basic aerodynamics concepts and applications, fixed-wing aircraft topics, orbital mechanics, satellites & spacecraft, and space mission endeavors.Additional support is available on the Book Website:www.mhhe.com/engcs/aero/newman/ ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Very fun book, but somewhat lacking in depth
Michael Hanlon has written a book which captures the excitement of getting Galileo to Jupiter. This includes lots of engineering and management fixes to keep things on track, as well as the euphoria when everything finally works, esp. with the atmospheric probe and the Jupiter orbital insertion. He also describes very well the neat science learned while in orbit, esp. the Europa ocean debate.

My only problem with the book is that it's kind of at the PR-level of knowledge. That is, if you were following along with the mission, then there's probably not a lot new to learn here. (If you weren't following along, then feel free to disregard this review! :-) There are some interesting new tidbits, like the proposed work on an underground lake in Antarctica, to prepare for a drilling mission on Europa.

Troubled travels
Journeys of exploration have always been risky ventures. When the trip involves several years over millions of kilometres, the odds of unblemished success grow enormous. Engaging in such a venture in the realm of space, almost beyond the reach of human control suggests hazards beyond imagining. This book describes such a venture, perhaps the most ambitious ever undertaken. That the measure of success achieved was so great is a tribute to all those who planned and implemented it. Michael Hanlon gives us a ringside seat in his portrayal of the journey of the Galileo Mission to Jupiter. Although not a participant, he ably captures the dedication and skills of the Mission Team. Further, he's able to place us in the space vehicle as it traversed one of the most bizarre journeys ever undertaken.

The Galileo Mission was spurred by the preceding Pioneer and Voyager missions of the 1970s. These four robots cruised through the outer solar system, returning stunning views of the largest planet and its associates beyond. In doing so, they raised numerous and unanswerable questions about our neighbours in space. Unlike the previous probes, Hanlon takes us through the planning that led Galileo's flight to Venus, back past Earth to its final destination far out in the solar system. The efforts put into the flight brought Galileo to within 5 km of its intended position when it arrived at Venus - a staggering achievement.

All the planning and engineering couldn't prevent problems, however. NASA's attempt to open the main transmitting antenna failed when some minor pins failed to release. When Galileo arrived at its primary destination, the antenna looked like an umbrella wracked by high winds. NASA used other methods to maintain communication, resulting in the stunning images seen here. It was a frustrating experience for the mission team, yet Galileo added a treasure house of new information about our neighbours in space.

We are so accustomed to the notion that we are the sole home of life, that the problems surrounding Galileo's termination render this issue the most bizarre of the trip. Europa, the ice-coated satellite of Jupiter, may contain living organisms in its hidden sea. In order not to contaminate that life, if it exists, Galileo had to be purposely sacrificed. Hanlon describes the options and why each was considered worthwhile. Galileo went to explore the Jovian system and was still transmitting images as he completed this vividly descriptive work. He is to be commended for a gripping account. We may be the only life in this group of planets, but Galileo's records give us a major argument to continue our search for life elsewhere. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

The Inside Story of Nasa's Mission to Jupiter
The Worlds of Galileo tells the story of the American space probe that, five years ago, began studying Jupiter and its moons. The history of the NASA probe, Galileo, and its long space odyssey to the most dramatic corner of the Solar System is an account of a unique journey. Packed with first-hand testimonies from the men and women who made it happen, we go behind the scenes to learn just how many times the project was saved from disaster before its ultimate triumph. Illustrated with over one hundred color images straight from the NASA archives, the book reveals the harsh beauty and remarkable landscapes of the Jovian system.

Excellent!
In 'The Worlds of Galileo', Mike Hanlon, one of Britain's leading newspaper science editors, relates how NASA's Galileo spacecraft overcame a series of severe problems and went on to revolutionise our understanding of the Jovian system.

Drawing upon interviews with the key participants, Hanlon explains the project's origin in the cash-strapped 1970s, the political travails of the early 1980s, and the redesign in the aftermath of the Challenger accident. After the spacecraft's epic voyage out to Jupiter, he focuses upon the astonishing 'fire and ice' moons of volcanic Io and Europa, where there appears to be an ocean beneath a thin shell of ice.

Hanlon handles the geological discussion with ease, so this is a highly readable account. Certainly, Sir Arthur C. Clarke, who contributed the foreword, was impressed. Finally, St Martins Press is to be congratulated for having produced a very handsome volume with colour imagery throughout. ... Read more