Book Description

The breakup of the Space Shuttle Columbia as it reentered Earth's atmosphere on February 1, 2003, reminded the public--and NASA--of the grave risks posed to spacecraft by everything from insulating foam to space debris. Here, Alan Tribble presents a singular, up-to-date account of a wide range of less conspicuous but no less consequential environmental effects that can damage or cause poor performance of orbiting spacecraft. Conveying a wealth of insight into the nature of the space environment and how spacecraft interact with it, he covers design modifications aimed at eliminating or reducing such environmental effects as solar absorptance increases caused by self-contamination, materials erosion by atomic oxygen, electrical discharges due to spacecraft charging, degradation of electrical circuits by radiation, and bombardment by micrometeorites. This book is unique in that it bridges the gap between studies of the space environment as performed by space physicists and spacecraft design engineering as practiced by aerospace engineers.

... Read more

Reviews (3)

Pretty good text for Space Environment Interactions
I wouldn't call this text amazing, but it is certainly adequate. I used this book for a graduate level course in space environment interactions mostly because there was a lack of other resources available. This book gives a decent overview, without getting too bogged down with the physics involved. However, the professor had to pull a large chunk of his material from other sources (out of print sources) because Tribble is a little to basic. As an aerospace engineer, I don't care so much about the EE stuff, so Tribble does a good job summarizing the EE physics. Overall, a sufficient reference that gives a good overview of s/c-environment interactions.

AMAZING!!
I bought this book along with about 7 others like it and this was only one of two that were great at explaining everything in words a high school student would understand! This book is amazing and after taking AP Chemistry and Physics it has become even more useful! If you want to design the fuselages of spacecraft this is a must buy! Also Alan Tribble has written a few other good books I have seen.

Excellent.
This book is one of the best I have found on the topic of a spacecraft's environment. It provides an introduction the many environments one finds with launch, various orbits and deep space missions. The physic of space are presented with enough detail that the engineer involved in spacecraft design gains an understanding of the environments that are encountered in space. The excellent references at the end of each chapter allow the reader to study the topic in more depth when needed. The book is written in a textbook format, with compulsory study questions at the end of each chapter. At times the math seemed disproportionate or irrelevant to the topic, but that is not unlike most textbooks. The several charts and figures are clear and applicable to the discussion in the text, never superfluous. I expected this book to serve as a reference that I could pull from the shelve, when needed, but the book is so well written and enjoyable, I instead read the book cover to cover. ... Read more

Book Description

This book unifies all aspects of flight dynamics for the efficient development of aerospace vehicle simulations. It provides the reader with a complete set of tools to build, program, and execute simulations. Unlike other books, it uses tensors for modeling flight dynamics in a form invariant under coordinate transformations. For implementation, the tensors are converted to matrices, resulting in compact computer code. The reader can pick templates of missiles, aircraft, or hypersonic vehicles to jump-start a particular application.

It is the only textbook that combines the theory of modeling with hands-on examples of three-, five-, and six-DoF simulations. Free access to eight prototype simulations and to CADAC Studio–used in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany–is included with the book.

Amply illustrated with 318 figures and 44 examples, the text can be used for advanced undergraduate and graduate instruction or for self-study. Also included are 77 problems that enhance the ability to model aerospace vehicles and nine projects that hone the skills for developing three-, five-, and six-DoF simulations. Instructors may request a solution manual at no cost from the publisher. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Here we have a modern Flight Dynamics treatise!
Comments on
"Modeling and Simulation of Aerospace Vehicle Dynamics"

Here we have a modern Flight Dynamics treatise!

Dr. Zipfel presents his book as an account of Modeling and Simulation techniques; in fact, it is much more: it is, as we just said, a modern, exhaustive and deep Flight Dynamics treatise.

In the first six chapters, where Dr. Zipfel presents the theoretical foundations of Flight Dynamics, he introduces the reader to the very powerful, elegant and concise Tensorial formulation (which is uncommon except in very few, specialized reports), which is elevated to an axiomatic level ("from tensor modeling to matrix coding", in his words). This formulation, when applied to the Rational Mechanics and Modeling chapters(2 to 6), should allow the undergraduate (or recently graduated) student to see and enjoy the power and beauty underlying in these old physics branch. These chapters could configure an excellent text as part of a Mechanical or Aeronautical Engineering graduated level Rational Mechanics course (which we will intend to verify in the following course at National University of Córdoba, Argentina).

The second part of the book (which we should define as the "Aerospace" part), is devoted to Aerospace System simulation itself: beginning (in Chapter 7) with a blow of fresh air on our old, loved Perturbation Equations introducing the reader in the specificities of the Flight Dynamics (i.e. Aerodynamic forces and moments modeling), Dr. Zipfel leads with the most awkward part of Dynamics Analysis: The modeling of complete vehicles (regardless they are planes, missiles, launch vehicles or spacecrafts), in which the range of subsystems, and links between them, involved may feel sick to the beginner (and, sometimes, to experienced engineers). Again, beginning with basics (3-D.O.F. modeling), the reader is conveyed in a simultaneously strict an pleasant way to the deeps of full 6-D.O.F. simulations, including items such as Control, Guidance and Navigation Systems, Seekers, full non-linear aerodynamics and stochastic effects. The specialized engineer will find these Chapters as primary reference for any concrete modeling task.
The primary tool used by Dr. Zipfel in his task is CADAC software (Computer Aided Design of Aerospace Concepts), which we see as one of the bests Aerospace Simulation open codes available worldwide. Its modularity, documentation and completeness allow the reader to quickly understanding, as well as to perform modifications to suit it to specific needs. This software is highly valuable both for students and specialized engineers needed to develop simulation tools.

In brief, we found Modeling and Simulation of Aerospace Vehicle Dynamics a great book for both engineering students and specialized engineers; everybody will enjoy reading it, because its elegant and concise notation and its deep and rigorous mathematical treatment, as well as the powerful tools that Dr. Zipfel puts in the engineers' hands. This book should be on the desk of any simulation engineer as a primary reference in his day-to-day job.

Eduardo Zapico Professor, Aer. Eng., National University of Córdoba, Argentina, Scientific manager, Nostromo Consulting, Córdoba

Marcelo Martinez Manager Aerodynamics ,Nostromo onsulting ,Cordoba -Argentina ... Read more

Book Description

Radiative Processes in Astrophysics: This clear, straightforward, and fundamental introduction is designed to present-from a physicist's point of view-radiation processes and their applications to astrophysical phenomena and space science. It covers such topics as radiative transfer theory, relativistic covariance and kinematics, bremsstrahlung radiation, synchrotron radiation, Compton scattering, some plasma effects, and radiative transitions in atoms. Discussion begins with first principles, physically motivating and deriving all results rather than merely presenting finished formulae. However, a reasonably good physics background (introductory quantum mechanics, intermediate electromagnetic theory, special relativity, and some statistical mechanics) is required. Much of this prerequisite material is provided by brief reviews, making the book a self-contained reference for workers in the field as well as the ideal text for senior or first-year graduate students of astronomy, astrophysics, and related physics courses. Radiative Processes in Astrophysics also contains about 75 problems, with solutions, illustrating applications of the material and methods for calculating results. This important and integral section emphasizes physical intuition by presenting important results that are used throughout the main text; it is here that most of the practical astrophysical applications become apparent. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An Almost Perfect Book for a Course on Astrophysics
One of the peculiarities of Astrophysics is that, as a
subject, is difficult to teach. It requires to go deep into
the physics of the objects under study (which span the whole
Universe) but alto to keep a broad view (the so called "Big
Picture") since most of the objects and their histories
cannot be understood if they are isolated from the others.
One of the problems a teacher faces is, hence, how to strike a
balance between these two disparate goals within the limited
time of one or two academic terms.

Rybicki and Lightman success with this book is to take the
physics of astrophysical problems involving radiation from
the general approaches of the physics books to the particular
conditions of most of the cases that astronomy cares about
without leaving rigorousity along the way. With a little
abuse of language: They bring Physics a step closer to
Astronomy.

On the other hand, the area of actual applications that
astronomers use is almost neglected. For example, the
introductory chapters on Radiative Transfer and Black
Body Radiation could have served to motivate a chapter on
theoretical basis of photometry (theoretical approach to
color indices, extinction by dust or other microscopic
particles). This would have given the student a more
realistic flavor of the tools that astrophysicists use
in their everyday (every night?) work. The Problem Sets,
in addition, are claiming for a few numerical
applications to profit from the, now easily available
to students, computer power.

Every serious astrophysics teacher and student should
use this book... and think hard on how to take the
next step from Rybicki and Lightman to the Absolute
Magnitude versus Color Index diagrams.

Excellent Discussion
Thorough, concise, and very readable. Topics are clearly presented, equations are elegantly explained. One of the most useful texts I own.

Standard Text in the Field
This is THE standard text in the field of astrophysical radiation processes. Covers most processes of interest for the astrophysicist, at a depth adequate for graduate students. Well written and understandable. A must buy, despite the very high price. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Stephen Hawking, science's first real rock star, may be the least-read bestselling author in history--it's no secret that many people who own A Brief History of Time have never finished it. Hawking's The Universe in a Nutshell aims to remedy the situation, with a plethora of friendly illustrations to help readers grok some of the most brain-bending ideas ever conceived.

Does it succeed? Yes and no. While Hawking offers genuinely accessible context for such complexities as string theory and the nature of time, it's when he must translate equations to sentences that the limits of language get in the way. But Hawking has simplified the origin of the universe, the nature of space and time, and what holds it all together to an unprecedented degree, inviting nonscientists to share his obvious awe and love of the unseen forces that shape it all.

Yes, it's difficult reading, but it's worth it. Hawking is one of the great geniuses of our time, a man whose life has been devoted to thinking in the abstract about the universe. With his help, and pictures--lots of pictures--we can seek to understand a bit more of the cosmos. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (146)

A Mandala of the Universe
Stephen Hawking is a phenomenon of our age. We are all familiar with his tragic form: confined by Lou Gehrig's disease to a wheelchair, unable to move, his great mind reduced to communicating through the medium of an unearthly computerized voice. Just as we sometimes believe the blind are gifted with second sight or uncanny musical ability, most of us can't help suspecting that Hawking has been compensated for his disability by being granted a special insight into the true nature of our Universe, that he has somehow seen privileged to see the face of God.

Such notions were no doubt behind the incredible success of his first book, "A Brief History of Time" (1988). Considering the difficulty of the subject matter, which can best be expressed through complex mathematical formula, and the fact that it was the first book of its kind to top bestseller lists around the world, this work soon became notorious as the most unread book of all time.

With the release of "The Universe in a Nutshell," the great physicist has descended from the Mount Sinai of scientific wisdom with a fresh set of tablets engraved with the secrets of the Universe. Keen to avoid the mistakes of the first work, this book is markedly more accessible, less text heavy, and extremely well illustrated, with half the book consisting of various diagrams that enable the reader to get the gist of such advanced concepts as 11-dimensional supergravity, multi-dimensional spacetime, p-branes, string theory, and time loops, to mention a few.

Most of the concepts presented here are pure mathematical constructs that have little chance of being empirically proven or disproven for some time yet. They therefore exist as a kind of Buddhist mandala, helping us to contemplate, without fully understanding, the immense mystery of our Universe.

With a style reminiscent of the science writer Isaac Asimov, the book succeeds in being a lot more readable. Inevitably this has brought charges of 'dumbing down' and oversimplification. "The Universe in a Nutshell" nevertheless remains a challenging and entertaining read, and ideal as the kind of book you want to leave lying around at home to give visitors an idea of just how deep and intellectual you really are (even if you aren't).

Actually 4 and a half stars
This is a well written book on a very difficult subject. Hawking has a very engaging style and is very funny at times. Unlike a previous reviewer, I thought the pictures added a great deal. Sometimes the captions for them didn't explain much. Its also difficult to express in a picture multidimensional branes. I liked how he explained relativity and quantum mechanics, but honestly if you've read Brian Greene then Hawking's treatment is more of the same. I think his main theme is to keep an open mind to all these potential theories (not including the Big Bang which the scientific community has shown its validity experimentally over and over again) and to give an overview of each of them. He gives a brief bibliography, spliting it up into technical and non-technical books. I would recomend this to anyone interested in the universe and the research about the universe. If you come with a closed mind then don't waste your time.

"Curled Dimensions" or Just Mimicking the Usual Three?
Sir:
"Curled Dimensions" or Just Mimicking the Usual Three?
The claims by Hawking (The World in a Nutshell) and Greene (The Elegant Universe) to be close to a theory of everything (TOE) are premature in two essential ways:
1.A true TOE would start with a definition of theory and proceed to a theory of knowledge or epistemology.
2.The idea that nature has 10 or more hidden spatial dimensions "all curled up" is just an artificial way to give their physically impossible one dimensional strings enough degrees of environmental freedom to mimic a real three dimensional object.
3.Wolfram's "New Kind of Science", along with Fredkin's attempt to model the world as a cellular automaton will not work either, for cellular automata can neither be programmed nor given a physical basis. There is neither computable software nor identifiable hardware.
4.I discuss all this in my forthcoming booklet "The World" (Core Books, Summer, 2004, drudin@radix.net). See also www.worldtheory.org.

INSTITUTE FOR AXIOMATIC KNOWLEDGE
AND SYSTEMATIC EDUCATION
Annapolis, MD USA
Donald O. Rudin, M.D., President.
Professor, Mathematical Epistemology

An amazing look at the beautiful wonders of our universe
In The Universe in a Nutshell, the amazing scientist Stephen Hawking takes the reader on a journey of all the various theories concerning the nature of our vast universe. These theories are so fantastical that they really stretch the limits of your imagination, yet they are grounded in real research by some of the best minds in the world.

Hawking addresses topics such as the quest among much of the physics community to unite Einstein's theory of relativity with quantum mechanics, which would describe the universe on scales of lightyears all the way down to the atomic level. He introduces amazing concepts such as imaginary time and the possibility of our universe consisting of up to 10 or 11 dimensions. He even addresses the possibility of time travel and alien life.

The book has wonderful illustrations which help one to grasp the profound concepts with which Hawking deals. Also, the book is written in such a manner that each chapter can basically stand on its own. If you liked A Brief History of Time, I'm sure you'll like this.

This is a really great book and if you have any interest in getting a glimpse into the most incredible, yet compelling theories of the universe this book would certainly be for you.

I love this book
Inspite of all the negative reviews for this book I love it, it all depends what you want out of this book. If you want to get familiar with Mr. Hawking's bright ideas this book is for you, but if like some readers you expect to become a physicist after reading one book it is not for you. Reading the negative reviews I noticed those reviewers eighter don't have an open mind for others' ideas or expect this book to cover everything. I highly recommend it. Enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

Edited by Daniel Goroff, Harvard University This English-language edition of Poincare's landmark work is of interest not only to historians of science, but also to mathematicians. Beginning from an investigation of the three-body problem of Newtonian mechanics, Poincare lays the foundations of the qualitative solutions of differential equations. To investigate the long-unsolved problem of the stability of the Solar System, Poincare invented a number of new techniques including canonical transformations, asymptotic series expansions, and integral invariants. These "new methods" are even now finding applications in chaos and other contemporary disciplines. Contents: Volume I: Periodic and asymptotic solutions: Introduction by Daniel Goroff. Generalities and the Jacobi method. Series integration. Periodic solutions. Characteristic exponents. Nonexistence of uniform integrals. Approximate development of the perturbative function. Asymptotic solutions. Volume II: Approximations by series: Formal calculus. Methods of Newcomb and Lindstedt. Application to the study of secular variations. Application to the three-body problem. Application to orbits. Divergence of the Lindstedt series. Direct calculation of the series. Other methods of direct calculation. Gylden methods. Case of linear equations. Bohlin methods. Bohlin series. Extension of the Bohlin method. Volume III: Integral invariants and asymptotic properties of certain solutions: Integral invariants. Formation of invariants. Use of integral invariants. Integral invariants and asymptotic solutions. Poisson stability. Theory of consequents. Periodic solutions of the second kind. Different forms of the principle of least action. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

great book--exceptional editing
Goroff should be commended on this important publication ... Read more

Book Description

Written in a clear, concise style for the non-science major, this edition uses analogies and everyday examples to present the most current information about astronomy in a way that students can easily understand. It comes packaged with a free interactive CD-ROM and has a new, expanded web site. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent
This is the best Astronomy text that I have ever seen. It is filled with colorful photos and diagrams, and delves into the more interesting aspects of astronomy. A must for any Astronomy teacher, student, or amateur astronomer. It's also included with a great CD that has planetarium software on it. ... Read more

Reviews (75)

The people behind the Science
Kip Thorne is the author of one of the most authoritative texts on Gravitation and Astrophysics. "Black Holes and Time Warps" is meant to bring these recent advanced discoveries in cosmology to the masses. What makes this book most valuable is that it not only devotes many pages explaining the physics in simple terms, but also introduces the major players in the field, telling the stories of their lives, and describing in detail how they achieved their discoveries. The book is therefore very inspiring to young scientists. It is written in a highly narrative style that keeps up a heightened suspense as one wonders what the next discovery will be, what it's impact is one our world vision, and which scientist will bring about such a breakthrough.

We read about the life story of Einstein, and how he worked hard and long hours in between babysitting his children so as to come up with his masterpieces on relativity. We then read about Chandrasekhar, the young student from India, who with nothing more than his own brain and a crude mechanical calculator achieved what is perhaps one of the greatest theoretical discoveries of the 20th centuries: black holes. It would be years before astronomers concur and document the existence of these beasts, years in which Chandrasekhar had to suffer rejection and alienation from his peers in the scientific community. We read about the wonderful experiments physicists set up to understand the world: from massive arrays of radio telescopes for listening to the furthest reaches of the universe, to cosmic ray detectors to measure the minute remnants of supernova explosions. We read about the atomic and H-bombs, about Oppenheimer and his own personal feelings about his creation. Here, the attitude of the author - himself a leading scientist and contributor to human knowledge - is far from passive acceptance of all that science brings. He understands perhaps more than anyone else that science can be applied for evil purposes as well as beneficial purposes, and he does not shy away from discussing these ethical dilemmas he and his peers had to confront at some points in their lives.

Coming closer towards the end of the 20th century, Thorne discusses the complexities black hole research has led us into: apparent paradoxes and strange objects defying understanding - "singularities" in scientific lingo. We read eagerly about the competition between leading scientists such as Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose to expand our limits of knowledge on black holes. We read also about the role of the cold war in advancing - or suppressing - scientific knowledge.

This wonderful book is augmented by an enormous number of simple illustrations explaining the concepts discussed, as well as photographs of the various people involved in this unending quest for knowledge. The book also boasts of a useful glossary at the end, as well as a timeline, a bibliography, a good set of notes, and a people as well as a subject index. It is definitely a book worth reading, one of the few books on science that admit that science is more than just numbers, but is also about people and is an integral part of the human story. I give it a 4 because I thought the book is too long, and tends to get wordy at times. A concise edition would be a useful contribution. The bibliography also suffers from bloatedness - it is so bulky and with no comments such that the interested reader will have difficulty deciding what to read next.

A Good History of Black Holes.
Let's start off by saying that this book is not for everyone. This is, however, a beautifully written book that should be read by anyone that intends to go into relativity physics.

Professor Thorne wonderfully combined the history development of Black Holes, along with enough ancedotes to satisfy science seekers. There are tons of diagrams, background stories, and enough to keep the reader going.

However, it may be too complex of a book for the layman. It is very hardcore, and may be a little slow for casual readers, with enough details to confuse a reader the first time through.

The book also demonstrates the futuristic predictions and applications of Black Holes, from being a power plant, to wormholes in space. It was easily understood.

Bottom Line: If you're into physics, or have a lot of time, go out and buy this book, because it's worth every penny. This gives a good background history on the slow progress of Black Holes, and includes ancedotes from Hawkings to Landau. It is highly recommended if you want to learn more than just "What is a Black Hole?" As others have suggested, "Gravitation" by Thorne, Wheeler and Misner would be a more complex book if you have the background for it.

okay
Black holes & time warps is great, it explains things thoroughly. And without complex mathematical equations that are inherent in many books that discuss the same subject. I'm not so great on calculus so this is easier on me. Nearly everything was good, but the reason I gave it only four stars is due to the fact that they include too much history you have to read for pages and pages before they actually discuss the topic of the chapter. The first couple of pages are about how a research group got started or who was using the bathroom when something important happened. And it's loaded with personal history that I don't want to know about. Although if like the historical parts then this is your dream book.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Black Holes
Kip Thorne is an eccentric author who reveals scientific enterprise of quantum gravity and black holes research in a simple language. This book is rich in history, and classical (Newtonian physics and theory of relativity) and modern physics (quantum mechanics) are presented in non mathematical form. We get rare first hand insights of scientific styles and temperament, and his personal involvement in various aspects of black holes research and his interaction with scientists all over the world especially those from former Soviet Union and the impact of communism on black hole research. The first part of the book describes theory of relativity, concept of spacetime fabric of the universe and curvature of spacetime in presence of matter (stars, galaxies, etc.) to generate gravity. The author gives us a good historical background to build his case for black hole concept. Theory of relativity predicts the existence of black holes but Einstein refused to accept it and so is Arthur Eddington another leading exponent of theory of relativity. The idea of black holes remained in academic obscurity among few who believed in it and it progressively became clear that dying giant stars undergo implosions in which nuclear force the strongest of all four forces of cosmos buckles under gravitational force creating a blackholes. Black holes have been discovered in the center of dying giant stars and in centers of galaxies, and efforts are underway to detect the black hole gravitational waves carried to earth from distant parts of the universe and to seek the secret of what is inside a black hole: a route to another universe? The author warps up the second part by discussing the possibility of constructing wormholes with exotic matter (tunnels in space connecting two widely separated locations in the universe) through hyperspace for interstellar travel and back to the future. He is one of the leaders in proposing interstellar travel. Physicists and academics are too conservative to get involved in space travel research as it is traditionally linked to science fiction and Star Trek junkies. The author can mesmerize the reader with his incredible knowledge and ease with which he can communicate to the reader; at the same time he is eccentric enough to work in one of his laboratory (Palomar Mountains) nude and draw criticisms from peers. He is also crazy enough to take bet with peers for things such as Penthouse magazine and annoy his wife and family with Mormon heritage. This book is free of marketing strategies of the publisher as the author shares his knowledge with the reader to his best of abilities to make everyone understands it even by offering few simple calculations and formulas. Do not be discouraged by the size of the book (619 pages). The text flows well and it is deeply engrossing. Anyone interested in black hole and space travel must have this book.

A fine personal history of "big science" in the 20th century
_____________________________________________

Like many, I started Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time"
(1988), bogged down, and set it aside. Thorne's book got equally good
reviews, but my God, the thing's 600+ pages.... so it sat on my "to-
read" shelf for years. This tardy review is intended for others in
similar circumstances -- or for anyone interested in modern physics &
astronomy.

The book is written as a history of 20th century physics, from
Einstein's theory of the relativity of space & time (1905), to black
holes, gravity waves and wormholes in the 90's. I found this a very
engaging approach. Thorne's writing is (usually) clear and direct, and
he includes enough biographical tidbits and anecdotes to keep the
human juice in potentially dry topics.

A few gems: Einstein's college math professor Minkowski, who had
called the young genius a "lazy dog", later worked out the
mathematics combining space and time into "absolute spacetime."
Einstein made cruel jokes denigrating Minkowski's work, not
realizing, until after Minkowski's death, that his old teacher's math
was essential to Einstein's special relativity work.

Cosmic radio waves were discovered by a Bell Telephone engineer in
1932. Despite widespread publicity, professional atronomers weren't
very interested -- the first radiotelescope was built by a radio "ham",
in his mother's back yard in Illinois, in 1940. The first professional
radiotelescopes weren't built until after WW2, in England and
Australia; Americans didn't become competitive until the late 50's.

Thorne has a fair command of Russian, which gave him an "in"
when the USSR started allowing scientific contacts in the post-Stalin
era. Now that Russia is such a mess, we forget that the Soviets
produced a *bunch* of world-class scientists and engineers [note 1],
from the 1930's on -- including some of the best physicists since

Einstein.

Dr. Thorne, the Feynman Professor of Physics at Caltech
is best known to the
general public for his 1988 wormhole "time machine" proposal. Press
coverage included a photo of the author doing physics in the nude on
Mt. Palomar. Embareassing, but didn't hurt the book sales. The
wormhole work grew out of a request from Carl Sagan for a plausible
FTL transport scheme for his 1985 science-fiction novel "Contact"
(which I recommend). Sagan's request made Thorne realize the value
of thought experiments that ask, "What things do the laws of physics
permit an infinitely advanced civilization to do, and what do the
laws forbid?" This style of speculation by world-class scientists has
become popular (and somewhat respectable) in the last decade, and
has resulted in some very stimulating reading, such as K. Eric
Drexler's "Engines of Creation" (1986), and Hans Moravec's "Mind
Children" (1988) and "Robot" (1999).

My last exposure to formal physics was two painful undergraduate
courses (mumble) years ago. Since then I've kept up at roughly a
Scientific American level or below (plus I read a lot of science fiction).
I think I'm close to the author's aim-point for his potential audience.
I found some of the physics tough going, but these sections can be
safely skimmed without losing the thread of his arguments. I read
most of the book in two sittings -- it's surprisingly gripping. So --
don't put off reading "Black Holes" any longer!
__________
Note 1) --along with some remarkable pseudo-science. Iosif Shlovsky tells
of many such projects in his very entertaining "Five Billion Vodka
Bottles to the Moon" (1991). ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

This practical handbook provides the reader with enough background and specific information to begin conducting thermal analysis and to participate in the thermal design of spacecraft systems.

The book is a revised and updated edition of Satellite Thermal Control Handbook, published in 1994. The name change reflects the expanded scope of this work, which now includes thermal environments and design techniques for interplanetary spacecraft, in addition to the Earth-orbiting satellites that were the focus of the original handbook. The reader will now find an updated characterization of the thermal environment in Earth orbit, new material documenting the environments of interplanetary missions, more detailed information about each of the thermal control hardware elements found in the first edition, and presentation of some newer technologies such as heat switches and precision temperature control techniques. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

An excellent introductory text to the subject
This work was written by three instructors at the USAF Academy for use as a textbook. It provides an excellent introduction to astrodynamics. A knowledge of calculus and linear algebra is required, but the derivations are quite reasonable. The diagrams are also very good, enabling the reader to visualize complex spatial orientations.

The book's only weakness is its age. Several real-world examples are out-of-date, and the numerical analysis techniques do not reflect the current state-of-the-art.

Nevertheless, this is the best book to start learning astrodynamics, and gives a solid foundation from which to study more advanced texts.

Very useful
Written in the 1970s for use at the Air Force Academy, this book, though quite old, is still a great reference for those wishing to learn basic astrodynamics. It covers most of the major topics in very good detail, and is suitable for self-study as well as classroom instruction. Its age does not really have a significant impact on the quality of its content.

Aspiring Aerospace Engineers Read This Book
Do the math. Study the problems. Derive the equations. You will go to the stars. De Motu resurrected. Isaac Newton watch out!

Excellant first book
The book isn't intended to be all things to all people. It covers fundamentals. I have worked in the field and keep two copies ;)

The review of vector mathematics in the appendix is especially useful for non-specialists who want to start studying this topic.

Great Little Introduction
A quick examination of the table of contents gives an idea of the scope of topics for this text. It covers a wide range of topics with a pretty good introduction to the general problem of ballistic missile trajectories. Some of the terminology is a bit dated, however, which can cause some confusion to readers familiar with some of the material. For example, it uses the term "Geocentric-Equatorial Coordinate System" to describe a geocentric Cartesian frame better known as the "Earth-Centered Inertial (ECI)". However, this does not diminish the value of the material contained in this work. I highly recommend it as an introduction to astrodynamics.

George Chastain
Software Consultant/Systems Engineer
Huntsville, Al ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Most authoritative and rigorous treatment of ACS I've seen.
Provides the only text I have seen on quaternion math and its relation to more traditional attitude matrices and Euler dynamics. The presentation allows algorithm generation without too much fuss, and it is rigorous but not to a fault. Definitely graduate level reference material for practicing ACS engineers. I have found it indispensable.

*The* authoritative text on the subject
This book is intended for technical professionals, who want an exhaustive mathematical and geometric reference to the techniques of spacecraft attitude determination and attitude control.

Although the book is a little old, the principles are still relevant, and there is simply no other comparable compilation. ... Read more

Book Description

The Starflight Handbook A Pioneer’s Guide to Interstellar Travel "The Starflight Handbook is an indispensable compendium of the many and varied methods for traversing the vast interstellar gulf—don’t leave the Solar System without it!" —Robert Forward "Very sensible, very complete and useful. Its good use of references and technical ‘sidebars’ adds to the book and allows the nontechnical text to be used by ordinary readers in an easy fashion. I certainly would recommend this book to anyone doing any thinking at all about interstellar flight or the notion of possibilities of contacts between hypothetical civilizations in different stat systems." —Louis Friedman Executive Director, The Planetary Society The Starflight Handbook is the first and only compendium on planet Earth of the radical new technologies now on the drawing boards of some of our smartest and most imaginative space scientists and engineers. Scientists and engineers as well as general readers will be captivated by its:

• In-depth discussions of everything from nuclear pulse propulsion engines to in-flight navigation, in flowing, non-technical language
• Sidebars and appendices cover technical and mathematical concepts in detail
• Seventy-five elegant and enlightening illustrations depicting starships and their hardware

Reviews (9)

Solid Reference Guide
This book covers the strengths and weaknesses of various types of spacecraft, and often adds visuals and drawings to help explain the ways these crafts might work. Electromag-ramjets, light-sails, Nuke powered, they're all here. It's 15 years old, however, but it is nonetheless a good starting point to understand the possibilities of interstellar travel. This book also covers the basic physics behind space propulsion. The book is obviously a good resource for science fiction writers, futurists, and people who want to wow their friends w/ insightful comments on space colonization. W/ the new Mars initiative by NASA, designed to be fulfilled w/in 50 years, maybe NASA might fulfill some of the theories outlined in this book. Be ahead of the curve.

Interstellar Space Travel lost on way to moon
This subject is too important to bring up in a review. Like a game of Risk the post-MAD political order has limited pre-thought in respect to Western economic development. Whence the website Astronautix brought me to review this book, so too am I in accordance with their Orion project summary and conclusion : we lost our way with a journey to the moon. In so far as the only the human species exists with a consciousness to express religion and hence evolution, any planet "anywhere" is surely at a disadvantage in a post-MAD structure to have rejected flight to the stars in favour of cold war moon bravado. Indeed the excess military products of this cold war rather than point to our preparation to travel to the stars as hypothesized by Orion project devotees, only threatens our imminent vaporisation at the end of interstellar fuel pellets misunderstood or at least not even recognised by their "any planet - anywhere" evolutionary poise. Of course the fundamental problem with Orion is the failure to counterbalance the goal of physical containment with the true size of explosion. Hence the continual attempts of academic studies to reduce the reaction size considerably or to place it outside any necessary direct containment pressures e.g. somewhere behind the craft. Most telling in this whole sorry evolutionary period of this plant is the repetition by the leading nation America of China when it encountered gunpowder. Not only did the Chinese fail to develop "physical containment" in the form of the cannon but they masked secret of the reaction in a science of alchemy. Hence any reader of this who did not actually participate in The Manhattan project is a product of this deliberate obscurity of fact and likely to misunderstand even the basic applications in space and interstellar travel. The safest education strategy is to remain within the historical limits of the application of the project's fruit, the surrender of Japan and not to go further along the development timeline. At least in my opinion! Draw your own historical analogy, but China in failing to physically contain gunpowder failed to initiate the longest technical development path in history: cannon - musket - rifle - machine gun. Interstellar space travel starts and finishes with physical containment.

Excellent Overview of Interstellar Spaceflight Concepts
This is an excellent book for anyone intersted in the engineering possibilities of interplanetary and interstellar spaceflight. I read this book years ago as an aerospace engineering undergrad and it helped inspire me in my dream to help make starflight a reality. As can be found here, the technologies for limited interstellar flight have already been investigated, and in some cases, could be implemented today with sufficient funds. The books provides background on all types of rocket based propulsion, covering chemical, nuclear, anti-matter, electric (ion), solar sail, and solar thermal propulsion systems. It also provides an introduction to astrodynamics, space power systems, and the inherent problems encountered by long duration spaceflight over vast distances. As wonderful as this book is, it is badly in need of an update. It barely touches on more recent ideas like long range laser power transmission, as well as more "out-of-the-box" concepts like propellant-less propulsion. Granted there is alot of controversy surrounding notions of artificial wormholes and warp drives, but I'd like to see such ideas at least included as possibilities. As mentioned before, this book is not exceptionally mathematically rigorous, but that could be beneficial to those interested in these concepts without having to possess a background in differential calculus. These ideas stir the imagination and perhaps, someday, we may see these dreams become reality as mankind reaches out to the stars.

Good, but not the best
This is a very, very good book. It covers the basics of space flight, and covers specifics such as different types of propulsion methods and possible interstellar missions.

However, this book is not mathematically rigorous. Although I suggest everyone buy THIS book, anyone who wants a better mathematical treatment of the topic should try to find a copy of the out-of-print _Prospects for Interstellar Travel_, by Mauldin.

Excellent!
One of the most readable, interesting, and "gentle" space science books for the general reader I've ever come across. More, more, more! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Please create an audio adaptation ...
To the publisher I would appreciate it if the publisher could produce an audio adaptation of this book. I would love to listen to this while I drive to work and to let my 16 month old son listen to it as a bedtime story. Arnold D Veness

The "Bible" of Galactic Dynamics
This book is a very well-known and widely used reference for students in extragalactic astrophysics and stellar dynamics. A solution manual for the problems would be highly welcomed. ... Read more

Book Description

Using fundamental physics, the theory of stellar structure and evolution is able to predict how stars are born, how their complex internal structure changes, what nuclear fuel they burn, and their ultimate fate. This undergraduate textbook provides a clear, methodical introduction to the theory of stellar structure and evolution.Starting from general principles and axioms, step-by-step coverage leads students to a global, comprehensive understanding of the subject. Throughout, the book uniquely places emphasis on the basic physical principles governing stellar structure and evolution. All processes are explained in clear and simple terms with all the necessary mathematics included. Exercises and their full solutions allow students to test their understanding. This book requires only a basic background in physics and mathematics and assumes no prior knowledge of astronomy. It provides a stimulating introduction for undergraduates in astronomy, physics, planetary science and applied mathematics taking a course on the physics of stars. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent book for beginners
A truly excellent introductory book. It has worked problems at the back and actually has an index that allows you to find anything you need for reference. I actually used this book more than Padmanabhan's books for my graduate course, because Prialnik explains things very well.

This book should be the basis of any undergraduate stellar astrophysics course. ... Read more

Book Description

This newly expanded and thoroughly updated third edition examines accretion as a source of energy in both binary star systems containing compact objects, and in active galactic nuclei. Assuming a basic knowledge of physics, the authors describe the physical processes at work in accretion discs and other accretion flows. New material includes a detailed treatment of disc instabilities, irradiated discs, disc warping, and general accretion flows. The treatment is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate students and researchers. ... Read more

Book Description

The sweeping diversity of complex life on Earth, Ward and Brownlee argue, evolved out of an extraordinary set of physical conditions and chance events that would be extremely hard to duplicate- though not impossible. Many planets throughout the vastness of the Universe may be teeming with microbial life, but advancement beyond this stage is very rare. Everyone with an interest in the possible extent of life in the Universe and the nature of life's evolution on our own planet will be fascinated by RARE EARTH.

"...likely to cause a revolution in thinking..." The New York Times

"...[the book] has hit the world of astrobiologists like a killer asteroid..." Newsday (New York)

"...a sobering and valuable perspective..." Science

"...a startling new hypothesis..." Library Journal

"...Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee offer a powerful argument..." The Economist "...provocative, significant, and sweeping..." Northwest Science & Technology

"...a stellar example of clear writing..." American Scientist ... Read more

Reviews (85)

Interesting, but flawed hypothesis?
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the explanations given therein. My bone with the authors is that they have stretched their conclusions (namely that life in the Universe is a rare event) way too far. The idea that Earth is a perfect place for life because everything is 'just so' is not really new. Arguments for intelligent design (code-word for creationism) follow similar logic. The problem with the logic of this book is that it assumes all life must evolve exactly (or nearly so) as it did here on earth (same requirements, same molecular structure etc). Although this may be true, we simply do not yet know if that is the case. The authors do indeed argue that this is true only for complex life and therefore the discovery of simpler life forms may not negate their thesis. However, we also do not have enough information to make such a broad sweeping conclusion regarding the Universe. Ultimately, the argument comes down to what we observe in our own solar system and indeed we may be a 'rare earth' insofaras the type of complex life we have here, but complex life in other forms may be common elsewhere in the Universe. Indeed, the solar system may simply appear 'rare' because we are in charge of defining the term. Nevertheless, this is a very entertaining book and I encourage you to read it with a critical eye.

The Thesis That Spells Death For Modern Science Fiction
This is one of the most astonishing books I have ever read. Its thesis, that complex life similar to life on the Earth, is probably very rare in the galaxy, if not the universe. The authors meticulously build a case for Earth's special place in the cosmos, showing how bacterial life might be common but that anything bigger than simple organisms might not be able to survive the ravages of time and comets and wandering axial tilt. As other readers have pointed out, this doesn't necessarily mean that silicon-based life or some other kind of life can't exist in the universe, but it does demonstrate that Fermi's Dilemma might in fact be true. As a science fiction writer, I was stunned at how much this book could change the way science fiction is written. No more Star Trek universes with complex life in every system, no more "federations" or "foundations" or "assemblies" of thousands of inhabited worlds. According to the thesis Ward and Brownlee present, habitable worlds might be few and far between. Humans may very well find no other worlds beyond the Earth upon which to live. RARE EARTH will make it difficult to read books or watch movies that envision a galaxy filled with wonderful and curious creatures, where humans spread out across the galaxy as if they were so many islands in Polynesia. And if the Rare Earth hypothesis is true, then we are also obliged to get our act together here and now if we are going to become a space-going species. I think this book puts a lot of science fiction writers out of business. It certainly makes a lot of science fiction, including my own, seem downright silly.

A Great Entry In A Terrific Debate
This is one side of a fascinating debate, between astrobiologists and xenobiologists. In Rare Earth, there is a detailed explanation of what there is about planet Earth that made life possible, and what might have induced divergence. Thus the question, "how lucky are you to be here" is answered in superb detail. In a contrasting book, "What Would A Martian Look Like?", one looks at the question of just how large is the solution space for life, or how many ways might life get going and develop. We might never really know which approach is correct, but I find the issue worthy of consideration.

NASA Will Never Like This Book!
Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee have written a very thought-provoking book in "Rare Earth." They have, in fact, given voice to some thoughts that had occurred to me and to a lot of others quite some time ago - namely "Where is everybody?" Flying saucer enthusiasts and alien abduction aficionados aside, most of us who think about such things have wondered why no alien civilization's radio transmissions have not obviously reached planet earth by now if alien civilizations were so common. Also we are starting to wonder where life exists in our solar system outside of Earth.

When I was in my teens I eagerly kept track of every launch of a spacecraft. I dreamed of even becoming an astronomer specializing in planetary geology. But my true love was biology and the thought of a possible alien biological system was fascinating. I was soon disillusioned. First the veil of Venus was lifted and where swamps and dinosaur-like creatures roamed in science fiction was a barren acid and heat scorched version of Dante's Inferno. Mars was also found to be a volcanic version of the earth's moon, except with weather (dust storms mostly), pole caps of carbon dioxide and water ice, and a very thin atmosphere. The temperature of close to 100 degrees F. below zero did not seem promising and still does not. Thus the civilizations of Mars envisioned by Lowell disappeared into the Martian dust (as they had started to even before the first space probes). Then the moons Titan (Saturn) and Europa (Jupiter) were proposed as abodes of life, however weird, and a Martian meteorite with strange "nano-bacteria" was brought out. The latter "nano-bacteria" have become dubious at best and the moons are looking less promising by the day. Titan may have such a smoggy atmosphere and be so cold as to be certainly questionable as an abode for life. In addition to this, recent reports indicate that Europa is covered with a layer of concentrated sulfuric acid (possibly from the neighboring moon Io, which has sulfur volcanoes on its surface) and hydrogen peroxide- not exactly a good place for living things! To top it off some scientists think that the ice on Europa may actually cover a sea of sulfuric acid with a pH close to 0!

If we cannot find even primitive living things (bacteria, lichens, fungi) on other planets in our system we may have to face the fact that life, while it may exist on numerous planets, is not nearly as common and as accessible as some would have it and that "civilizations" are even less common.

Why is this? Ward and Brownlee have provided detailed answers, which, even if their formulae are somewhat flawed (as one reviewer suggested), are persuasive. We have to keep in mind that we do not know how long civilizations last or how often they occur but do not develop our type of technology. We are up against billion of years of time and trillions of cubic light years of space. Star Trek aside, we are not even sure that interstellar travel will ever be possible, so we may never know for sure what is out there.

As Ward and Brownlee point out, to even have a planet with the possibility of life we have to have several conditions met. First planets revolving around multiple stars probably do not last long because of tidal effects and if they do life might have to cope with radical changes in surface temperature. Given that, we still have a number of candidate stars and have even found a number of such stars with planets (most of which are huge, some even by Jupiter standards). We also need planets within a star's habitable zone (assuming the star is not unstable and lasts long enough for the development of life). Then contingency has to allow for the development of living forms sometime during the life of the planet. To get more complex life than bacteria we need several billion years and perhaps a large moon. It gets even dicier if we want intelligent life, and even then we may have intelligent ocean-dwelling creatures who never develop radio and thus may not be detectable. Even if radio waves are produced by a civilization, we need to exist ourselves within that civilization's survival time frame (or actually light years later).

Ward and Brownlee have provided, I think, some very good reasons why we are unlikely to find multicellular life on nearby planets or advanced technologies on planets even around distant stars. Even if life is fairly abundant in the universe (and I think it probably may be), planets with life (even at the bacterial level) may not be anywhere near as abundant as lifeless ones. This is not a reason to embrace creationism, as some would have it, but is simply a property of our universe. While I wish it were not so, I fear we cannot argue with the logic of this- especially with the little evidence we now possess. Of course one cannot completely rule out the possibility that Ward and Brownlee have missed something, but that is a present a meager hope.

Read this book if you are interested in why complex life may be uncommon in the universe.

Not Up to Snuff
OK, I am in the obvious minority with this review, but it's how I see it.

This is a work filled with broad, sweeping suppositions, yet it seems that as always the devil is in the details and I was left unconvinced that the authors really had the details right to support their "Rare Earth" theory. It is an interesting, if ultimately unconvincing book. Interesting theory, lots of conjecture, and lots of "What if..." in every chapter.

To me it seems that in many places sweeping statements are made, but never supported. Take for instance the statement on page 110 "Changes in ocean chemistry caused by increased tectonic activity beginning a billion years ago facilitated the evolution of skeletons." But the section does not, to me, provide adequate support or explanation for this supposition.

Also take for example the Drake Equations which - while properly explained - is misstated in the details.

The equation is usually written: N = R* x fp x ne x fl x fi x fc x L where:

N = The number of civilizations in The Milky Way Galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.
R* =The rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of intelligent life.
fp = The fraction of those stars with planetary systems.
Ne = The number of planets, per solar system, with an environment suitable for life.
fl = The fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears.
fi = The fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges
fc = The fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space.
L = The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space.
(Source: Seti Institute, http://www.seti-inst.edu/science/drake-bg.html)

However, as given in the text of "Rare Earth" the formula is:

N* x fs x fp x ne x fi x fc x fl = N

This does not appear to be a big difference, however, the terms fi, fl, and fc are each mis-defined in the book. fi is defined as planets where life does arise, not intelligent life; fc as planets on which intelligent life emerges, not civilizations that develop a technology; and fl as percentage of lifetime of a planet that civilizations release detectable signals into space, not planets with life. This may seem nothing more then nit picking over details, but to me this is symptomatic of the entire work. If you can't even get a few simple 40 plus year old definitions right how accurate is the rest of the work? The belief that earth is the rarest of planets and then the selection of information to support that idea appears to be the main thrust here.

Good science uses data to take you to a logical, fact supported conclusion, you get the reverse when to select facts to support a preconceived conclusion.

Overall an unsatisfactory book. ... Read more

Book Description

Few events in history have been more monumental than the emergence of the Space Age, which began with the Soviet launch of Sputnik in 1957. The History of Space Vehicles uses a combination of high-quality photos, illustrations, fact tables, and authoritative text to describe all the vehicles and equipment used in space, past and present.It covers all types of rockets, satellites, and probes, as well as their equipment and cargo, includingradio transmitters, measuring instruments, and cameras. ... Read more

Book Description

Three hundred spectacular views of Earth taken by the latest generation of satellites.

For orbiting satellites, no place on Earth is isolated. The Himalayas are as easy to photograph as Manhattan. While satellite images are important for science and technical needs, they can also be appreciated for their astonishing beauty.

Earth From Space shows how satellite imaging - also called remote sensing - works and showcases some of the most extraordinary photographs ever published.

In the mid-1990s a new generation of satellites began to orbit the Earth. More powerful and accurate than ever, they can record the effects of human and natural forces, and how the planet is changing through time can be clearly seen.

The book also dispels popular misconceptions like those used in Hollywood movies for dramatic effect such as exaggerated surveillance capabilities of orbiting satellites. However, what the satellites do see is nothing short of spectacular.

Earth From Space presents stunning color photographs of: - Coastal ports and major world cities - Military installations such as the Russian Pacific submarine fleet - Rebuilding lower Manhattan and the Pentagon after 9/11 - Landscapes of wars including Iraq and Iran - Rain forests, wetlands, coral reefs, rivers and mountains - Effects of deforestation and desertification

Earth From Space covers subjects ranging from aeronautics to history to ecology with unforgettable illustrations - an expansive big picture view of the world. ... Read more

Book Description

This textbook provides advanced undergraduate and graduate students with a complete introduction to modern cosmology. It successfully bridges the gap between undergraduate and advanced graduate texts by discussing topics of current research, starting from first principles. Throughout this authoritative volume, emphasis is given to the simplest, most intuitive explanation for key equations used by researchers. The first third of the book carefully develops the necessary background in general relativity and quantum fields. The rest of the book then provides self-contained accounts of all the key topics in contemporary cosmology, including inflation, topological defects, gravitational lensing, galaxy formation, large-scale structure and the distance scale. To aid understanding, the book is well illustrated with helpful figures and includes outline solutions to more than ninety problems. All necessary astronomical jargon is clearly explained, ensuring the book is self-contained for any student with undergraduate physics. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Borrow it first .
I got this book on short term inter-library loan hoping to further my knowledge of inflationary cosmology. I don't think that this is a suitable volume from which to begin study of this topic unless you have a supervisor on hand for occasional help.The chapter on inflation for example summarises standard results. I found derivations of these not to be explained fully enough for a first encounter. The derivation of the basic equations of motion for the scalar field cosmologies from the Lagrangian is an example.The slow -roll parameters and their relationship to the Friedmann equations are summarised - (a much fuller discussion of these is given in Scott Watson's e -book - see below).This sometimes terse approach can make the book heavy going for people like me working on their own for 'fun'.I did enjoy the chapter though as I had already studied a lot of the material using John Norbury's e-book 'General Relativity'(pdf and html available -contains quite a few errors but inflation is very clearly explained),Scott Watson's (pdf/html)'Ex