Space Exploration : A Reference Handbook

Space Exploration: A Reference Handbook provides a thorough treatment of the history of space exploration and discusses its future in an accessible format for high school and college readers. Space Exploration: A Reference Handbook examines the totality of space travel, from Sputnik to the falcon heavy to space tourism and beyond.

Written by a former member of Elon Musk's SpaceX team and senior advisor in the Obama White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy, the book begins with a history of the space program, which contextualizes space travel in American and international history.

It also delves into the problems and controversies that the program has encountered, such as the Challenger disaster and disagreements concerning funds, as well as both proven and proposed solutions for these and other issues.

The book surveys the history of space travel in a manner that helps the reader identify key issues in an easy-to-understand fashion.

The remaining chapters provide students with additional information, such as profiles, data and documents, resources, a chronology, and a glossary.

A perspectives chapter allows a broad range of voices to be heard.

This book is available to high school and college-level researchers, as well as general interest readers curious about space exploration. Is useful for the general reader who wants to learn more about the history and future of space exploration Profiles all of the agencies involved in space exploration, from NASA to SpaceXContextualizes today's space exploration within history, showing how it has evolved, grown, and changed throughout the yearsIncludes diverse voices on the topic in a Perspectives chapter that rounds out the author's expertise