I found this book to be a page-turner. The subject of space exploration; past, present and future has always captured my imagination.
Impey did a nice job of informing the reader on how we got to here without getting bogged down in the details of the history of space exploration.
These broad strokes of background expertly puts today's program, both government and private, into focus.
The near future looks to be held back only by money and a bit of engineering. I found myslef wishing that it's five years from now. I want to know how it all turns out.
Where the book lost my interest was the final section, which looks at the far future. One where we are no longer content with our solar system but are now making moves to interstellar travel.
My own personal interest is in the near future; how do we go back to the moon and then Mars? Asteroid mining and generally moving human activity off the face of Earth, that's what really intrigues me.
The book would have felt funny if Impey did not tackle the subject of voyages beyond the solar system. Most science fiction is based on this type of journey.
The book is very approachable, well written and makes a complex subject come into focus. There is no doubt about where we are going, the sub-title says it all: Our Future In Space.
I enjoyed the book very much and I am glad I was able to read it.
Chris Impey's website - http://chrisimpey-astronomy.com/
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| Chris Impey |
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