No less a figure than Albert Einstein once noted, "The human mind is not capable of grasping the universe," but this has not stopped humanity from trying. The Complete Book of Spaceflight spans the entire spectrum of space exploration, from the early musings of the ancient Greeks to a future in which warp drives and wormholes may provide us with the means for crossing the universe (if not finally grasping it). In this fully comprehensive reference, astronomer David Darling chronicles our open-ended journey into space, clearly explaining all key manned and unmanned missions and space vehicles-- past, present, and projected-- and the intricate technologies involved.

The Complete Book of Spaceflight provides more than just a catalog of technology and events. With more than 3,000 thoroughly cross-referenced entries, this book reveals the evolution of thought about space travel; the frequent interactions between science fiction and science fact; other forces that have spurred breakthroughs in rocketry-- notably military confrontations, Cold War politics, and national pride-- and the human characters and drama involved. Darling also explores a future where faster-than-light interstellar and interplanetary jaunts are the norm. Entries include:

aeolipile: Invented by Hero of Alexandria, this ancient device based on the action-reaction (rocket) principle used steam as a propulsive gas.

Baker: A female squirrel monkey, who, along with her companion Able, made the first suborbital flight from which live animals were recovered, on May 23, 1959.

Genesis: Launched August 8, 2001, this NASA mission will collect 10 to 20 micrograms of particles from the solar wind using high-purity wafers set in winglike arrays.

John Stapp: American pioneer of aerospace medicine, famous for his extreme rocket-sled experiments.

From the Earth to the Moon: A celebrated novel by Jules Verne in which a capsule containing three men and two dogs is blasted out of an immense cannon toward the Moon.

thrust chamber: The heart of all liquid propellant rocket engines. In its simplest form, the thrust chamber accepts propellant from the injector, burns it in the combustion chamber, accelerates the gaseous combustion products, and ejects them from the chamber to provide thrust.

Alcubierre Warp Drive: A notion for achieving faster-than-light travel suggested by physicist Miguel Alcubierre, spurred in part by Star Trek's fictional "warp drive."

The Complete Book of Spaceflight provides the clearest and most thorough overview of humankind's attempts to reach the stars. For the Earth-bound space fan, it's the next best thing to going there.

Popular science writer Darling offers general readers an encyclopedia of spaceflight, highlighting the human dimension of the endeavor as well as proving the fact, figures, and inevitable acronyms. He cross-references moderately within the text, and includes an index arranged by category.
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A commanding encyclopedia of the history and principles of spaceflight-from earliest conceptions to faster-than-light galaxy-hopping

Here is the first truly comprehensive guide to space exploration and propulsion, from the first musings of the Greeks to current scientific speculation about interstellar travel using "warp drives" and wormholes. Space buffs will delight in its in-depth coverage of all key manned and unmanned missions and space vehicles-past, present, and projected-and its clear explanations of the technologies involved.

Over the course of more than 2,000 extensively cross-referenced entries, astronomer David Darling also provides fascinating insights into the cultural development of spaceflight. In vivid accounts of the major characters and historical events involved, he provides fascinating tales of early innovators, the cross-pollination that has long existed between science fiction and science fact, and the sometimes obscure links between geopolitics, warfare, and advances in rocketry.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 504-512) and index.

'DAVID DARLING, Ph.D., is the author of Life Everywhere; The Extraterrestrial Encyclopedia; Deep Time; Equations of Eternity (a New York Times Notable Book); Soul Search; and Zen Physics. He received his doctorate in astronomy from the University of Manchester, England, and now lives with his family in rural Minnesota. More information on spaceflight may be found at www. daviddarling.info.'

'Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

How to Use This Book.

Exponential Notation.

Orbits.

Units.

Spaceflight Entries A to Z.

Acronyms and Abbreviations.

References.

Web Sites.

Category Index.'