Marvel at the history of space exploration through its daring vehicles exhaustively chronicled
in this authoritative volume featuring more than 250 artworks. In 1957 the world looked on
with both uncertainty and amazement as the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 the first man-made
orbiter. Sputnik 1 would spend three months circling Earth every 98 minutes and cover 71
million miles in the process. The world’s space programs have traveled far (literally and
figuratively) since then and the spacecraft they have developed and deployed represent almost
unthinkable advances for such a relatively short period. In Spacecraft illustrator and
aerospace professional Giuseppe De Chiara teams up with aerospace historian Michael Gorn to
present a huge profusely illustrated aerospace history profiling and depicting spacecraft from
Sputnik 1 through the International Space Station and everything in between including concepts
that have yet to actually venture outside the Earth’s atmosphere. This updated and revised
edition includes: Expertly written profiles depicting and describing the design development
and deployment of manned and unmanned spacecraft from around the world including satellites
capsules spaceplanes rockets and space stations—now updated with the latest models Vivid
scale illustrations of the many international spacecraft in multiple-view sometimes
cross-section and in many cases shown in archival period photography to provide further
historical context Earthbound and spaceborne data and intel chronicling every technological
leap engineering challenge and monumental achievement from troubleshooting the lunar landers
of the ’60s to engineering solar-driven sails to propel futuristic craft to Mars and beyond A
look ahead to an era of privatized space travel and even plans for lunar and Martian space
stations and settlement Dividing the book by era De Chiara and Gorn feature spacecraft not
only from the United States and Soviet Union Russia but also from the European Space Agency
and China. The mind-blowing machines examined in this volume include the rockets Energia
Falcon 9 and VEGA the Hubble Space Telescope the Cassini space probe and the Mars
rovers Opportunity and Curiosity . For anyone who has marveled at humankind’s attempts and
advances in leaving Earth Spacecraft: The Complete Guide to the Rockets Satellites Capsules
Shuttles and Stations That Put Us in Space is the definitive reference.
