Drawing upon the latest results from the second golden age of Solar System exploration, author Peter Bond provides an authoritative and up-to-date account of the planets, satellites and smaller debris that orbit the Sun. Written in an informal style, with minimal use of mathematics, this book is the ideal introductory text for non-science students and other readers with little or no science background. With the aid of numerous illustrations, many in full colour, this exciting book brings to life the weird and wonderful worlds that populateour corner of the Universe. INDICE: 1. Introduction: The Solar System. What is the Solar System?The Size of the Solar System.The Birth of the Solar System. 2. Exploration of the Solar System overview.Principles of planetary exploration e.g. transfer orbits, gravity assists, flybys, orbital surveys, robotic landers and rovers. The dawnof the space age (Sputnik and the first planetary probes).The Cold War and competition between the space superpowers in the race to explore space. The 1970s the Golden Age of Solar System exploration (Mariner 9 Pioneer Venus). The 1980s the Quiet Years. The introduction of Faster, Cheaper, Better the triumphs and failures (Mars Observer, Mars Polar Lander etc.). Hubble Space Telescope. 3. Planet EarthFlat Earth v Round Earth.Geocentric v Heliocentric (Ptolemy, Copernicus, Galileo etc.).Earth as a planet.Plate tectonicsIce ages and global climate change. 4. Mapping the Moon. Pre-space age ideas.Early exploration the Lunas, Lunar Orbiter and Surveyor missions. The science of Apollo. CLEMENTINE.LUNAR PROSPECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR WATER.Future Missions (ESA, Japan, China, India.). 5. Mercury. Pre-space age ideas.THE MISSION OF MARINER 10 the first reconnaissance of a Moon-like world.Future Missions (MESSENGER and BepiColombo).6. Venus. Pre-space age ideas.The Mariners (2, 5 and 10).The Veneras and Vegas first images from the surface.Pioneer Venus first radar maps and new understanding of the atmosphere.Galileo. MAGELLAN radar reveals unique features on a volcanic world. Venus Express (ESA) and Venus Orbiter (Japan).7. Mars. Pre-space age ideas.The Soviet Mars series.The Mariners (3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9) changing ideas about the Red Planet. VIKING and the search for life.PATHFINDER the first rover.GLOBAL SURVEYOR, ODYSSEY and MARS EXPRESS orbital surveys.The Mars Exploration Rovers the search for water.Future missions (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Scout).8. Asteroids. Pre-space age ideas.The Galileo flybys and Deep Space 1. NEAs and the NEAR MISSION TO EROS. 9. The Jupiter System. The Pioneers. VOYAGERS 1 AND 2.GALILEO the first orbiter and atmospheric probe. Discoveries on the Galilean moons. 10. The Saturn System.Pioneer 11. VOYAGERS 1 AND 2 the ringed world revealed. CASSINI-HUYGENS the first orbiter and the landingon Titan. 11. The Uranus System.VOYAGER 2 results.12. The Neptune System.VOYAGER 2 results. 13. Pluto, Charon and the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt.Discovery and subsequent observations.New Horizons mission.14. Comets. Early ideas.The HalleyArmada and GIOTTO. Shoemaker Levy 9.Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp.Deep Space 1 and STARDUST.Future missions (Deep Impact, Rosetta). 15. Long-Term Prospects. Moon-Mars (Mars Sample Return, Bush Moon-Mars Vision).Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter and nuclear power.NRC Decadal Survey.Robots versus humans.Planets around other stars. AppendicesTables of planet and satellite data.Tables of planetary missions.Further reading.Web resources.
- ISBN: 978-1-4051-3499-6
- Editorial: Wiley-Blackwell
- Encuadernacion: Rústica
- Páginas: 456
- Fecha Publicación: 25/11/2011
- Nº Volúmenes: 1
- Idioma: Inglés