Master launch photographer Ben Cooper captures readers' favorite subjects in a new light. Rather than presenting the standard "rocket lifting off the launch pad" images, he provides fresh perspectives. In addition to providing text about manned and unmanned crafts that will pique the interest of shuttle enthusiasts and newcomers alike, he shares wide-angle captures, night photographs, images shot from seldom-seen angles, and more. Readers will marvel over detailed photos of the shuttle before and after retirement, and juxtaposed with nature (Cape Canaveral's launch pages are surrounded by a national wildlife refuge), behind-the-scenes shots, images of the crafts rolling to the pad, and launching and landing too. Photographs of unmanned rockets, such as United Launch Alliance Delta II, Delta IV, and Atlas V rockets, which have been launching for a long time, plus the new era SpaceX, Falcon 9, and Falcon Heavy rockets, will please readers young and old.

A countdown from twelve to one as a space shuttle awaits liftoff. Readers are invited to find hidden numbers on an illustrated activity page.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The riveting inside story of three heroic astronauts who took on the challenge of mankind’s historic first mission to the Moon, from the bestselling author of Shadow Divers. “Robert Kurson tells the tale of Apollo 8 with novelistic detail and immediacy.”—Andy Weir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Martian and Artemis By August 1968, the American space program was in danger of failing in its two most important objectives: to land a man on the Moon by President Kennedy’s end-of-decade deadline, and to triumph over the Soviets in space. With its back against the wall, NASA made an almost unimaginable leap: It would scrap its usual methodical approach and risk everything on a sudden launch, sending the first men in history to the Moon—in just four months. And it would all happen at Christmas. In a year of historic violence and discord—the Tet Offensive, the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy, the riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago—the Apollo 8 mission would be the boldest, riskiest test of America’s greatness under pressure. In this gripping insider account, Robert Kurson puts the focus on the three astronauts and their families: the commander, Frank Borman, a conflicted man on his final mission; idealistic Jim Lovell, who’d dreamed since boyhood of riding a rocket to the Moon; and Bill Anders, a young nuclear engineer and hotshot fighter pilot making his first space flight. Drawn from hundreds of hours of one-on-one interviews with the astronauts, their loved ones, NASA personnel, and myriad experts, and filled with vivid and unforgettable detail, Rocket Men is the definitive account of one of America’s finest hours. In this real-life thriller, Kurson reveals the epic dangers involved, and the singular bravery it took, for mankind to leave Earth for the first time—and arrive at a new world. “Rocket Men is a riveting introduction to the [Apollo 8] flight. . . . Kurson details the mission in crisp, suspenseful scenes. . . . [A] gripping book.”—The New York Times Book Review

In recent years scientists have investigated a series of new methods for non-rocket space launch, which promise to revolutionize space launches and flight. Particularly in the current political climate new, cheaper, and more ‘fuel efficient’ methods are being investigated. Such new methods include the gas tube method, cable accelerators, tether launch systems, space elevators, solar and magnetic sails, circle launcher space keepers and more. The author of Non-Rocket Space Launch and Flight brings a vast amount of experience to the topic, having worked as a engineer, designer, project director and researcher at key institutes including NASA and the US Air Force. Explores all the new non-rocket space launch methods, and compares them with each other and traditional rockets Investigates the unifying principles of the different systems and shows how to select the best design suited to the mission Author brings together technical and theoretical expertise from both industry and academia

This bestselling reference guide contains the most reliable and comprehensive material on launch programs in Brazil, China, Europe, India, Israel, and the United States. Packed with illustrations and figures, this edition has been updated and expanded, and offers a quick and easy data retrieval source for policy makers, planners, engineers, launch buyers, and students.

Presents a history of rockets and rocketry that explains related scientific concepts and provides brief biographies of important individuals.

Discover the crucial role of water towers in rocket launches with "Silencing the Roar: The Science Behind Water Towers at Rocket Launch Sites." This comprehensive guide delves into the science of sound suppression and thermal protection, revealing how these towering structures ensure the safety and success of space missions. Learn about the engineering marvels behind water suppression systems, and their role in dampening rocket noise, preventing shock waves, and cooling launch pads. Ideal for space enthusiasts, engineers, and science lovers, this book explores real-world examples, from NASA to SpaceX, offering insights into the future of rocket technology.