Rockets and spacecraft were among the very first models made as commercial kits, and although never as numerous as aircraft, ships or road vehicles, the many kits produced over the years provide a fascinating niche in the world of model-making. The build-ups in this book reflect the current situation with spacecraft modelling; although there are still a number of conventional all-plastic kits available, there is also a growing range that uses more specialist materials, especially resins. The book explains the various techniques required when dealing with these non-traditional materials. Scale Spacecraft Modelling also covers scratch building and adaptation, the techniques needed to make those pristine models really dirty to match the ones you see in the movies, and the design and construction of realist dioramas and settings.

The past five decades have witnessed often fierce international rivalry in space, but also surprising military restraint. Now, with an increasing number of countries capable of harming U.S. space assets, experts and officials have renewed a long-standing debate over the best route to space security. Some argue that space defenses will be needed to protect critical military and civilian satellites. Others argue that space should be a "sanctuary" from deployed weapons and military conflict, particularly given the worsening threat posed by orbital space debris. Moltz puts this debate into historical context by explaining the main trends in military space developments since Sputnik, their underlying causes, and the factors that are likely to influence their future course. This new edition provides analysis of the Obama administration's space policy and the rise of new actors, including China, India, and Iran. His conclusion offers a unique perspective on the mutual risks militaries face in space and the need for all countries to commit to interdependent, environmentally focused space security.

Modeling Ships and Space Craft: The Science and Art of Mastering the Oceans and Sky begins with the theories of Aristotle and Archimedes, moving on to examine the work of Froude and Taylor, the early aviators and the Wright Brothers, Goddard and the other rocket men, and the computational fluid dynamic models of our time. It examines the ways each used fluid dynamic principles in the design of their vessels. In the process, this book covers the history of hydrodynamic (aero and fluid) theory and its progression – with some very accessible science examples – including seminal theories. Hydrodynamic principles in action are also explored with examples from nature and the works of man. This is a book for anyone interested in the history of technology – specifically the methods and science behind the use of scale models and hydrodynamic principles in the marine and aeronautical designs of today.

Cars have always appealed as model subjects as - unlike airplanes or military subjects - the real thing is likely to be sitting outside the modeler's house. From the first car kits produced in the early 1950s, mainly dominated by American machinery, we now have a choice of automotive examples from around the world. The joint scale of 1:24/1:25 dominates car models, and it is these scales that will mostly be found in this book, from stock builds to race cars to wild customs.

Numerous applications of rod structures in civil engineering, aircraft and spacecraft confirm the importance of the topic. On the other hand the majority of books on structural mechanics use some simplifying hypotheses; these hypotheses do not allow to consider some important effects, for instance the boundary layer effects near the points of junction of rods. So the question concerning the limits of applicability of structural mechanics hypotheses and the possibilities of their refinement arise. In this connection the asymptotic analysis of equations of mathematical physics, the equations of elasticity in rod structures (without these hypotheses and simplifying assumptions being imposed) is undertaken in the present book. Moreover, a lot of modern structures are made of composite materials and therefore the material of the rods is not homogeneous. This inhomogeneity of the material can generate some unexpected effects. These effects are analysed in this book. The methods of multi-scale modelling are presented by the homogenization, multi-level asymptotic analysis and the domain decomposition. These methods give an access to a new class of hybrid models combining macroscopic description with "microscopic zooms".

Foreword by Sir Arthur C Clarke. Space exploration began with model and toy rockets. History shows that the greatest Rocketeers began their careers flying model rockets. Now in this book the story of the space race is told in dazzling colour. From the birth of models to the present day the toy rockets have often inspired the real rockets of the future. In fact model manufacturers like Revell and Aurora were frequently in trouble with the defence department for revealing military secrets! This is the Story of the Space Age, and uses the models to illustrate the way history twisted and turned to put us where we are today -- and maybe how space travel will develop in the future.