Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This slim book tries valiantly to summarize the entire range of space launch and in-space propulsion concepts, but does a questionable job of it.
The book has the usual problems of a very compressed summary -- some concepts, and many specific technologies and projects, are left out entirely, and there's no room to do more than briefly describe most of the concepts that are included. The level is variable: parts are apparently aimed at people with at least an undergraduate technical education -- there's lots of algebra, and more than a few differential equations -- yet many concepts are described only in qualitative terms, perhaps with a picture or diagram. Some references are to standard reference works or review articles intended for nonspecialists, while others are to specialized research papers likely to puzzle most readers who want more information -- assuming they can find the cited journals at all.
However, the book's major problem is that it's full of errors -- mostly minor individually, but distressing taken as a whole. I work in this field, and know many of the projects mentioned and researchers cited; without actively looking I noticed eleven errors in 38 pages. These range from a faulty diagram (Fig. 2.7) to a gross overstatement of the funding for one project, to fundamental errors in the descriptions of pulsed detonation engines ("a compression wave travels through the tube at the speed of sound" when in fact a detonation is a faster-than-sound process; a sonic or subsonic process is a deflagration) and pneumatic catapults.
If you want quick layman's introductions to a wide variety of advanced concepts, there are better summaries on line.
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Space propulsion systems have a great influence on our ability to travel to other planets or how cheap a satellite can provide TV programs. This book provides an up-to-date overview of all kinds of propulsion systems ranging from classical rocket technology, nuclear propulsion to electric propulsion systems, and further to micro-, propellantless and even breakthrough propulsion, which is a new program under development at NASA. The author shows the limitations of the present concepts and how they could look like in the future. Starting from historical developments, the reader is taken on a journey showing the amazing technology that has been put on hold for decades to be rediscovered in the near future for questions like how we can even reach other stars within a human lifetime. The author is actively involved in advanced propulsion research and contributes with his own experience to many of the presented topics. The book is written for anyone who is interested in how space travel can be revolutionized.
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