Dream missions : space colonies, nuclear spacecraft and other possibilities /

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Bibliographic Details
Author / Creator:	Van Pelt, Michel, author.
Imprint:	Cham, Switzerland : Springer, [2017]
Description:	1 online resource
Language:	English
Series:	Springer Praxis books in space exploration Springer-Praxis books in space exploration.
Subject:	Space flight. Astronautics. Astronautics. Exploration of outer space. Space flight. Outer space -- Exploration. Outer space.
Format:	E-Resource Book
URL for this record:	http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/11306989

Hidden Bibliographic Details
ISBN:	9783319539416 3319539418 3319539396 9783319539393
Digital file characteristics:	text file PDF
Notes:	Includes bibliographical references and index. Online resource; title from PDF title page (SpringerLink, viewed June 5, 2017).
Summary:	This book takes the reader on a journey through the history of extremely ambitious, large and complex space missions that never happened. What were the dreams and expectations of the visionaries behind these plans, and why were they not successful in bringing their projects to reality thus far? As spaceflight development progressed, new technologies and ideas led to pushing the boundaries of engineering and technology though still grounded in real scientific possibilities. Examples are space colonies, nuclear-propelled interplanetary spacecraft, space telescopes consisting of multiple satellites and canon launch systems. Each project described in this book says something about the dreams and expectations of their time, and their demise was often linked to an important change in the cultural, political and social state of the world. For each mission or spacecraft concept, the following will be covered: " Description of the design." Overview of the history of the concept and the people involved." Why it was never developed and flown " What if the mission was actually carried out - consequences, further developments, etc.
Other form:	Print version: 9783319539393
Standard no.:	10.1007/978-3-319-53941-6

Table of Contents:

Acknowledgements; Dedication; About the Author; Preface; 1: Introduction; 2: Giant launchers; Shoot 'em up; Super heavy-lift launchers; Extremely heavy-lift launchers; The future of heavy lift; 3: Reusable launchers; High expectations; Pushing the envelope; Shuttles and other reusable launchers; True spaceplanes; The trouble with spaceplanes; 4: Space stations and orbital colonies; Donuts in orbit; Islands in space; Asteroid mining; 5: Super satellites; Take out the crew; Hypersatellites and star shades; Space solar power; 6: Giant probes; Voyager Mars.
Mars sample return Europa Ocean Explorer; Prometheus; Solar sailing; 7: Mars expeditions; The Mars Project; Stuck in Earth Orbit; Mars Direct; On Mars in 2030+; 8: To the stars; Interstellar probe; Riding the nuclear blast wave; Starshot; 9: Conclusions; Bibliography; Index.

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