Publisher Description
When the Apollo astronauts walked on the Moon in 1969, many people imagined Mars would be next. However, NASA’s Viking 1, which landed in 1976, was just a robot, and the much-anticipated crewed mission failed to materialize, defeated by a combination of technological and political challenges. Four decades after Viking and almost half a century after Apollo, technology has improved beyond recognition—as has politics. As private ventures like SpaceX seize center stage from NASA, Mars has undergone a seismic shift—it’s become the prime destination for future human expansion and colonization. But what’s it really like on Mars, and why should anyone want to go there? How do you get there, and what are the risks? Astrophysicist and science writer Andrew May answers these questions and more, as he traces the history of our fascination with the Red Planet.
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About Andrew May
Andrew May is an author who has been working as a freelance writer and defense consultant. He obtained a PhD in astrophysics from the University of Manchester and is an experienced professional with a career spanning academia, government, and private industry. He has written both authoritatively and entertainingly on the physical sciences, military technology, British history, science fiction, New Age beliefs, and the paranormal. He is the author of several titles, including Pseudoscience and Science Fiction, The Telescopic Tourist’s Guide to the Moon, and Rockets and Ray Guns: The Sci-Fi Science of the Cold War, among others.
About Mike Cooper
Mike Cooper is a British voice artist based in the United States. In addition to a wide variety of voice-over work he has narrated audiobooks including The Divine Spark, The Magician’s Way, and The Last Shaman.