Space Technology (Sourcebooks in Modern Technology Series)

Here is a ready-reference guide for the nonspecialist with current information about developments in space technology as well as the present and future social, political, and technical impact of those developments on everyday life. It includes a history of the evolution of space technology; a discussion of applications; a chronology of major developments; profiles of prominent people and institutions; explanations of key principles; a discussion of the major impacts and implications of space technology; an examination of major issues surrounding the use of such technology; and predictions for future advances. Also offered are a glossary, a list of key associations, a list of print and electronic information resources, 40 illustrations, and an index.

Space Technology, the first volume in the Sourcebooks in Modern Technology Series, is a ready-reference guide that provides nonspecialist users with current information about important developments in space technology and about the social, political, and technical impact of those developments on everyday life—now and in the future.

The book includes a detailed history of the evolution of space technology; a discussion of both civilian and military applications of such technology; a chronology of major developments and discoveries; profiles of prominent scientists, politicians, popularizers, and institutions; explanations of key principles; discussion of the major impacts and implications of space technology; an examination of major issues surrounding the use of such technology; and predictions for possible future advances. Space Technology also offers a glossary of terms, a list of key associations, a list of print and electronic information resources, 40 illustrations, and an index.

Provides the nonspecialist with current information about important developments in space technology and the social, political, and technical impact of those developments on everyday life.

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-This dense, no-frills compendium is designed to impart a basic grounding in the history, technology, impact, and goals of space flight. Angelo organizes his material into 10 topical chapters, beginning with a historical overview, followed by a chronology encompassing both Ptolemy and the February 2003 loss of the space shuttle Columbia, then discussions of space-related physics and technology, military and civilian applications, current issues, and future plans. One chapter, "Profiles of Space Technology Pioneers, Visionaries, and Advocates," highlights dozens of people from Nicolaus Copernicus to Walt Disney and closes with selective but generous lists of resources and organizations. Occasional personal views enliven the rather dry, sober prose: "Throughout human history, the engineer has been the person who creatively applied different forms of technology to satisfy human needs and to protect people from hazards." With no sidebars, tables, or even internal cross-references to break up the closely packed text, and only a scanty assortment of poorly reproduced black-and-white photos and an occasional diagram, this book isn't going to attract browsers, but it merits a place in library collections, particularly smaller ones, for its currency and range.-John Peters, New York Public Library Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

JOSEPH A. ANGELO JR., a retired U.S. Air Force officer (lieutenant colonel), is currently a consulting futurist and technical writer. He is Adjunct Professor in the College of Engineering at Florida Tech and served with distinction as a commissioner for the governor of Florida's Commission on Space in 1987-1988. He is the author of seven other books on space technology and space exploration.