Entering Space: Creating a Spacefaring Civilization

Dr Robert Zubrin is a masterful past rocket engineer, president of the Mars Society and great writer. Read A Case for Mars (5 stars), Mars on Earth (5 stars) and How to Live on Mars (3 stars). His second book Entering Space ( Case For Mars was first) is well written and an easy read. Finished it in 2 days.A few parts of rocket formulas are a little technical and the first few chapters are a little slow to get going but after that his book is a rocket ship. Wonderful. Plus there are several futuristic beautiful colored artwork pages showing some of the things he describes.Robert lists civilization into three categories. #1 Beginning of mankind to complete communication global network and space program a little more advanced than today. #2 Man's exploration and colonization of the solar system. moon observatories, research center, Mars colony, asteroid mining, outer plant Helium 3 harvesting for using a deuterium/he3 mixture for fusion reactors, moving ice asteroids for water, metal gathering of asteroids, and a sling shot effect around Jupiter and/or Saturn is discussed. Much much more. #3 Galactic exploration. He goes into possible propulsion systems to take us to the stars using present understanding of physics without going into the obscure and way out theories.The Mars Society is discussed as well as the HAB ( Mars research station) to be built on Devon Island in the far north Arctic. They actually do it. Read his #3 book Mars on Earth (5 stars).Again in Entering Space Robert talks about "Mars Direct" which is the safest and most economical way of sending a crew of 4 to Mars and back and allowing them 1 1/2 years to explore the Red Planet.If NASA ever goes this "Mars Direct" route (and it should) I strongly believe Dr. Zubrin should get a Nobel Prize. I was so impressed with Dr. Zubrin's writings, his "Mars Direct" idea and the back breaking hard work he and others did on Devon Island . Plus being interested in the expansion of the human race and Mars colonization ,I became a paid Mars Society member.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. It's interesting and thought-provoking, without being overly concerned with details. I found it a much easier read than the same author's "The Case for Mars", which I am currently reading.There are far more positives than negatives, and I can only think of 2 criticisms. One is the author's justifications for human space exploration and colonization. His main argument seems to boil down to "We explored in the past and we should do it now. It's human nature". While he's certainly technically correct, as a philosophical and/or political justification I find it somewhat wishy-washy. I would have like to have seen more about human eco-vandalism, population explosion, dwindling resources, global war, and commercial interests as topics for discussion which have a strong bearing on our justification for settling on other celestial objects.The second is that I'd like to expand the author's tripartate division of technological civilizations to include 5 categories. Added to the categories of civilizations who have travelled beyond their mother planet, have colonized their solar system, and who have reached other star systems (categories 1-3), I propose:4) Civilizations that have colonized their entire local galaxy (or most of it)5) Civilizations that have developed *inter-galactic* travel (and colonization)4), and especially 5), represent exponentially greater achievements in all respects than 1-3. I think they should be considered as separate stages of further development/maturity of a space-faring civilization.The book is also heavily US-biased (for those who may take objection to such things).But overall well worth a read if this subject at all interests you.

This is a very visionary and profound work by Dr. Zubrin; it is an outline of what could/should be man's destiny in the universe, and was to me, inspiring. To say the very least...I learned a LOT about the engineering aspects of what has already been accomplished, and what lies ahead. I've already developed a "books to buy" list, based on what was presented. Even with my engineering school background in analytical mechanics, I was somewhat overwhelmed by the casually discussed mathematical insights herein. Be forewarned: be prepared to drag out your college Physics textbooks, and Chemistry textbooks, in order to fully appreciate what is splendidly presented. The chemistry of the Sabatier reaction and other simple organic for me is a breeze, but introducing the nuclear chemistry showed the voids in my own technical background! Wow! Zubrin paints a view of mankind's future that excites me, and makes me wish I were 20 years younger in order to more fully participate as we move ahead.All of my Kudos are warranted; be advised this is not an easy or casual read, and is a charmingly and sometimes humorously written scientific masterpiece. Only 5 stars allowed? I'd give it a lot more than that; I'm buying additional copies to send my colleagues!

It is a great balance between scientific technospeak and general ideas. It's easy to follow though, because if you aren't really into and/or understand things like velocity and chemistry, you can continue reading and he explains it in another way. As you read it, many of the questions that pop up in your mind are soon answered. He does sound a bit bitter and frustrated on some NASA related manners, though it seems understandable. However, I do sense a hint of derision about the other sometimes important aspects of the federal budget that is sometimes annoying. He makes a convincing case about the ability and necessity of going into space.