Overview
- Emphasizes the technology of space probes in terms of structures, propulsion, power, communications and data processing systems, and scientific instrumentation
- Provides comprehensive coverage that ranges from the earliest planetary probes to the most recent planetary flights and missions
- Details many grounded and unfulfilled missions, which may still be proven to be useful in the future
- Focuses on the robotic missions initiated since 2004, including NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
- Looks ahead to possible future robotic missions and the prospect human exploration of Mars
- Thoroughly illustrated with 225 images that bring the missions and time period to life
Part of the book series: Springer Praxis Books (PRAXIS)
Part of the book sub series: Space Exploration (SPACEE)
Access this book
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Other ways to access
Table of contents (3 chapters)
-
Front Matter
-
Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
In Robotic Exploration of the Solar System, Paolo Ulivi and David Harland provide a comprehensive account of the design and management of deep-space missions, the spacecraft involved – some flown, others not – their instruments, and their scientific results.
This fourth volume in the series covers the period 2004 to the present day and features:
- coverage of the Rosetta and Curiosity missions up to the end of 2013
- coverage of Mars missions since 2005, including the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Phoenix and Fobos-Grunt, plus a description of plans for future robotic exploration of the Red Planet
- coverage of all planetary missions launched between 2004 and 2013, including the Deep Impact cometary mission, the MESSENGER Mercury orbiter, the New Horizons Pluto flyby and the Juno Jupiter orbiter
- the first complete description of the Chinese Chang’e 2 asteroid flyby mission ever published
- extensive coverage of future missions, including the European BepiColombo Mercury orbiter and international plans to revisit the most interesting moons of Jupiter and Saturn.
Reviews
“This work completes the authors’ review of Solar System missions up to about 2013. … I particularly liked the selection of photographs, both technological and scientific, many of which I had never seen before. … as source of detailed descriptions of any planetary mission you have heard of, and possibly a few you haven’t, it is an excellent reference source.” (John Davies, The Observatory, April, 2016)
“Space historians Ulivi and Harland serve up the fourth book in this series on international planetary exploration missions, covering the most recent ten years. Their compendium does a superb job of capturing what seems like ‘insider’ details of each major mission. … This fourth volume could stand on its own as a reference for those interested only in modern missions. … Summing Up: Highly recommended. All space history/exploration collections.” (T. D. Oswalt, Choice, Vol. 52 (9), May, 2015)
Authors and Affiliations
About the authors
Paolo Ulivi was born in Florence, Italy and graduated from the Politecnico di Milano University with a thesis on robotics for Mars sample return missions. He works as a consultant in aerospace structures in Toulouse, France. In his free time, he researches the history of astronautics, astronomy, aeronautics and the Cold War. He is also an amateur astronomer and specializes in Solar System observations.
David Harland studied astronomy to degree level, and pursued a career lecturing in computer science, and academic and industrial research. In 1995, David "retired" to resume his interest in space and started to write. He has over two dozen books published to date, a majority of them with Springer/Praxis and several others under contract. These days he considers himself to be an amateur hermit and a professional space historian.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Robotic Exploration of the Solar System
Book Subtitle: Part 4: The Modern Era 2004 –2013
Authors: Paolo Ulivi, David M. Harland
Series Title: Springer Praxis Books
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4812-9
Publisher: Springer New York, NY
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015
Softcover ISBN: 978-1-4614-4811-2Published: 16 September 2014
eBook ISBN: 978-1-4614-4812-9Published: 16 September 2014
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XII, 567
Number of Illustrations: 226 b/w illustrations
Topics: Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology, Popular Science in Astronomy, Aerospace Technology and Astronautics, Computer Applications