The monograph by A.I.Kiselev, A.A. Medvedev and Y.A.Menshikov,
Astronautics: Summary and Prospects, aroused enthusiasm both among
experts and the public at large. This is due to the felicitous choice of
presentation that combines a simple description of complex space matters
with scientificsubstantiation of the sub- jectmatter described. The
wealth of color photos makes the book still more attractive, and it was
nominated for an award at the 14th International Moscow Book Fair, being
singled out as the "best publication of the book fair". The book's
popularity led to a second edition, substantially revised and enlarged.
Since the first edition did not sufficiently cover the issues of space
impact on ecology and the prospective development of space systems, the
authors revised the entire volume, including in it the chapter "Space
activity and ecology" and the section "Multi-function space systems".
Using the federal monitoring system, now in the phase of system engi-
neering, as an example, the authors consider the basic principles of
building and the likely principal features of the future multi-role
space systems capable of fulfilling a wide range of missions. Nowadays,
space activity increasingly criticized by dedicated ecologists. This is
not unfair. The development and utilization of space, like any other
human activity, is invariably accompanied by such an untoward effect as
envi- ronmental pollution. This criticism, however, is often prejudiced
and opinion- ated.The authors attempt to look into the matter
impartially and without bias.
