'[A] skilful history of space exploration ' - Kirkus Reviews
(starred review)
Nearing half a century since the last Apollo mission, mankind has yet to
return to the Moon, but that is about to change. With NASA's Artemis
program scheduled for this decade, astronomer David Whitehouse takes a
timely look at what the next 50 years of space exploration have in
store.
The thirteenth man and the first woman to walk on the Moon will be the
first to explore the lunar south pole - the prime site for a future Moon
base thanks to its near-perpetual sunlight and the presence of nearby
ice.
The first crewed mission to Mars will briefly orbit the red planet in
2039, preparing the way for a future landing mission. Surviving the
round trip will be the greatest challenge any astronaut has yet faced.
In the 2050s, a lander will descend to the frozen surface of Jupiter's
moon Europa and attempt to drill down to its subsurface ocean in search
of life.
Based on real-world information, up-to-date scientific findings and a
healthy dose of realism, Space 2069 is a mind-expanding tour of
humanity's future in space over the next 50 years.