Space Exploration History

More than half a century after humans first walked on the Moon, exciting new space adventures are in the works. Thanks to major advances in rocketry, robotics, and other space technologies, humanity is on the verge of returning to the Moon, exploring Mars, building permanent orbiting space stations, expanding space tourism, and pushing the boundaries of exploration throughout the solar system and beyond. The Future of Space Exploration explores these exciting developments in 12 half-hour episodes, hosted by aerospace engineer and executive Dr. Ariel Ekblaw.

It’s 1969, and President Kennedy is serving his third term, and is maybe not quite himself—he has pushed America clean off the edge of the Space Age. Nancy Kranick (Emmy nominee Natasha Lyonne) is a night nurse on an orbiting space station who hates her job, is sick of space, and wants nothing more than a safe place to smoke a cigarette that won’t blow everyone up. Then she stumbles into an outer-space conspiracy tangled around President Kennedy, a miserable and long-forgotten estate lawyer named Richard Nixon, and an intergalactic object that could rewrite the course of history.

Even as one challenge is dealt with, a greater threat appears. Now, Silas finds himself adrift in the multiverse, but this is exactly the sort of adventure he's been longing for. There are monsters to slay, crafting to be done, and friends to make...

A fast-paced, hilarious, and ultimately hopeful novel for anyone who has ever worried they might be a terrible person—from the bestselling author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead. Enid is obsessed with space. She can tell you all about black holes and their ability to spaghettify...

Already a renowned chronicler of the epic events of world history, James A. Michener tackles the most ambitious subject of his career: space, the last great frontier. This astounding novel brings to life the dreams and daring of countless men and women—people like Stanley Mott, the engineer...

Experience an awe-inspiring science history that turns the dangerous void of space into humanity's ultimate frontier. Perfect for an energizing daily commute, this captivating narrative brings the Cold War space race and daring rocket engineering vividly to life. Whether you are winding down for...

The fascinating story of how NASA sent humans to explore outer space, told through a treasure trove of historical documents--publishing in celebration of NASA's 60th anniversary and with a foreword by Bill Nye "An extremely useful and thought provoking documentary journey through the maze of...

On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the East Coast of the US, including Washington, DC. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the Earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space and requires a much-larger share of humanity to take part in the process. Elma York’s drive to become the first lady astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

Regarded as a masterpiece today, 2001: A Space Odyssey received mixed reviews. Despite the success of Dr. Strangelove, director Stanley Kubrick wasn't yet recognized as a great filmmaker, and 2001 was radically innovative, with little dialogue and no strong central character. Author Michael Benson explains how 2001 was made, telling the story primarily through the two people most responsible for the film, Kubrick and science fiction legend Arthur C. Clarke. Benson interviewed Clarke many times, and has also spoken at length with Kubrick's widow, Christiane.

Experience the ultimate triumph of aerospace history as humanity battles physics to conquer the brutal void of space. Perfect for a gripping commute or an afternoon of deep learning, this awe-inspiring narrative reveals our dangerous obsession with leaving Earth. Witness the fiery collision of...

Mary Robinette Kowal continues the grand sweep of alternate history begun in The Calculating Stars. The Fated Sky looks forward to 1961, when mankind is well established on the moon and looking forward to its next step: journeying to, and eventually colonizing, Mars. Of course the noted Lady Astronaut Elma York would like to go, but there’s a lot riding on whoever the International Aerospace Coalition decides to send on this historic - but potentially very dangerous - mission. Could Elma really leave behind her husband and the chance to start a family to spend several years traveling to Mars?

Seizing his one chance to escape, Ethan Hosking leaves his violent ex-boyfriend, leaves his entire life, and walks into the path of a raging bushfire. Desperate to start over, a new man named Aubrey Hobbs walks out of the fire-ravaged forest, alive and alone. With no ID and no money, nothing but his grandfather's telescope, he goes where the Southern Cross leads him. Patrick Carney is the resident lighthouse keeper in Hadley Cove. After the tragic death of his lover four years ago, he's content with his life until a stranger shows up in town and turns Patrick's head.

Transform your daily commute into an awe-inspiring astronomy adventure through the history of space travel. Satisfy your deepest curiosity about the cosmos without getting bogged down by heavy math or complex jargon. It is the perfect listen for relaxing evenings, blending the thrilling...

What are the upper limits of human potential? At the intersection of flow states, mystical experiences, peak performance, and psychedelics lies a mysterious space of possibility. In Mapping Cloud Nine, bestselling author and award-winning journalist Steven Kotler takes us on a heady thrill ride...

From Schrodinger's cat to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, this book untangles the weirdness of the quantum world. 'A master of making the complex simple' Independent 'Al-Khalili is the ideal guide through [the] mysteries of modern science' New Scientist 'Superb' Guardian Quantum mechanics...

It is a bizarrely beautiful image: A man in a spacesuit stands isolated in an alien world. His companion, the photographer, and their landing craft are reflected in his visor. This photograph, taken by Neil Armstrong of fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin, is the most famous documentation of America’s 1969 moon landing. But to people in every country on Earth, it represented and still does so much more.

Out in the darkness of space, something is targeting the Greatships. With their vast cargo holds and a crew that could fill a city, the Greatships are the lifeblood of human occupied space, transporting an unimaginable volume - and value - of goods from City, the greatest human orbital, all the...

Nothing captivates the human imagination like the vast unknowns of space. Ancient petroglyphs present renderings of the heavens, proof that we have been gazing up at the stars with wonder for thousands of years. Since then, mankind has systematically expanded our cosmic possibilities. What were once flights of fancy and dreams of science fiction writers have become nearly routine. Space travel is a sometimes heroic, sometimes humorous, and always dangerous journey fraught with perils. Space Oddities brings unknown, offbeat, and obscure stories of space to life.

Can an evangelical theologian and his gay son overcome the differences in belief that threaten to destroy their relationship? For Brad and Drew Harper, that question wasn't theoretical - and neither was the resounding "yes" they found after years of struggle. Writing to each other with compassion, grit, and humor, Brad and Drew take us on their journey as parent and child - from the churches of Middle America to the penthouses of New York's party scenes, from a pastor's-kid childhood and painful conversion therapy to the hard-won victories of their adult relationship.

Why we shouldn’t colonize Mars or the Moon, or even vacation there If certain business titans, corporations, and governments have their way, humans will someday be living, working, and vacationing in space. This is the much-vaunted New Space Age, and in Lunacy, philosopher Ben Bramble explains...