Voyager: Seeking Newer Worlds in the Third Great Age of Discovery - Hardcover

Pyne, Stephen J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670021830 ISBN 13: 9780670021833

Publisher: Viking Pr, 2010

Synopsis

An assessment of the current state of the Voyager space program traces its origins in the 1957 Sputnik launch while citing the inspirational accomplishments of historical explorers, in an account that also evaluates the program's relevance and its imminent departure from the solar system.

About this title

Review:

"A challenging but immensely rewarding read."
-"Kirkus" (starred)
"Pyne's book isn't just an overview of the Voyager program; it's a sweeping history of what Pyne calls the "third age of discovery," beginning with the first sputterings of Sputnik and reaching all the way to our recent space shuttle disasters. Along the way, we're treated to a dense but intriguing sweep of the eras of exploration past."
-Salon.com
"For space geeks, it's a sweet read; for everyone else, it's an eye opener."
-"Time "
"Today both Voyagers are still in operation and are passing beyond the edge of the solar system, serving as distant ambassadors for humankind. In this book, Pyne puts that quest in grand perspective."
-"Science News "
"The Voyager story itself is an amazing one, and Mr. Pyne tells it skillfully...Mr. Pyne deftly shows how the development of rocketry, of orbital science and of computer technology all came together just in time to take advantage of a once- every-176-years planetary alignment that would allow a spacecraft to make close passes of outer planets- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune-all in one long trip."
-"The Wall Street Journal " "Even the most passionate aficionado, who devoured every digital bit sent back by the Voyagers, will find this overview enriching."
-"The Washington Post "
"Pyne manages to set alight the story of the Voyagers as few space writers have ever done. In a marvelous twist on the usually self-important chronicles of space missions, he places the Voyagers in their historical and sociological context."
-"Dallas Morning News "
"This is not just a history of the remarkable Voyager programme. Instead, it is an attempt to analyse it as part of the broad sweep of exploration stretching back to the likes of Christopher Columbus, focusing more on the politics and culture behind these ventures than on their scientific returns."
-"New Scientist "
"The Voyager spacecraft have not only clocked up a far better understanding of the outer planets, they also illustrate mankind's third great age of discovery, according to Stephen Pyne in a fascinating new book."
-"The Economist"
"If NASA's historic achievement in manned spaceflight is a source of wonder and pride for all Americans, the agency's epic triumphs with satellites should be just as widely known and celebrated. Stephen Pyne's masterful "Voyager" show us just how the U.S. continues to command the forefront of a third age of discovery in exploring our beautiful and astonishing universe."
-Craig Nelson, author of the "New York Times" bestselling "Rocket Men"
Praise for "How the Canyon Became Grand"
"This extraordinary book puts the national landmark in the context of nothing less than the intellectual history of western civilization-in 200 pages."
-"Newsday" "Unique and revealing...offers great grist for discussion, perhaps as deep as the Grand Canyon itself."
-"USA Today"
Praise for "Year of the Fires"
"This fusion of action and history firmly lands "Year of the Fires" in the realm of such literary disaster tales as "The Perfect Storm" and "Into Thin Air.""
-"Chicago Tribune"
"Readers...of this unusual book will find themselves in a world seldom visited by historians, let alone to the general public..."Year of the Fires" is a pleasure to read."
-"The New York Times Book Review"
"Powerful and absorbing."
-"Austin American-Statesman"

"A challenging but immensely rewarding read."
-Kirkus (starred)
"Pyne's book isn't just an overview of the Voyager program; it's a sweeping history of what Pyne calls the "third age of discovery," beginning with the first sputterings of Sputnik and reaching all the way to our recent space shuttle disasters. Along the way, we're treated to a dense but intriguing sweep of the eras of exploration past."
-Salon.com
"For space geeks, it's a sweet read; for everyone else, it's an eye opener."
-Time
"Today both Voyagers are still in operation and are passing beyond the edge of the solar system, serving as distant ambassadors for humankind. In this book, Pyne puts that quest in grand perspective."
-Science News
"The Voyager story itself is an amazing one, and Mr. Pyne tells it skillfully...Mr. Pyne deftly shows how the development of rocketry, of orbital science and of computer technology all came together just in time to take advantage of a once- every-176-years planetary alignment that would allow a spacecraft to make close passes of outer planets- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune-all in one long trip."
-The Wall Street Journal "Even the most passionate aficionado, who devoured every digital bit sent back by the Voyagers, will find this overview enriching."
-The Washington Post
"Pyne manages to set alight the story of the Voyagers as few space writers have ever done. In a marvelous twist on the usually self-important chronicles of space missions, he places the Voyagers in their historical and sociological context."
-Dallas Morning News
"This is not just a history of the remarkable Voyager programme. Instead, it is an attempt to analyse it as part of the broad sweep of exploration stretching back to the likes of Christopher Columbus, focusing more on the politics and culture behind these ventures than on their scientific returns."
-New Scientist
"The Voyager spacecraft have not only clocked up a far better understanding of the outer planets, they also illustrate mankind's third great age of discovery, according to Stephen Pyne in a fascinating new book."
-The Economist
"If NASA's historic achievement in manned spaceflight is a source of wonder and pride for all Americans, the agency's epic triumphs with satellites should be just as widely known and celebrated. Stephen Pyne's masterful Voyager show us just how the U.S. continues to command the forefront of a third age of discovery in exploring our beautiful and astonishing universe."
-Craig Nelson, author of the New York Times bestselling Rocket Men
Praise for How the Canyon Became Grand
"This extraordinary book puts the national landmark in the context of nothing less than the intellectual history of western civilization-in 200 pages."
-Newsday "Unique and revealing...offers great grist for discussion, perhaps as deep as the Grand Canyon itself."
-USA Today
Praise for Year of the Fires
"This fusion of action and history firmly lands Year of the Fires in the realm of such literary disaster tales as The Perfect Storm and Into Thin Air."
-Chicago Tribune
"Readers...of this unusual book will find themselves in a world seldom visited by historians, let alone to the general public...Year of the Fires is a pleasure to read."
-The New York Times Book Review
"Powerful and absorbing."
-Austin American-Statesman

About the Author:

Stephen J. Pyne is a professor of history at Arizona State University, a MacArthur Foundation Fellow, and winner of the 1995 Los Angeles Times Robert Kirsch Award for Arts and Letters. His book The Ice was named one of The New York Times Book Review's 10 Best Books of the Year. His eleven groundbreaking books include the five-volume Cycle of Fire. He lives in Glendale, Arizona.

About this edition

• Publisher: Viking Pr
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0670021830
• ISBN 13: 9780670021833
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 444