Reviewed Nonfiction Books alphabetically by author

See also list alphabetically by title

• Adamcik, Robert. Voyages of Discovery: The Missions of the Space Shuttle Discovery (2010). Excellent documentation of all of Space Shuttle Discovery’s journeys and crews through 2010.
• Adler, Douglas G., and Peter Bernstein. From the Earth to the Moon: The Miniseries Companion (2020). A guide to the episodes and background of the twelve-part HBO mini-series produced by Bruce Glazer, Ron Howard and Tom Hanks, which first aired in 1998.
• Aldrin, Buzz, and Ken Abraham. No Dream Is too High: Life Lessons from a Man Who Walked on the Moon (2016). A half memoir and half inspirational self-help book, using Aldrin’s stories as a backdrop for broad life lessons.
• Aldrin, Buzz, and Leonard David. Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration (2013). Apollo astronaut and developer of the Aldrin Mars Cycler which could provide regular service between Earth and Mars, gives his vision of humanity’s future in space.
• Anderson, Clayton C. The Ordinary Spaceman: From Boyhood Dreams to Astronaut (2015). An astronaut biography displaying dogged persistence and unwillingness to give up on a lifetime goal to fly in space.
• Anderson, Eric, and Joshua Piven. The Space Tourist’s Handbook (2005). The “wealthy hitchhiker’s” guide to space, with emphasis on the details of a Soyuz launch to the International Space Station.
• Ansari, Anousheh. My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer (2010). The heartfelt story of the first woman to travel in space as a paying passenger.
• Arceneaux, Hayley. Wild Ride: A Memoir of I.V. Drips and Rocket Ships (2022). Hayley served as the medical officer of Inspiration4, the first all-civilian spaceflight, led by Jared Isaacman.
• Autry, Greg, and Peter Navarro. Red Moon Rising: How America Will Beat China on the Final Frontier (2024). Describes well the policies America needs to adopt in order to remain first in space, but has little about Chinese space accomplishments.
• Ayrey, Bill (2020). Lunar Outfitters: Making the Apollo Spacesuit (2020). A rare and rewarding book. The author goes into the complexity of both spacesuit design and quality management in straightforward language.
• Badescu, Viorel (editor). Mars: Prospective Energy and Material Resources (2010). Fully referenced research papers focusing on the technologies necessary for humans to someday live and thrive on the surface of Mars.
• Bagby, Meredith. The New Guys: The Historic Class of Astronauts That Broke Barriers and Changed the Face of Space Travel (2023). Astronaut Group 8 was notable for the inclusion of six women, one of whom was Jewish, three Astronauts who were Black, and one who was Asian. Additional review.
• Baker, Dr. David. NASA Space Shuttle Owners’ Workshop Manual (2011). Encyclopedic volume of information about the Space Shuttle.
• Barbree, Jay. Live from Cape Canaveral (2007). A master reporter makes the last 50 years of spaceflight come alive.
• Barbree, Jay. Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight (2014). Dramatic and entertaining account of Neil Armstrong’s flying career.
• Beattie, Donald A. ISScapades (2007). Does an admirable job of providing the reader with an understanding of why we have the space station we have.
• Belfiore, Michael. Rocketeers (2007). A personal glimpse into the space entrepreneur and why people will risk fortunes and even their lives in an effort to open space to a wider audience.
• Bell, Jim. Postcards from Mars (2006). A coffee-table book of fabulous photos that also includes the compelling human story behind the successful Spirit and Opportunity rovers.
• Bell, Sherry. Living in Space (2009). 21 essays on the cultural and social dynamics, opportunities, and challenges in permanent space habitats.
• Benaroya, Haym (editor). Lunar Settlements (2010). Comprehensive collection of papers from the 2007 Rutgers University Symposium on Lunar Settlements.
• Benaroya, Haym. Turning Dust to Gold: Building a Future on the Moon and Mars (2010). The goal of this book is to demonstrate that expanding our civilization to the Moon and beyond is not beyond our reach, intellectually or financially.
• Benford, James, and Gregory Benford, editors. Starship Century: Toward the Grandest Horizon (2013). Science fact and fiction on the status of and prospects for interstellar travel.
• Bennett, Jeffrey. To Rise From Earth: An Easy-to-Understand Guide to Spaceflight, 2nd Edition (2000). An in-depth, straight-forward, visually pleasing description of all aspects of spaceflight.
• Berger, Eric. Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX (2021). Homer Hickam, author of Rocket Boys which became the movie October Sky, summed it up this way: “This is as important a book on space as has ever been written and it’s a riveting page-turner, too.”
• Berger, Eric. Reentry: SpaceX, Elon Musk, and the Reusable Rockets that Launched a Second Space Age (2024). Tells the remarkable story of how SpaceX became the most exciting space company on Earth.
• Bisney, John, and J. L. Pickering. Spaceshots & Snapshots of Projects Mercury & Gemini: A Rare Photographic History (2015). Beautifully produced book of 689 photographs with detailed captions that provide a wealth of information.
• Bizony, Piers. NASA Missions to Mars: A Visual History of Our Quest to Explore the Red Planet (2022). A “family-friendly non-academic and almost purely visual celebration” of what we have achieved in exploring the planet Mars.
• Bizony, Piers. The Space Shuttle: Celebrating Thirty Years of NASA’s First Space Plane (2011). If you want a 300-page photo album of stunning photographs of the space shuttle, this is a must.
• Bizony, Piers, and Roger D. Launius. NASA Space Shuttle: 40th Anniversary (2021). The objective of this book is to tell the Shuttle’s story in a succinct manner and with the use of extensive illustrations, and the hundreds of pictures are spectacular.
• Blair-Smith, Hugh. Left Brains for the Right Stuff: Computers, Space, and History (2015). This book merges the development of the computer, the race to the Moon, and the Cold War as a backdrop to the author’s career.
• Bond, Peter. Distant Worlds: Milestones in Planetary Exploration (2007). Compelling account of what 50 years of space missions have told us about all the bodies in the solar system.
• Boozer, R. D. The Plundering of NASA: An Exposé (2013). “How pork barrel politics harm American spaceflight leadership.”
• Bourland, Charles T., and Gregory Vogt. The Astronaut’s Cookbook: Tales, Recipes, and More (2009). This book is an overview of how “space food” is made and a description of the problems involved, as well as an actual cookbook.
• Brake, Mark. Alien Life Imagined: Communicating the Science and Culture of Astrobiology (2012). How the portrayal of extraterrestrial life has developed over the last 2500 years.
• Brand, Vance. Flying Higher and Faster (2016). An astronaut biography from the perspective of one who spanned both the Apollo and Shuttle eras.
• Brown, David W. The Mission: A True Story (2021). Creatively written chronicle of years of near-byzantine maneuvers to accomplish the Europa Clipper space mission (which was not launched until three years after the book was published).
• Brzezinski, Matthew. Red Moon Rising (2007). Captures the essence of the opening of the Space Age with masterful political savvy.
• Buckbee, Ed (Editor). 50 Years of Rockets & Spacecraft: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (2009). Documenting the history of Marshall Space Flight Center from the 1950s through 2008, including many insider stories.
• Burgess, Colin, editor. Footprints in the Dust: The Epic Voyages of Apollo, 1969-1975 (2010). Nine writers in twelve chapters cover not only the historical facts, but the human side, including civilian and astronaut perspectives.
• Burrough, Bryan. Dragonfly: NASA and the Crisis Aboard Mir (1998). The fascinating inside story of seven American astronauts and their missions to the dangerously decaying Mir space station.
• Buss, Jared S. Willey Ley: Prophet of the Space Age (2017). This is the first biography of Willy Ley, the popular science writer who did more than anyone else to explain the science and technology of the dawning Space Age to the American public, and who died of a heart attack less than a month before Neil Armstrong put the first bootprint on the Moon.
• Cadbury, Deborah. Space Race: The Epic Battle between America and the Soviet Union for Dominion of Space (2006). A somewhat pedestrian account of the epic tale of two dreamers on opposite sides of the “battle” for the heavens: Wernher von Braun and Sergei Korolev.
• Carberry, Chris. The Music of Space: Scoring the Cosmos in Film and Television (2024). This book tells us about the composers and other influencers who have shaped the sounds of space-related film and TV.
• Carberry, Chris, and Rick Zucker, editors. A Future Spacefaring Society: Establishing Human Life Beyond Earth (2026). With chapters written by leading experts in their fields, this book attempts a complete examination of the various factors required to create a spacefaring society.
• Carroll, Michael. Drifting on Alien Winds (2011). Vivid descriptions, stunning photo assemblies, and inspiring original artwork provide a grand tour of solar system weather.
• Carroll, Michael. Envisioning Exoplanets: Searching for Life in the Galaxy (2020). A feast for the eyes and the imagination. More than 200 spectacular images grace its pages, giving substance to the data, analyses, and speculations presented in the text.
• Carroll, Michael. Picture This! Grasping the Dimensions of Time and Space (2016). An understandable introduction to astronomy with vivid illustrations of astronomical distances.
• Carroll, Michael. Planet Earth, Past and Present: Parallels Between Our World and its Celestial Neighbors (2023). Written and illustrated by a prolific and well respected space artist, this book is a tour de force and a massive source of information about Earth, the rocky planets and the moons of the gas giants.
• Carroll, Michael. The Seventh Landing: Going Back to the Moon, This Time to Stay (2009). Presents many logical reasons for a permanent return to the Moon as the next step in human exploration of our universe, with exciting illustrations by the author.
• Caswell, Kurt. Laika’s Window: The Legacy of a Soviet Space Dog (2018). The tragic story of the first living creature to orbit the Earth.
• Causey, William F. John Houbolt – The Unsung Hero of the Apollo Moon Landings (2020). This book records a concise history of the Apollo program decision between Direct Ascent, Earth Orbit Rendezvous (EOR), and Lunar Orbit Rendezvous (LOR).
• Cavallaro, Umberto. Women Spacefarers: Sixty Different Paths to Space (2017). Biographies of sixty women who have flown in space.
• Chaikin, Andrew. A Passion for Mars (2008). The author of the landmark A Man on the Moon offers striking new information about humankind’s quest for the Red Planet.
• Chaikin, Andrew, with Victoria Kohl. Voices from the Moon (2009). High-def photos combined with the words of the lunar astronauts themselves makes this book a cut above.
• Clary, David A. Rocket Man: Robert H. Goddard and the Birth of the Space Age (2003). This balanced biography provides a fascinating look at this unique, talented, and contradictory man who was the unquestioned pioneer of liquid rocket propulsion in America.
• Coates, Joseph F., John B. Mahaffie, and Andy Hines. 2025: Scenarios of US and Global Society Reshaped by Science and Technology (1996). Review of the predictions from the chapter “Putting Space to Work”.
• Cockell, Charles S. Space on Earth: Saving Our World By Seeking Others (2007). “Environmentalism and space exploration have one and the same objective: to ensure humanity has a home.”
• Collins, Eileen, with Johathan H. Ward. Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission (2021). All the goals Collins set for herself in writing theis book—inspiration and historical narrative—have been admirably fulfilled. This is one of the essential astronaut autobiographies.
• Coniglio, Samuel. Creature Comforts in Space: Designing Enjoyment and Sustainability for Off-World Living (2024). Coniglio’s work is about the human factor in spaceflight, a topic that he believes needs more attention and research from space advocates.
• Conway, Erik M., Donald K. Yeomans, and Meg Rosenburg. A History of Near-Earth Objects Research (2022). This free downloadable book is impressively detailed and informative, including descriptions of robotic space missions to NEOs and accounts of talented individuals making incredible discoveries and working to protect Earth from NEOs.
• Darling, David, and Dirk Schulze-Makuch. Megacatastrophes (2012). An astronomer and an astrobiologist describe nine ways the world could end.
• Dawson, Linda. The Politics and Perils of Space Exploration (2016). A wide ranging introduction to historical and current space programs with both factual accounts and political analysis.
• Dean, James D. and Bertram Ulrich, editors. NASA/ART: 50 Years of Exploration (2008). Showcases some of the paintings that NASA commissioned as part of its historic art program.
• Dean, Margaret Lazarus. Leaving Orbit: Notes from the Last Days of American Space Flight (2015). The author asks “What does it mean that we went to space for 50 years, and then decided not to anymore?…What does it mean to stop exploring?”
• Dewar, James. The Nuclear Rocket: Making our Planet Green, Peaceful and Prosperous (2009). Argues that the nuclear reactor is the only viable primary source of economical rocket power.
• Dewar, James A. To the End of the Solar System: The Story of the Nuclear Rocket (2008). A comprehensive description of the technical details of the development and testing of the nuclear rocket as well as the politics that sealed its fate.
• Diamandis, Peter, and Steven Kotler. Abundance (2012). The authors masterfully synthesize data on the forces that can make nine billion people live a life of abundance within 25 years.
• Dickinson, Terrence. Hubble’s Universe: Greatest Discoveries and Latest Images (2014).The universe is the ultimate art gallery, and this beautiful coffee-table book is a splendid guide to the visual treasures of space.
• Donovan, James. Shoot for the Moon: The Space Race and the Extraordinary Voyage of Apollo 11 (2019). A jacket blurb by Michael Collins calls this book “the best book on Apollo that I have read.”
• Doran, James, and Piers Bizony. Starman: The Truth Behind the Legend of Yuri Gagarin (2011). The real story of Yuri Gagarin came to light when the people and archives of the U.S.S.R. became accessible to dedicated western journalists in the 1990s.
• Dubbs, Charles, and Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom. Realizing Tomorrow: The Path to Private Spaceflight (2011). A fascinating and detailed history of private spaceflight attempts.
• Dye, Paul. Shuttle, Houston: My Life in the Center Seat of Mission Control (2020). The experiences and recollections of the longest serving Flight Director in NASA history.
• Dyson, Marianne. A Passion for Space: Adventures of a Pioneering Female NASA Flight Controller (2015). What was it like to be one of the first women working in NASA’s Mission Control in the early days of the space shuttle?
• Dyson, Marianne. Shuttle Mission Control: Flight Controller Stories and Photos, 1981-1992 (2021). A fascinating, energizing look at the shuttle program’s early history, technology, and personalities, written by one of the first women flight controllers.
• Dyson, Marianne J. Space and Astronomy: Decade by Decade (2007). A clear and easy-to-understand resource for high school and college students, educators and the general public.
• Eisele, Donn. Apollo Pilot: The Memoir of Astronaut Donn Eisele (2017). Memoir of the pilot of the first Apollo flight into space, published thirty years after his death.
• Elkins-Tanton, Lindy. A Portrait of the Scientist as a young Woman: A Memoir (2022). Memoir of the Principal Investigator of the Psyche probe to a large metallic asteroid.
• Engdahl, Sylvia. The Planet-Girded Suns (2012). A thought-provoking history of human thought about extrasolar worlds. For young adult to adult.
• Erisman, Fred. Boys’ Books, Boys’ Dreams, and the Mystique of Flight (2006). A fun yet academic study of juvenile aviation adventure book series from 1910-1950, entwined with the scientific advances of the era covered.
• Evans, Ben. At Home in Space: The Late Seventies Into the Eighties (2012). The third brilliant volume of A History of Human Space Exploration.
• Evans, Ben. Escaping the Bonds of Earth: The Fifties and the Sixties (2009). A comprehensive and finely crafted history of human spaceflight through Apollo 8.
• Evans, Ben. Foothold in the Heavens: The Seventies (2010). Volume 2 of a comprehensive analysis of the history of human spaceflight.
• Evans, Ben. NASA’s Voyager Missions: Exploring the Outer Solar System and Beyond (Second Edition) (2022). The details of the Voyager missions, supplemented by information gathered by all subsequent probes.
• Evans, Ben. Partnership in Space: The Mid to Late Nineties (2013). Book five of the monumental History of Human Space Exploration.
• Evans, Ben. The Spacelab Story: Science Aboard the Shuttle (2024). Tells the full Spacelab story from its inception in the early 1970s until its conclusion at the end of the 20th Century with emphasis on the 22 Shuttle missions on which it was flown.
• Evans, Ben. The Twenty-First Century In Space (2015). The sixth and final volume of space historian Ben Evans’ monumental History of Human Space Exploration series.
• Evans, Ben. Tragedy and Triumph in Orbit: The Eighties and Early Nineties(2012). The fourth volume of A History of Human Space Exploration allows the reader to see how truly breathtaking these space adventures were.
• Evans, Michelle. The X-15 Rocket Plane: Flying the First Wings into Space (2013). The definitive book on the X-15, the men who flew her, and the managers and support people who kept her flying.
• Feuerbacher, Berndt, and Heinz Stoewer, editors. Utilization of Space (2005). A comprehensive scholarly book addressing how space contributes to the advancement and betterment of human society.
• Fishman, Charles. One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon (2019). NSS members should find a good review of the Apollo program and be reminded of the hard work behind achieving great dreams.
• Forczyk, Laura. Becoming Off-Worldly: Learning from Astronauts to Prepare for Your Spaceflight Journey (2022). Contains plenty of useful information for those wanting to personally experience either suborbital or orbital spaceflight.
• Forczyk, Laura. Rise of the Space Age Millennials: The Space Aspirations of a Rising Generation (2020). As the title implies, this book chronicles the careers, ambitions, and opinions of several young space professionals.
• Freeman, Marsha. Krafft Ehricke’s Extraterrestrial Imperative (2009). Biography and selected writings of one of the great thinkers of the space age.
• Fredriksen, John C. Men Into Space (2012). The story of the 1959 television series about human space flight.
• Friedman, Louis. Human Spaceflight: From Mars to the Stars (2015). An excellent review of solar sail technology and a plea for settling Mars.
• Funk, Wally. Higher Faster Longer: My Life in Aviation and My Quest for Space Flight (2020). The life-story of Wally Funk, one of 13 women who were selected to undergo the same physical testing as the original seven American astronauts.
• Gainor, Chris. To a Distant Day: The Rocket Pioneers (2013). A useful overview of the period leading up to the first human spaceflights.
• Gallentine, Jay. Ambassadors from Earth: Pioneering Explorations with Unmanned Spacecraft (2014). What Tom Wolfe did for the astronauts in The Right Stuff, Gallentine does for robotic explorers in this wonderful book.
• Gallentine, Jay. Infinity Beckoned: Adventuring Through the Inner Solar System, 1969-1989 (2016). Amazingly detailed behind-the-scenes account of both Soviet and American unmanned space programs targeting the Moon, Mars, and Venus.
• Gangler, Doug. The Road to Modern Rocketry: Launch Bases, Centers, Museums, Memorials, and Monuments (2014). More than a history, this book is a visitor’s guide to the world’s launch bases, centers, museums, memorials, and monuments.
• Garan, Ron. The Orbital Perspective: Lessons in Seeing the Big Picture from a Journey of 71 Million Miles (2015). Astronaut Garan describes how we can all gain an “orbital perspective” to guide and inspire our efforts to build a better world.
• Garretson, Peter A., and Namrata Goswami. Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space (2020). Competition in space is shifting from a race for prestige to a race for the practically limitless natural resources of the solar system.
• Garretson, Peter A., and Richard M. Harrison. The Next Space Race: A Blueprint for American Primacy (2023). The authors express their belief that it is crucial, for both economic and military reasons, that the United States remain first in space.
• Garretson, Peter A., and Richard M. Harrison. Space Shock: 18 Threats That Will Define Space Power (2025). The authors explore how America should respond to various Chinese space accomplishments.
• Garver, Lori. Escaping Gravity: My Quest to Transform NASA and Launch a New Space Age (2022). A former Executive Director of NSS and Deputy Administrator of NASA, Garver has been a pivotal force in modern spaceflight, and the ups and downs of that journey are well related in this no-holds-barred book.
• Gerardi, Kellie. Not Necessarily Rocket Science: A Beginner’s Guide to Life in the Space Age (2020). An autobiographical book that aims to provide examples of how those with non-technical degrees might find worthwhile and exciting careers in the space endeavor.
• Gibson, Robert “Hoot”. Space Ace: A Combat Pilot’s Journey from Vietnam to Beyond Earth (2026). Few astronauts of the Space Shuttle era saw more and did more than Robert “Hoot” Gibson.
• Godwin, Robert (editor). Apollo 13: NASA Mission Reports (40th Anniversary Edition) (2010). In-depth data about all aspects of the craft, crew, mission, and accident investigation.
• Godwin, Robert. The Lunar Exploration Scrapbook (2007). A fascinating tour of more than 200 proposed lunar vehicles, with beautiful color illustrations and designs that until now have existed only as blueprints.
• Godwin, Robert. Manned Lunar Landing and Return (2019). Reveals little known, but key participants and decisions in the road to the Moon paved by the Apollo Project.
• Godwin, Robert. Proposal for Man in Space (1957-1958) (2019). If you are a serious student of early space history, this book has a wealth of information of which you should be knowledgeable.
• Godwin, Robert (editor). Surveyor: Lunar Exploration Program: The NASA Mission Reports (2026). Contains a veritable treasure trove of documents on every conceivable facet of the Surveyor program.
• Gorman, Alice. Dr Space Junk vs The Universe: Archaeology and the Future (2019). Gorman, known as Dr Space Junk, is a Senior Lecturer at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia and an authority on the emerging field of space archaeology.
• Goswami, Namrata, and Peter A. Garretson. Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space (2020). Competition in space is shifting from a race for prestige to a race for the practically limitless natural resources of the solar system.
• Greene, Kate. Once Upon a Time I Lived on Mars: Space, Exploration, and Life on Earth (2020). A deeply personal book from former analog astronaut Kate Greene, who joined five others in a simulated Mars mission.
• Gregg, Jack. The Cosmos Economy: The Industrialization of Space (2021). Explains what is going on in the space business and why how the industry could be valued at $3 trillion by mid-century.
• Grego, Peter. Mars and How to Observe It (2012). A treasure trove of information about Mars and how to observe it from Earth.
• Grush, Loren. The Six: The Untold Story of America’s First Women Astronauts (2023). Focuses on the six women in Group 8—Anna Fisher, Shannon Lucid, Judy Resnick, Sally Ride, Margaret Rhea Seddon, and Kathryn Sullivan.
• Gurtuna, Ozgur. Fundamentals of Space Business and Economics (2013). An overview of key topics related to space business and management, with case studies.
• Guthrie, Julian. How to Make a Spaceship: A Band of Renegades, an Epic Race, and the Birth of Private Spaceflight (2016). The life story of Peter Diamandis, and the story of his crowning achievement so far, the X-Prize.
• Hadfield, Chris. An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth (2013). “What Going to Space Taught Me About Ingenuity, Determination, and Being Prepared for Anything.”
• Hadfield, Chris. You Are Here: Around the World in 92 Minutes: Photographs from the International Space Station (2014). Astronaut Chris Hadfield’s photos from the International Space Station provide a delight on every page.
• Haise, Fred, with Bill Moore. Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey (2022). Fred Haise is one of the last Apollo astronauts to tell his story, and since he was the lunar module pilot on the ill-fated Apollo 13, it’s quite a tale.
• Hall, Loretta. The Complete Space Buff’s Bucket List (2016). 100 space-themed activities to participate in and places to visit.
• Hall, Loretta. Out Of This World: New Mexico’s Contributions to Space Travel (2011). From Goddard’s early rockets to a modern spaceport. For young adult to adult.
• Hall, Loretta. Space Pioneers: In Their Own Words (2014). Oral histories from many people you might not otherwise have heard from.
• Hansen, James R. A Reluctant Icon: Letters to Neil Armstrong (2020). A second volume of hundreds of letters written both to and from Armstrong.
• Hansen, James R. Dear Neil Armstrong: Letters to the First Man from All Mankind (2019). A collection of letters, cards, telegrams, and e-mails giving readers an idea how fame affected Neil Armstrong’s life following Apollo 11.
• Hansen, James R. First Man (2005). The first-ever authorized biography of Neil Armstrong, masterfully written by James Hansen, a professor of history at Auburn University.
• Harris, Philip Robert. Space Enterprise: Living and Working Offworld in the 21st Century, (2009). An excellently referenced compendium of the behavioral and social science issues related to the creation of a spacefaring civilization.
• Harrison, Richard M., and Peter A. Garretson. The Next Space Race: A Blueprint for American Primacy (2023). The authors express their belief that it is crucial, for both economic and military reasons, that the United States remain first in space.
• Hartmann, William K. A Traveler’s Guide To Mars (2003). “A masterpiece of scientific writing for the general reader” that provides an integrated understanding of what makes Mars “tick.”
• Hartzman, Marc. The Big Book of Mars (2020). In five chapters, presented on thick glossy paper with an abundance of illustrations, Hartzman describes an amazing array of facets of how Mars has found its way into so much of our culture over the last 140 years.
• Harvey, Brian. Japan in Space: Past, Present and Future (2023). The entire history of Japan’s space efforts is discussed in this incredibly detailed work.
• Hendrickx, Bart, and Bert Vis. Energiya-Buran: The Soviet Space Shuttle (2007). The full story of the massive undertaking that led up to the launch of the Soviet space shuttle.
• Heppenheimer, T. A. Colonies in Space (1977). The best book on space settlement written to date – full of colorful narrative and satisfying, but clearly explained, technical detail.
• Heppenheimer, T. A. The Space Shuttle Decision (1999). A masterful piece of research and writing, this volume deals with the technical, economic, and political factors in the initial decision to build the Shuttle (time period 1965-1972).
• Hickam, Homer. Don’t Blow Yourself Up: The Further True Adventures and Travails of the Rocket Boy of October Sky (2021). What did Home Hickam do with his life following the events of his superb memoir Rocket Boys? This book tells the story.
• Higginbotham, Adam. Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space (2024). A riveting primer for those previously unfamiliar with the machinations behind the decision to launch Challenger on a brutally, unseasonably cold Florida morning.
• Hirshorn, Steven. Ascension: Life Lessons from the Space Shuttle Columbia Tragedy for Engineers, Managers, and Leaders (2025). Gives the reader a real sense of the culture inside of NASA before, during, and after the Columbia Disaster. Available free online.
• Hitt, David, Owen Garriott, and Joe Kerwin. Homesteading Space: The Skylab Story (2008). Provides an excellent oral history of the Skylab program, including Alan Bean’s complete journal from the Skylab II mission.
• Hoffstadt, Brett. How to Be a Rocket Scientist: 10 Powerful Tips to Enter the Aerospace Field and Launch the Career of Your Dreams (2021). Brief but meaningful advice on how to start a career in anything remotely related to aerospace.
• Hogan, Thor. Mars Wars (2007). Chronicles the reasons for the failure of the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) in the early 1990s.
• Holt, Nathalia. Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, From Missiles to the Moon to Mars (2016). This epic story of the women of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a fascinating history that’s as much a timeline of U.S. space science as it is an entertaining group biography.
• Howe, A. Scott, and Brent Sherwood, editors. Out of This World: The New Field of Space Architecture (2009). Gorgeously illustrated textbook of architectural concepts as applied to space (from habs to cities).
• Impey, Chris. The Living Cosmos (2007). A readable survey of astrobiology and how it may lead to deeper knowledge of our place in the universe.
• Impey, Chris, and Holly Henry. Dreams of Other Worlds: The Amazing Story of Unmanned Space Exploration (2013). The exciting tale of 12 missions that have expanded our view of the Solar System and the universe over the last 40 years.
• Jacobson, Robert C. Space Is Open for Business: The Industry That Can Transform Humanity (2020). This book serves the same role for those aspiring to become part of New Space as the Boy Scout Manual serves for those aspiring to become Eagle Scouts.
• Jakosky, Bruce. Science, Society and the Search for Life in the Universe (2006). An astrobiologist attempts to understand humans and their place in the universe. A book for the space philosopher.
• Jenks, Andrew L. The Cosmonaut Who Couldn’t Stop Smiling: The Life and Legend of Yuri Gagarin (2012). How do you separate the real from the propaganda? One of the most compelling works of space history to be published in the past decade.
• Johnson, Les. Sky Alert: When Satellites Fail (2013). Compelling account of how tenuous and entwined our existence has become with orbiting satellites.
• Johnson, Les, Gregory L. Matloff, C Bangs. Paradise Regained: The Regreening of Earth (2009). How humans might use the resources of the solar system for terrestrial benefit, allowing civilization to live in harmony with the environment.
• Johnson, Sarah Stewart. The Sirens of Mars: Searching for Life on Another World (2020). Covers the history behind the search for life on Mars, written by a person who was intimately involved in this history.
• Jones, Chris. Too Far From Home (2007). The true story of what it was like to be stranded aboard the International Space Station after the loss of the Shuttle Columbia.
• Jones, Tom. Skywalking: An Astronaut’s Memoir (2006). Former NASA astronaut Tom Jones offers a not-so-rosy glimpse at U.S.-Russian space relations.
• Jones, Tom. Space Shuttle Stories: Firsthand Astronaut Accounts from All 135 Missions (2023). A visually beautiful coffee table sized book that provides insight into the thought processes of the astronauts.
• Jones, Tom, and Ellen Stofan. Planetology: Unlocking the Secrets of the Solar System (2008). Published by National Geographic, the book is packed with compelling images and informative text.
• Jorgenson, Lisa. Far Side of the Moon: Apollo 8 Commander Frank Borman and the Woman Who Gave Him Wings (2021). 23 of the 30 Gemini and Apollo astronauts saw their marriages end in divorce. One marriage that beat the odds was that of Frank and Susan Borman. Their love story is one for the ages.
• Jurek, Richard. The Ultimate Engineer: The Remarkable Life of NASA’s Visionary Leader George Low (2019). Excellent survey of the life work of the Manager of the Apollo Spacecraft Program Office.
• Kaiser, David (Editor). Well, Doc, You’re In: Freeman Dyson’s Journey through the Universe (2022). The genius of Kaiser’s book is that each of its ten chapters was written by someone different…someone who knew the “Doc” or had worked with him, or had done deep research into some aspect of the man’s life or career.
• Kaku, Michio. The Future of Humanity (2018). A popular theoretical physicist envisions a grand golden age of space development and our ultimate destiny among the stars and even beyond.
• Kaku, Michio. The Future of Humanity (2018). A popular theoretical physicist envisions a grand golden age of space development and our ultimate destiny among the stars and even beyond.
• Kaltenegger, Lisa. Alien Earths: The New Science of Planet Hunting in the Cosmos (2024). The author, an Associate Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University who specializes in the atmospheres of extrasolar planets, provides an inspirational resource for anyone interested in other worlds.
• Kaminski, Amy. The People’s Spaceship: NASA, the Shuttle Era, and Public Engagement after Apollo, (2024). A detailed, serious and thoughtful work about one of the most important spaceflight endeavors that NASA has ever embarked on.
• Kanas, Nick. Behavioral Health and Human Interactions in Space, by Nick Kanas, M.D. (2023). With over fifty years of experience in the field of psychological stress, the author has collaborated with NASA, ESA and others, having earned several awards. This textbook delivers a solid foundation for understanding human behavior in outer space.
• Kasting, James. How to Find a Habitable Planet (2010). Kasting, a distinguished professor of geosciences at Penn State University, has worked to detect habitable worlds outside our solar system, and in this clear and accessible book he introduces readers to the advanced methodologies being used in this extraordinary quest.
• Kaufman, Marc. First Contact: Scientific Breakthroughs in the Hunt for Life Beyond Earth (2011). A first contact primer that’s as accessible and intriguing as it is vivid and thoughtfully written.
• Kaufman, Marc. Mars Up Close: Inside the Curiosity Mission (2014). A coffee-table size, visually beautiful book that also tells the story of the people involved in operating the mission.
• Kelly, Thomas J. Moon Lander: How We Developed the Apollo Lunar Module (2009). Fascinating coverage of the engineering, management, economics, and numerous problems overcome in the successful Apollo lunar lander.
• Kessler, Andrew. Martian Summer: Robot Arms, Cowboy Spacemen, and My 90 Days with the Phoenix Mars Mission (2011). Journalistic account of amazing science in all its frustration and glory, heroically executed despite penny-pinching and bureaucratic fiddling.
• Kevles, Bettyann Holtzmann. Almost Heaven: The Story of Women in Space (2003). The fascinating story of the women astronauts and cosmonauts who flew, or almost flew, into space.
• Kitmacher, Gary. Reference Guide to the International Space Station (2006). Provides a high level overview of the incredibly complex International Space Station program without drowning the reader in an ocean of facts.
• Kitmacher, Gary, Ron Miller, and Robert Pearlman. Space Stations: The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space (2018). Impressive, information-filled, profusely illustrated with excellent pictures, but marred by a disjointed presentation and at least 18 notable errors.
• Kloeris, Vickie. Space Bites: Reflections of a NASA Food Scientist (2023). Reveals the range of duties of a NASA food scientist, packed with interesting tidbits.
• Kokh, Peter. A Pioneer’s Guide to Living on Mars (2021). A gold mine of ideas that touch on every aspect of building a base on Mars.
• Kokh, Peter. Pioneer’s Guide to Living on the Moon (2018). This book describes a grand vision—a string of largely self-sufficient settlements spread across the northern face of the Moon.
• Koppel, Lily. The Astronaut Wives Club (2013). How the wives of the early astronauts dealt with the intense pressure of their new-found celebrity.
• Kovalchik, Dan. Days of Delta Thunder (2024). Story of a Delta II rocket explosion in 1997 that left workers trapped inside the blockhouse, including the author.
• Kramer, Saunders B. Beyond Earth, the Soviet Drive into Space: Decoding Their Satellite and Launch Efforts, 1957-1975: A Very Personal View (2025). Every Soviet launch, manned and unmanned, up until 1975 are covered in significant detail.
• Kurzweil, Ray. The Singularity is Near (2006). How might the hypothetical “Technological Singularity”—when computers become smarter than humans and take over their own evolution—affect space development?
• Lardier, Christian, and Stefan Barensky. The Soyuz Launch Vehicle–Two Lives of an Engineering Triumph (2013). A copiously illustrated tome about the development and use of the venerable Russian rocket.
• Launius, Roger D. NACA to NASA to Now: The Frontiers of Air and Space in the American Century (2023). The former chief historian of NASA details the transition from the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), 1915-1958, to NASA. Available as free downloadable PDF.
• Lauretta, Dante S. The Asteroid Hunter: A Scientist’s Journey to the Dawn of Our Solar System (2024). In this exhilarating book, the principle investigator for the OSIRIS-Rex mission to the asteroid Bennu tells the story of that mission.
• Lauretta, Dante S., Brian May, Carina A. Bennett, Kenneth S. Coles, Claudia Manzoni, Catherine W. V. Wolner. Bennu 3-D: Anatomy of an Asteroid (2023). The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft mapped the surface features of this asteroid to a precision of five centimeters per pixel. 3D viewer included for the stereo photos in the book.
• Lawrie, Alan. Saturn (2005). The definitive reference work on what is arguably the crowning achievement of American aerospace technology, the Saturn V Moon rocket.
• Lawrie, Alan. Saturn 1/1B (2008). A comprehensive history of the rocket that started the Apollo program on its way to the Moon.
• Lemonick, Michael D. Mirror Earth: The Search for Our Planet’s Twin (2012). A science journalist’s account of the painstaking science of planet-hunting and the researchers who’ve taken up the quest.
• Levinson, Paul, and Michael Waltemathe. Touching the Face of the Cosmos: On the Intersection of Space Travel and Religion (2016). An anthology of non-fiction and science fiction exploring various perspectives on space and spirituality.
• Lewis, Cathleen S. Cosmonaut: A Cultural History (2023). The book contains interesting anecdotes about specific cosmonauts, but is primarily an examination of how those space adventurers were perceived within the Soviet/Russian culture.
• Lewis, John S. Asteroid Mining 101: Wealth for the New Space Economy (2014). Presents a long-term plan for mining the asteroids and using their resources to expand our civilization throughout the Solar System.
• Lewis, John S. Mining the Sky (1997). One of the most important books space advocates can own. Provides a justification and roadmap for incorporating the material and energy resources of the solar system into the world’s economy.
• Liebergot, Sy. Apollo EECOM: Journey of a Lifetime (2008 reprint from 2003). A unique first person account of the behind-the-scenes drama that unfolded on Apollo and Skylab missions.
• Leopold, George. Calculated Risk: The Supersonic Life and Times of Gus Grissom (2016). About the last of the Mercury Seven astronauts to have a book-length biography.
• Linehan, Dan. Burt Rutan’s Race to Space: The Magician of Mojave and His Flying Innovations (2011). Portrays the essence of this remarkable engineer and his unique designs, from his first wooden aircraft models to his innovative suborbital space ships.
• Linehan, Dan. SpaceShipOne: An Illustrated History (2008). A coffee-table book offering narrative details and pictures of this history-making vehicle.
• Lord, M. G. Astro Turf (2005). A personal account of how JPL’s hierarchical, male-oriented management structure gradually shifted to a more inclusive model.
• Lovett, Laura, Joan Horvath, and Jeff Cuzzi. Saturn: A New View (2006). An incredible volume of history, facts, and 150 awe-inspiring photographs of the planet and its moons, taken from the Cassini and Huygens spacecraft.
• Maccone, Claudio. Deep Space Flight and Communications: Exploiting the Sun as a Gravitational Lens. (2009). A technically-oriented blueprint for escaping the solar system and moving out into the cosmos beyond.
• Mackowski, Maura Phillips. Life in Space: NASA Life Sciences Research During the Late Twentieth Century (2022). Thoroughly researched and referenced, Life in Space is an extensive history of NASA as it pertains to the life sciences during the period of 1980 to 2004, written by a historian.
• Mackowski, Michael J. Adventures in Space Advocacy (2015). A personal story of 35 years of space advocacy by a principle activist in the St. Louis and Phoenix NSS chapters.
• Manber, Jeffrey. Selling Peace: Inside the Soviet Conspiracy That Transformed the U.S. Space Program (2010). First hand account by the person who brokered deals between the Russian company Energia and the US.
• Mankins, John C. The Case for Space Solar Power (2014). This book provides a new watershed for space solar power.
• Manning, Rob, and William L. Simon. Mars Rover Curiosity: An Inside Account from Curiosity’s Chief Engineer (2014). How the Mars rover went from an idea to actually landing on Mars and making extraordinary discoveries.
• Marotta, Tom, and Al Globus. The High Frontier: An Easier Way (2018). Provides new ideas on a stepwise approach that can help bridge the gap between where we are now and the first orbital space settlements.
• Mason, Christopher E. The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds (2021). By undertaking a 500-year genomic engineering program, humans could modify themselves to better tolerate the extreme environments of outer space.
• Massimino, Mike. Moonshot: A NASA Astronaut’s Guide to Achieving the Impossible (2023). Part autobiography, part inspirational tale, and part self-help book, each short chapter is built around a vignette from Massimino’s time at NASA, either on or off of the Earth, and the hard-won lessons he learned along the way.
• Massimino, Mike. Spaceman: An Astronaut’s Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe (2016). An easy-to-read and honest and down-to-Earth personal look into the lifelong journey into space of astronaut and two-time Hubble repairman Mike Massimino.
• McCray, W. Patrick. The Visioneers (2012). “How a Group of Elite Scientists Pursued Space Colonies, Nanotechnologies, and a Limitless Frontier.”
• McDonald, Allen J., with James R. Hansen. Truth, Lies, and O-Rings: Inside the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster (2009). Tells the story, reading like a thriller, of what caused the loss of seven dedicated souls aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger.
• Meyer, Bryce. Designing Farms in Space: Balances for Life Support, Food and Settlement (2026). Meyer’s academic textbook outlines farming techniques that can be applied to lunar, Martian, or rotating space settlements.
• Millard, Doug (editor). Cosmonauts: Birth of the Space Age (2015). A companion book to a special exhibition at the Science Museum in London which tells the story of human space travel from the Soviet point of view.
• Miller, Roland. Abandoned in Place: Preserving America’s Space History (2016). Coffee table book with stark photos of the abandoned remnants of America’s glory days in space.
• Mindell, David A. Digital Apollo: Human and Machine in Spaceflight (2011). Describes the complexities of the man/machine interface of the Apollo spacecraft and Lunar Module.
• Mitchell, Edgar. Earthrise: My Adventures As an Apollo 14 Astronaut (2014). Biographical story geared toward younger readers ages 12 and up.
• Moore, Patrick. 50 Years in Space, illustrated by David A. Hardy (2006). Noted author-astronomer and BBC commentator attempts to rekindle the wonder of the Space Age.
• Morillo, Elio, with Cecilia Molinari. The Boy Who Reached for the Stars: A Memoir (2023). Elio Morillo was a child thrown into poverty, yet has worked on the Mars Perseverance rover and its Ingenuity helicopter.
• Moseley, Willie G. Smoke Jumper, Moon Pilot: The Remarkable Life of Apollo 14 Astronaut Stuart Roosa (2011). Worthy biography of the Apollo 14 Command Module pilot.
• Muir-Harmony, Teasel. Operation Moonglow: A Political History of Project Apollo (2020). How the American government carefully choreographed the manned space program propaganda value from their very beginnings.
• Mullane, Mike. Riding Rockets (2006). Former NASA astronaut Mike Mullane pulls back the cover on the astronaut corps, revealing the humor and humanity missing from the agency’s official biographies.
• Mullane, Patrick. The Father, Son, and Holy Shuttle: Growing Up an Astronaut’s Kid in the Glorious 1980s (2020). The book takes readers through Patrick’s world during eight years when he was young and the world exciting with an astronaut dad.
• Murdin, Paul. Secrets of the Universe (2009). A storyteller’s history of astronomy, constructed like a collection of short stories that invites readers to delve into it at any point, that makes the most complex topics accessible and absorbing.
• Nadis, Fred. Star Settlers: The Billionaires, Geniuses, and Crazed Visionaries out to Conquer the Universe (2020). The subtitle of this book could be “A Writer Lavishes Faint Praise on Space Settlement.”
• Neff, Todd. From Jars to Stars: How Ball Came to Build a Comet-Hunting Machine (2010). The intriguing story of how a company making Mason jars became Ball Aerospace and Technologies.
• Nelson, Craig. Rocket Men: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon (2009). The ability to transport the reader emotionally back to an epic moment is this book’s redeeming asset.
• Nelson, Don A. The NASA Letters (2018). One man’s fight for a commercially run, automated Space Shuttle.
• Neufeld, Michael. Von Braun (2007). Probably the definitive biography of this “dreamer of space, engineer of war.”
• Newman, Lenore, and Evan D. G. Fraser. Dinner on Mars: The Technologies That Will Feed the Red Planet and Transform Agriculture on Earth (2022). A plan of action for food growth and sustainability on Mars plus scientific suggestions for improvements to food production on Earth.
• Niebur, Susan, with David W. Brown. NASA’s Discovery Program: The First Twenty Years of Competitive Planetary Exploration (2024). This book, available as a free PDF download, details the first two decades of the Discovery program, conceived as a frequent and lower-cost way to do planetary science.
• Nininger, Harvey H., edited by Jim Banks. In Search of Falling Stars: H.H. Nininger’s Classic Find a Falling Star, Revisited & Expanded (2024). Harvey Nininger almost singlehandedly established the science of meteorics and his full story is contained in this massive autobiography.
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• Nugent, Carrie. Asteroid Hunters (2017). Saving Earth from asteroid strikes begins with finding them. This is the story of how that happens.
• O’Brien, Frank. The Apollo Guidance Computer: Architecture and Operation. (2010). A comprehensive masterpiece chronicling the computer that made the Apollo lunar landings possible.
• O’Neill, Gerard K. The High Frontier: Human Colonies in Space, 3rd Edition (2000). In one of THE great books about space development, O’Neill offered answers to most of humanity’s energy problems and at the same time planned for a grand expansion of the human race into the solar system.
• O’Neill, Gerard K. 2081: A Hopeful View of the Human Future (1981). This second book by O’Neill describes his thoughts on anticipated advancements in computers, automation, space colonies, energy, and communications.
• Olsen, Gregory H., with Thomas V. Lento. By Any Means Necessary! An Entrepreneur’s Journey Into Space (2010). A story of inspiration and practical advice for leading the kind of successful life to reach your dreams — like going into space as a paying passenger.
• Ordway, Frederick I. III, and Robert Godwin. 2001: The Heritage and Legacy of The Space Odyssey (2010). Ordway was the science consultant for the movie 2001 and the book provides great insight into its creation.
• Panek, Richard. The 4% Universe: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Race to Discover the Rest of Reality (2011). The story of the scientists who are hunting for 96% of the universe.
• Patterson, William A. Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue With His Century: Volume 1 (1907-1948): Learning Curve (2010). Volume 1 of a two-volume biography of the dean of American science fiction writers.
• Patterson, William A. Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue With His Century: Volume 2 (1948-1988): The Man Who Learned Better (2014). The second and final volume of a comprehensive biography of the intellectual father of the space movement.
• Peake, Tim. Space: The Human Story (2023). This book is probably best suited to newcomers to space history or young readers looking for a single volume that will give them a sense of the broad sweep of human spaceflight in a relatively short time.
• Pelton, Joseph, and Peter Marshall. License to Orbit (2009). Knowledgeable authors cover the wide spectrum of space tourism operations.
• Petranek, Stephen L. How We’ll Live on Mars (2015). This book predicts that humans will land on Mars via privately-owned spacecraft in 2027.
• Petty, Chris. Beyond Blue Skies: The Rocket Plane Programs That Led to the Space Age (2020). A historical account of the development of early American rocket planes and their use to investigate the near orbital environment.
• Pickering, J. L., and John Bisney. Photographing America’s First Astronauts: Project Mercury Through the Lens of Bill Taub (2023). Pickering and Bisney’s sixth book contains over 600 photos from Taub’s collection and is truly a treasure trove for those who love vintage space photography.
• Pogue, William R. But for the Grace of God: An Autobiography of an Aviator and Astronaut (2011). The life of a Skylab astronaut.
• Powell-Willhite, Irene E. (editor). The Voice of Dr. Wernher Von Braun (2007). A collection of speeches by Wernher von Braun.
• Prelinger, Megan. Another Science Fiction: Advertising the Space Race 1957-1962 (2010). A collection of advertising copy that rescues rocket and space ad artwork from virtual obscurity.
• Pyle, Rod. Amazing Stories of the Space Age (2017). “True Tales of Nazis in Orbit, Soldiers on the Moon, Orphaned Martian Robots, and Other Fascinating Accounts from the Annals of Spaceflight.”
• Pyle, Rod. Blueprint for a Battlestar: Serious Scientific Explanations Behind Sci Fi’s Greatest Inventions (2016). Enjoyable explainations of the science behind clever devices employed in science fiction, and how close we are to obtaining them.
• Pyle, Rod. Mars: Making Contact (2016). A book about Mars missions, the successes and failures and the many challenges and solutions involved.
• Pyle, Rod. Missions to the Moon (2009). With relatively few pages, this book is oversized and crammed with information — even with all the other histories out there, a valuable and fun book.
• Pyle, Rod. Space 2.0: How Private Spaceflight, a Resurgent NASA, and International Partners are Creating a New Space Age (2019). Space historian and Ad Astra editor Rod Pyle, in collaboration with the National Space Society, provides an inside look at the next few decades of spaceflight and long-term plans for exploration, utilization, and settlement.
• Reynolds, Glenn Harlan. America’s New Destiny in Space (2020). A pamphlet with less than 50 pages of text that provides a good outline of where we are going in space and why it is happening.
• Roach, Mary. Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void (2010). An intriguing chronicle of the nitty-gritty, rarely discussed aspects of space travel.
• Rocco, John. How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure (2020). This exceptional book may seem geared towards middle grade students, but it beautifully illustrates – and illuminates – the role of unsung heroes throughout the space program.
• Ross, Jerry L., with John Norberg. Spacewalker: My Journey in Space and Faith as NASA’s Record-Setting Frequent Flyer (2013). “The story of one man’s lifelong quest to explore the unknown, overcome setbacks and obstacles, and keep the beacon of space shining in the hearts of all people, young and old.”
• Scharmen, Fred. Space Forces: A Critical History of Life in Outer Space (2021). Scharmen seeks to prevent capitalism, free markets, and private property from being “allowed” technologies in space, preferring the end of growth and a static society forever confined to the Earth proper.
• Schindler, Kevin, and Will Grundy. Pluto and Lowell Observatory: A History of Discovery at Flagstaff (2018). The book was written by a Lowell historian (Schindler) and a planetary scientist who led the surface composition team for New Horizons (Grundy).
• Schmidle, Nicholas. Test Gods: Virgin Galactic and the Making of a Modern Astronaut (2021). A fast paced, intelligent chronicle of the less public race to develop a spaceship capable of carrying paying civilian customers to space.
• Schmitt, Harrison H. Return to the Moon: Exploration, Enterprise, and Energy in the Human Settlement of Space (2005). The last man to set foot on the Moon takes a hard look at the economic and technological gains in getting back to where we once belonged.
• Seddon, Margaret Rhea. Go for Orbit: One of America’s First Women Astronauts Finds Her Space (2016). Rhea Seddon, MD, shares the challenges she faced as one the first women to fly in space.
• Seedhouse, Erik. Lunar Outpost: The Challenges of Establishing a Human Settlement on the Moon (2009). A narrative of the key mission architecture elements comprising NASA’s plan for returning astronauts to the Moon.
• Seedhouse, Erik. The New Space Race: China vs. the United States (2010). The “race” with China for the dominance of space is more subtle than the old US-Soviet race.
• Seedhouse, Erik. SpaceX: Making Commercial Spaceflight a Reality (2013). The first book-length account of commercial spaceflight’s most successful venture.
• Seedhouse, Eric. SpaceX: Starship to Mars – The First 20 Years (2022). Mostly a detailed recap of SpaceX’s history, a repository of facts feeling like the author has only transcribed his source material. The short chapter on Starship is second to last in the book.
• Seedhouse, Erik. Tourists in Space (2008). A nuts-and-bolts look at suborbital and orbital space tourism, particularly for those people considering signing up for a ride into space.
• Shepherd, Gordon, and Agnes Kruchio. Canada’s Fifty Years in Space (2008). As enjoyable to read as it is a thoroughly comprehensive history of Canada’s space efforts.
• Schrunk, David, et.al. The Moon: Resources, Future Development, and Settlement, 2nd Edition (2007). On the technological development of lunar resources leading to a global lunar infrastructure and civilization.
• Scott, David Meerman, and Richard Jurek. Marketing the Moon (2014). Well-written and well-researched work that provides a unique perspective on the Apollo program: how it was marketed to the public.
• Shetterly, Margot Lee. Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race (2016). The book that was made into a major motion picture on the subject.
• Sietzen, Frank Jr., and Keith Cowing. New Moon Rising (2004). Provides the inside story of the formation of a major space policy in 2004: The Vision for Space Exploration.
• Silk, Joseph. Back to the Moon: The Next Giant Leap for Humankind (2022). Provides readers with a worthwhile and broad discussion of many topics primarily and peripherally related to humans living and working on our one natural satellite.
• Sivolella, Davide. To Orbit and Back Again: How the Space Shuttle Flew in Space (2013). A reference about the space shuttle so comprehensive that an astronaut said he could have used it as a textbook for flying the shuttle.
• Sivolella, Davide. The Space Shuttle Program: Technologies and Accomplishments (2017). Excellent review of the shuttle in terms of employing its special characteristics in operational use.
• Smith, Andrew. Moondust: In Search of the Men Who Fell to Earth (2005). Where do you go after you’ve been to the Moon? If you ever wanted to have a personal discussion with the moonwalkers, this is the book for you.
• Smith, Michael G. Rockets and Revolution: A Cultural History of Early Spaceflight (2013). A study of the cultural and philosophical aspects of the development of rockets.
• Smith, Stephen C. Return to Launch: Florida and America’s Space Industry (2016). Covering nearly eight decades of Florida space activity, the book is heavily detailed and researched yet not boring.
• Soluri, Michael. Infinite Worlds: The People and Places of Space Exploration (2014). A coffee table book of stunning photographs and 18 first-hand essays provides a detailed look at the last Hubble repair mission.
• Spacecraft Films Apollo DVD Sets (2003-2006). These DVD sets provide the chance to see the Apollo missions as the astronauts did.
• Spudis, Paul D. The Value of the Moon (2016). Describes a step-by-step infrastructure buildup to mine water from the Moon’s poles and use it for fuel to open up the Solar System.
• Squyres, Steven W. Roving Mars (2005). The passionate story of the human perserverance involved in creating the Spirit and Opportunity rovers.
• Starkey, Natalie. Catching Stardust (2018).The best account we have so far of pioneering missions to sample to sample comets and asteroids.
• Steffen, Jason. Hidden in the Heavens: How the Kepler Mission’s Quest for New Planets Changed How We View Our Own (2024). Designed specifically to hunt for exoplanets, the Kepler Space Telescope mission, ending in 2018, accounts for more than 2600 confirmed exoplanets.
• Stine, G. Harry. Halfway to Anywhere: Achieving America’s Destiny in Space (1996). Stine’s most important book, on the subject of how to greatly reduce the cost of getting to orbit, includes the fascinating inside story of the Delta Clipper program.
• Stratmann, Henry G., MD. Using Medicine in Science Fiction: The SF Writer’s Guide to Human Biology (2015). A valuable reference and an entertaining education on the effects of spaceflight on humans.
• Strausbaugh, John. The Wrong Stuff: How the Soviet Space Program Crashed and Burned (2024). As the title suggests, the book is extremely negative in tone and hostile to the entire Soviet space effort, from top to bottom, and should be taken with a grain of salt.
• Strickland, John K., Jr. Developing Space (2021). “I regarded the text so highly that advance copies have already been used to shape the minds of future Air Force officers who will one day be charged with providing security for the project of human expansion into space.”— Lt Col Peter Garretson.
• Strickland, John K., Jr. Settling Space (2021). As I read Settling Space, one thought kept going through my mind: Strickland has thought of everything! No matter how ambitious the goal or destination, he explains, in very great detail, how it is possible.
• Suitor, William B. Rocketbelt Pilot’s Manual: A Guide by the Bell Test Pilot (2009). The author shares his amazing experiences of personal flight in a matter-of-fact style with just a touch of awe for his incredible flights.
• Sullivan, Kathryn D. Handprints on Hubble: An Astronaut’s Story of Invention (2019). In this book Sullivan has written a sort of dual biography, of herself and of the Hubble Space Telescope, the subject of her final spaceflight.
• Taylor, Dylan, with John Desimone. Humanizing Space: The Life of Gerard K. O’Neill (2021). The story of an exceptional mind merged with a sanguine personality, living an exceptional life. His vision will remain for centuries to come.
• Teitel, Amy Shira. Breaking the Chains of Gravity: The Story of Spaceflight before NASA (2016). The story of hobby rocket designers of the late 1920s through the first U.S. satellite launch, replete with drama, accidents, and colorful individuals.
• Teitel, Amy Shira. Fighting for Space: Two Pilots and Their Historic Battle for Female Spaceflight (2020). The personalities and careers of Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb, two women who aggressively pursued aviation careers and tested as astronauts (the “Mercury 13”) in the early 1960s.
• Tibbits, Scott. From the Garage to Mars: Memoir of a Space Entrepreneur (2024). Takes the reader through the growth of the author’s company through manufacture of more than 3,500 devices that flew on 350 spacecraft, providing a good blueprint for would-be entrepreneurs in any industry.
• Truax, Robert. American Rocketman: The Autobiography of Robert C. Truax (2021). A significant contributor to rocket engine development pursued simple robust technology to radically lower the cost of getting to space decades before Musk.
• Tsiao, Sunny. Piercing the Horizon: The Story of Visionary NASA Chief Tom Paine (2017). The story of one of the most visionary of the NASA Administrators, who served in that position during the first seven Apollo flights.
• Tyson, Neil deGrasse. The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet (2009). Offers hilarious documentation of the uproar over Pluto’s loss of planetary status, as well as a serious look at how the decision was made.
• Vance, Ashlee. Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future (2015). The author uses his personal access to Musk, along with interviews of more than 300 of his co-workers, friends, family, and detractors, to provide an in-depth examination of his companies and accomplishments.
• Vance, Ashlee. When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach (2023). One of the best books ever written about NewSpace, the book profiles four space companies: Planet Labs, Rocket Lab, Astra, and Firefly Aerospace.
• Vedda, James A. Becoming Spacefarers: Rescuing America’s Space Program (2012). A space policy expert recommends an approach that is not destination-oriented but instead builds infrastructure.
• Virts, Terry. How to Astronaut: An Insider’s Guide to Leaving Planet Earth (2020). This book dishes out glimpses into everyday life in space in bite-size pieces, making for an easy read.
• Voller, Ron. Hubble, Humason and the Big Bang: The Race to Uncover the Expanding Universe (2021). One is the namesake of a legendary space telescope. The other is virtually unknown outside the astronomy world. Combined, this unlikely duo changed humanity’s understanding of how the universe began.
• von Braun, Wernher, et. al. Across the Space Frontier (1952). First in a set of three books that are expanded treatments of a series of articles in Collier’s magazine that inspired a generation of Americans.
• von Braun, Wernher, et. al. Conquest of the Moon (1953). The greatest space visionaries of the 1950s lay out a highly ambitious plan for exploring the Moon.
• von Braun, Wernher, and Willey Ley. The Exploration of Mars (1956). The father of the U.S. space program and the founding president of the National Space Institute (now National Space Society) describes his plans for exploring Mars.
• von Ehrenfried, Manfred. Exploring the Martian Moons (2017). Detailed information about NASA’s space infrastructure and how it could be used for a mission to the Martian moons.
• Von Ehrenfried, Manfred (Dutch). Nuclear Rockets: To the Moon and Mars (2023). Ehrenfried’s effort clearly has a place as a reference work, but is not designed for the average reader. It is a comprehensive survey of the field aimed at engineers.
• Vulpetti, Giovanni, et. al., Solar Sails: A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel (2008). The definitive book on solar sails for both the technical and the non-technical reader.
• Walker, Stephen. Beyond: The Astonishing Story of the First Human to Leave Our Planet and Journey into Space (2021). A riveting biography of the first astronaut, Soviet Lt. Yuri Gagarin, to orbit the Earth in 1961.
• Ward, Peter. Life as We Do Not Know It: The NASA Search for (and Synthesis of) Alien Life (2005). Sets a research agenda aimed at unraveling the profound questions: What is life, and where does it exist?
• Watkins, Billy. Apollo Moon Missions: The Unsung Heroes (2005). Profiles fourteen among the many workers who made the small steps that led to the giant leap.
• Webb, Stephen. Where Is Everybody? Fifty Solutions to the Fermi Paradox (2002). Are there any spacefaring civilizations out there? Either answer leads to a paradox. This stimulating feast for the mind is a scholarly yet highly readable work “for any reader interested in science and the sheer pleasure of speculative thinking.”
• Wieners, Brad, and David Pescovitz. Reality Check (1996). Utilizes the Delphi method of predicting the future by recruiting a group of real experts, asking them a specific question, then averaging their answers.
• White, Frank. The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution, 4th Edition (2021). Astronauts who have viewed the Earth from space report feeling a stronger, more protective connection with the Earth and a deepened awareness of the commonality of all human beings.
• White, Roland. Into the Black: The Extraordinary Untold Story of the First Flight of Shuttle Columbia and the Men Who Flew Her (2016). Noticeable new information and an interesting perspective keeps the reader engaged and feeling that your time was well spent.
• Wieland, Paul O. Crossing the Threshold: Advancing into Space to Benefit the Earth (2010). A book that ties space endeavors to current problems, like improving or sustaining the environment.
• Wijeyeratne, Subodhana. The Islands and the Stars: A History of Japan’s Space Programs (2026). One of the few English-language accounts of the Japanese space program, the book follows Japanese rocketry developments from the 1920s to 2003.
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• Williams, Dr. Dave. Defying Limits: Lessons from the Edge of the Universe (2018). Memoir of a Canadian astronaut and former Director of Space and Life Sciences at NASA.
• Williams, Dave, and Elizabeth Howell. Why Am I Taller? What Happens to an Astronaut’s Body in Space, by Dr. Dave Williams and Elizabeth Howell, PhD (2022). Explores and explains what we know about what happens to the human body when it spends time in space.
• Wingo, Dennis. Moonrush (2004). Makes a strong case that there are important reasons for humans to return to the Moon, as well as why past efforts have failed.
• Woodmansee, Laura. Sex in Space (2006). An interesting study in possibilities that have not as yet been documented, and a good starting point for future space tourists and planners.
• Worden, Al, and Francis French. Falling to Earth: An Apollo 15 Astronaut’s Journey to the Moon (2011). An astronaut memoir that does not disappoint, and that owns up to the postal cover scandal that cost him his job at NASA.
• Wright, Bill, and Doug Turnbull. We Are the Martians (2016). Focuses on the settlement of Mars, extensively illustrated with beautiful original art by Bill Wright.
• Young, John W., with James R. Hansen. Forever Young: A Life of Adventure in Air and Space (2012). What makes this book different than other astronauts’ memoirs is the comprehensive technical detail he uses to describe each of his missions and his entire career at NASA.
• Zubrin, Robert. The Case for Mars (1996/1997). “Bob Zubrin really, nearly alone, changed our thinking on this issue.”—Carl Sagan
• Zubrin, Robert. The Case for Space: How the Revolution in Spaceflight Opens Up a Future of Limitless Possibility (2019). Zubrin makes our case better than anyone has to date.
• Zubrin, Robert. The New World on Mars: What We Can Create on the Red Planet (2024). Zubrin’s mostly brilliant book on all things related to what life on Mars might actually be like is extremely broad in its content.
• Zubrin, Robert; Harrison Schmitt; Edgar Mitchell; et. al. Colonizing Mars: The Mission to the Red Planet (2012). Anthology of thought-provoking essays on the reasons for sending humans to the Red Planet and what challenges will impact the effort.
• Zubrin, Robert. How to Live on Mars (2008). Everything you need to know to achieve Great Wealth and Fame on Mars.