Animals in Space: From Research Rockets to the Space Shuttle / Edition 1

by Colin Burgess, Chris Dubbs

Overview

This book is as a detailed, but highly readable and balanced account of the history of animal space flights carried out by all nations, but principally the United States and the Soviet Union. It explores the ways in which animal high-altitude and space flight research impacted on space flight biomedicine and technology, and how the results - both successful and disappointing - allowed human beings to then undertake that same hazardous journey with far greater understanding and confidence. This complete and authoritative book will undoubtedly become the ultimate authority on animal space flights.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780387360539
Publisher:	Springer New York
Publication date:	01/28/2007
Series:	Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration Series
Edition description:	2007
Pages:	406
Product dimensions:	6.69(w) x 9.61(h) x 0.04(d)

About the Author

Colin Burgess is a recognised historian in the field of space literature and has carried out extensive research on the history of animal space flights over many years. Chris Dubbs also carried out comprehensive research on Soviet animal flights. He was selected by the New Mexico Museum of Space History to serve as Guest Curator for their upcoming exhibit on the Soviet space dogs.

Table of Contents

Taming the rockets: From wrath to research.- Holloman and the Albert Hall of Fame.- Pioneers of destiny: The suborbital dog flights.- High-altitude research.- Able and Baker lead the way.- The most famous dog in history.- Prelude to manned space flight.- Pioneers in a weightless world.- Biting the hand.- Cosmos/Bion: The age of the biosatellites.- End of an era.- Shuttling into space.- Epilogue.

Editorial Reviews

From the reviews:

"Animals in Space, a relentlessly factual account of animal endeavours in near Earth orbit. … The programme and its relationship to animal rights is surely fertile material for any future popular science work on the subject. … the history of animal space flight is long and fascinating. It deserves its place alongside the human stories of Vostok 1, Apollo 11 and Challenger." (New Scientist, April, 2007)

"Animals in Space is an extremely detailed, yet absorbing, history of animals used in the space programs around the world. … In addition to a list of references at the end of each chapter, the book’s documentation includes photos, charts, and lists of the U.S., Soviet, Chinese, French and international space missions (including Bion and International Space Station) that utilized animals as test and research subjects. … the book will surely serve as a standard on the subject for years to come." (Advocacy for Animals, November, 2007)

From the Publisher