Star Bound: A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program, from Goddard's Rockets to Goldilocks Planets and Everything in Between

by Emily Carney, Bruce McCandless III

Star Bound is a book for anyone who wants to learn about the American space program but isn’t sure where to start. First and foremost, it’s a history—short, sweet, and straightforward. From rocketry pioneer Robert Goddard’s primitive flight tests in 1926 through the creation of NASA, from our first steps on the moon to construction of the International Space Station and planning a trip to Mars, readers will meet the people and projects that have put the United States at the forefront of space exploration. Along the way, they’ll learn:

• How the United States beat the Soviets to the moon
• Why astronauts float in space (Hint: It’s not for lack of gravity!)
• How fast rockets have to go to stay in orbit around Earth
• How we can “look back in time” through a space telescope

With technology evolving and humanity’s understanding of the universe expanding, we are entering an exciting period of space exploration. Authored by two veteran space writers with unique insights into the topic, Star Bound offers up the story of Americans in space with a focus on the cultural and societal contexts of the country’s most important missions rather than engineering and technical minutiae. Vibrant, positive, and humorous, Star Bound is packed with facts and stories for novice space fans. And sprinkled in with the history are lists of the greatest space songs, books, movies, and more—all designed to make space exploration accessible to even the casual reader.

Genres: Science, History, Nonfiction

296 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2025

Reviews

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily Carney and Bruce McCandless’s “Star Bound: A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program, from Goddard's Rockets to Goldilocks Planets and Everything in Between” is a vibrant, approachable exploration of the U.S. space program. Written with humor and insight, the book offers a chronological journey from Robert Goddard's early rocketry experiments to modern missions like Artemis, weaving cultural and societal contexts into the narrative. What sets “Star Bound” apart is its engaging tone, blending historical depth with wry humor and personal anecdotes. The authors, both seasoned space enthusiasts, make complex topics accessible without delving too deeply into technical details. They cover pivotal moments like the Apollo moon landings and Skylab while offering fresh perspectives on lesser-known figures like Frank Malina and Hsue-Shen Tsien of JPL’s “Suicide Squad.” The book also critiques missed opportunities, such as the unrealized Delta Clipper project, and reflects on the evolving priorities of NASA. Carney and McCandless excel at balancing reverence for space exploration with irreverent commentary. For instance, they humorously critique NASA’s naming conventions while lamenting the absence of a mission named “Zeus.” Their take on astronaut legacies—contrasting Neil Armstrong’s “secular sainthood” with Buzz Aldrin’s more tumultuous post-Apollo career—adds poignancy to the narrative. The book doesn’t shy away from challenging conventional narratives, such as downplaying the Cold War’s role in shaping space exploration. It also examines broader themes like humanity’s place in the cosmos and the cultural impact of spaceflight, including music, movies, and literature inspired by the final frontier. While “Star Bound” emphasizes human spaceflight over robotic missions, it remains an engaging primer for newcomers and a nostalgic reflection for seasoned enthusiasts. Its mix of humor, history, and cultural analysis makes it not just a book about space but a celebration of humanity’s enduring curiosity about the universe.

[Pineywood Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Bound is an entertaining overview of space history for those who want to understand our historical efforts to reach for the stars. Space exploration is back in the headlines and is a human accomplishment that inspires us all despite our country’s intense political differences. It’s a fun read that helped me better understand what the future might bring.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great - and accessible - primer on American space exploration.

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not only for space geeks, but for anybody who wants to get a wide perspective of our understanding of the final frontier. It has history, anecdotes, a little bit of science, and the basics of space exploration, from the invention of the rocket to possible options from the future. Told with humor and in an approachable prose, the authors discuss other issues, like the religious aspects, including the views that the astronauts adopted after coming back to Earth, and even the possibility of life in the universe. I really enjoyed how they use fictional examples to make a point, as well as how they include the cultural life of the times that they’re describing, including how our understanding of space has evolved along with the technology. Since we can’t venture beyond our immediate neighborhood yet, this will do.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/University of Nebraska Press.

[Constance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This educational book explores humanity’s race for the stars. From Robbert Goddard’s life and early rocket prototypes, to speculations about the future of our space exploration.

I appreciated that this book was not made for technically minded individuals. In fact, the authors made clear that one of the biggest hurdles to garnering interest from the larger public was engineers’ high-handed attitude towards their profession. Instead, the book is written with commoners in mind, featuring a descriptive intro about our space race that is sure to spur the imagination, before breaking down terms the book uses in simple language.

Overall, this is an educational, interesting book that will be great for science fans.

[Phin Ejike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This educational databook presents a timeline of our conquest of space. Using funcnad vivid details, the authors take us on a journey through the past, present, and future of space exploration. They describe terms such as “space” and “rocket”, before presenting the history of our space race and predicting its future. I particularly liked the book for its easy-to-understand language. The authors did not bombard us with scientific jargon, instead opting to make the book as beginner-friendly and interesting to lay people as possible.

[Misty Knapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning about space has never been more enjoyable! Star Bound took the reader from the beginning journey into space to our current jaunt into space and everything in between. I enjoyed the fact that as the authors are describing space and how we got there, they used simple language and not the science-y jargon or hard-to-understand language. It made it fun and easy to read and learn. I would recommend it for anyone looking for a little fun way to see the history of space and how we travel there and back.

[Randal White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just an excellent, informative, well written, intriguing, and fascinating book! Highly readable, not full of technical mumbo jumbo. Growing up in the golden age of Apollo spacecraft, I found this to be a highly enjoyable read. Recommend to anybody who has ever dreamed about being an astronaut.

[Carson McCandless · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun read, though I’m not sure I’d call it a "beginner’s guide." It’s pretty dense, filled with history, personalities, and even some humor. These guys know their stuff. Recommended!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Book for any Budding Space Nerd - This book is packed full of information! I have been a NASA "nerd" for a long time and really appreciated the data and explanations throughout this read. I will definitely be passing it along to others! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this one!