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Space 2.0: How Private Spaceflight, a Resurgent NASA, and International Partners are Creating a New Space Age
We're on the cusp of new era in the great adventure of space exploration.
More than a half-century ago, humanity first hurled objects into space, and almost 50 years ago, astronauts first walked on the moon. Since then, we have explored Earth's orbit with shuttles, capsules, and space stations; sent robots to Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus; sampled a comet; sent telescopes into orbit; and charted most of our own planet.
What does the future hold?
In Space 2.0, space historian Rod Pyle, in collaboration with the National Space Society, will give you an inside look at the next few decades of spaceflight and long-term plans for exploration, utilization, and settlement.
No longer the exclusive domain of government entities such as NASA and other national agencies, space exploration is rapidly becoming privatized, with entrepreneurial startups building huge rocket boosters, satellites, rocket engines, asteroid probes, prospecting craft, and even commercial lunar cargo landers to open this new frontier. Research into ever more sophisticated propulsion and life support systems will soon enable the journey to Mars and destinations deeper in our solar system. As these technologies continue to move forward, there are virtually no limits to human spaceflight and robotic exploration.
While the world has waited since the Apollo lunar program for the next giant leap, these critical innovations, most of which are within our grasp with today's technology, will change the way we live, both in space and on Earth. A new space age--and with it, a new age of peace and prosperity on Earth, and settlement beyond our planet--can be ours.
Speaking with key leaders of the latest space programs and innovations, Pyle shares the excitement and promise of this new era of exploration and economic development. From NASA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos, to emerging leaders in the private sector such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Moon Express, Virgin Galactic, and many others, Space 2.0 examines the new partnerships that are revolutionizing spaceflight and changing the way we reach for the stars.
More than a half-century ago, humanity first hurled objects into space, and almost 50 years ago, astronauts first walked on the moon. Since then, we have explored Earth's orbit with shuttles, capsules, and space stations; sent robots to Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus; sampled a comet; sent telescopes into orbit; and charted most of our own planet.
What does the future hold?
In Space 2.0, space historian Rod Pyle, in collaboration with the National Space Society, will give you an inside look at the next few decades of spaceflight and long-term plans for exploration, utilization, and settlement.
No longer the exclusive domain of government entities such as NASA and other national agencies, space exploration is rapidly becoming privatized, with entrepreneurial startups building huge rocket boosters, satellites, rocket engines, asteroid probes, prospecting craft, and even commercial lunar cargo landers to open this new frontier. Research into ever more sophisticated propulsion and life support systems will soon enable the journey to Mars and destinations deeper in our solar system. As these technologies continue to move forward, there are virtually no limits to human spaceflight and robotic exploration.
While the world has waited since the Apollo lunar program for the next giant leap, these critical innovations, most of which are within our grasp with today's technology, will change the way we live, both in space and on Earth. A new space age--and with it, a new age of peace and prosperity on Earth, and settlement beyond our planet--can be ours.
Speaking with key leaders of the latest space programs and innovations, Pyle shares the excitement and promise of this new era of exploration and economic development. From NASA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos, to emerging leaders in the private sector such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Moon Express, Virgin Galactic, and many others, Space 2.0 examines the new partnerships that are revolutionizing spaceflight and changing the way we reach for the stars.
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 26, 2019
87 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
About the author
Rod Pyle
23 books69 followersRod is the author of 15 nonfiction books (plus three for NASA) on his favorite subject, space exploration and technology. He tracks this fascination back to childhood, when his introversion led him to spend countless hours watching rocket launches, moonwalks and science fiction (which often led to truancy, countenanced by an understanding mother). While his contemporaries revered football players (basketball was not really a "thing" yet), he wanted nothing more than to become an astronaut. He now realizes that breaking into a sweat when it takes the elevator doors a few moments too long to open probably makes him a poor candidate for spaceflight.
While Rod actually attended seven colleges and universities in the search of the perfect major, he ended up getting a BA at the Art Center College of Design in film (because only poetry is less likely to get you a job), and an MA from Stanford University (where the weather is even better).
He lives in Pasadena, CA but dreams of azure seas and tropical shores.
While Rod actually attended seven colleges and universities in the search of the perfect major, he ended up getting a BA at the Art Center College of Design in film (because only poetry is less likely to get you a job), and an MA from Stanford University (where the weather is even better).
He lives in Pasadena, CA but dreams of azure seas and tropical shores.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 28, 2019
This is a pretty good book but not what I was expecting or hoping for. If you don’t follow the current status of the space industry it has a lot of information and will bring you up to speed on the major corporate and international players, as well as a little bit of the background on how we got to where we are today. However I was looking for a little more technical information on the equipment and plans for executing. Here it is very light. For instance, not many details are given on any of the equipment currently being used or in development. No details on how mining the asteroids or processing lunar soil are given. No details on planned space stations or future rockets. No diagrams or schematics of the above. This book would be more helpful to a humanities or finance major than to a budding young engineer wanting to know some details on the future hardware.
The art work is attractive especially some of the photorealistic renderings of hardware. However I would have liked some realistic art of the planned for equipment of the near future.... how about the BFR or the inside of one of the large Bigelow inflatable modules?
The art work is attractive especially some of the photorealistic renderings of hardware. However I would have liked some realistic art of the planned for equipment of the near future.... how about the BFR or the inside of one of the large Bigelow inflatable modules?
January 1, 2021
DNF @55%
A great book if you want to be told how capitalism and asshole billionaires--who force their minimum wage workers to return to work in highly dangerous situations in the middle of a goddamn pandemic--are going to be the saviors of space.
Honestly, tho, the first part of this book was interesting when he seemed interested in talking about space, but then he practically shoved his way up Elon Musk's ass trying to praise the dude. I get the importance of civilian involvement in the future of space flight, but Pyle's Space 2.0 is clearly nothing more than the never-ending joys of Capitalism, just in zero G's.
A great book if you want to be told how capitalism and asshole billionaires--who force their minimum wage workers to return to work in highly dangerous situations in the middle of a goddamn pandemic--are going to be the saviors of space.
Honestly, tho, the first part of this book was interesting when he seemed interested in talking about space, but then he practically shoved his way up Elon Musk's ass trying to praise the dude. I get the importance of civilian involvement in the future of space flight, but Pyle's Space 2.0 is clearly nothing more than the never-ending joys of Capitalism, just in zero G's.
March 9, 2020
I have been reading these types of books for 25 years, let me summarize. Space is awesome and we need to do more everything in it, we are always 10+ years out from it happening. Nothing really new.
June 17, 2019
The Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall of China, today another governmental priest is bringing you the gospel: your body might be long dead, but your soul's place in Heavens is assured if only you would give your beloved King more money so he can construct his latest folly.
October 29, 2025
A work like this must, by definition age quickly. Growth in space has rapidly accelerated, though not on the timeline Pyle projects. This work provides a good layman understanding of the what and why of activity.
July 31, 2021
As I write these words in the summer of 2021, it's an intriguing time in the history of space flight. In the past month, Sir Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos have carried out their first space tourism sub-orbital flights via their respective companies, Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin. Also, it's been roughly a year since the Crew Dragon from Elon Musk's SpaceX began carrying NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. Yet, if reading tweets and social media posts are any indications, there's a great deal of cynicism about these recent events, even the feeling that these are little more than expensive publicity stunts. Offering some much-needed context to these events, and NASA's partnerships with these companies, is Rod Pyle's 2019 book Space 2.0, exploring the current era of space travel.
Coming from the pen of space author Rod Pyle, it's a journey bookended by the last NASA Space Shuttle lunch in 2011 and the 2018 first launch of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy. Between those two different launches, they represent the end of the era that began with the launch of Sputnik and the first humans being in the 1950s and early 1960s and what we might think of as the coming of age of our current era: the titular Space 2.0. Pyle spends some time exploring how we got to this point, offering a concise history of the Space Race as governmental space agencies alone led the charge, including the dizzying heights of Apollo landing men on the Moon. Indeed, most chapters contain such concise history lessons, which help to put more recent developments into context as public-private partnerships become increasingly common. Or, as Pyle does across a couple of chapters, looking at how China, Russia, and India's space aspirations compare with both past space efforts and where the road might take their countries in the years ahead.
As a result, this is a volume that covers quite a bit of ground. Taking readers from the heady days of the Space Race to the hangers of Virgin Galactic and SpaceX's launch facilities in California, Pyle offers up something of a crash course. One that covers not just the basics of space flight (including just why it's so hard to get into space to start with) while also offering enough details for the intelligent layman or space enthusiast to come away feeling informed. As they should, given Pyle draws upon interviews and visits to many of the companies and individuals involved in Space 2.0. There are also his observations, such as watching the US Air Force's public affairs all but bungle a SpaceX launch at Vanderberg Air Force Base, which bring a human dimension to what might otherwise be a tech and engineering-heavy read.
It's the human dimension that also helps to make this book a joy to read. Pyle turns more often than not to the people involved in the topics at hand, from executives or engineers at SpaceX and Virgin to those building CubeSats to space flight advocates or those in planetary defense watching out for asteroids. More than a few of whom view themselves among as 'orphans of Apollo,' those who grew up surrounded by visions of a tomorrow that is only now starting to come to pass. The story of Space 2.0 is as much their story as it is for anyone else. It is the belief they share in a better tomorrow, in a future that requires a more active human role in space, that stands out as the driving force here, something Pyle never lets his readers forget. The visions are optimistic ones, maybe too much so in places (as the year or two at least behind schedule launch dates at times show), but they feel tantalizingly real, all the same.
It's also a well-illustrated book. Between the covers are a wealth of photographs and artist's conceptions to illustrate the various spacecraft, people, and locations that play roles big and small in this new era, a visual guide to readers familiar and new to this world. The highlights, however, might be in the photo illustrations from artist James Vaughan. Vaughan's artwork is to this era what Chesley Bonestell's was to Space 1.0: beautiful visions of what might be the shape of things to come. A sentiment perhaps best summed up in the image that accompanies Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin's forward. As wonderful as the text is, Space 2.0 is worth buying for the pictures alone.
Whether we seize the day this time is, of course, up for debate. And there's no doubting that not everyone is keen on this new era of space flight. Pyle's book, both with its prose and illustrations, makes a compelling case that, as the author writes late in the book that this "new Space Age has room for all of us to be engaged to the limits of our skills, our talents, and our passions."
So why not get a glimpse of the future and help be a part of it?
Coming from the pen of space author Rod Pyle, it's a journey bookended by the last NASA Space Shuttle lunch in 2011 and the 2018 first launch of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy. Between those two different launches, they represent the end of the era that began with the launch of Sputnik and the first humans being in the 1950s and early 1960s and what we might think of as the coming of age of our current era: the titular Space 2.0. Pyle spends some time exploring how we got to this point, offering a concise history of the Space Race as governmental space agencies alone led the charge, including the dizzying heights of Apollo landing men on the Moon. Indeed, most chapters contain such concise history lessons, which help to put more recent developments into context as public-private partnerships become increasingly common. Or, as Pyle does across a couple of chapters, looking at how China, Russia, and India's space aspirations compare with both past space efforts and where the road might take their countries in the years ahead.
As a result, this is a volume that covers quite a bit of ground. Taking readers from the heady days of the Space Race to the hangers of Virgin Galactic and SpaceX's launch facilities in California, Pyle offers up something of a crash course. One that covers not just the basics of space flight (including just why it's so hard to get into space to start with) while also offering enough details for the intelligent layman or space enthusiast to come away feeling informed. As they should, given Pyle draws upon interviews and visits to many of the companies and individuals involved in Space 2.0. There are also his observations, such as watching the US Air Force's public affairs all but bungle a SpaceX launch at Vanderberg Air Force Base, which bring a human dimension to what might otherwise be a tech and engineering-heavy read.
It's the human dimension that also helps to make this book a joy to read. Pyle turns more often than not to the people involved in the topics at hand, from executives or engineers at SpaceX and Virgin to those building CubeSats to space flight advocates or those in planetary defense watching out for asteroids. More than a few of whom view themselves among as 'orphans of Apollo,' those who grew up surrounded by visions of a tomorrow that is only now starting to come to pass. The story of Space 2.0 is as much their story as it is for anyone else. It is the belief they share in a better tomorrow, in a future that requires a more active human role in space, that stands out as the driving force here, something Pyle never lets his readers forget. The visions are optimistic ones, maybe too much so in places (as the year or two at least behind schedule launch dates at times show), but they feel tantalizingly real, all the same.
It's also a well-illustrated book. Between the covers are a wealth of photographs and artist's conceptions to illustrate the various spacecraft, people, and locations that play roles big and small in this new era, a visual guide to readers familiar and new to this world. The highlights, however, might be in the photo illustrations from artist James Vaughan. Vaughan's artwork is to this era what Chesley Bonestell's was to Space 1.0: beautiful visions of what might be the shape of things to come. A sentiment perhaps best summed up in the image that accompanies Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin's forward. As wonderful as the text is, Space 2.0 is worth buying for the pictures alone.
Whether we seize the day this time is, of course, up for debate. And there's no doubting that not everyone is keen on this new era of space flight. Pyle's book, both with its prose and illustrations, makes a compelling case that, as the author writes late in the book that this "new Space Age has room for all of us to be engaged to the limits of our skills, our talents, and our passions."
So why not get a glimpse of the future and help be a part of it?
March 28, 2019
“When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor” Elon Musk Founder of Space X
Rod Pyle takes us on a journey to space in his new book Space 2.0. Mr. Pyle does not only look at where we have been on our journey to space but also to where we are going as both governmental and independent agency look to the sky for the future and protection of planet earth. The photographs and digital graphs are a bonus sharing with us visual examples of today and yesterday in the space program and allow us visual interpretations of what he is sharing. If you are looking for a light read on astronomy this is not the book for you. This book was meant to inform not to entertain even though it is full of information it is written in a way that you will enjoy the reading if you enjoy science and space exploration. This book is a wonderful resource for anyone looking to expand their there knowledge of the exploration to space and where we are going to be exploring next with the space program. I would recommend this book for all ages and it would be an informative reference for all ages whether you are homeschooling, college age or adults in the field or just a child wanting to know more about space exploration. Mr. Pyle goes beyond the norm in this book and covers more than just NASA and US Space program he gives us an overcast of all the programs out there now and in the past.
Rod Pyle takes us on a journey to space in his new book Space 2.0. Mr. Pyle does not only look at where we have been on our journey to space but also to where we are going as both governmental and independent agency look to the sky for the future and protection of planet earth. The photographs and digital graphs are a bonus sharing with us visual examples of today and yesterday in the space program and allow us visual interpretations of what he is sharing. If you are looking for a light read on astronomy this is not the book for you. This book was meant to inform not to entertain even though it is full of information it is written in a way that you will enjoy the reading if you enjoy science and space exploration. This book is a wonderful resource for anyone looking to expand their there knowledge of the exploration to space and where we are going to be exploring next with the space program. I would recommend this book for all ages and it would be an informative reference for all ages whether you are homeschooling, college age or adults in the field or just a child wanting to know more about space exploration. Mr. Pyle goes beyond the norm in this book and covers more than just NASA and US Space program he gives us an overcast of all the programs out there now and in the past.
April 8, 2021
One of the best space books I've ever read!
Space 2.0 is a fantastic tale of where we were in space, we we are, and where we are going. The books is wonderfully illustrated with actual space pictures and beautiful artist renditions.
Rod Pyle's writing style is easy to follow and rarely gets boring. Pyle explains in detail how commercial space and new government innovations in space have led us to Space 2.0 and where we can take it.
Having been written in 2018-19 some of the information is outdated, but I won't hold that against the author as 2019-2021 moved at break neck speed in the space sector. It's sad that we are once again slowing down progress, but makes it all the more enjoyable to read this book as it was written with gleeful anticipation and hope.
Space 2.0 is a fantastic tale of where we were in space, we we are, and where we are going. The books is wonderfully illustrated with actual space pictures and beautiful artist renditions.
Rod Pyle's writing style is easy to follow and rarely gets boring. Pyle explains in detail how commercial space and new government innovations in space have led us to Space 2.0 and where we can take it.
Having been written in 2018-19 some of the information is outdated, but I won't hold that against the author as 2019-2021 moved at break neck speed in the space sector. It's sad that we are once again slowing down progress, but makes it all the more enjoyable to read this book as it was written with gleeful anticipation and hope.
April 23, 2019
[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]
As a NetGalley ARC, I got a digital copy, but getting a printed one is very, very tempting, since the book contains plenty of beautiful pictures: from archives, from “current” events (taken during SpaceX launches, for instance), and from art depicting projects as of yet unrealised, but that look definitely exciting.
This book takes us on a journey from the early days of space-faring into current projects, as well as what could very well be in store for the future. The space conquest started strongly during the Cold War, but it is true that after a while, those efforts kind of dwindled compared to what they could have been, what a lot of people no doubt expected them to be. I remember when the shuttle was decommissioned, and that was heartbreaking in its own way. Now, as the space industry is not relying only on public agencies but also on investors from the private sector—while I’m not a huge fan of Musk and Bezos, let’s be honest, we need people like them to carry on with the effort—may we hope that it’s not going to stop here?
“Space 2.0” is a very pleasant read, both in an entertaining and in an informative manner, and doesn’t restrict itself to covering NASA: it also presents recent and currents efforts from other agencies, whether in Europe with the ESA or in Asia with the growing importance of China and India. And while it doesn’t shy away from all the hurdles in conquering space, the past as well as the future ones, it provides plenty of technical details, and a clearly hopeful vision (complete with contacts and organisations to get involved as individuals in space-related endeavours in general).
Yes, I really want to get the printed version now. If I have one critique, it’s that I wouldn’t have minded if the book has been a little longer, with even more pictures and details!
4.5 stars.
As a NetGalley ARC, I got a digital copy, but getting a printed one is very, very tempting, since the book contains plenty of beautiful pictures: from archives, from “current” events (taken during SpaceX launches, for instance), and from art depicting projects as of yet unrealised, but that look definitely exciting.
This book takes us on a journey from the early days of space-faring into current projects, as well as what could very well be in store for the future. The space conquest started strongly during the Cold War, but it is true that after a while, those efforts kind of dwindled compared to what they could have been, what a lot of people no doubt expected them to be. I remember when the shuttle was decommissioned, and that was heartbreaking in its own way. Now, as the space industry is not relying only on public agencies but also on investors from the private sector—while I’m not a huge fan of Musk and Bezos, let’s be honest, we need people like them to carry on with the effort—may we hope that it’s not going to stop here?
“Space 2.0” is a very pleasant read, both in an entertaining and in an informative manner, and doesn’t restrict itself to covering NASA: it also presents recent and currents efforts from other agencies, whether in Europe with the ESA or in Asia with the growing importance of China and India. And while it doesn’t shy away from all the hurdles in conquering space, the past as well as the future ones, it provides plenty of technical details, and a clearly hopeful vision (complete with contacts and organisations to get involved as individuals in space-related endeavours in general).
Yes, I really want to get the printed version now. If I have one critique, it’s that I wouldn’t have minded if the book has been a little longer, with even more pictures and details!
4.5 stars.
June 2, 2019
Space 2.0 is an all-encompassing look at mankind’s race to space. The writing is accessible and includes everything you could want to know about rockets, space travel, and our future amidst the stars. It feels like a well-done textbook, accented with illustrations, historical photography, and artist renderings of imaginative futures.
The book covers a broad scope of topics, diving into every detail of past, present, and future space endeavors. We get a broad range of histories, including the history of space flight, the various space programs throughout the world, the creation of engines and space travel technologies, and the booming private sector. I was floored at how much has constantly been in the works since the beginning of our first space age. There’s no shortage of mysteries in space, and thousands of dedicated people continue to work tirelessly to get us into orbit and beyond.
I was most interested in the discussion of what we could do in space, and what it would take to make that achievable. Movies would have us think it’s as easy as hopping in a ship and turning on the engines, but we don’t see the decades of work it takes to create just one of the billion components in a spaceship. There’s so much to consider, and Space 2.0 dives into these many discussions. The book examines the effects of radiation on human space travelers, the effects of gravity on bone density, and the psychological aspects of long-term confinement within a ship, just to name a few.
If you’re fascinated by the history and science of space travel, Space 2.0 is the book for you. The author has taken great care to provide a thorough examination of mankind’s efforts, cementing this as an essential guide to what future generations will see as space exploration’s days of infancy.
NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
The book covers a broad scope of topics, diving into every detail of past, present, and future space endeavors. We get a broad range of histories, including the history of space flight, the various space programs throughout the world, the creation of engines and space travel technologies, and the booming private sector. I was floored at how much has constantly been in the works since the beginning of our first space age. There’s no shortage of mysteries in space, and thousands of dedicated people continue to work tirelessly to get us into orbit and beyond.
I was most interested in the discussion of what we could do in space, and what it would take to make that achievable. Movies would have us think it’s as easy as hopping in a ship and turning on the engines, but we don’t see the decades of work it takes to create just one of the billion components in a spaceship. There’s so much to consider, and Space 2.0 dives into these many discussions. The book examines the effects of radiation on human space travelers, the effects of gravity on bone density, and the psychological aspects of long-term confinement within a ship, just to name a few.
If you’re fascinated by the history and science of space travel, Space 2.0 is the book for you. The author has taken great care to provide a thorough examination of mankind’s efforts, cementing this as an essential guide to what future generations will see as space exploration’s days of infancy.
NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
December 27, 2019
This book is really good for anyone trying to get up to speed on the current state of space business and exploration. It gives you a solid foundation of the players involved and what they're trying to accomplish. It also has a good introduction to the history of space exploration. It's not meant to provide deep technical detail but rather is great for non-scientists who want to understand what's going on. Scientists on the other hand will love it for the amazing pictures in the book. It's simply a joy to look at. of course non-scientist space fans will love them too.
I interviewed the author of the book which was a lot of fun since he's also been involved in the science fiction entertainment industry and shared some cool stories on that. But most of the interview is about the book and space exploration as it now stands. You can check my bio for the podcast name if you want to hear the 60 minute interview.
I interviewed the author of the book which was a lot of fun since he's also been involved in the science fiction entertainment industry and shared some cool stories on that. But most of the interview is about the book and space exploration as it now stands. You can check my bio for the podcast name if you want to hear the 60 minute interview.
March 23, 2021
This book is an in depth look at the current space situation and explores commercial space and NASA and other government organisations working with or alongside them.
I listened to the audiobook and there was such a plethora of information that I admit I couldn't take it all in. Probably one I'd have to read again to absorb more. I liked that it didn't just focus on the US and instead mentioned all the other countries, space agencies and companies involved in the current space industry. If like me, you only have a good understanding of NASA up to the end of the space shuttle era, this is a great in depth overview to increase your knowledge of present day events.
I listened to the audiobook and there was such a plethora of information that I admit I couldn't take it all in. Probably one I'd have to read again to absorb more. I liked that it didn't just focus on the US and instead mentioned all the other countries, space agencies and companies involved in the current space industry. If like me, you only have a good understanding of NASA up to the end of the space shuttle era, this is a great in depth overview to increase your knowledge of present day events.
April 25, 2019
Much of the activity in space transportation and industry over the last twenty years has been spoken of in conferences and trade publications. With ‘Space 2.0’ Rod Pyle has gathered much of this up-to-date information in a way accessible to the public. Lavishly illustrated, it should be appropriate for many audiences. If you know someone who thinks only about the ‘space program’ and has never heard of the ‘space economy’, or someone who thinks space activities ended with the Shuttle, buy them a copy of this book.
February 28, 2020
I see dead people...…
Paul Allen was still alive when the book was written. While this is really an interesting depiction of the current state of the space business, it also shows how fast some of the things do change - or not. Quite a few predictions should arrive this year, and I honestly do not see them just yet. This is a highly optimistic view on our future in space, so one star minus for the forecasting skills of Rod, but his research was as far as I can tell spot on when it comes to the current state of affairs.
Paul Allen was still alive when the book was written. While this is really an interesting depiction of the current state of the space business, it also shows how fast some of the things do change - or not. Quite a few predictions should arrive this year, and I honestly do not see them just yet. This is a highly optimistic view on our future in space, so one star minus for the forecasting skills of Rod, but his research was as far as I can tell spot on when it comes to the current state of affairs.
August 14, 2020
Published in Feb 2019, this book already seems out-dated. This is one of the main points the book is highlighting though: we're entering into a New Space Age and it's happening at break-neck speeds.
The book is written well, interesting, has everything you need to understand contemporary space activities (perhaps only up until around 2017 with any specificity). On the other hand though, if you're a space enthusiast - there's nothing new here.
So in the end, I'd highly recommend this to those with a new interest in space, and young adults who are looking to space as a future career path.
The book is written well, interesting, has everything you need to understand contemporary space activities (perhaps only up until around 2017 with any specificity). On the other hand though, if you're a space enthusiast - there's nothing new here.
So in the end, I'd highly recommend this to those with a new interest in space, and young adults who are looking to space as a future career path.
June 19, 2019
The current state of space development
This book is a comprehensive look at space activity at the end of the second decade of the twenty first century. It describes in detail the major players in the Space industry, both private and public, including a lengthy chapter on Elon Musk. It is fit that begins with the last Shuttle flight and ends with the first Launch of the Falcon Heavy. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in space.
This book is a comprehensive look at space activity at the end of the second decade of the twenty first century. It describes in detail the major players in the Space industry, both private and public, including a lengthy chapter on Elon Musk. It is fit that begins with the last Shuttle flight and ends with the first Launch of the Falcon Heavy. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in space.
July 17, 2019
I don't often write reviews but I feel the book deserves a qualifier to my 3-star rating:
If you really have not been keeping your ear to the ground about recent advancements in Space, then you will probably get a lot more out of it than I did. However, if like me, you do read the odd article or book on the topic, there is scant new information within.
The information it does contain is accessible and easy to read.
If you really have not been keeping your ear to the ground about recent advancements in Space, then you will probably get a lot more out of it than I did. However, if like me, you do read the odd article or book on the topic, there is scant new information within.
The information it does contain is accessible and easy to read.
October 17, 2019
Bien écrit, intéressant, instructif, et magnifiquement illustré.
Seul souci pour quelqu'un de passionné qui se tient au courant des derniers développements dans le domaine du spatial, un livre ne peut pas être à jour.
Mais il offre une perspective et nourrit la réflexion sur le futur de la conquête spatiale.
Seul souci pour quelqu'un de passionné qui se tient au courant des derniers développements dans le domaine du spatial, un livre ne peut pas être à jour.
Mais il offre une perspective et nourrit la réflexion sur le futur de la conquête spatiale.
October 27, 2023
I had certain expectations from Space 2.0, but it turned out to be different. Although it is well-written, I wouldn't call it scientific. Rather, it reads like a storybook that narrates the space industry's journey and the efforts made to establish a new era of space exploration. It seems to target readers who are interested in pursuing a career in aerospace.
March 14, 2021
The book provides a bird's eye view journey through various space related activities undertaken by organisations and nations operating in this area. The content is really diverse in terms of the topics it covers, which resulted in quite enjoyable reading experience.
April 14, 2021
I went through a bit of a space travel reading phase. This book is really more just about the current commercial advancements. I imagine it will be out of date quickly, but was a good read for when I got it.
September 17, 2021
Great overview of where we are and where we are going with regards to space. Really useful description of a lot of the major players, internationally, in the country, governments and private entities.
October 5, 2021
This was a good overview on the state of space technology and business along with hopes for the future. If you keep up on space news already, though, you may not get much out of it. I did love Rod Pyle's optimism.
September 7, 2022
Great survey, a mile wide and two inches deep. Plenty of leads for further research. Profuse excellent illustrations. Could stand an update for 2022. The commercialization of space is here - this is a great introduction.
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July 17, 2019If you're a space nut, you'll love this book.
It does a great job at diving into the new space race.
It's beautifully illustrated, so it's best to get the hardcover and not the digital version.
It does a great job at diving into the new space race.
It's beautifully illustrated, so it's best to get the hardcover and not the digital version.
September 11, 2019
A good overview of current space efforts, but lacking in any real analysis and often repetitive.
September 23, 2019
Good to read.
January 2, 2020
Very short and mostly cheerleading but serves as a shot of optimism anyone could use.
February 8, 2020
I really appreciated how Rod Pyle examined the pros and cons of all proposals for space exploration. Other books (such as those by Buzz Aldrin, Robert Zubrin, and others) will typically have one or two "pet" proposals (for example, in Aldrin's case, traveling to Phobos before Mars and constructing a Mars base remotely) that authors give more attention to, while they only briefly address other proposals. Pyle, however, fairly addressed all proposals (such as returning to the Moon, constructing a Moon orbital station, traveling to Mars, traveling to an asteroid, collecting asteroids for mining purposes, and so forth). Overall, it was a great, educational read.
June 23, 2020
This book is very inspiring in terms of our near future (10-20 years ) in space. It tells us a bit about the history of space flight and shows us the new technologies being developed.
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