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Deep Space Travel to Mars #2
The Phobos Expedition
The Phobos Expedition is about a NASA mission to the tiny Martian moon, Phobos. The objective is to scan the surface of Phobos in preparation for future landings and determine whether a decades-old urban legend about Phobos being an artificial satellite put in place by an ancient alien civilization is true or not. Set in Houston, the novel melds the Western Heritage of Texas with the complex and demanding technology of the space program.
The humans aboard the Ares I spacecraft are commanded by an android with human-like intelligence—and desires—who can endure the endless hours in control of a voyage lasting more than a year. Other key characters in the story include a woman who is a NASA executive seeking a promotion to NASA’s top job, her husband who manages a family ranch west of Amarillo, and a set of identical twins who are studying the concept of telepathic communications in deep space under the tutelage of a brilliant physicist—who has a yen to become a real cowboy.
Prior to the mission’s launch, the Russians lose an unmanned probe as it nears Phobos, the latest in a series of mysterious losses. The Russians blame the U.S. for using electronic warfare against their probes in order to give the U.S. program an advantage. They threaten to sabotage the U.S. mission unless NASA reveals the truth.
Despite the unexplained failure and the threat, NASA decides to press forward, believing a manned craft can succeed where an unmanned craft would fail. When the Ares I craft approaches Phobos, its crew and all concerned worry about sabotage and even the remote possibility of an alien attack. They pray that NASA’s decision to continue the mission was correct.
Advance Reader
"The author takes us into a future where deep space travel is real and international competition is alive and well. He pushes the limits of what we know and what we hope to find, encouraging us to follow along and keeping us on edge with twists and turns that keep the story alive and entertaining. The Phobos Expedition compels us to see where the journey leads..." —Frank Hughes; Chief, NASA Space Flight Training (Ret.)
"A space adventure that women will enjoy, filled with characters with conflicting interests and a lovable android to die for." —Vickie Bourque; Enclave Book Club
The humans aboard the Ares I spacecraft are commanded by an android with human-like intelligence—and desires—who can endure the endless hours in control of a voyage lasting more than a year. Other key characters in the story include a woman who is a NASA executive seeking a promotion to NASA’s top job, her husband who manages a family ranch west of Amarillo, and a set of identical twins who are studying the concept of telepathic communications in deep space under the tutelage of a brilliant physicist—who has a yen to become a real cowboy.
Prior to the mission’s launch, the Russians lose an unmanned probe as it nears Phobos, the latest in a series of mysterious losses. The Russians blame the U.S. for using electronic warfare against their probes in order to give the U.S. program an advantage. They threaten to sabotage the U.S. mission unless NASA reveals the truth.
Despite the unexplained failure and the threat, NASA decides to press forward, believing a manned craft can succeed where an unmanned craft would fail. When the Ares I craft approaches Phobos, its crew and all concerned worry about sabotage and even the remote possibility of an alien attack. They pray that NASA’s decision to continue the mission was correct.
Advance Reader
"The author takes us into a future where deep space travel is real and international competition is alive and well. He pushes the limits of what we know and what we hope to find, encouraging us to follow along and keeping us on edge with twists and turns that keep the story alive and entertaining. The Phobos Expedition compels us to see where the journey leads..." —Frank Hughes; Chief, NASA Space Flight Training (Ret.)
"A space adventure that women will enjoy, filled with characters with conflicting interests and a lovable android to die for." —Vickie Bourque; Enclave Book Club
211 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 24, 2017
2 people are currently reading
About the author
Daniel Logan
35 books13 followersLogan lives in Houston, America's "Space City" and home of the Johnson Space Center.
He is a graduate of Purdue University, known as the "Cradle of Astronauts" because of its many alumni, including Neil Armstrong, who became astronauts.
Whether at the controls of the legendary Spruce Goose or his own aircraft, Logan is fascinated by aviation and space.
The Martian Enigma is about the first NASA crew to land on Mars. They encounter an enigma that threatens their safe return. The story's conflict is about the use of robotics or human crews for deep space exploration.
The Deimos Incident is Logan's second book in his deep space travel series. An incident on Deimos causes us to change our concept of the universe.
In The Phobos Expedition, Logan melds the western heritage of Texas and NASA’s space program into an exciting tale of adventure and intrigue.
Logan began writing with his Ancient Secrets series of time-travel novels, The First Migration, The Lost Portal, and The Spirit Gate.
Logan's series about Martian missions retains the character-driven plots enjoyed in his previous time-travel books.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 16, 2022
The first of three novels about the exploration of Mars set in a contemporary/near future. The author strives for authenticity in the characters, NASA operations, and technology without getting too wildly off-subject, although there are hints of "Ancient Aliens" as the story proceeds. There is also a lot of Texas culture and lifestyle included which I enjoyed giving a different feel to other such stories I've read.
The whole concept holds together quite well, although some of the technical aspects are a touch far-fetched and seem wildly advanced compared to the rest, again I won't spoil this for other readers. I've already ordered the two other volumes in the series so I guess I'm going all the way to Mars with the author.
Note, Amazon list the three volumes in reverse order on their UK webpages what is put forward as the first volume is in fact the third.
The whole concept holds together quite well, although some of the technical aspects are a touch far-fetched and seem wildly advanced compared to the rest, again I won't spoil this for other readers. I've already ordered the two other volumes in the series so I guess I'm going all the way to Mars with the author.
Note, Amazon list the three volumes in reverse order on their UK webpages what is put forward as the first volume is in fact the third.
October 13, 2017
Many strands are woven in this tapestry about a space mission to Phobos, one of Mars’ moons. One strand is Andy, a truly delightful android, who wants to be human. Another strand is twisted by twin mission specialists with extraordinary ESP who are both in love with the astronaut pilot on the mission. Espionage is woven throughout the story leaving you wondering who can be trusted. A power play at NASA weaves in and out of the story. On the fringes of this tapestry are Western history and culture. This book is a good story well woven.
January 17, 2020
Just finished with the first book in the series can’t wait to read the next one, “The Deimos Incident” ! Great characters, good story line, and it was interesting how the author explained how and what the crew were doing. This book gave me a better understanding of how the next eplorations into space with be.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews