Journey Beyond Selene: Remarkable Expeditions Past Our Moon and to the Ends of the Solar System

by Jeffrey Kluger

Earth's moon is a gray, lifeless place, interesting geologically but perhaps a little disappointing to those of us looking for strange, colorful new worlds. But our moon is only one of more than 60 planetary satellites in the solar system, most of which are entirely unexplored. In Moon Hunters (published in hardcover as Journey Beyond Selene ), Jeffrey Kluger chronicles these unsung places and the heroes who explore the Jet Propulsion Lab's staff of dedicated adventurers, who build and fly sleek, unmanned spacecraft to investigate other moons. "When astronauts finally did reach the moon," Kluger writes, "the lean, fleet ships of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory had already gone elsewhere." Why explore the satellites of other planets when the planets themselves remain mysterious? Kluger describes astronomers' first realization that in contrast to the lifeless gas giant Jupiter, its moons were a veritable scientific There were big moons and small moons, patterned moons and plain moons, brightly colored moons and pasty-pale moons.... There were moons that could have atmospheres, water, and even, perhaps, a spark of internal heat. Put them together, and you had moons that could, in theory, harbor life. Moon Hunters chronicles the history of a little-understood aspect of humanity's quest to discover new worlds. From the early Ranger orbiters through the incredible journeys of Voyager and Galileo, Kluger gives credit where credit is long overdue. They may not be astronauts, but these space jockeys have the right stuff. --Therese Littleton

Genres: Science, Space, Nonfiction, History, Astronomy

320 pages, Hardcover

First published November 18, 1999

About the author

Jeffrey Kluger is Editor at Large at Time, where he has written more than 45 cover stories. Coauthor of Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13, which was the basis for the movie Apollo 13, he is also the author of 13 other books including his latest book Gemini: Stepping Stone to the Moon, the Untold Story.

Reviews

[Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favourite non-fiction books. Inspires a sense of wonder at the beauty and mystery of those celestial spheres beyond Earth.

So long as books like this remain unread, fiction books will take second priority in my life; why invent universes of the imagination when we live in one as profound as our own! Volcanoes on distant moons erupting with glistening snow; vast oceans covered in ice, whose contents we can only speculate; rivers flowing with boiling ammonia! It's all real, and this book brings it all to life. Splendidly illustrated and passionately written, this book takes the reader on an adventure through our solar system -- sit back and enjoy the ride!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. It inspired my grade 8 science fair project and I won the public vote at the regional science fair. It really inspired me as a kid and it's just one of those unforgettable works.

[Xavier DaRosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good history of the JPL's trials and tribulations of travels across space toward moons of each of the planets in our solar system. This book is narrated very well! Felt like I was watching a documentary in my head.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, quick read about NASA's deep-space explorations.

[Stephen Hampshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book about the unsung heroes of the JPL.

[RUSA CODES · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the 2000 RUSA Notable Books winners. For the complete list, go to http://ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/aw...

[Pippa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating, inspiring book.

[Pippa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written. An inspiring book. I loved it.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moon hunters was an excellent story for the aspiring astronomer and explorer that is hidden in each one of us. For me, this book really unlocked my curiosity surrounding the mysteries of the moons in our solar system. Planets are something that everyone knows and associates with space and the black abyss beyond our home planet. But, it is not often that an author or scholar gives much thought to moons which can hold just as many secrets to our beginnings as planets can. I think that the author did a great job sparking an interest in moon science for me. It makes me want to understand what type of role these smaller bodies play in the construction and continuation of our ever expanding universe. They are often overlooked but I feel like moons can help us solve some of the biggest mysteries about where we came from. Because, if you think about it, we are made of the same star stuff that they are made of. The parts of this book that left me awestruck were the unique ways that the engineers used problem solving methods to change the course of missions from failures to successes. It is incredible that scientists from Earth can learn so much about a planet that is still so far away from the spaceships and probes that they sent to distant planets. I am sure that someday in the not too distant future; people will actually be able to go to all of these planets and experience their uniqueness in its full glory. I can even imagine a time when space cruises and space tourism will become a reality. I feel like there will be a time when humanity reaches its precipice because it will make us see and believe that each one of us are part of something bigger than ourselves. I want to say a huge thank you to the author for writing this book. At the time that this is written, I am a first year engineering student and I hope to go into the space exploration field one day. This book really gave me perspective and gave me an extra reminder that all of the work I do now can have a vast impact on humanity's future. And, I was super excited when I saw how some of my current university studies applied to the mission triumphs and failures described in this book. I want to thank the author once again for putting this book out into the world and sharing the magic of the universe with such a large audience. Our mission to explore this solar system and beyond is an important one and I feel like this book can inspire many to become a space explorer.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of the JPL, from its earliest beginnings. There were a lot of failures with the first attempts to get onto the moon's surface. The JPL's motto was to keep on trying, and trying, and trying until it finally went right. Glad they had this attitude ... would have been far easier to stop.