In this book, Patrick Norris responds to the 50th Anniversary of the dawn of the Space Age - the launch of Sputnik 1 - with a review of the most important historical applications of space science for the benefit of the human race during that half century, focusing on the prevention of nuclear war. In developing this story Norris illuminates a little-known aspect of the Space Age, namely the military dimension.
The author introduces the concepts of the Cold War nuclear standoff and mutually assured destruction, shows how spy satellites developed and recounts the problems of using them to verify arms limitation treaties. He addresses the oft-cited conclusion that the Moon landings and the ‘race to the Moon’ were side effects of the Cold War, by describing what he believes was the more important event - the use of military satellites to keep the Cold War from becoming a ‘hot war’. Today military satellites represent 25 percent of all satellites in orbit; they are just as important now in preventing regional nuclear conflict as they were in preventing global Armageddon more than 30 years ago.
Written for:
Popular science and spaceflight enthusiasts
Springer Praxis, 2008, 224 S.
28,84 Euro
Broschiert, w. 10 col. and 20 b&w figs.
ISBN: 978-0-387-71672-5
|
|
Titel gebraucht, antiquarisch & neu kaufen bei:
|
AstroLink.de
ShuttleLink.de
cc-live