Publication Abstracts

Allison 2019

Allison, M., 2019: Review of Thrust Into Space: Official 50th Anniversary Reissue by Hunter. Amer. J. Phys., 87, no. 6, 485-488, doi:10.1119/1.5095061.

Now, as we approach the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 and NASA begins to launch humans back to low Earth orbit, the facsimile reprint of this undeservedly forgotten book is a remarkable testament to the reach of visionary thinking in the early years toward a spacefaring future.

Thrust into Space offers an unusually insightful exposition of the physics of spaceflight, including an elementary but especially clear treatment of celestial mechanics, along with an always quantitative, if back-of-the-envelope, outline of the energetics, efficiency, and economics of advanced propulsion systems that could one day carry humans across the solar system. Measuring a nicely compact 8×5-1/4 in., the slender navy-yellow paperback is easily carried about for devoted study. In his Preface, Hunter optimistically remarks that the text" is written for the modern, technically oriented high school student. Only comparatively simple expressions are utilized. Much of the massive calculations performed today are used to refine the last ounce of performance out of very complicated systems."

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BibTeX Citation

@article{al05700x,
  author={Allison, M.},
  title={Review of Thrust Into Space: Official 50th Anniversary Reissue by Hunter},
  year={2019},
  journal={Amer. J. Phys.},
  volume={87},
  number={6},
  pages={485--488},
  doi={10.1119/1.5095061},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - REVW
ID  - al05700x
AU  - Allison, M.
PY  - 2019
TI  - Review of Thrust Into Space: Official 50th Anniversary Reissue by Hunter
JA  - Amer. J. Phys.
VL  - 87
IS  - 6
SP  - 485
EP  - 488
DO  - 10.1119/1.5095061
ER  -

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