It's Only Rocket Science

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'Space tourism' is becoming a reality. Ordinary people around the world are starting to wonder if they could really go to space and what it would be like - among them, many amateur astronomers. This book explains the basics of what is involved in getting into space, from building the rocket and choosing where to go, to planning the mission and getting home again. It details the extraordinary conditions astronauts cope with when they are in space, and how they communicate with Earth. It explains how amateur astronomers can observe satellites and calculate their orbital parameters. It even has answers to questions such as, How does a spacecraft know exactly where it is? and, What are the toilet facilities like?

The book is an introduction to space vehicles and space travel: the vehicles themselves, their propulsion systems, environmental systems, navigation, and steering. It looks at possible future missions, and explores the far future of space flight - what is possible and what is not. Most amateur astronomers - and many of those with similar interests but who are not currently practising observers - have only a sketchy understanding of space flight. This book provides an introduction to the mechanics of space flight.It is pitched at a suitable level of understanding for amateur astronomers, but is almost entirely descriptive and non-mathematical. It covers all aspects of space flight, from how to leave the Earth - including the design of the rocket, mission planning, navigation and communication, to life in space and the effects of weightlessness. It also includes sections describing how an amateur can track satellites and understand their orbital parameters, and on the future of space flight, touching on what is and what is not possible given the present and predicted propulsion technologies.