Ad Astra: An Illustrated Guide to Leaving the Planet
About this ebook
‘A wonderful, wise and witty guide for space explorers everywhere.' – Richard Osman
‘A must read both for intrepid space explorers and misty-eyed dreamers. Now, to space!’ – Hannah Fry
‘Few people are more knowledgeable, celebratory and witty about space travel than Dallas Campbell.’ – Adam Rutherford
Need some space?
For almost all human history we’ve been firmly rooted to the Earth. And, sure, it's got some good things going for it: nice views, friendly inhabitants, good coffee. Air. But what if you want to get off?
Whether you've got itchy feet and need a bit of a break, or you’re looking for a complete change of scene, this book has all the information you'll need to leave, with FREE expert advice from the men and woman who can actually make it happen.
Do I need a passport? How do I know if I have the right stuff? Can I take my dog? What spacesuit do I need? Where am I going to go? What am I going to eat?
As well as being a deeply impractical guide to getting off the planet, this is an eclectic and beautifully illustrated mix-tape of space travel stories – both real and imagined. From the migrating lunar geese that flew us to the moon in the 1600’s, to Elon Musk’s wild plan to get humans to Mars en masse in the future; from the history of early rocket science to the Soviet tortoises that secretly won the space race.
A collection for anyone who has looked up in wonder at the stars... And then wondered how to get there.
‘The next best thing to actually heading off into space.’ – Jim Al-Khalili
‘Few people are more knowledgeable, celebratory and witty about space travel than Dallas Campbell.’ – Adam Rutherford
‘If, like me, you dream of going into space, this is definitely the place to start the journey.’ – Dan Snow
‘A must have volume for astronauts and armchair astronauts alike.’ – Helen Sharman OBE
‘Funny, factual and beautiful.’ – Shaun Keavney
‘Read it, make notes, and be ready when the day comes.’ – Helen Czerski
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About the author
Dallas Campbell is a broadcaster who has presented some of television’s best known science and technology programmes: The Gadget Show, Bang Goes the Theory,TheSky at Night and Stargazing Live. His BBC documentaries have taken him all over the world and include the epic engineering series Supersized Earth, the aviation series City In the Sky (with Dr Hannah Fry), Voyager: To the Final Frontier and The Drake Equation: The Search for Life. In 2017 he was awarded the Arthur C. Clarke Centenary Media Award for his work in popularising Space to a wide audience. He is an honorary fellow of the British Science Association which helps promote science to non-scientists as an integral part of our culture and society. Dallas has never left the planet. And never will.
