Ambassadors from Earth: Pioneering Explorations with Unmanned Spacecraft

Outward Odyssey: A People's History of Spaceflight

De: Jay Gallentine

Narrado por: Douglas R Pratt

Ambassadors from Earth relates the story of the first unmanned space probes and planetary explorers - from the Sputnik and Explorer satellites launched in the late 1950's to the thrilling interstellar Voyager missions of the '70's - that yielded some of the most celebrated successes and spectacular failures of the space age.

Keep in mind that our first mad scrambles to reach orbit, the moon, and the planets were littered with enough histrionics and cliffhanging turmoil to rival the most far-out sci-fi film. Utilizing original interviews with key players, journal excerpts, and primary source documents, Jay Gallentine delivers a quirky and unforgettable look at the lives and legacy of the Americans and Soviets who conceived, built, and guided those unmanned missions to the planets and beyond. Of special note is his in-depth interview with James Van Allen, the discoverer of the rings of planetary radiation that now bear his name.

Ambassadors from Earth is an engaging bumper-car ride through a fog of head-banging uncertainty, bleeding-edge technology, personality clashes, organizational frustrations, brutal schedules, and the occasional bright spot. Confessed one participant, “We were making it up as we went along”.

The book is published by University of Nebraska Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

©2009 Jay Gallentine (P)2020 Redwood Audiobooks

Reseñas de la Crítica

An intriguing and essential read on the history of unmanned space programs..." (Journal for the History of Discoveries)

Many space buffs, especially young ones, should find this a satisfying narrative." (Publishers Weekly)

Oh, I Love This Book

Born in the latter 1940s I grew up and recognize these names and I saw their achievements. This is a grand book for anyone interested but we know about outer space.

Amazing listen!

Fascinating listen about the history and evolution of unmanned space probes and exploration. Douglas R. Pratt's crystal clear narration is absolutely superb and really brings the story to life. I learned so much.

The original space program

Manned space missions got a lot of headlines, understandably enough, but were almost a sideshow to the scientific program. I'm old enough to remember Sputnik, but a lot of this story of unmanned missions passed me by as it was happening. I read headlines and not a whole lot more. So this book was a great way to get caught up, and also to learn about the tussle between the manned and unmanned space projects. It follows the careers and personal lives of people like James van Allen and his student George Ludwig to help one see how the programs intersected with their lives. Very well done all around.

Space Travel History to the Max!

WOW, this was a ride of a lifetime. You actually feel like your part of each JPL, NASA & ESA missions. From the development to the final solutions for each planetary voyage, you are there! I particularly enjoyed the science of the "Grand Voyage" and it's gravity assists for reaching the outer planets and beyond the Kuiper belt and to the limits of the Heliosphere the end of the Sun's influence on our Solar System. I have re-listened to this audio book multiple times and it has enforced how unique and dangerous space flight is. If you appreciate history, space & science, then this is your book!

Fun

Such a fun book, with a great reader. Very interesting, informative, amusing. Highly recommended book.

An intriguing account of early space exploration. Fantastic.

This book provides an excellent introduction to early space exploration and the men who took their vision and executed some of the most remarkable missions into space.

Not what I was expecting

I was expecting a book focused on discoveries from the prominent unmanned crafts throughout my life ( I was born 1959). Instead, the book is about interpersonal conflict and political inanity. Interplanetary exploration was just the props for the play. It could have been about armed forces leaders of Western Front WWI or the Bolshevik revolution with a simple change of props. If that were my interest, I could catch up on the current news. I gave up after the section on the Mariner 2 flyby of Venus. The most charitable description I can give is that it was "lyrical". I am returning the book; something I've done maybe 5 times in 14 years.