The publication of this book is extremely timely, for the next major advances in manned space flight after Project Apollo will most likely be made in earth orbital operations. Manned exploration of the moon will certainly continue after the initial landing, but it will be performed essentially with the Saturn V launch vehicles and Apollo spacecraft developed in Apollo, especially in the early phases. Modifications to this basic hardware will increase operating capabilities to permit extensive lunar explo ration during prolonged stay times by the astronauts on the moon's surface. Manned orbital space stations have been studied for years, and NASA is already well along in development of its first attempt to provide more spacious accommo dations for astronaut-scientists in its Saturn Workshop program. While the Workshop is certainly not the ultimate space station of which our technology is capable, it is a workable, poor man's approach to the immediate need for using and expanding our present manned space flight capability without a de trimentalloss of momentum. The approach of converting a Saturn rocket stage into a manned laboratory and observatory in space is an improvisation that matches the use of the jerry-built Jupiter C back in 1958 to launch Explorer I. Let's hope that it can get the job done just as effectively.

Autorentext
S. Fred Singer ist Professor Emeritus der University of Virginia und Vorsitzender des Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP). Seine Spezialgebiete sind Atmosphären- und Weltraumphysik. Als Experte auf dem Gebiet der Fernerkundung und der Satelliten war er Gründungsdirektor des US-Wettersatellitendienstes.

Klappentext

Second International Orbital Laboratory Symposium, organized by the International Academy of Astronautics at the XIXth International Astronautical Congress, New York, October 18, 1968

Inhalt
Manned Space Stations - Gateway to our Future in Space.- Critical Engineering Problems of Space Stations.- The Research Potential of Manned Earth Orbiting Spacecraft for Meteorology.- Terrain Spectral Imagery from Space in Various Spectral Regions.- Spacecraft for Ocean Exploration.- Earth Resource Observations from an Orbiting Spacecraft.- Astronomical Research with a Large Orbiting Telescope.- Orbital Laboratory - Stepping Stone to Interplanetary Flight.- Manned Flight to the Nearer Planets.- About The Authors.- Résumés.- PE3?MA.- Index of subjects.