Category: Children Publisher: Scholastic - Out of Print
ISBN-10: 0590058894
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 128
Copyright: October 1999
In Space Station Science, former NASA mission controller Marianne Dyson explains all of the systems needed to keep the International Space Station up and running; shows how the simplest tasks of daily life are changed in free fall; details the types of experiments scientist can do in space and nowhere else; tells how we get to and from space; and gives us a glimpse into the future of space stations. Complete with activities that simulate life in space, and illustrated with full-color photos and drawings, this insider's guide will show you what it's like to live in a space station and how what we learn up there could forever change our lives down here.
Space Station Science was the Winner of the Golden Kite Award for best nonfiction children's book of 1999, named an outstanding trade book by the NSTA/CBC, and a Booklist Top 10 Youth Science book.
Excerpt
The Scholastic (first) edition of this book is out-of-print. The new edition is available in paperback only. For those who want a hardback AUTOGRAPHED copy of the first edition, order through the AuthorsDen Bookstore or contact the author.
Professional Reviews
Booklist Review
Space Station Science received the following review in the November 15, 1999 Booklist, page 619 - a publication of the American Library Association.
"Dyson, Marianne J. Space Station Science: Life in Free Fall. 1999. 128 p. index. illus. Scholastic, $16.95 (0-590-05889-4).
Dyson, formerly on NASA's mission control team, explores the details of living and working in space. Drawing on experiences of astronauts and cosmonauts, she explains their training, then launches readers on a space flight. There is continuous discussion of basic necessities such as air, water, power, climate control, communications with the earth, food, and hygiene, as well as the challenges of doing space walks and scientific experiments. Children will be pleased to find an unusually thorough explanation of the space station bathroom, complete with a photo of its high-tech commode. Dyson also discusses hazards such as high-energy radiation and collisions with space objects. The precisely written text, illustrated with many full-color photos, leads readers to imagine life in orbit and to do a number of simple experiments related to space flight. A glossary and a list of organizations and Web sites concludes this inviting and informative volume. - Carolyn Phelan."
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8. "In space, a gallon of water costs as much as a house, you can't get any TV stations, and opening a window will kill you." Gathering information from astronauts and other scientists, Dyson takes readers through crew training and launch; covers physical necessities and hazards, including a detailed look at space toilets; describes the kinds of tasks and research that can be performed on a space station; then brings astronauts back to Earth for a study of the effects of an extended stay off-planet. Artfully mixing big questions ("If people stayed in space, would they end up as blobs?") with well-chosen scientific and personal details, Dyson at once excites and informs young readers. Clever, low-tech demonstrations and experiments elucidate physical principles. The illustrations include lucid cartoons and color photos, and a concluding list of Web sites will expedite further inquiry. Though the author only focuses on the U.S. and Russia and is weak on historical background, with the upcoming construction of the International Space Station, this consciousness raiser couldn't be better timed. A lively, up-to-date replacement for Don Berliner's Living in Space (Lerner, 1993) and Larry Kettelkamp's Living in Space (Morrow, 1993). -John Peters, New York Public Library Copyright 1999, Cahners Business Information.
Akron Beacon Journal
In Space Station Science, Marianne Dyson straightforwardly explains every aspect of life in space, from the science behind rocket propulsion to the nitty gritty of going to the bathroom in zero gravity.
Shannon Lucid, we learn, the U.S. astronaut who holds the women's record for living in space (six months, four days), didn't take a shower that entire time. Since water the crew needs must be carried with them from earth, supplies are limited. One method of ``creating' water in space has been to filter and purify the crew's urine, which has been done successfully.
The payoff for living under these conditions is, of course, being on the cutting edge of research. That, and the view. The sky is a deep, dark black, reported astronaut Donald Thomas. ``Much darker than when your eyes are closed in the dark.' Seeing the earth against this blackness is such a contrast of colors, Thomas said, that it ``takes your breath away.' Dyson includes simple, clever projects kids can do to better understand the scientific principles undergirding space travel -- good choices for keeping the mind firing over the summer months . . . or until it's time to leave for Mars. -- Sunday, April 16, 2000
