NASA (1) (1958–)

This 1967 booklet from NASA fits in with other promotional materials during the early Space Race and links that project to earlier concepts of national identity, such as manifest destiny, while articulating how the program advances both soft power, in the form of American influence through scientific achievement, and hard power, like the development of rockets more powerful than ICBMs. Though the fast development of Projects Gemini and Apollo quickly dated much of this information, and some show more of the projections came true within a year of publication or the reality of the program fell staggeringly short, it is still a nice glimpse into this bygone era when much of the technology and history we now take for granted was only just developing. Historians of this era will find this most useful, but even those with a passing interest in manned space travel should enjoy parts of it. show less

I never get tired of space photos. The human race is both infinitesimally small and one of the most significant events in cosmic history. At least according to us. Seeing images like these from our home solar system only serve to remind me of the macro timeline in this universal game of life.

This free app from NASA offers a ton of opportunities for the astronomically-inclined. Though it doesn’t include games or many highly interactive features, it does offer information about missions, a photo gallery of thousands of breathtaking images, science videos, and more, including NASA television and radio. Clearly navigable and designed with an eye for discovery, the app is well laid-out and automatically updated. Graphics, from artist’s renderings of black holes to an interactive show more map of the solar system, are the strength of this app and may pull in those without an interest in astronomy or students too young to read the captions of pictures. The language inclines towards the technical, making this app best for high school students working on science-related projects or serious astronomy buffs, though with a little time spent digging, teachers could find plenty to interest younger grades as well. All in all, this is a strong offering towards the education side of apps, even if most students end up using it primarily for school-related projects. And, of course, it’s good publicity for NASA, too. show less

My guess is that we picked this book up while on a family vacation in Florida. From the title, I expected it to be more pictures than it was--there are pictures but also quite a bit of text. Most of the pictures that are included are beautiful.

The text itself is a bit dry.

Beware: the space exploration ends in 1969 with Apollo 11's mission (which included the moon landing). If you want information on the early days of the "space race" and how we got to the moon, this is a good book. If show more you're looking for anything after the moon landing, you'll want to look elsewhere. show less