Lunar Outpost provides a detailed account of the various technologies, mission architectures, medical requirements and training needed to return humans to the Moon within the next decade. It focuses on the means by which a lunar outpost will be constructed and also addresses major topics such as the cost of the enterprise and the roles played by private companies and individual countries. The return of humans to the surface of the Moon will be critical to the exploration of the solar system. The various missions are not only in pursuit of scientific knowledge, but also looking to extend human civilization, economic expansion, and public engagement beyond Earth. As well as NASA, China's Project 921, Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency, Russia, and the European Space Agency are all planning manned missions to the Moon and, eventually, to Mars. The Ares-I and Ares-V are the biggest rockets since the Saturn V and there is much state-of-the-art technology incorporated into the design of Orion, the spacecraft that will carry a crew of four astronauts to the Moon. Lunar Outpost also describes the human factors, communications, exploration activities, and life support constraints of the missions.
From the reviews:
"Seedhouse ... provides an up-to-date case study on the systems architecture that goes into developing a lunar base. ... The author ... presents an interesting discussion of international cooperation and collaboration. ... the book describes the technological challenges needed to establish a successful lunar outpost. ... The work would interest students and practitioners in the space industry ... . it would be useful for a qualitative design course or for a space systems engineering course. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates, professionals, and general readers." (D. B. Spencer, Choice, Vol. 46 (11), July, 2009)
"This book ... present ‘a narrative of the key mission architecture elements comprising NASA’s plan for returning astronauts to the Moon.’ ... anybody who wants a detailed overview of NASA’s Constellation program can find it here. What makes the book especially interesting is that it provides more than just a description of the hardware and mission plans to date – it also provides the rationales for how each was arrived at. ... Lunar Outpost describes what is being done in the present." (David Brandt-Erichsen, National Space Society, September, 2009)
“The author descibes the Bush administration’s Vision for Space Exploration and the Constellation programme architecture and hardware, as well as taking a look at the lunar ambitions of other nations such as China. ... concentrates on establishing a lunar outpost, and what will be involved. Seedhouse is very thorough, covering topics such as environment, life support, communications, navigation, and surface mobility. ... The book is well illustrated throughout, including some colour plates, mostly related to the Constellation designs.” (David Maclennan, Liftoff, Issue 257, May-June, 2010)
