The International Atlas of Mars Exploration: Volume 2, 2004 to 2014: From Spirit to Curiosity

Description

Beginning with the landing of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers in 2004 and concluding with the end of the Curiosity mission in 2014, this second volume of The International Atlas of Mars Exploration continues the story of Mars exploration in spectacular detail. It is an essential reference source on Mars and its moons, combining scientific and historical data with detailed and unique illustrations to provide a thorough analysis of twenty-first-century Mars mission proposals, spacecraft operations, landing site selection and surface locations. Combining a wealth of data, facts and illustrations, most created for this volume, the atlas charts the history of modern Mars exploration in more detail than ever before. Like the first volume, the atlas is accessible to space enthusiasts, but the bibliography and meticulous detail make it a particularly valuable resource for academic researchers and students working in planetary science and planetary mapping.

Philip J. Stooke is a cartographer and imaging expert at the University of Western Ontario, whose interest in mapping the Moon and planets began during the Apollo missions. He has developed novel methods for mapping asteroids and many of his asteroid maps are now accessible from NASA's Planetary Data System. He has studied spacecraft locations on the Moon and Mars, notably locating Viking 2 on Mars. He is the author of many papers and articles on planetary mapping, planetary geology, and the history of cartography and planetary science. His book The International Atlas of Lunar Exploration was published by Cambridge University Press in 2008. This was followed by The International Atlas of Mars Exploration: The First Five Decades (Cambridge, 2012) which was selected as an Outstanding Academic Title by the American Library Association in 2013.

'... fascinating ...' BBC Sky at Night magazine '... this new volume documents missions from roughly 2004 to 2014. In telling his story, the author draws directly from NASA mission activity logs, technical operations blogs, imaging archives, and scientific meetings. Each mission's day-to-day activities are presented in travelogue form, richly illustrated with detailed images and maps drawn by the author for each site. Images of the landing sites and movements of the landers taken from orbit put the accounts of the ground-based explorations in perspective ... Not a science book, this historical atlas narrates the rovers' adventures through maps and images. This invaluable reference for practicing planetary scientists is, by design, easily accessible to laypersons. If one ever plans to explore Mars vicariously or in person, this is the travel guide to take along.' Choice 'I warmly commend the Atlas to purchasers ...' Richard McKim, The Observatory 'The International Atlas of Mars Exploration: From Spirit to Curiosity: Volume 2 is a wonderfully thorough collection of maps that contextualize human exploration of Mars between 2004 and 2014. These maps are presented at many scales; from hemispherical maps of potential landing sites across Mars to centimeter-scale maps of brushed spots and laser imprints on surface rocks investigated by surface rovers. By presenting maps in a chronological series based on both proposed and actualized Mars missions, Stooke provides a valuable resource for the spatial, temporal and mechanical context of our selection of Mars landing sites and specific surface observations ... Together, these descriptions, tables, and maps constitute an important resource for researchers, space historians, or anyone interested in retracing the steps of these four missions, which have dramatically changed our understanding of our neighboring planet.' Kirsten Siebach, American Mineralogist