This very competent book explores the underlying issues (technical, financial and scientific) behind NASA's exploration of Mars. It also charts the influence of budget cuts as a shrinking NASA seeks to do 'More for Less' to justify its funding in post-Cold War America. The various scientists and their specialist teams are forced to jockey and compete for valuable space on the probes and the peer-group presentation of arguments, data and theories become ferocious intellectual bear-pits!
(Clive Yelf - bwl 45 January 2008 ) |
