Astro Turf: The Private Life Of Rocket Science

Rating:
Summary: A must-read for 21st-century scientists and engineers
Review: M.G. Lord has captured the human face of robotic space exploration during the last few decades with this revealing tome. Through personal recollections of her own father's involvement in the Mariner Mars 69 mission, the author embarks on a journey of self-discovery and JPL history in telling the very human story behind the great successes in American planetary exploration. She deftly explores the unsung heroes in the history of JPL, the changing face of science and engineering at JPL, and the triumph of the Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity. It was very revealing and poignant to see the human faces behind these vaunted robots so eloquently exposed. I recommend this book particuarly for fellow scientists and engineers smitten with the "bug" to explore the cosmos.