Mighty Mission Machines: From Rockets to Rovers

Gr 3–6—What machines and equipment make space travel possible and allow people to travel to outer space and live, work, and explore there and then return home? This book answers this intriguing question, using frequent quotes from Williams, a Canadian physician and astronaut who sailed aboard the NASA space shuttles Columbia and Endeavor. The book is divided into six sections, moving readers from takeoff; to living, working, and moving in space; to heading home. Readers learn about machines and equipment such as the spacecraft, orbital module, service module, engine, fuel tank, International Space Station, robotic explorers, robotic arms, space rovers, space suits, and orbiting telescopes. The information is presented in spreads, each of which contains a brief introductory paragraph, color photographs with captions, and many informative sidebars. The text is brief and easy to understand, and the photos are fascinating and invite a close look. This book is part of a series which includes To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space and Go for Lift Off!: How to Train Like an Astronaut.