Books with author David Aaron Baker

Published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing by Apollo 11. The story of Apollo has been told many times, but most accounts stop at the first landing. This book picks up where others have left off, and describes the five post-Apollo 11 Moon landings, defined as technical developments built upon engineering excellence. It was only through the robust design adopted when aerospace contractors first designed and built the Apollo spacecraft and the Lunar Module that successive evolutions were possible, taking lunar-landing operations far beyond what had first been envisaged. This book is not intended to tell the full story of each mission, but rather to describe the technical development of spacecraft and equipment necessary to grow the capability from a single EVA (‘moonwalk’) of less than three hours, to advanced missions where astronauts spent three full working days exploring their landing sites. With the aid of a Lunar Roving Vehicle, they collected a wide variety of rocks and soil and left a range of instruments at the surface powered by a thermonuclear generator. As interest grows in humans returning to the Moon, 50 years on from those pioneering days of lunar exploration, we look again at what was accomplished at the dawn of the Space Age, spurred on by a political goal and developed as a tool for science. The story of the Apollo Moon missions is an expression of those achievements.

The International Space Station (ISS) is a permanently manned earth-orbiting complex where astronauts carry out research into a wide range of scientific activities. It comprises modules built in the USA, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada. Author David Baker examines how the ISS was built, the logistics modules and freighters operated by its user nations, how the ISS works as an integrated facility, life on board, what the ISS does, the research carried out and who benefits.

Established in 1958 in response to Russia’s Sputnik 1, launched on 4 October as the world’s first artificial satellite, NASA - the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - emerged out of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics which had been formed in 1915. The NASA Operations Manual tells the story of America’s civilian space agency, the facilities it operates, where they are and what they do. It explains how much NASA costs the American taxpayer and looks at what it returns to the taxpayer in benefits to the economy. NASA has forged a niche in modern history that extends beyond the realisation of age-old dreams to leave Earth and explore the heavens - it has become a synonym for achievement, performance and greatness, in setting goals and achieving them, in failing and learning how to recover, in connecting people around the world with international programmes to explore our solar system and live our ambitions, and in improving the lives of people everywhere through its inventions, discoveries, its technology and its engineering. Sixty years after NASA took hold of the reins of US civilian space programmes, the agency has a bold vision for great and ambitious goals, taking humans back to the Moon and on to Mars, perhaps visiting an asteroid, or setting up an interplanetary transport system on the way. And all the time, providing inspiration for a new generation. With more than 300 photographs, line drawings and charts, this book tours the United States, describing the centres of excellence and the facilities where rockets are tested, satellites are built and humans prepare for space. With summary review of research laboratories, test rigs, experimental platforms and engineering facilities, this book describes the 60 years of NASA as it has evolved through changing requirements and expanding capabilities, building on the past and preparing for a bold future.

Scientific American Inventions from Outer Space presents over 60 inventions developed by NASA for use in space - and the ways they are used every day on Earth.There's a little bit of outer space everywhere on Earth, from the paint on the Golden Gate Bridge (originally developed by NASA to withstand high temperatures on the space shuttle launch pad) to today's high-tech sneakers (which use technology first developed for space suits) and keyboards used by disabled workers.These items, plus Dustbuster vacuums, CAT scans, and home water filters, are only some of the world's most familiar consumer products that trace their origins to NASA's space program. This fascinating book describes over 60 inventions and, in color photographs and diagrams, outlines how the space technology was developed and how it is used here on Earth.Full-color illustrations and clear writing offers complete explanations of how inventions are used in everyday objects.Strong Scientific American imprimatur assures quality and appeals to science buffs of all levels.

Is there life on Mars? This age-old question has prompted many missions to Mars, with the most recent rover, Curiosity, having safely landed in August 2012 amid a blaze of publicity. This manual covers the development, design and engineering of three generations of Mars rover: Sojourner, which landed in 1997, was the size of a microwave; Spirit and Opportunity, both the size of a shopping cart, followed in 2004; and Curiosity is the size of a car, with a design life of two years. Learn how these machines work as well as what they have found and hope to discover - and look forward to the possibility that humans may yet set foot on the Red Planet.

It's a bit of an open secret that reconnaissance satellites, or spy satellites, as they're often known, play a big part in American intelligence-gathering efforts. They're indispensible tools in the ongoing War on Terror. While information about the country's current satellites is classified, curious minds can learn all about the development of spy satellites in this informative tome. Highlights include WS-117L, CORONA, SAMOS, GAMBIT, HEXAGON, DORIAN, and KENNEN, all of which are introduced with detailed diagrams and multiple photographs. Other topics covered include the methods of aerial reconnaissance that predated satellites, the various types of intelligence that are routinely gathered, and an overview of the U.S. intelligence community.

The International Space Station - or ISS - is a permanently manned 400-ton orbiting complex for six astronauts. It comprises modules built in the US, Russia, Europe and Japan with external robotic equipment built by Canada, all these having been launched by their host countries. In addition, Europe and Japan provide logistics modules and Russia provides cargo freighters. Assembled in a series of flights between 1998 and 2011, the ISS will be complete by mid-2011. In that period there will have been more than 60 manned and 50 unmanned flights to the ISS and the station has been permanently manned since 2000, just two years after assembly began. It is expected to continue in operation for the next 10 years during which period it will be continuously manned by a crew of six people. The purpose of the station is to carry out research into a wide range of scientific activities involving medicines, human physiology, biology, botany, physics and chemistry. Observations of the earth and of the universe are carried out by the station and later in the decade it will support activities associated with the first human expeditions to the asteroids and possibly back to the lunar surface.

From “one of the master storytellers of this or any age” (The Tampa Tribune) comes the stunning final adventure of “one of the most remarkable and appealing characters in current fiction”(The Virginian-Pilot)—as #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz brings the unforgettable odyssey of Odd Thomas to its dazzling conclusion. Odd Thomas is back where it all started…because the time has come to finish it. Since he left his simple life in the small town of Pico Mundo, California, his journey has taken him to places strange and wonderful, mysterious and terrifying. Across the land, in the company of mortals and spirits alike, he has known kindness and cruelty, felt love and loss, saved lives and taken them—as he’s borne witness to humanity’s greatest good and darkest evil. Again and again, he has gone where he must and done what he had to do—for better or worse—with his courage and devotion sorely tested, and his soul forever changed. Every triumph has been hard won. Each sacrifice has taken its toll. Now, whatever destiny drives him has finally steered his steps home, where those he cares for most surround him, the memory of his tragically lost true love haunts him, and one last challenge—vast and dreadful—awaits him. For Odd Thomas, born to serve a purpose far greater than himself, the wandering is done. Only the reckoning remains.

From “one of the master storytellers of this or any age” (The Tampa Tribune) comes the stunning final adventure of “one of the most remarkable and appealing characters in current fiction”(The Virginian-Pilot)—as #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz brings the unforgettable odyssey of Odd Thomas to its dazzling conclusion.Odd Thomas is back where it all started…because the time has come to finish it. Since he left his simple life in the small town of Pico Mundo, California, his journey has taken him to places strange and wonderful, mysterious and terrifying. Across the land, in the company of mortals and spirits alike, he has known kindness and cruelty, felt love and loss, saved lives and taken them—as he’s borne witness to humanity’s greatest good and darkest evil. Again and again, he has gone where he must and done what he had to do—for better or worse—with his courage and devotion sorely tested, and his soul forever changed. Every triumph has been hard won. Each sacrifice has taken its toll.Now, whatever destiny drives him has finally steered his steps home, where those he cares for most surround him, the memory of his tragically lost true love haunts him, and one last challenge—vast and dreadful—awaits him. For Odd Thomas, born to serve a purpose far greater than himself, the wandering is done. Only the reckoning remains.

"The History of the Ten "Lost" Tribes: Anglo-Israelism Examined" by David Baron. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.