Fully revised and updated since its original publication in 1997, Space and the American Imagination includes a reworked introduction and conclusion and new chapters on robotics and space commerce.
The book explores NASA's innovative strategies during the 1990s aimed at reducing costs while enhancing mission efficiency. It highlights sixteen missions, including lunar orbits and deployments of space telescopes, accomplished with smaller spacecraft and simplified objectives, all at a fraction of traditional mission expenses. McCurdy provides a historical analysis of the successes and challenges of this approach, advocating for a "faster, better, cheaper" management philosophy in space exploration, despite its controversial reception.
Breaking Free of Gravity and Government Support
The book explores the endeavors of five aerospace companies in the commercial space transportation sector, examining their potential to secure private funding and reduce reliance on government support. It draws parallels with historical transportation milestones, such as the transcontinental railway and commercial jetliners, to assess the viability of commercial space flight. Howard E. McCurdy argues that the success of this venture hinges on the ability of new space entrepreneurs to garner backing from both conventional and unconventional funding sources.