This book is not just a flight of fancy. It was published in 1979, when the space shuttle was still in developmental stages,
yet it contains information on how humans are preparing to enter
interstellar space. This discrepancy is intentional, for this science book is more akin to a very detailed science fiction story. The author is not an astronomer, but a writer and photographer.
Whatever the job title, Michael Freeman writes about his subject with clarity and accuracy. He covers all aspects of interstellar space travel, from human needs and space suit design to methods of
propulsion and colonization. From the Preface, where he introduces the reader to the “present” date of 2061,a time when the solar system has been explored and colonized and Mankind is preparing to enter interstellar space, and the purpose of the book (to provide the prospective space traveler with a way to plan his trip,) Freeman creatively intertwines reality with fiction.
Located within the first few chapters is information on the surface of the planets, a history of spacesuits and an inventory of required tools for the planet tourist. Further on learn of the history of spacecrafts and approach the subject of propulsion (much of this fiction mixed with some fact.) Among proposed methods of propulsion are the ion rocket, nuclear-thermal rocket, mass driver, solar sail, nuclear pulse rocket and ramjet. Some of these ideas, for example the solar sail, are within the capabilities of scientists today, while others, including the nuclear pulse rocket and the ramjet, are at this time pure speculation.
There are numerous pictures, graphs and drawings of the ideas Freeman has come up with. In fact, only the glossary contains strictly text. This makes reading the book both informative and interesting., a good choice for the writer or forward-thinking physicist, though not incredibly helpful for the strict textbook scientist.