{"product_id":"why-mars-w-henry-lambright-9781421412795","title":"Why Mars: NASA and the Politics of Space Exploration","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTraces NASA's torturous journey to Mars from the fly-bys of the 1960s to landing rovers and seeking life today.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMars has captured the human imagination for decades. Since NASA's establishment in 1958, the space agency has looked to Mars as a compelling prize, the one place, beyond the Moon, where robotic and human exploration could converge. Remarkably successful with its roaming multi-billion-dollar robot, Curiosity, NASA's Mars program represents one of the agency's greatest achievements. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhy Mars\u003c\/i\u003e analyzes the history of the robotic Mars exploration program from its origins to today. W. Henry Lambright examines the politics and policies behind NASA's multi-decade quest, illuminating the roles of key individuals and institutions along with their triumphs and defeats.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLambright outlines the ebbs and flows of policy evolution, focusing on critical points of change and factors that spurred strategic reorientation. He explains Mars exploration as a striking example of \"big science\" and describes the ways a powerful advocacy coalition--composed of NASA decision makers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Mars academic science community, and many others--has influenced governmental decisions on Mars exploration, making it, at times, a national priority.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe quest for Mars stretches over many years and involves billions of dollars. What does it take to mount and give coherence to a multi-mission, big science program? How do advocates and decision makers maintain goals and adapt their programs in the face of opposition and budgetary stringency? Where do they succeed in their strategies? Where do they fall short? Lambright's insightful book suggests that from Mars exploration we can learn lessons that apply to other large-scale national endeavors in science and technology.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e W. Henry Lambright\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1421412799\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781421412795\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Johns Hopkins University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/10\/2014\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 336\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.29lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.05h x 6.23w x 1.02d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eChoice\u003c\/i\u003e 12\/01\/2014 pg. 638","brand":"W. Henry Lambright","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":48088211423487,"sku":"9781421412795","price":52.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_7c7c0ac4-63ca-4f4f-ae11-2a0fe918abf1.jpg?v=1769103673","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/why-mars-w-henry-lambright-9781421412795","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}