New Moon Rising: The Making Of America's New Space Vision And The Remaking Of NASA (Apogee Books Space Series)

Rating:
Summary: What's Up With NASA?
Review: Whenever an author(s) undertake the challenge of writing on any subject they bring to their work their own feelings, passions, opinions, frustrations, joys, and questions. It is part of what makes our written word interactive rather than static, and it forces the reader to engage with the author(s), to agree or disagree in whole or in part with what is offered. Absolute objectivity on the part of an author comes at a cost -- typically in creative quality.

The authors of New Moon Rising, Frank Sietzen, Jr., and Keith L. Cowing have written a book that will certainly engage its readers, regardless of their previous understanding of NASA, whether from the inside or the out. The authors certainly, as evidenced within the book's pages, hold strong opinions about many of the issues presented, not only with regard to the present administration, but also with regard to previous ones.

As an independent reviewer I found the book intellectually stimulating, and came away with many questions of my own, both about NASA as an agency, its internal culture, its focus, and the disparity of how it wants to be viewed by the public and how it actually is viewed by America. I also came away with questions about why our nation has not progressed in its exploration of space forty years after President Kennedy's vision was implemented; why previous administrations of NASA did not seem to be responding to budgetary issues that had to have been sending up red flags somewhere in the auditing and accountability processes; and where our newly re-elected president and NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe will be leading our nation in this new century?

I would recommend the book for anyone who has been wondering "What's Up With NASA?" I would also recommend it for those who have not been following the news surrounding America's space agency or the new Vision for Space Exploration, which doesn't often get a lot of press play in the interior parts of the country. The book will certainly bring them up to speed to the pre-election time. Readers, however, should read with the understanding that the authors bring their own opinions, views, and passions to bear on this work, and should select their followup reading and draft their investigatory questions about NASA and the Vision for Space Exploration accordingly. Objectivity and a healthy skepticism is what the reader must bring to the reading of the book. After all, why write if your only purpose is to elicit dry static fact? Any cookbook can do that.