Space Station Science: Life in Free Fall

by Marianne J. Dyson

In Space Station Science, former NASA mission controller Marianne Dyson explains all the systems needed to keep the International Space Station up and running. She shows how the simplest tasks of daily life are changed in free fall and details the types of experiments scientists can do in space and nowhere else. Dyson tells how we get to and from space and gives us a glimpse into the future of space stations. Complete with activities that simulate life in space and illustrated with full-color photos and drawings, this insider’s guide will show you what it’s like to live in a space station and how what we learn up there could forever change our lives down here. Illustrations by Dave Klug with a forward by Buzz Aldrin. This book was awarded a 1999 Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and Booklist named it a Top Ten Youth Science Book. The National Science Teachers Association and Children’s Book Council named it an Outstanding Trade Book for 2000.

Genres: Science

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Marianne Dyson was one of NASA's first female flight controllers, the subject of her memoir, A Passion for Space. She's a writer, technical editor, and speaker on space topics for all ages. Her children's books have won the SCBWI Golden Kite, American Institute of Physics Science Communications, and NSTA Best STEM Book awards. A member of SFWA, her fiction appears in magazines and anthologies, with favorites reprinted in her indie collection, Fly Me to the Moon. She’s celebrating Apollo’s legacy with To the Moon and Back, coauthored with Buzz Aldrin, and Welcome to the Moon published by the nonprofit Aldrin Family Foundation.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read for the space geek that I was. The descriptions on life in a space station were fascinating, and they made me want to become an astronaut and spend time on the ISS myself. There was a lot of cool science being done. I also enjoyed the activities, even though I didn’t get the chance to do many. This book still made me want to made a model space station out of old corks and thread spools.

[Audrey Sauble · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun kiss’s book about the space station. I enjoyed it, but it was interesting to see how much has changed or not changed since the shuttle program ended.

[Courtney Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Space
Grades: 3 - 5