It's (Just) Rocket Science: Exploring Physics Through Spaceflight Missions

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand the fascinating physics behind space exploration. It's (Just) Rocket Science delivers on a bold promise: spaceflight isn't just for engineers or physicists. Science writer Trisha Muro introduces readers to the physics principles behind how rockets, satellites, and space telescopes reach their destinations by making the science behind these technological marvels both meaningful and accessible. Muro untangles the concepts and calculations that make space exploration possible. Addressing a handful of core topics—including motion, forces, waves, and energy—each section demonstrates how to see physics at work in easy-to-understand explanations. Chapters center on the challenges faced by real spaceflight missions, such as Voyager's deep space dispatches, the James Webb Space Telescope's distant perch beyond the Moon, and DART's asteroid-deflecting impact, while connecting the physics behind these missions to readers' daily lives. Muro introduces essential physics concepts and makes abstract principles tangible through true stories of human ingenuity and cosmic ambition. Covering topics such as orbits, gravity, momentum, light, and relativity, this book explains the surprising science behind familiar headlines, like: How do missions like Psyche use a gravitational slingshot to reach their destinations? Why does the Webb telescope orbit a million miles away from Earth? How do we land rovers like Perseverance safely on Mars? Whether readers are seasoned stargazers or hesitant explorers, It's (Just) Rocket Science invites you to see the science behind space exploration —and recognize how those missions connect back to us.