Rescue Mode

Rescue Mode from luminary Ben Bova and Les Johnson of NASA is a great primer for those who think about our possible future on Mars. There are at least a few of these adventures published each year with the impassioned cry that we should have gotten people there already, but this one is more realistic than most. Bova and Johnson know a great deal about the subject, and there is bound to be an outcry if we have not sent people to Mars by the 50th anniversary of the moon landing in 2019. This book provides a lot of accurate information and explores many of the current issues involved.

There is some coverage of Planetary Protection, Washington politics, the role of journalism, and some of the dangers involved. Not all who go on this journey of eight survive. Not everything goes as planned. This, however, is an exciting read if you have not read many of these before. There may never be another Mars classic on the way, but Bova has explored the real issues in detail. Like Johnson, he has argued that going to Mars will make mankind better. The book is a bit propagandistic, but why not let the brave make the adventure for us.