Advanced Space Propulsion Systems [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

This slim book tries valiantly to summarize the entire range of space launch and in-space propulsion concepts, but does a questionable job of it.

The book has the usual problems of a very compressed summary -- some concepts, and many specific technologies and projects, are left out entirely, and there's no room to do more than briefly describe most of the concepts that are included. The level is variable: parts are apparently aimed at people with at least an undergraduate technical education -- there's lots of algebra, and more than a few differential equations -- yet many concepts are described only in qualitative terms, perhaps with a picture or diagram. Some references are to standard reference works or review articles intended for nonspecialists, while others are to specialized research papers likely to puzzle most readers who want more information -- assuming they can find the cited journals at all.

However, the book's major problem is that it's full of errors -- mostly minor individually, but distressing taken as a whole. I work in this field, and know many of the projects mentioned and researchers cited; without actively looking I noticed eleven errors in 38 pages. These range from a faulty diagram (Fig. 2.7) to a gross overstatement of the funding for one project, to fundamental errors in the descriptions of pulsed detonation engines ("a compression wave travels through the tube at the speed of sound" when in fact a detonation is a faster-than-sound process; a sonic or subsonic process is a deflagration) and pneumatic catapults.

If you want quick layman's introductions to a wide variety of advanced concepts, there are better summaries on line.

I find the subject of this book, advanced space propulsion systems, very interesting. And there's plenty of good material in the book. Still, I wish it had delved into some of the topics in greater detail. And while I tend to try to be as comprehensive as possible when I cover a field, I have to admit that Tajmar covers some topics I would actually have skipped.

The book starts with a quick overview of rocket propulsion, including monopropellant and bipropellant engines. And we soon discover that Tajmar is going to take us from the fundamentals of rocket science into more speculative areas. He briefly discusses "advanced propellants" such as atomic hydrogen, metastable helium, and metallic hydrogen. Let's just say that in spite of (or maybe due to) my familiarity with these ideas, it would not have occurred to me to mention them in a book.

The author then evaluates launch assist technologies. These include aircraft assists, catapults, cannons, gas guns, ram accelerators, and electromagnetic (and magnetohydrodynamic) accelerators. There's even a mention of reducing drag with surface charging.

Next we get to nuclear propulsion. I would have expanded the section on fission propulsion, and thought twice about including the material on fusion propulsion and antimatter propulsion.

I think the best part of the book is the chapter on electric propulsion systems. There's plenty of information, including excellent photographs, of resistojets, arcjets, Hall thrusters, Kaufmann thrusters, Field Emission thrusters, Colloid thrusters, and more. Plus, there is a short section that could have been expanded on the threat of induced interactions between the plasma emitted by the propulsion system and the spacecraft.

Since this book looks to the future, that means a discussion of propulsion systems applicable for use on microspacecraft. Tajmar therefore includes a chapter on micropropulsion.

The next section is very interesting and not wholly speculative: "propellantless propulsion." That means tethers, laser propulsion, solar sails, and magnetic sails. Of these, I think solar sails surely deserved at least a few more pages.

The final chapter is a leap into what I think of as science fiction. That includes what I call "quantum propulsion" (an attempt to modify the vacuum and use the energy generated to propel a spacecraft). And it includes a attempts to couple gravitation and electromagnetism. And my, um, favorite: superconductor gravitational shielding. I might have omitted this chapter.

It's a useful book, but I think it could be improved.

Wow. $50 for this little beauty.
The first chapter is a nice, but very brief (and consequently spotty), review of the history of rocketry, followed by a pretty good discussion of the physics or rocket flight. Gives the impression that this is going to be a pretty advanced text.
The next three chapters are so flawed as to be almost indigestible, featuring numerous erroneous statements and figures, as well as references to popular fiction as examples of technological innovation. The author displays a poor understanding of the current state of chemical propulsion and rocket technology.
The fifth and sixth chapters concern electric and micro-propulsion, and are handled rather well.
Chapter seven is a look at propellantless propulsion, not so much "advanced" as "speculative."
Chapter eight concerns "Breakthrough Propulsion." I was particularly intrigued (flabbergasted) by the implication that if we just wait a few years, limitations placed on space travel (mass and speed) by the Theory of Relativity will probably vanish.
Three short chapters of reasonably good content. Five short chapters of questionable merit. A pretty nice Further Reading section. $50. Wow.