Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

by Mary Roach

Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human. How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can’t walk for a year? have sex? smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a space walk? Is it possible for the human body to survive a bailout at 17,000 miles per hour? To answer these questions, space agencies set up all manner of quizzical and startlingly bizarre space simulations. As Mary Roach discovers, it’s possible to preview space without ever leaving Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Roach takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth.

• ISBN10: 0393068471
• ISBN13: 9780393068474
• Publish Date: 24 August 2010 (first published 2 August 2010)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: WW Norton & Co
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[sarahjay]

I don't know what I was expecting, but what was in here wasn't it. It's obviously very well researched and probably even funny at times, but the narration for the audiobook drove me up the wall. That's probably the main cause for the lower rating. Ultimately this one just didn't grab me the way I wanted it to. Oh well.

[lovelybookshelf]

Originally posted on my blog, A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall:

Packing for Mars is all about space travel, its history, its future, and how getting to space and living in zero gravity affect the human body. I had countless moments of "oh, okay, that actually makes perfect sense" which made me wonder, why have these things never crossed my mind as I watch space shuttle launches or keep up with the goings-on of the ISS? Thankfully, the people at NASA have thought of everything, worked out possible solutions, and tested each one thoroughly. And I do mean everything, thoroughly. Every tiny detail of things we do each day, no matter how trivial it seems, has to be considered, whether it's pleasant or not-so-pleasant. Gravity is far more important than I ever realized (and I held it in very high esteem already!).

I love how Mary Roach's personality shines through her writing. She is fearless, covering any and all topics affecting astronauts, even those topics which embarrass NASA and cause them to create ridiculous, goofy euphemisms to ease their discomfort. Roach maintains a light, casual tone throughout, yet everything is extremely well-researched and well-documented. The rabbit trails in her footnotes are a lot of fun, too, sometimes very peculiar and off-the-wall. I loved that. (She really sounds like an awesome person to hang out with!)

If you are even remotely interested in the science and exploration of space, Packing for Mars is a perfect book for you!

[ibeforem]

I’ve yet to read one of Mary Roach’s books and not find her entertaining. This book was more about the history of space exploration in general than Mars in particular, but it’s important to understand the history before we can jump into a mission that major. I learned a lot that I didn’t know, especially about the sort of "middle ages" of space exploration, between the first moon landing and the Challenger explosion. Sadly, I didn’t know a whole lot about that time period. For instance, I didn’t realize that the Soviets were launching space stations all the way back in the 70s, or that Mir was launched in 1986 — I’d always thought of space stations as more modern constructs. I also didn’t realize just how many animals were actually launched into space. Roach’s ever-present sense of humor is here, and that’s what makes her non-fiction so readable and easy to identify with. My only complaint is that it seemed like every time I read while eating lunch, I’d hit a chapter involving some sort of bodily waste. I guess this really isn’t meal-time reading!

Overall, I’m still quite the fan of Mary Roach, and I look forward to seeing what topic she attacks next.

"In retrospect, it was silly to think that the experience of traveling in space could be approximated by a repurposed walk-in freezer. To find out what would happen to a man alone in the cosmos, at some point you just had to lob one up there."

[Hillary]

http://purplemoonmyst.blogspot.com/2011/01/packing-for-mars.html

[empressbrooke]

Having previously read [b:Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers|32145|Stiff The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers|Mary Roach|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275610006s/32145.jpg|1188203] and [b:Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex|2082136|Bonk The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex|Mary Roach|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1253560247s/2082136.jpg|2398516], I was really looking forward to Mary Roach's newest book, which is about the human side of space exploration. Perhaps it's because the topic was just less absurd than cadavers and sex (although there are chapters dedicated to the logistics of pooping in space), but I found myself laughing out loud less and finding fewer tidbits to share with people. It was still a quick, enjoyable read, and I'd recommend it to just about anyone who's looking for something fun.