CHASING NEW HORIZONS Inside the Epic First Mission to Pluto

Author and narrator David Grinspoon takes listeners behind the scenes of New Horizons, the first mission to Pluto, which passed by the planet in July 2015. This illuminating account reveals how stakeholders, Plutophiles, and advocates overcame numerous obstacles--including the securing of approvals, funding uncertainties, and inter-agency rivalries--to reach this planet. Grinspoon uses a straightforward tone as he contextualizes more than 20 years of scientific endeavors within space history. Quotes from project participants are distinguished by dialogue tags, not by vocal variation, making the point of view unclear at times. A coda, read by coauthor and mission leader Dr. Alan Stern, further explores the impact of this mission on a new generation of students and additional scientific possibilities as New Horizons moves beyond Pluto. Even listeners without backgrounds in astronomy and physics will appreciate the magnitude of this achievement. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2018]