Just over half a century since Neil Armstrong first stepped foot on the lunar surface, a new space race to the Moon is well underway and rapidly gaining momentum. Laying out a vision for the next fifty years, Back to the Moon is astrophysicist Joseph Silk鈥檚 persuasive and impassioned case for putting scientific discovery at the forefront of lunar exploration.
The Moon offers opportunities beyond our wildest imaginings, and plans to return are rapidly gaining momentum around the world. NASA aims to build a habitable orbiting space station to coordinate lunar development and exploration, while European and Chinese space agencies are planning lunar villages and the mining of precious resources dwindling here on Earth. Powerful international and commercial interests are driving the race to revisit the Moon, but lunar infrastructures could also open breathtaking vistas onto the cosmos. Silk describes how the colonization of the Moon could usher in a thrilling new age of scientific exploration, and lays out what the next fifty years of lunar science might look like. With lunar telescopes of unprecedented size situated in permanently dark polar craters and on the far side of the Moon, we could finally be poised to answer some of the most profound questions confronting humankind, including whether we are alone in the Universe and what our cosmic origins are.
Addressing both the daunting challenges and the immense promise of lunar exploration and exploitation, Back to the Moon reveals how prioritizing science, and in particular lunar astronomy, will enable us to address the deepest cosmic mysteries.
"A stirring case for permanent habitation of the lunar surface."鈥擲teven Poole, Wall Street Journal聽
"Silk does a great job of summing up why the Moon should be important to humanity as a platform for science of all sorts. But the crux of 鈥淏ack to the Moon鈥� is really Silk鈥檚 clarion call of humanity to actualize its astronomical potential. . . . In his timely book, Silk makes a strong and important case for a robust return to the Moon for science."鈥擝ruce Dorminey, Forbes
"An enthusiastic account of the future of space exploration, and specifically the role of the Moon in it. . . . The scope of Silk鈥檚 survey is impressive. . . . [Silk鈥檚] enthusiasm and accessible explanations bring the high-altitude thought experiments down to earth. Readers dreaming of civilizations in space will find plenty to consider."鈥�Publishers Weekly
"This riveting work by accomplished astrophysicist Silk examines the exciting possibilities of returning to the moon. . . . [Silk] employs engaging, lively prose, which will appeal to a wide range of readers."鈥�Library Journal
"Back to the Moon excites and inspires with its stunning suggestions for what the next fifty years of lunar exploration might entail, and it advocates for the primacy of science over politics and profit."鈥擪ristine Morris, Foreword Reviews
"Impassioned. . . . Silk puts forward intriguing ideas."鈥�Kirkus Reviews
"While the book is suitable for those starting out in their quest to learn and understand the possibilities of lunar exploration, it will also appeal to those more experienced reader requiring an up-to-date account. Perfect for readers at any level, Back to the Moon will satiate the most curious of minds."鈥擪atrin Raynor, BBC Sky at Night
"[The] book is going to hit a wide public audience and is in part mind-boggling . . . it鈥檚 impossible not to be caught up in the fizzing scientific curiosity that drives the book鈥檚 narrative."鈥擱ichard Lofthouse, Quad
"The exploitation of the Moon in the next decade should be of wide general interest and this book will help inform that."鈥擯eredur Williams, The Observatory
鈥淭his book cuts a unique swath through the panoply of recent books celebrating the anniversary of Apollo 11 and new missions to the Moon. Focused on the potentially exciting future of astronomical observations from the Moon, Silk makes the case that lunar astronomy will revolutionize our view of the cosmos by pioneering new investigations into the early universe and the possibility of life on other planets. There is no other book like it.鈥濃�擩ack Burns, University of Colorado Boulder
鈥淔amed cosmologist Joseph Silk makes a forceful case for our return to the Moon. He shows that the Moon is full of opportunities to advance science far beyond our present capabilities. There鈥檚 plenty here for layperson and specialist alike.鈥濃�擬artin Elvis, author of Asteroids: How Love, Fear, and Greed Will Determine Our Future in Space
鈥淪ilk weaves together the themes of science, technology, and geopolitics to produce a compelling argument for a return to the Moon. He shows that our closest cosmic neighbor, far from being an inert and arid environment, is both an outstanding scientific target in its own right and an ideal platform for exploring our cosmos.鈥濃�擩ohn Zarnecki, past president of the Royal Astronomical Society
鈥淲ritten by one of today鈥檚 brightest and most prolific astrophysicists, this inspiring book provides a vivid account of the breathtaking cosmic discoveries that await us when we return to the Moon.鈥濃�擩ean Audouze, emeritus director of research at CNRS
鈥淎s an expert in Big Bang cosmology, primordial black holes, and other cosmological phenomena, Joseph Silk now advocates a privileged use of the Moon for conducting breakthrough science that could transform our view of the cosmos. He also foresees human settlements on the Moon, with luxury hotels and industrial activities such as mining, but he warns that space colonization should not distract us from protecting Mother Earth.鈥濃�擜ntoine Labeyrie, Coll猫ge de France
鈥淚n this exciting and timely book, Joseph Silk makes a compelling case for returning humans to the Moon. Weaving together all the multiple arguments for lunar exploration, from the scientific to the cultural and economic, Silk persuasively argues that the Moon is nothing less than humanity鈥檚 gateway to the solar system, and possibly beyond.鈥濃�擨an Crawford, Birkbeck College, University of London
