Thomas A. Heppenheimer (January 1, 1947 – September 9, 2015) was a major space advocate and researcher in
planetary science
Planetary science (or more rarely, planetology) is the scientific study of planets (including Earth), celestial bodies (such as moons, asteroids, comets) and planetary systems (in particular those of the Solar System) and the processes of their f ...
,
aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is si ...
, and
celestial mechanics
Celestial mechanics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the motions of objects in outer space. Historically, celestial mechanics applies principles of physics (classical mechanics) to astronomical objects, such as stars and planets, to ...
. His books are on the recommended reading list of the
National Space Society
The National Space Society (NSS) is an American international nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational and scientific organization specializing in space advocacy. It is a member of the Independent Charities of America and an annual participant in the Combi ...
.
Books
*''A brief history of flight: from balloons to Mach 3 and beyond'' (2001)
*''Colonies in Space'' (Stackpole, 1977)
*''The coming quake: science and trembling on the California earthquake frontier'' (1988)
*''Countdown: A History of Space Flight'' (1999)
*''Development of the Space Shuttle, 1972-1981'' Smithsonian Institution Press, 2002.
*''Facing the Heat Barrier: A History of Hypersonics'' NASA SP-2007-4232
*''First flight: the Wright brothers and the invention of the airplane'' (2003)
*''Flight: a history of aviation in photographs'' (2004)
*''The man-made sun: the quest for fusion power'' (1984)
*''The Real Future'' Doubleday, 1983.
*''The space shuttle decision: NASA's search for a reusable space vehicle'' (1999) NAS 1.21:4221
*''Toward distant suns'' (1979)
*''Turbulent skies: the history of commercial aviation'' (1995)
External links
About the Author: Thomas A. Heppenheimer*
American astronomers
1947 births
2015 deaths
{{US-astronomer-stub