DR SPACE JUNK VS THE UNIVERSE Archaeology and the Future

A pleasing narration by Cat Gould makes "all systems go" as this audiobook explores archaeology beyond Earth. The premise--behind every discarded space object is a story--provides a behind-the-scenes view of space travel and its history. Through space junk, we see how government-funded NASA programs were driven by the Cold War. (Americans were shocked when the Russians left a dog named Laika in space.) And we see how space travel has become a commercial undertaking with access based on wealth, a phenomenon best demonstrated by the red sports car Elon Musk permanently parked in outer space. Gould's friendly Aussie voice draws one in as the author deftly analyzes each item of space detritus, making this a fun, informative pop-science listen. R.W.S. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2019]