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

Mary is witty, irrevernt and very informative. You will love all of her books, and don't skip over her footnotes!

This is a funny, entertaining, and scientifically literate introduction to the life of an astronaut, or more precisely, the way to keep an astronaut alive and well. Far from the romantic ideal of a star trek adventure, life in space has often been uncomfortable, disorienting and just plain boring. I enjoyed reading as Ms. Roach tagged along in parabolic flight (which gives a temporary sense of weightlessness), rode in Tom Cruise's stunt plane (did she really hurl her lunch into his chiseled face?), and After reading this book, I had a much understanding of the technical details of astronaut life, which adds to my fascination with space travel, but makes me happy that I never actually got on board. Some parts of this book are not for the faint of stomach. Skip chapter six if you are the least bit susceptible to suggestions of nausea. There she dwells on the topic to the point of obsession. I once viewed a lecture on the subject by an anesthesiologist, wherein he rattled off over a dozen silly euphemisms for the act of losing your lunch, at which point the crowd had grown abnormally silent, except for a few anesthesiologists who were still laughing. Ms. Roach, I suspect, would be one of them. This is not a chapter to dwell upon. The author writes well, with a slightly excessive use of footnotes, which are required reading, because that is where a lot of the humor resides. I confess that I love the way Ms. Roach writes, and consider her a kindred spirit, but I admit that this is not for everyone. If you are a nerd, in any slight degree, or full on, this is a book that you will treasure. I was going to pass it on to someone, but after reading it, I have to keep it in my personal library. Go buy your own copy.

Not since Harry Winer’s 1986 movie Space Camp has a piece of space media seemed so personal and quirky as Mary Roach’s Packing for Mars (2010). The story of her journey of discovery resulting from her interest in the nuts and bolts of what it takes to make people a space-faring species, this book is must-read for anybody looking to know more about critical peripheral aspects of life off-planet. The book is written through an agency lens, focusing primarily on NASA and several other nations’ space programs’ research and development over the last half century, and steers clear of the current celebrity of companies like SpaceX, Blue Origins, or Virgin Galactic. Nonetheless, the majority of the tech and interpersonal issues Roach explores (and is lucky enough to experience) in Packing for Mars are applicable in any space travel scenario, public or private. Chapters involving the psychological effects of isolation and research into space madness, and what kind of characteristics make a good astronaut, open a view into the type of social and mental situations people are likely to encounter when more of us start taking the big leap. Practical chapters about food, waste elimination, and hygiene make a strong case for staying on the ground, at least for now, and provide insights about where there is still room and need for innovation. Written a couple years before Felix Baumgartner made his famous Red Bull Space jump, Roach also explores the history of high altitude and high velocity bail-outs, some with horrifying consequences, in a chapter that provides major insights into the physicality of what it takes to keep soft bags of bones safe as you approach the velocities required for orbital activity. Roach takes the time to explore the taboo questions of sex and reproduction in zero gravity as well, and explains not only what is known, but also the nature of the limits of knowledge in this important area. It’s good food for thought, since most places we want to go in space are far enough away that over time, people will need to be born and deal with death all without coming back to Earth. The chapter about dealing with death in space is a sobering & matter-of-fact read that puts the idea of living in space into visceral perspective. Overall, the book reads like it was written by an obsessed and intelligent student, which seems appropriate as a model for how we need to see ourselves as we prepare to face monumental challenges unlike any available down here on the ground. This book would be great for students to read as part of a non-fiction STEAM curriculum. Nearly a decade old however — a long time in terms of technological advancements — any reader should supplement what they learn in Packing for Mars with a deep trip down the Wiki hole. But don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of key words and ideas to get you started thanks to this book!

Excellent treatment of a complex subject by Mary Roach who can handle some of the macabre aspects of this field with grace, honesty, and aplomb. There was a goodly amount of wry humor and a deliciously rebellious undercurrent that showed persistence, and toughness when dealing with laconic bureaucrats, mush mouthed public officials, forgetful space cowboys, timid mice, and not too open foreign participants. She debunks some of the "hero worship" myths about our space program while showing the hard work, long hours, and B_ _ _ _ _ _ t restrictions that these dedicated professionals underwent and are still undergoing to continue a seriously underfunded program, that is keeping us close to the front of space exploration as many other countries now join in and show "the right stuff". She seems to cover technical details quite well. Her treatment of skin biology, which I know something about, primate behavior under stressful conditions ( don't forget we're primates too), the daunting aspects of zero gravity (little things we take for granted- like taking a shower), the never ending problems of food in space, and the sequel, waste in space, muscle deterioration due to low gravity and many more. One of the many more that almost everyone will be interested in( unless you are dead or comatose) is ...SEX in space. Read the book or do as I did first, listen to it as an audio book, both versions are worth the effort.

Packing for Mars is one of the most entertaining books I've read in recent memory. Mary Roach covers the oddities and absurdities involved in putting a person into space, taking a long look at the history of the endeavor and a gaze forward at what it will take to send humans to Mars. In this book, you'll get bits and pieces of transcripts from the men who pioneered space flight -- often the parts that NASA's public relations folks would prefer to forget. You'll explore the terrestrial industry of medical and psychological research that involves putting healthy people on bed rest until their bones start to decay and locking people up in close quarters for months on end to see if they'll go crazy. Kind of like reality TV. I loved the chapter titled "The Men Who Stopped Bathing for Science." You'll take a look at recycling human waste as radiation shielding. Turns out organic molecules block radioactive particles better than metal does. And you'll either be convinced that drinking cleaned-up urine is a capital idea or you'll give up tap water entirely. One California county funnels their recycled urine into an underground aquifer only to pump it back up to the surface for drinking water. The underground trip is purely for psychological reasons.

I absolutely enjoyed this book! As someone who reads on the bus to a from work/school every day, I need something that is easy to pick up and put down without confusion as to characters, plot, etc. Packing for Mars was fantastic in this respect. The chapters are detailed enough without becoming overly factual; I believe the Author Roach really has a gift for conducting thorough research, yet selecting for inclusion only the facts that casual science readers like myself will find comprehend AND interesting! I am in my final year of law school and footnotes can really be the devil; Roach knows how to use a footnote and I often found those footnotes to be some of the most interesting tidbits found in the book. You will learn about vomiting and motion sickness in space, the non-human animal "astronauts" that proceeded our "real" astronauts, showering (or rather, not) in space, and the psychology of isolation in space, to name a few topics. You really don't have to pre-disposed to enjoy space things... this is just a good read all around, about the human things of being in space. I rarely keep books but will be keeping this to share.

This book takes a light-hearted look at the science of humans in space. Chapter by chapter, it discusses such topics as astronaut hygiene and motion sickness. I found the individual chapters diverting and informative enough, but I wanted them to sum to something more. Beyond the theme of human space travel, there's no clear structure to the book. Indeed, I think the chapters could be rearranged in pretty much any order without serious disruption. In addition, I strongly missed a chapter on the nitty-gritty of performing science in space. Astronauts have carried out numerous experiments, but the book has little to say about this. Lest this seem overly negative, I did enjoy reading this. It's just that the subject matter is of great interest to me, so I had hoped for something more incisive. Mildly recommended, though I note that many readers have loved this to pieces. About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).

Well, there is an astronaut! I never thought of all the science that was put together over the past 60 years to put that person up in space. This book does just that. You are taken on a journey through all the technical issues that needed to be addressed before the very first rocket carried a human up and down into space where none had gone before. Then, they had to deal with ALL the stuff that that person wears and uses while in space. The technicalities of the trip are presented in prose form that is very easy to read and understand. It is truly one of those books that open one's mind to information that builds new synapses in the brain. I definitely recommend it to those people who have a curiosity that includes broadening their knowledge base.

Bueno pero medio aburrido y morboso

A very interesting read

This is the 3rd book by Mary Roach I've read and none have been disappointing. She's a thorough researcher and has an engaging and humorous style. Packing for Mars is timely, given the lottery for people to go to Mars, and she covers all the aspects--even the ones that no one wants to talk about--regarding space travel, from the beginning to the present of the book. She uses a lot of amusing turns of phrase and that brings out the grins, the laughs, and the smirks. Wonderful book!

Dieses Buch wurde mir von einem Weltraumbegeisterten empfohlen, da es in einem lockeren Ton so ziemlich alle Themen rund um Menschen im Weltall abdeckt. Was haben wir erreicht? Was liegt vor uns? Das Buch konzentriert sich auf den Menschen, dieses zerbrechliche Wesen, und erörtert, was notwendig war/ist/sein wird, um so ein erschreckend kompliziertes Ding im Weltall am Leben zu halten. Sehr unterhaltsam und aufschlussreich, mit welchen Problemen die Wissenschaft sich auseinandersetzen muss(te).

... yet very insightful. If you are into space travel etc, a must read. Great companion book to The Martian by Andy Weir.