Writer, Author
- "I have been a space and astronomy enthusiast for as long as I can remember, and I still have the Golden Book of Astronomy, which first introduced me to the wonders of outer space when I was still at Junior School."
Link to my Twitter feed
#peterbondspace
My Books
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Blackwell 1987
THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF MANNED SPACEFLIGHT
Cassell 1993, 1996
Cassell 1999
Dorling Kindersley 1999. Revised and Updated 2016
The full story
Springer-Praxis 2002
Springer-Copernicus-Praxis 2007
HarperCollins 2008
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Templar 2008
Dorling Kindersley 2010
Wiley-Blackwell 2020
EXPLORING A COMET
Springer-Praxis 2020
2008 - 2018
You can contact me here or on Twitter.
CONTACT FORM
Please Use this form to contact me.
PETER BOND
Author, Writer
Even today, with the competition from the
Internet and other digital wizardry, books can
still inspire people of all ages. I am delighted
to have been given the opportunity to write 13
books (11 about astronomy and space exploration),
including the award-winning DK Guide to Space (see
photo), which has since been revised and updated
with some spectacular new images.
I was the Consultant Editor for the Jane's Space
Systems and Industry website and annual
publication - one of the leading sources of
information on all aspects of the global space
industry - from May 2007 until May 2018. I have
also acted as consultant / editor for many other
books and space-related media.
My eleven space / astronomy books are all listed
on this site for you to see.
I have been a consultant/writer for the European
Space Agency for many years, writing and editing
brochures and reports, as well as writing
innumerable articles for the ESA Bulletin and
several of the Agency’s web sites.
Since the mid-1980s, I have also written hundreds
of articles on space and astronomy for the
European Space Agency, and for British and
American newspapers and magazines, as well as
material for the Dorling Kindersley Children's
Encyclopedia, Sunday Times Window On The Universe
CD-ROM, the Nature-IOP Encyclopedia of Astronomy
and Astrophysics, The Microsoft Encarta Reference
Library and Philip’s Encyclopedia of Astronomy and
Astrophysics.
I have reviewed many books for The Observatory
magazine and been an adviser or consultant for
books such as Factivity Space (published by
Parragon in 2016), which won a gold award in the
Junior Design Awards, and various publications by
Dorling Kindersley, such as Escape From Earth (by
Peter Ackroyd), Space Revealed and e.explore Space
Travel.
I have also occasionally moderated or introduced
speakers at major space conferences, including The
1991 European Space Conference in Paris and
Astrofest in London.
I was a full-time Geography teacher for many
years, eventually becoming a Head of Department.
After leaving the teaching profession to
concentrate on my writing career, I became the
Space Science Advisor / Press Officer for the
Royal Astronomical Society 1995-2007, frequently
appearing on TV and radio to comment on the latest
space discoveries and events.
I am also a Fellow of both the Royal Astronomical
Society and the British Interplanetary Society,
and a member of the Planetary Society.
I received a certificate from ESA in 2005 for an
"outstanding contribution" to the outreach
programme for ESA's Cluster mission, and a Group
Achievement Award from NASA in 2004.
My current home town is Cranleigh, Surrey, which
is reputed to be the largest village in England.
- Date: June 2021
- Author: Peter Bond
- Category: SPACE
HEROES IN SPACE
FROM GAGARIN TO CHALLENGER
On April 12, 1961, the world watched in amazement as a young Soviet pilot became the first man to escape the bonds of gravity and orbit the Earth. 25 years later, space travel seemed to have become an ordinary event, safe enough to be experienced by teachers and Congressmen. But the Challenger Shuttle disaster served as a devastating reminder that man's conquest of the final frontier had barely begun. This was the first book to cover the entire first quarter century of the manned spaceflight era - from a cramped cockpit atop a sub-orbital Redstone rocket to a comfortable stateroom aboard the Mir space station.
- Published Date: 1987
- Publisher: Blackwell
- Category: Space
-
"An engrossing history of manned space
flight." (Irish Times)
- "Heroes in Space is gripping. This is partly due to Bond's skills as a writer. The text is spare; the research has been comprehensive; technical descriptions are concise." (New Scientist)
- "I found this book a great read. I would recommend it to anyone interested in space." (Amazon.com)
REACHING FOR THE STARS
THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF MANNED SPACEFLIGHT
In 1961, the Soviet Air Force pilot, Yuri Gagarin, became the first human to go into space. Since then hundreds of men and women have joined the select band of astronauts. 'Reaching for the Stars' is their epic tale, a testimony to one of mankind's greatest achievements. Foreword by Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt
- Published Date: 1993, 1996
- Publisher: Cassell
- Category: Space
-
"Attractive and easy to read." (Earth Space
Review)
ZERO G
LIFE AND SURVIVAL IN SPACE
When I was a child I would sometimes wonder what it would be like to fly like Peter Pan. I knew, however, that the experience of being able to turn somersaults in mid-air, to sleep and eat upside down and to float freely in any direction belongs in Never Never Land. Or does it? Some 400 humans have actually experienced these things and have entered another dimension in which the restrictions of gravity do not exits. This book is their story.
- Published Date: 1999
- Publisher: Cassell
- Category: Space
-
"One of England's most seasoned and expert
writers" on the subject of space. "Up-to-date"
and "an informative overview." (Booklist)
GUIDE TO SPACE
A star-studded tour
A star-studded tour through the Solar System and beyond. With photographs from the Hubble Space Telescope and NASA's space probes you will see the birth of new stars, the surface of distant worlds and find out all the latest discoveries about planets, moons, stars and galaxies.
- Date: 1999, Revised Updated 2016
- Publisher: Dorling Kindersley
- Category: Space
-
"A super book." (Astronomy & Geophysics)
- "This book is for space lovers of ALL AGES! You will be blown away by this book." (Amazon.com)
- "Great for school or homeschool or just looking! It's a great bang for the buck! If you love space, it's packs an amazing punch!" (Amazon.com)
THE CONTINUING STORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
full story
The full story of the birth and first years in orbit of the International Space Station, the largest and most expensive space programme ever undertaken, with contributions from the USA, Russia, Japan, Canada and many European countries.
- Publisher: Springer-Praxis
- Date: 2002
- Category: Space
-
"An interesting and easy-to-read account of
the ISS, the people involved with it, and the
many problems it has faced and will face in
the future." (Astronomy & Space).
- "The definitive story of the of the ISS to date." (Sky at Night)
- "Now four years old, the International Space Station has yet to inspire much affection. This extremely detailed yet readable reference book might cause people to think differently." (Astronomy Now)
- "Expecting a catalogue of cold facts, I was pleasantly surprised to find this book written with feeling and at times, an undercurrent of humour. The book both supplies answers I have not been able to find previously and is a record of the ISS up to the beginning of 2002. I thoroughly recommend it." (Southern Stars)
- "This book does an excellent job of looking back at the history of various space station projects, including the short-lived Skylab and the long-lived Mir, before detailing the science, politics, training and finance behind the current ISS .... the definitive story of the ISS to date." (Focus)
DISTANT WORLDS
Reaching for the stars
This book recounts the epic saga of how we Earthlings have reached for the stars in an effort to understand our place in the Solar System and the multitude of worlds that populate our corner of the Universe. The story of our exploration of the heavens began thousands of years ago, with naked-eye observations by the earliest scientists and philosophers. Over the centuries, as our knowledge and understanding inexorably broadened and deepened, there were many wrong turns, misconceptions, disagreements, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles to understanding. Yet the overarching story culminates with the determined observers, brilliant thinkers, and courageous explorers, scientists, and engineers who have brought us, particularly over the last five decades, into a second great age of human discovery.
- Publisher: Springer-Copernicus-Praxis
- Date: 2007
- Category: Space
-
"Packed with images, many of which I have
never seen, this is a visual as well as a
textual masterpiece." (Astronomy Now)
- "A comprehensive and well-illustrated summary of planetary exploration. An ideal introduction to the current state of Solar System science, whether you're a science student, amateur astronomer or interested layperson." (Sky at Night)
- "This compelling account of the Space Age includes dramatic accounts of the daring, resourcefulness, and ferocious competitive zeal of renowned as well as almost-forgotten space pioneers, clear explanations of the precursors to modern astronomy,... more than 100 informative photographs, maps. simulated scenarios, and technical illustrations, many in full color..."(Lunar and Planetary Bulletin)
- "Bond provides an engaging chronology of each world and its satellites." (Sky & Telescope)
JANE'S SPACE RECOGNITION GUIDE
A guide to modern rockets and spacecraft
A comprehensive, up-to-date guide to modern rockets and spacecraft, which also includes summaries of major historic missions, space agencies and launch centres. Published in collaboration with Jane's and the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D. C.
- Publisher: HarperCollins
- Date: 2008
- Category: Space
-
"Gripping stuff, not only for space fans but
also for pub-quiz regulars." (New Scientist)
- "A must for spaceflight enthusiasts." (Sky at Night)
- "Author Peter Bond has done an expert job... perfect for space-heads who want to check their facts." (BBC Focus)
- "This is a book which should grace the shelves of anyone interested in astronautics. (Spaceflight)
POP-UP FACTS: SPACE
The wonders of the Universe for young children
The full story of the birth and first years in orbit of the International Space Station, the largest and most expensive space programme ever undertaken, with contributions from the USA, Russia, Japan, Canada and many European countries.
- Publisher: Templar
- Date: 2008
- Category: Space
-
" ... remarkable novelty book. Packed with
fascinating facts, flaps, tabs, and booklets,
this pop-up space spectacular is out of this
world! Blast off on a star-studded journey
into the farthest reaches of the universe.
Crammed with paper novelties including a
pop-up solar system, a pull-tab comet, a
moon-phase mechanic and a spectacular
exploding supernova, this pop-up adventure is
a fun- and fact-packed treat." (WriteAway
website)
- "A very exciting book for a 6 year old - he loves the interaction and the great pics. A good fun educational present." (Amazon.co.uk)
- "Absolutely brilliant pop up book. My son loves it. Very detailed and accurate. The pop-ups are AMAZING and loved by all! (Even I am impressed). Exudes quality. Have already purchased some extra copies as gifts." (Amazon.co.uk)
SPACE: A CHILDREN'S ENCYCLOPEDIA
Ideal for space enthusiasts of all ages
A full colour journey from our tiny planet to the far reaches of the cosmos. 256 pages packed with the latest images and facts about planets, stars, galaxies and the distant Universe. This comprehensive tour includes fact files, in-depth features, recent discoveries and strikingly beautfiul images obtained by the most powerful ground-based tinstruments and space telescopes. Age range 9-12, but ideal for space enthusiasts of all ages! Peter Bond was the primary researcher, consultant and editor for this book.
- Publisher: Dorling Kindersley
- Date: 2010
- Category: Space
-
I was the primary researcher, consultant and
editor for this book.
EXPLORING THE SOLAR SYSTEM
A major reference book
Exploring the Solar System is an introductory text book for undergraduate students with a modest background in science. However, it is also intended to inform and inspire anyone who looks up at the night sky and wishes to know more about the alien worlds that inhabit our Solar System and circle distant Suns. This major reference book, illustrated throughout in full colour, describes the small expanse of largely empty space that surrounds an ordinary star in the suburbs of the Milky Way galaxy. This region is populated by the Sun, eight planets, dozens of satellites and dwarf planets, and a multitude of smaller objects. It also compares the Solar System with the thousands of planetary systems now being discovered around distant stars. 14 chapters cover each of the planets, the Kuiper Belt, Solar System debris (comets, asteroids etc.), the Sun and the exciting new field of exoplanet studies. Questions at the end of each chapter have been added to help students to recognise and comprehend the main points of each chapter, and to compare each planetary system. A large reference section includes numerous appendices, an extensive reading list and a comprehensive glossary. The 2nd Edition brings together the discoveries and advances in scientific understanding made during the last 60 years of solar and planetary exploration, using research conducted by the world's leading geoscientists, astronomers, and physicists. Exploring the Solar System, 2nd Edition is an ideal introduction for anyone interested in learning about our small corner of the Milky Way galaxy. The book is accompanied by a companion website, which includes figures and tables from the book: www.wiley.com/go/Bond-Solar-System2e . Find a free sample chapter of the 1st edition at www.wiley.com/buy/9781444351088 . A foreign edition, translated by Nicolas Dupont-Blanc, was published by De Boeck in October 2014. http://www.deboecksuperieur.com/ouvrage/9782804184964-lexploration-du-systeme-solaire
- Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
- Date: 2020
- Category: Space
-
"Peter Bond's Exploring the Solar System takes
a different approach, presenting a
comprehensive overview of the exploration of
our planetary system, with a focus on what we
have found out about the planets, dwarf
planets and moons of the solar system. This is
the place to find out about the spacecraft
that have contributed so much to our
understanding of our planetary neighbours,
providing a strongly practical, "how do you
know that?" slant on planetary science. The
book gives a general overview of the solar
system, organized by planet, as well as
covering the discovery of other planetary
systems. ...... The book would make an
excellent introduction to the planets, and the
focus on exploration offers a different, less
structured approach to an exciting and active
research field, that will appeal to the
interested non-specialist as well as students
in the field." (Astronomy & Geophysics,
April 2012)
- "This is an excellent account of our present knowledge of the Solar System. The text is clearly written, and the full–colour illustrations are magnificent and each one has a substantial caption...I recommend it to all who know little or nothing about the Solar System." (The Observatory, March 2013)
- "This textbook is right up to date, containing many recent results from our robotic emissaries currently exploring Venus, Mars and the Saturnian system, especially the astounding discoveries the Cassini–Huygens mission has made about the moons Titan and Enceladus." (BBC Sky At Night, June 2012)
- "I highly recommend the accessible and very informative book Exploring the Solar System by Peter Bond, to undergraduate students in science or in non–science related fields, and anyone in the general public seeking an understandable yet comprehensive overview of the Solar System. This book provides the up-to-the-minute information about the Sun′s family that will enrich your understanding of science in general, and outer space in particular." (Blog Business Word, 31 March 2012)
- "Sans aucun doute l'ouvrage actuel le plus complet et le plus sérieux sur notre système solaire. Les articles sont abondamment illustrés de schémas clairs et de photographies, les explications sont détaillées, les informations sont à jour et ont été revérifiées (et au besoin corrigées lors de la traduction française). Des origines du système solaires aux exoplanètes, tout est systématiquement et méticuleusement décrit, analysé et présenté à la lumière des découvertes les plus récentes.
- "Le texte en lui-même s'adresse à un public doué de curiosité mais non spécialiste. N'importe qui, du collégien à l'universitaire peut se plonger dedans, soit dans l'ordre de lecture soit en piochant au hasard, ou bien comme référence ponctuelle sur un sujet précis. Les notions qui pourraient être difficile à assimiler sont présentées dans des encadrés didactiques et des questions synthétiques ponctuent chaque chapitre (questions dont les réponses figurent évidemment dans le chapitre en question).
- "En somme, un ouvrage à posséder - et surtout à lire. Ce n'est pas un comte-rendu de l'état actuel de l'exploration du système solaire, C'EST une exploration du système solaire." (Amazon France)
ROSETTA
Exploring a comet
By the mid-1980s, planetary exploration was dominated by the space superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. Eager to find a niche research area in which it could make a groundbreaking contribution, the European Space Agency (ESA) decided to focus on the smaller members of the Solar System, the comets and asteroids that are left-over building blocks from the era of planetary formation, some 4.5 billion years ago. ESA’s first sortie into in situ comet research was as a member of an international effort to study Comet Halley, which was returning to the inner Solar System in 1986 after 76 years in the frigid depths of space. Inspired by this once-in-a lifetime event, ESA, the Soviet Union and Japan sent a small armada of spacecraft to study the famous intruder from close range. The treasure trove of data that was returned by ESA’s Giotto and the other craft in the flotilla transformed the field of cometary research and provided new insights into the early stages of planetary formation. Even before the success of this pioneering endeavour was confirmed, ESA and NASA scientists were coming together to discuss the next giant leap in the exploration of comets and asteroids. Their ambitious vision foresaw a landing on a comet’s nucleus, followed by retrieval of pristine material and its return to laboratories on Earth for detailed analysis. The book recalls how the scientists’ dream encountered major obstacles, some of which proved to be insurmountable. However, even after the United States pulled out of the comet sample return endeavour, the ESA member states pressed ahead with their own remarkable comet chasing mission, which soon became known as Rosetta. Despite further obstacles and setbacks, their foresight and endeavour resulted in a historic mission that has revolutionised our understanding of the billions of small, icy objects – the planetary building blocks - that populate the Solar System. This book is the story of that monumental mission – the people, the hardware and the science that culminated in the unprecedented, close range exploration of a tiny chunk of ice and dust as it swept through space, hundreds of millions of kilometres from Earth..
- Publisher: Springer-Praxis
- Date: 2020
- Category: Space
-
"Peter Bond .... treats us to a blow-by-blow
account of the mission, and its predecessors.
Every instrument is described in detail and
the results of each investigation are expertly
summarized. The illustrations in the book are
superb and I found the detailed referencing
especially useful. Bond clearly enjoyed
interviewing all the investigators and his
biographical section was fascinating. I
enjoyed this book greatly. Bond is clearly a
comet fan and indicates clearly that not only
was the one billion euro spent on Rosetta a
bargain, but there is still a great deal to
learn about these ephemeral bodies, and other
comets need to be visited." (The Observatory)
IHS Jane's Space Systems & Industry
Consultant Editor
Formerly known as Jane's Space Directory, IHS
Jane's Space Systems & Industry has long been
recognised as one of the leading reference sources
for technical information about the world's space
programmes. Profiling thousands of spacecraft,
orbital and suborbital launchers, launch sites,
space-related agencies, manufacturers and
operators, JSSI has provided a global view of the
development, applications and support facilities
associated with space-based systems.
Traditionally published each year in hardback, it
later became available on the web by subscribing
at:
http://www.ihs.com/products/janes/defence/det-products/space-systems-industry.aspx.
The JSSI web edition was continually revised and
updated.
As consultant editor, my first edition of the
annual was the 2008-2009 issue. I ceased to edit
JSSI in May 2018. The final edition that I edited
contained the following sections:
Executive Overview
Commercial Space Services
Civil Space Organisations
Space Defence
Space Industry
Space Launch Vehicles
Spacecraft
Contractors
Space Logs
Further information on IHS Jane's publications can
be found at http://articles.janes.com/notice.html
.
- Publisher: Jane's
- Date: 2008 - 2018
- Category: Editor
-
"This edition is as comprehensive as ever and
has lived up to its reputation as the most
authoritative single source on global space
products, industries and markets..... (Peter
Bond's) familiarity with communicating complex
astronautical information in a simple and
digestible form is visible in the
transformation of this yearbook from a
tabulated directory into a veritable mine of
information detailing space programmes through
long essays and incisive analysis.
- "Of particular interest is the executive overview containing useful information explaining the implications behind current events around the space-faring world. In this way Jane's has caught the need of the moment. This age of information overload cries out for extraction of the important from the irrelevant, providing interpretation rather than mere repetition of facts. In this way, Jane's Space Systems and Industry 2011-2012 is a timely improvement on earlier `directories' and will serve as the benchmark by which all other space references are measured. Intended primarily for government departments and industry, it is as useful to the novice as to the professional." (Spaceflight, February 2012)
SOLAR SURVEYORS: Observing the Sun from Space
Author
This is the story of humankind’s quest over
centuries to learn the true nature of the most
dominant object in our Solar System: the Sun.
Award-winning science writer Peter Bond describes
in detail how our ideas about the Sun have changed
over the millennia, starting with the simple
observations of classical astronomy and continuing
through telescopic observations to the age of
nuclear physics. He shows how we discovered the
Sun’s basic characteristics – its distance, size,
temperature and composition – and then describes
how, with ever more sophisticated instruments, we
have learned about the Sun’s enormous energy
output, its atmosphere and the explosive eruptions
that blast clouds of magnetized gas and
high-energy particles toward our world.
Most of this book focuses on the Space Age, when
suborbital rockets and satellites have probed
every aspect of our nearby star. Each of these
missions is described in detail, with summaries of
their objectives, spacecraft designs, scientific
payloads and results. The book also looks forward,
describing forthcoming missions that will shed new
light on remaining solar mysteries, notably the
source of the energy that heats the outer corona
to millions of degrees.
Richly illustrated with mission photos, design
diagrams, and infocharts, this book is a
fascinating read for anybody interested in the Sun
and our attempts to unravel its secrets.
.
- Publisher: SpringerLink
- Date: July 2022
- Category: Space
- softback (price GBP 27.99)
- ebook (price GBP 21.99)
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