What do you think?
Rate this book
The Mars Project
This classic on space travel was first published in 1953, when interplanetary space flight was considered science fiction by most of those who considered it at all. Here the German-born scientist Wernher von Braun detailed what he believed were the problems and possibilities inherent in a projected expedition to Mars.
Today von Braun is recognized as the person most responsible for laying the groundwork for public acceptance of America's space program. When President Bush directed NASA in 1989 to prepare plans for an orbiting space station, lunar research bases, and human exploration of Mars, he was largely echoing what von Braun proposed in The Mars Project.
Today von Braun is recognized as the person most responsible for laying the groundwork for public acceptance of America's space program. When President Bush directed NASA in 1989 to prepare plans for an orbiting space station, lunar research bases, and human exploration of Mars, he was largely echoing what von Braun proposed in The Mars Project.
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1953
37 people are currently reading
1432 people want to read
About the author
Wernher von Braun
56 books60 followersWernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun (March 23, 1912 – June 16, 1977) was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.
A former member of the Nazi party, commissioned Sturmbannführer of the paramilitary SS and decorated Nazi war hero, von Braun would later be regarded as the preeminent rocket engineer of the 20th century in his role with the United States civilian space agency NASA. In his 20s and early 30s, von Braun was the central figure in Germany's rocket development program, responsible for the design and realization of the deadly V-2 combat rocket during World War II. After the war, he and some of his rocket team were taken to the U.S. as part of the then-secret Operation Paperclip. Von Braun worked on the US Army intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) program before his group was assimilated by NASA, under which he served as director of the newly-formed Marshall Space Flight Center and as the chief architect of the Saturn V launch vehicle, the superbooster that propelled the Apollo spacecraft to the Moon. According to one NASA source, he is "without doubt, the greatest rocket scientist in history. His crowning achievement was to lead the development of the Saturn V booster rocket that helped land the first men on the Moon in July 1969." In 1975 he received the National Medal of Science.
A former member of the Nazi party, commissioned Sturmbannführer of the paramilitary SS and decorated Nazi war hero, von Braun would later be regarded as the preeminent rocket engineer of the 20th century in his role with the United States civilian space agency NASA. In his 20s and early 30s, von Braun was the central figure in Germany's rocket development program, responsible for the design and realization of the deadly V-2 combat rocket during World War II. After the war, he and some of his rocket team were taken to the U.S. as part of the then-secret Operation Paperclip. Von Braun worked on the US Army intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) program before his group was assimilated by NASA, under which he served as director of the newly-formed Marshall Space Flight Center and as the chief architect of the Saturn V launch vehicle, the superbooster that propelled the Apollo spacecraft to the Moon. According to one NASA source, he is "without doubt, the greatest rocket scientist in history. His crowning achievement was to lead the development of the Saturn V booster rocket that helped land the first men on the Moon in July 1969." In 1975 he received the National Medal of Science.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 26, 2017
I reread this after having seen "Hidden Figures." In that film, the women are working on math that is described in this book, and whereas the math in the movie is only elliptically discussed in the movie (pun intended), it's explicit here. This book is light on text and heavy on formulae and lays out a plan for reaching mars. It is literally rocket science, so be forewarned.
It really demonstrates the genius and forward thinking of von Braun, who formulated most of the book in the late 40s, when V2s were still cutting-edge. I find it fascinating for two reasons. First, it is a good overview of the math and physics involved in a planetary mission, including the requirements of reaching orbit through an atmosphere, patched conics, Hohmann transfers, and estimating touchdown points after reentry.
Second, it's historically interesting to see the methods and thoughts of an aeronautical engineer at the time. Von Braun still thought then that wings would be needed for reentry. The math is interesting because, since von Braun had no computer other than a slide rule, you can see the assumptions he made in order to be able to get analytical solutions for most of the flight path. For the rest, he used Runge-Kutta to do numerical integration. What took him probably days of hand-computation and checking could now be done in milliseconds with much greater accuracy. These sections are mostly for the acceleration tracks in an atmosphere. Everything in the book is still mostly applicable, notwithstanding a few changes in propulsion chemistry and the ability to work out flight paths on computers. The optimism sure hasn't changed; he was sure we'd have been to Mars decades ago.
It really demonstrates the genius and forward thinking of von Braun, who formulated most of the book in the late 40s, when V2s were still cutting-edge. I find it fascinating for two reasons. First, it is a good overview of the math and physics involved in a planetary mission, including the requirements of reaching orbit through an atmosphere, patched conics, Hohmann transfers, and estimating touchdown points after reentry.
Second, it's historically interesting to see the methods and thoughts of an aeronautical engineer at the time. Von Braun still thought then that wings would be needed for reentry. The math is interesting because, since von Braun had no computer other than a slide rule, you can see the assumptions he made in order to be able to get analytical solutions for most of the flight path. For the rest, he used Runge-Kutta to do numerical integration. What took him probably days of hand-computation and checking could now be done in milliseconds with much greater accuracy. These sections are mostly for the acceleration tracks in an atmosphere. Everything in the book is still mostly applicable, notwithstanding a few changes in propulsion chemistry and the ability to work out flight paths on computers. The optimism sure hasn't changed; he was sure we'd have been to Mars decades ago.
April 27, 2019
A wonderful book explaining basic rocket science in an approachable manner using a hypothetical Mars expedition with 10 space ships as an example.
March 20, 2018
Este é o tipo de livro que se lê como referência e não por gosto. A seu favor tem alguma plausibilidade científica, vinda daquele que foi um dos pais da astronáutica contemporânea. À luz da tecnologia e conhecimento científico da época, uma expedição a Marte nos moldes descritos no livro parecia possível, apenas uma questão de esforço financeiro e engenharia. Hoje sabemos que a questão da sobrevivência do homem em viagens espaciais não é assim tão simples.
No que toca à Ficção Científica, este livro é verdadeiramente atroz. Essencialmente, é um longo infodump, cada capítulo é essencialmente uma explicação longa e especulativa sobre o como poderia ser uma missão a Marte. Até mesmo para alguém como eu, que adora infodumps, parece excessivo. No entanto, é de ressalvar que este livro não foi escrito com ambições literárias. O seu objetivo expresso é suavizar a dureza matemática da especulação científica através de uma fantasia.
Mesmo a essa luz, o romance contém ideias estranhas, tendo em conta que são formuladas por um cientista bem informado e de vanguarda. A premissa do livro, o que leva a humanidade a aventurar-se até ao planeta vermelho, é a hipótese de existência de uma civilização marciana, baseada na observação dos canais na superfície do planeta. Uma ideia que creio, na altura em que este livro foi escrito, já tinha caído em descrédito. Mas a coisa piora. Ao chegarem a Marte, os intrépidos exploradores deparam-se de facto com uma civilização alienígena, de seres em tudo similares aos humanos, excepto por uma maior amplitude cerebral. A justificação dada pelo autor é a de ser natural que noutro planeta, a evolução seguisse os ditames de Deus na criação de uma espécie superior.
Há nesta filosofia alguns traços do passado do autor, muito branqueado pelo seu papel no domínio do desenvolvimento da tecnologia astronáutica. Não se coopera com um regime Nazi apenas porque é a única maneira de criar foguetões, é impossível não suspeitar de uma maior cumplicidade ideológica. Ao conceber uma civilização marciana à imagem do ser humano, o espectro dos ideários sobre superioridade de raças levanta-se. Um vislumbre ideológico que se torna mais óbvio ao retratar uma civilização avançada. caracterizada por estabilidade e onde a tecnologia garante um elevado nível de conforto. Elementos assumidos como conducentes à decadência, inércia moral e científica. Novamente, ideias que não são estranhas aos credos que influenciaram aqueles que mergulharam a Europa na página mais negra da história, e com os quais o autor foi conivente.
No que toca ao lado estritamente especulativo sobre viagem espacial, o livro reflete o conhecimento da época. Uma Terra unificada numa democracia global após uma guerra mundial (inevitável, com o aniquilamento soviético, que nisto de especulações futuras o esquerdismo quer-se longínquo) une-se num desafio exploratório, desenvolvendo tecnologia para levar o homem a Marte. A colonização da órbita terrestre está a iniciar-se, com uma estação de observação militar e observatórios em órbita, resta apenas adaptar a tecnologia existente para atravessar o espaço interplanetário.
Von Braun não é um nome anónimo. O seu papel no desenvolvimento de foguetões foi fundamental para a evolução da exploração espacial. Estamos a falar do homem que na Alemanha Nazi liderou a criação dos primeiros foguetões e mísseis suborbitais, e posteriormente, com o passado branqueado nuns acolhedores Estados Unidos, esteve na linha da frente do desenvolvimento dos foguetões que abriram a fronteira do espaço. Foi sob sua liderança que o ainda inagualável Saturno 5 levou astronautas a pisar o solo lunar. Este Project Mars é, como o próprio afirma no prefácio, uma forma suave de especulação informada, mostrando a sua visão de como poderia ser uma expedição a Marte com a tecnologia que o próprio autor estava a ajudar a desenvolver. Nesse aspeto, como retrato instantâneo de um momento na história da ciência, este é um livro interessante, embora os aspetos literários sejam fracos e algum ideário que lhe está subjacente ser incómodo.
No que toca à Ficção Científica, este livro é verdadeiramente atroz. Essencialmente, é um longo infodump, cada capítulo é essencialmente uma explicação longa e especulativa sobre o como poderia ser uma missão a Marte. Até mesmo para alguém como eu, que adora infodumps, parece excessivo. No entanto, é de ressalvar que este livro não foi escrito com ambições literárias. O seu objetivo expresso é suavizar a dureza matemática da especulação científica através de uma fantasia.
Mesmo a essa luz, o romance contém ideias estranhas, tendo em conta que são formuladas por um cientista bem informado e de vanguarda. A premissa do livro, o que leva a humanidade a aventurar-se até ao planeta vermelho, é a hipótese de existência de uma civilização marciana, baseada na observação dos canais na superfície do planeta. Uma ideia que creio, na altura em que este livro foi escrito, já tinha caído em descrédito. Mas a coisa piora. Ao chegarem a Marte, os intrépidos exploradores deparam-se de facto com uma civilização alienígena, de seres em tudo similares aos humanos, excepto por uma maior amplitude cerebral. A justificação dada pelo autor é a de ser natural que noutro planeta, a evolução seguisse os ditames de Deus na criação de uma espécie superior.
Há nesta filosofia alguns traços do passado do autor, muito branqueado pelo seu papel no domínio do desenvolvimento da tecnologia astronáutica. Não se coopera com um regime Nazi apenas porque é a única maneira de criar foguetões, é impossível não suspeitar de uma maior cumplicidade ideológica. Ao conceber uma civilização marciana à imagem do ser humano, o espectro dos ideários sobre superioridade de raças levanta-se. Um vislumbre ideológico que se torna mais óbvio ao retratar uma civilização avançada. caracterizada por estabilidade e onde a tecnologia garante um elevado nível de conforto. Elementos assumidos como conducentes à decadência, inércia moral e científica. Novamente, ideias que não são estranhas aos credos que influenciaram aqueles que mergulharam a Europa na página mais negra da história, e com os quais o autor foi conivente.
No que toca ao lado estritamente especulativo sobre viagem espacial, o livro reflete o conhecimento da época. Uma Terra unificada numa democracia global após uma guerra mundial (inevitável, com o aniquilamento soviético, que nisto de especulações futuras o esquerdismo quer-se longínquo) une-se num desafio exploratório, desenvolvendo tecnologia para levar o homem a Marte. A colonização da órbita terrestre está a iniciar-se, com uma estação de observação militar e observatórios em órbita, resta apenas adaptar a tecnologia existente para atravessar o espaço interplanetário.
Von Braun não é um nome anónimo. O seu papel no desenvolvimento de foguetões foi fundamental para a evolução da exploração espacial. Estamos a falar do homem que na Alemanha Nazi liderou a criação dos primeiros foguetões e mísseis suborbitais, e posteriormente, com o passado branqueado nuns acolhedores Estados Unidos, esteve na linha da frente do desenvolvimento dos foguetões que abriram a fronteira do espaço. Foi sob sua liderança que o ainda inagualável Saturno 5 levou astronautas a pisar o solo lunar. Este Project Mars é, como o próprio afirma no prefácio, uma forma suave de especulação informada, mostrando a sua visão de como poderia ser uma expedição a Marte com a tecnologia que o próprio autor estava a ajudar a desenvolver. Nesse aspeto, como retrato instantâneo de um momento na história da ciência, este é um livro interessante, embora os aspetos literários sejam fracos e algum ideário que lhe está subjacente ser incómodo.
June 29, 2021
A fascinating look into the science of space travel 70+ years ago. Von Braun’s science and mathematics don’t quite hold up to scrutiny but are very interesting as theory.
May 17, 2017
If you read this purely as a science fiction adventure story, it's badly paced and boring. If, on the other hand, you notice that it's actually a technical manual for how to get to Mars with legitimate bits of 1940s technology, it's a fascinating read. The book also succeeds in presenting various viewpoints about thought processes, like the idea that science asks questions about how the universe works, but philosophy and religion ask questions about why it even exists.
Other than his lack of forecasting of improvements in electronic technology, the technical stuff in this book appears to be right on. Rockets were, after all, his thing, even if his first ones were aimed at London.
There were a few creepy bits, mostly the snide digs at the people of India and China, and the peculiar athletics event on Mars whose description was right out of a photo spread from his old homeland.
The characters, though, were interesting. The few bits of excitement, as things go wrong, were very believable, even if so slowly-paced that there wasn't a lot of tension.
So, more of a technical manual than an SF story, but worth reading because of its historical value.
Other than his lack of forecasting of improvements in electronic technology, the technical stuff in this book appears to be right on. Rockets were, after all, his thing, even if his first ones were aimed at London.
There were a few creepy bits, mostly the snide digs at the people of India and China, and the peculiar athletics event on Mars whose description was right out of a photo spread from his old homeland.
The characters, though, were interesting. The few bits of excitement, as things go wrong, were very believable, even if so slowly-paced that there wasn't a lot of tension.
So, more of a technical manual than an SF story, but worth reading because of its historical value.
July 7, 2021
This review pertains to the short 91 page 1953 edition. Technologically it is dated and current solutions to the project would be different due to advanced engineering technologies, but it is a good overview of the celestial mechanics and spaceflight issues involved which remain the same.
Von Braun's plan involves assembling a fleet of ten interplanetary rockets in Earth orbit by ferrying payloads and workers into orbit to build them, recovering the stages of the ferry rockets for reassembly and reuse, the third stage being glided back to Earth in a manner similar to the Space Shuttle. The 46 reusable ferry vessels make a total of 950 flights to provide materials to build ten rockets bound for Mars. The ten rockets are manned with a crew of 70 for a round trip expedition of 2 years 239 days to Mars then back to Earth.
Von Braun's plan involves assembling a fleet of ten interplanetary rockets in Earth orbit by ferrying payloads and workers into orbit to build them, recovering the stages of the ferry rockets for reassembly and reuse, the third stage being glided back to Earth in a manner similar to the Space Shuttle. The 46 reusable ferry vessels make a total of 950 flights to provide materials to build ten rockets bound for Mars. The ten rockets are manned with a crew of 70 for a round trip expedition of 2 years 239 days to Mars then back to Earth.
September 4, 2023
In the book “How We’ll Live on Mars”, the author noted that the 1950s book “The Mars Project” remained the most thorough and accurate description of the plan to put humans on Mars. The book was more of a small textbook than I initially realized in terms of being very math and physics oriented, with less focus on say the psychological or philosophical aspects of Mars settlement. That said, it was a fascinating read, particularly given that the calculations were made with a slide rule in a pre-computerized age. This will be of more interest for the technically minded reader interested in space exploration.
December 24, 2019
I'm not going to pretend to understand von Braun's math, or even to have processed every equation, but even without that, there lies exposed on these pages a mad and brilliant and gorgeous plan for going to Mars, assembled by a genius in 1948 using a slide rule. The foundations for NASA are here, along with fodder for the next 40 years of sci-fi to follow. It's like reading Verne's book about Paris in the 20th century except that von Braun applied all of this and built stuff. Astonishing.
June 4, 2022
A book I have been curious about for some time, this book is Von Braun's outline of how a mission to Mars might be achieved using rocket technology according to the state of the art in the early 1950s. Very math and calculation heavy, the book is more a technical manual that demonstrates that such an undertaking is possible than anything else, and is interesting to compare to the various mission plans that have been discussed since.
September 14, 2023
Lots of technical details about how in the 1960s we might have done a trip to mars.
This reads like it was written by a very talented rocket scientist but who had limited fiction writing
experience. And it was.
For a more readable and very detailed technical discussion, read The Case For Mars.
This book is almost worth reading for some insight into what they thought technology would be like in the future.
This reads like it was written by a very talented rocket scientist but who had limited fiction writing
experience. And it was.
For a more readable and very detailed technical discussion, read The Case For Mars.
This book is almost worth reading for some insight into what they thought technology would be like in the future.
March 31, 2018
Despite the intensely / extensively maths and science laden text, all of which, remains way above my head; this is still captivating and revelatory. Von Braun's assessments and figure work brought his vision into reality, leading to the moon landings, if he had been believed in a bit more, landing on Mars may have already been achieved?
May 11, 2023
It's so fu***** amazing that the creator of the V2 write that full document work all the main technical and físic issues about the Mars trail, landing and return, since rocket power till radio communication or consumed water by the crew.
I'm not space científic but everything can be understandable.
Why we are not in Mars yet?
I'm not space científic but everything can be understandable.
Why we are not in Mars yet?
January 9, 2025
Note:
Review for the Book The Mars Project by Wernher von Braun which is a nonfiction book about an theoretical approach to reach mars , with technical details .
Not to confuse with Project MARS: A Technical Tale which is another book by Wernher von Braun but a fictitious one . Both Books are for some reason listed as the same book ,which they are not .
Review for the Book The Mars Project by Wernher von Braun which is a nonfiction book about an theoretical approach to reach mars , with technical details .
Not to confuse with Project MARS: A Technical Tale which is another book by Wernher von Braun but a fictitious one . Both Books are for some reason listed as the same book ,which they are not .
July 7, 2022
Almost too detailed in the description of all the technicalities of space travel. I'm interested in it, but it felt like it was getting too much.
Make sure you really are into that, and are not just looking for a novel, before you decide reading this.
Make sure you really are into that, and are not just looking for a novel, before you decide reading this.
April 22, 2023
It was indeed very technical at times, literally providing the numbers and math required for such mission, at times fully fictional, and very much written in a completely different time period, interesting read overall, for an old view of sci-fi stories
March 22, 2015
1) "Since the actual development of the long-range liquid rocket, it has been apparent that true space travel cannot be attained by any back-yard inventor, no matter how ingenious he might be. It can only be achieved by the co-ordinated might of scientists, technicians, and organizers belonging to very nearly every branch of modern science and industry. Astronomers, physicians, mathematicians, engineers, physicists, chemists, and test pilots are essential; but no less so are economists, businessmen, diplomats, and a host of others. We space rocketeers of all nations (where permitted) have made it our business to rally this kind of talent around the standard of space travel, which, in the nature of things, is synonymous with the future of rocketry."
2) "Each ferry flight [of parts to Earth orbit] consumes 5,583 tons of propellants (see Table 8), so that the whole ferry operation will need about 5,320,000 tons. This is equivalent to the capacity of 443 tank ships of 12,000 tons displacement each. It is interesting to compare this to the official statistics which show that about 10 per cent of an equivalent quantity of high octane aviation gasoline was burned during the six months' operation of the Berlin Airlift."
3) "The reserve range thus available with respect to radio communication with an expedition to Mars may be exploited in the following manners:
1. Reduction of transmitter output power, thus reducing transmitter weight and size of the solar reflector for power generation.
2. Reduction in size of the directional antennae.
3. Increasing the bandwidth, thus rendering possible reception and transmission of speech and music."
2) "Each ferry flight [of parts to Earth orbit] consumes 5,583 tons of propellants (see Table 8), so that the whole ferry operation will need about 5,320,000 tons. This is equivalent to the capacity of 443 tank ships of 12,000 tons displacement each. It is interesting to compare this to the official statistics which show that about 10 per cent of an equivalent quantity of high octane aviation gasoline was burned during the six months' operation of the Berlin Airlift."
3) "The reserve range thus available with respect to radio communication with an expedition to Mars may be exploited in the following manners:
1. Reduction of transmitter output power, thus reducing transmitter weight and size of the solar reflector for power generation.
2. Reduction in size of the directional antennae.
3. Increasing the bandwidth, thus rendering possible reception and transmission of speech and music."
May 4, 2020
Amazing
Written in 1949 it’s amazing how much ahead of his time he was. In this book he writes of space travel, Hyperloops, advance genetic farming and many other things still only just coming out today.
If Kennedy didn’t stop the space programme and if there was more cooperation between governments and no cold wars we could be so much further in science now than where we are.
This book was published in 2006 but was written 56 years before it was published and yet we still haven’t moved forward on some of these aspects.
The huge amounts spent in warmongering by government if redirected to science could give us such a great place to live.
Written in 1949 it’s amazing how much ahead of his time he was. In this book he writes of space travel, Hyperloops, advance genetic farming and many other things still only just coming out today.
If Kennedy didn’t stop the space programme and if there was more cooperation between governments and no cold wars we could be so much further in science now than where we are.
This book was published in 2006 but was written 56 years before it was published and yet we still haven’t moved forward on some of these aspects.
The huge amounts spent in warmongering by government if redirected to science could give us such a great place to live.
Currently reading
July 19, 2017just started; write more later
January 3, 2019
It's basically Moby Dick in space. Slightly more entertaining than The Martian.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews