image: This Special Paper from the Geological Society of America provides a great overview of the science, training, and planning related to planetary exploration for students, educators, researchers, and geology enthusiasts. As we learn about the solar system we can better understand our own planet Earth. view more
Credit: The Geological Society of America
Boulder, CO, USA – Where on Earth is it like Mars? How were the Apollo astronauts trained to be geologists on the Moon? Are volcanoes on Earth just like the ones on other planets? The exploration of our solar system begins in our own backyard. Discoveries on other planetary bodies cannot always be easily explained. Therefore, geologic sites on this planet are used to better understand the extraterrestrial worlds we explore with humans, robots, and satellites.
'Analogs for Planetary Exploration' is a compilation of historical accounts of astronaut geology training, overviews of planetary geology research on Mars, educational field guides to analog sites, plus concepts for future human missions to the Moon. The volume includes contributions by Apollo 17 Astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt, Farouk El-Baz, Ronald Greeley, and David A. Williams.
This Special Paper provides a great overview of the science, training, and planning related to planetary exploration for students, educators, researchers, and geology enthusiasts. After all, as we learn about the solar system we can better understand our own planet Earth.
Individual copies of the volume may be purchased through the Geological Society of America online bookstore, http://www.geosociety.org/bookstore/default.asp?oID=0&catID=9&pID=SPE483, or by contacting GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org.
Book editors of earth science journals/publications may request a review copy by contacting April Leo, aleo@geosociety.org.
Analogs for Planetary Exploration
W. Brent Garry and Jacob E. Bleacher (editors) Geological Society of America Special Paper 483 SPE483, 567 p. plus CD-ROM, $100.00; Member price $85.00 ISBN 978-0-8137-2483-6