{"product_id":"inside-the-star-factory-isbn-9780262047906","title":"Inside the Star Factory","description":"\u003cb\u003eA fascinating, ground-level backstage pass to the creation, launch, and reach of the James Webb Space Telescope.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the world’s largest orbiting astronomy observatory, is now nearly a million miles from Earth, probing the first stars and galaxies, documenting the structure and evolution of the universe, and searching for signs of life in other solar systems. In a series of extraordinary photographs, Inside the Star Factory tells the story of the Webb Telescope from conception to launch—a marvel of ingenuity and engineering that entailed more than 100 million people hours over a span of thirty years.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe project’s lead photographer Chris Gunn was there from the start, documenting the Webb’s tumultuous history—the behind-the-scenes details of its construction, from the cutting-edge technology required for an observatory operating at temperatures as low as –370°F, beyond reach for repair, to the human story of an engineering team pursuing an unprecedented goal under incomparable pressure. Derided as the “telescope that ate astronomy,” billions of dollars over budget, ten years over schedule, nearly canceled twice, Webb was simply too big to fail.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAccompanied by science writer Christopher Wanjek’s overview of the Webb’s history and profiles of the scientists and engineers who built it, this exclusive illustrated guide shows readers the heady world of scientific discovery at the very limits of human knowledge—and the very beginning of space and time.Preface: A Cosmic Journey xi\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction 1\u003cbr\u003eA Telescope Thirty Years in the Making\u003cbr\u003eThe Science of the James Webb Space Telescope 13\u003cbr\u003eMeet the Team 33\u003cbr\u003eThousands of Machinists, engineers, scientists, and communication specialists made Webb a reality. We profile nine here. \u003cbr\u003eThe Webb Telescope's Engineering Odyssey 57\u003cbr\u003ePhotographs and Captions by Chris Gunn\u003cbr\u003eMeet the Components 163\u003cbr\u003eConclusion 167\u003cbr\u003eAcknowledgments 169\u003cbr\u003eIndex 173\u003cb\u003eIncluded in \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e's Fall 2023 Adult Announcements Science list\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A fascinating close-up of the development of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope . . . the real appeal of this generously illustrated volume is Gunn’s photos of engineers constructing and testing the telescope inside NASA’s workshop. It’s an intimate view of an astounding scientific achievement.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e– \u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“\u003ci\u003eInside the Star Factory\u003c\/i\u003e by NASA photographer Chris Gunn and science writer Christopher Wanjek invites readers on a three-decade journey from the project’s first conception to its momentous launch . . . Mr. Gunn’s revelatory photography . . . allows us to appreciate the people behind this marvel of science.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“The definitive illustrated account of [an] extraordinary achievement.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eParadigm Explorer\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“This book is the only one you'll need on the engineering marvel that JWST truly is. From the people behind the instrument to the telescope itself, I got lost in every image of the story.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Becky Smethurst, Royal Astronomical Society Research Fellow, University of Oxford; author of \u003ci\u003eA Brief History of Black Holes\u003c\/i\u003e; Host of “Dr. Becky” on YouTube\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“Inside the clean rooms where everything happened, Gunn and Wanjek’s account of the brilliant people who built Webb is as awe-inspiring as the mission itself.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Christian Ready, Lecturer of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Towson University; Host of “Launch Pad Astronomy” on YouTube\u003c\/b\u003eChris Gunn is a photographer based in Washington, DC, who specializes in creating images of science and technology. His photographs have been featured in Scientific American, Wired, National Geographic, and the New York Times.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChristopher Wanjek is the author of \u003ci\u003eBad Medicine\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eFood at Work\u003c\/i\u003e, and the acclaimed \u003ci\u003eSpacefarers: How Humans Will Settle the Moon, Mars, and Beyond\u003c\/i\u003e. His work has appeared in such venues as the \u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSmithsonian\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eLive Science\u003c\/i\u003e.","brand":"The MIT Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302240932069,"sku":"NP9780262047906","price":44.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780262047906.jpg?v=1767730084","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/inside-the-star-factory-isbn-9780262047906","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}