Sometimes it takes a rocket scientist to offer young readers the most engaging introduction to space travel, the solar system, and the universe.

Earth’s gravity keeps our feet on the ground, and also prevents us from soaring into space. So how do we explore that vast frontier? We use rockets! Discover how rockets work—from staging to orbits to power generation, from thermal control to navigation and more. Learn how rockets and other spacecraft travel to and explore the moon, Mars, Jupiter, and beyond. Speculate about the future of space exploration—and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. In a guide ideal for aspiring rocket engineers, planetary scientists, and others who love learning about space exploration, Galen Frazer’s distinctive yet accessible illustrations pair perfectly with Andrew Rader’s straightforward text, together taking readers to the edge of our knowledge of space travel.

Andrew Rader is the author of the children’s book trilogy Epic Space Adventure (which includes Mars Rover Rescue and Europa Excursion) and the nonfiction book Beyond the Known, a history of exploration from the beginning of humanity into our spacefaring future. A SpaceX Mission Manager with a PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology specializing in long-duration spaceflight, he is an avid trivia player, space enthusiast, science nerd, history buff, and cohost of the weekly podcast Spellbound, which covers topics from science to economics to history to psychology. He also won the Discovery Channel's competitive television series Canada's Greatest Know-It-All. Andrew Rader lives in Hawthorne, California.

Galen Frazer is a digital artist. When he is not daydreaming about making first contact with an alien intelligence, he is spending time with his amazing daughters, playing guitar, or fishing. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.