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EDITORIAL INFORMATION

As aviation revolutionised military operations in the twentieth century, so too will space weaponry and satellite systems change the face of warfare in the next century. Science Fiction is fast becoming scientific fact and the campaign for supremacy in space is already well in hand. The authors, all members of the Royal Air Force Aerospace Briefing Team, examine the role of current and projected spacecraft in the fields of communications, navigation, meteorology and reconnaissance, and demonstrate how classical military doctrines of surveillance and engagement may be extended to the "fourth dimension".

(Extracted from the back cover).

GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

-List of plates.

-List of figures.

-Introduction.

-Satellite orbits.

-Getting into orbit.

-Space treaties.

-Communication satellites.

-Navigation satellites.

-Meteorological satellites.

-Surveillance from space.

-Satellite-aided search and rescue.

-Man in space - Physiological constraints.

-The surveillance of space.

-Space warfare.

-The future.

-Self-test questions.

-Glossary.

-Bibliography.

-Index.

OUR REVIEW

This book is a magnificient summary of the technology utilized in space for military purposes. The main points of this issue are dealt with, and basic information with respect to the most important systems is offered.

The book is written in an agile, clear way, which allows for non-specialized readers to understand the several questions here presented.

The authors describe the main families of spy satellites, communications, navigation and meteorological satellites in the military environment, and warfare satellites. Also they inform us on the terrestrial support systems for the satellites or the attack systems against them.

There are very interesting photographs, above all because they show spacecrafts and installations, as well as images taken by spy satellites that, due to their military character, are not frequently seen at a divulgative level.

The book is more oriented to exposing the characteristics of the existing systems than to narrating the history of military activity in space.