A naukri.com initiative
Physicsworld
4w
195
Image Credit: Physicsworld
Around the world in 16 orbits: a day in the life of the International Space Station
- The International Space Station (ISS) is an excellent setting for a philosophical novel.
- Orbital by Samantha Harvey follows six astronauts and cosmonauts through one day on the ISS.
- The novel captures the minutiae of astronaut tasks and includes descriptions of Earth during each of the 16 orbits.
- The ISS’s orbit 400 km above Earth makes it possible to see the topography and colors that pass beneath.
- The author's vivid and poetic descriptions of the planet are as captivating as any astronaut memoir.
- Set on the ISS without being science fiction, the book depicts old yet still remarkable technology.
- The novel conveys that details such as regulations for everyday life on the ISS, and even the recycling of urine and sweat become quotidian.
- Orbital has been shortlisted for both the 2024 Booker Prize and the 2024 Ursula K Le Guin Prize for Fiction.
- Harvey’s writing has been compared to Virginia Woolf; however, Orbital is as accessible and educational as the best of popular science.
- Orbital is a remarkable book that considers life beyond borders, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation, science, and engineering.
Read Full Article
11 Likes
For uninterrupted reading, download the app