EXPLORE THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON

An invitation to catch the next wave of crewed moon landings.

Not linked to any specific space program but bearing a close resemblance to NASA’s upcoming Artemis initiative, this account of a fictional space flight dubs readers “mission specialists” and sends them—accompanied by a racially diverse crew—on an ice-finding expedition to Shackleton Crater near the Moon’s south pole. Along with providing once-overs of the 11-layer spacesuits, massive booster rockets, reusable lander, and other major gear, the presentation goes into unusual detail about more personal items and experiences—from the prelaunch enema and surprisingly varied meal choices to step-by-step instructions for using a space toilet for “Number Ones” and “Number Twos.” In contrast, Woo’s human figures are generic rather than individualized, and she takes a pass on depicting finer details of equipment, control boards (and alimentary functions). Still, from her neatly drawn illustrations, prospective astronauts will come away with a good sense of how such an expedition will be equipped and how it would run from liftoff to splashdown. A diagram of lunar phases accompanies maps of the moon’s near and far sides at the end.

Enticing glimpses of near-future return to space exploration.