AROUND THE WORLD IN NINETY MINUTES: The Journey of Two Astronauts

Much faster than a speeding bullet (one generation's criterion for speed), today's spacecraft can circle the earth in ninety minutes. This picture journey projects two unidentified astronauts into orbit and concentrates on their experience: positions during first and second stages, stepping outside the spacecraft (and how to avoid becoming another satellite), firing retro-rockets, the procedures for re-entry. With just token references to the instrument panel and the ground rulers the author examines gravity and weightlessness in slightly misleading terms and the illustrations don't always provide helpful support. This involves several days and so leaves many questions untouched but it could be useful as a pre-TV introduction.