It was in 1954, shortly after their first collaboration, that astronomer Patrick Moore and illustrator David A. Hardy first agreed to undertake an illustrated book to show how humans would expand into space via orbiting space stations, moon-landings, voyages to the planets and stars.By the time such a project could become a reality, though, men had walked on the moon for the first and last time and space exploration had revealed discoveries wondrous, awesome, and unexpected. Now, in 2004, it is an ideal time to review the many ways in which our visions of space, the universe, and all things astronomical have changed over those fifty years.

"Futures: 50 Years in Space -- The Challenge of the Stars" is a unique book which only this author and artist could produce. Bringing together their combined wealth of experience and expertise in revealing the wonders of the cosmos to a wide audience, along with a cautiously optimistic forecast of our future in space.