A kind of Dorling Kindersley book, but with a twist. Written from the perspective of the 2060s, it looks back at the imagined history of space exploration and details what is 'now' available to the common man.

Though some aspects of this book have dated (first manned mission to Mars in 2007? If only) it retains a certain kitsch appeal. The science is still predominantly accurate, and it's exciting to see some of the fictional aspects of the book, such as solar sails, finally being used in the real world. The science of space of travel is finally catching up with the science fiction, which has accurately predicted the most obvious forms of propulsion. It's a shame budgets and technological advances couldn't quite keep up the pace they set for themselves in the 60s. I can't quite see people taking 12 year round trips to Jupiter before the end of this century, but as Japan unfurls it solar sails and Russia locks men up for three years to simulate a trip to Mars, we'll soon proving Michael Freeman right in almost everything except dates.

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