The Seven Secrets of How to Think Like a Rocket Scientist [electronic resource] /
Longuski, James.author.
Would you like to know the methods that rocket scientists use—expressed in a way that you could apply to your everyday life? The book you are holding does just that. Illustrated are the methods (the 7 secrets) with anecdotes, quotations and biographical sketches of famous scientists, ideas from sci-fi, personal stories and insights, and occasionally a bit of space history. It turns out that rocket science is just common sense applied to the extraordinarily uncommon environment of outer space. (And that rocket scientists are people, too!).
Description based upon print version of record.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 155-157) and index.
Dream -- Imagine It -- Work on the Big Picture -- Aim High -- BS! -- Brainstorm -- Create Desire -- Tell a Story -- Sleep on It -- Think JFK -- Judge -- Get Real -- Play Games -- Simulate It -- Run a Thought Experiment -- Know Your Limits -- Weigh Ideas -- Ask -- Ask Dumb Questions -- Ask Big Questions -- Ask “What If?” -- Ask: “Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral?” -- Ask Just One More Question -- Check -- Prove Yourself Wrong -- Inspect for Defects -- Have a Backup Plan -- Do a Sanity Test -- Check Your Arithmetic -- Know the Risks -- Question Your Assumptions -- Simplify -- Keep It Simple, Stupid -- Draw a Picture -- Make a Mock-up -- Name the Beasts -- Look at the Little Picture -- Do the Math -- Apply Occam’s Razor -- Optimize -- Minimize the Cost -- Minimize the Time -- Be Mr. Spock -- Make It Faster, Better, Cheaper (But Not All Three!) -- Know When Bigger Is Better -- Let Form Follow Function -- Pick the Best People -- Make Small Improvements -- Do -- Learn by Doing -- Sharpen Your Axe -- Correct It on the Way -- Do Something -- Don’t Ignore Trends -- Work on Your Average Performance -- Look Behind You -- Learn from Your Mistakes -- Epilogue.
Would you like to know the methods that rocket scientists use—expressed in a way that you could apply to your everyday life? The book you are holding does just that. Illustrated are the methods (the 7 secrets) with anecdotes, quotations and biographical sketches of famous scientists, ideas from sci-fi, personal stories and insights, and occasionally a bit of space history. It turns out that rocket science is just common sense applied to the extraordinarily uncommon environment of outer space. (And that rocket scientists are people, too!).
Astronomy.
Aerospace engineering.
Astronautics.
Observations, Astronomical.
Astronomy—Observations.
Astrophysics.
Popular Science in Astronomy.
Aerospace Technology and Astronautics.
Astronomy, Observations and Techniques.
Astrophysics and Astroparticles.