Book cover of The Mission: A True Story

Book description

"Exceptionally absorbing and thrilling. ... Masterful." -Nature

A "magnificent" (Scientific American), genre-defying narrative of the most ambitious science project ever conceived: NASA's deep space mission to Europa, the Jovian moon where might swim the first known alien life in our solar system

In the spirit of Tom Wolfe and John…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Mission as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I loved this book because it gave me a jump-start on writing my own book. I greatly appreciated the in-depth understanding of the scientists who populate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as well as the other institutions where our spacecraft are conceived and built.

It was eye-opening to learn how long it takes and how difficult it is to get a NASA project funded and underway. I began to feel that I knew many of the scientists and engineers quite well as their successes and failures became my own.  

If you love The Mission...

Book cover of These Blue Mountains

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas,

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

Want books like The Mission?

Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 89 books like The Mission.

Browse books like The Mission

Book cover of Life With Hubble: An Insider's View of the World’s Most Famous Telescope
Book cover of Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier
Book cover of Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,395

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like The Mission, you might also like...

Book cover of Need to Know: World War II and the Rise of American Intelligence

Need to Know by Nicholas Reynolds,

The authoritative but accessible history of the birth of modern American intelligence in World War II that treats not just one but all of the various disciplines: spies, codebreakers, saboteurs.

Told in a relatable style that focuses on actual people, it was a New Yorker "Best of 2022" selection and…

Book cover of Tsunami

Tsunami by LeeAnn Pickrell,

On the morning of December 26, 2004, an undersea earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean. The resulting tsunami killed an estimated 230,000 people across fourteen countries, from Indonesia to Sri Lanka to Thailand to the Maldives to India and all the way to East Africa.…

5 book lists we think you will like!