Accessory to War

“Throughout history, wars tend to be won by nations that are at the forefront of science. Thus astronomers and physicists have, since ancient times, benefited from an uneasy alliance with the military. This enlightening book explores the history and current implications of this partnership between space science and national security.” - Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs and professor of history, Tulane University

“Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military is not just about astrophysics. It is a readable account of the intersection between science and security policy, complete with historical background and personal insights and anecdotes from America’s most-trusted scientist. This is a much needed read for both policymakers and the public, who in ‘normal’ times know and care too little about science, but in today’s political climate increasingly show disdain for scientific principles that fail to fit their philosophical reality or political goals. Astrophysics is too often perceived as ‘not touching me or my life,’ but this book artfully explains otherwise.” - Joan Johnson-Freese, professor, National Security Affairs, Naval War College

“Neil deGrasse Tyson and Avis Lang have provided a wonderful history of the interplay between scientists and warfare. From telescopes to GPS satellites, astrophysicists have been closely linked to the military. A fascinating read with a worthy message for today.” - James Clay Moltz, author of Crowded Orbits, Asia's Space Race, and The Politics of Space Security

“A wide ranging and provocative set of observations on the two-way relationship between science-based knowledge and national power, especially power of the military variety, replete with trenchant insights. Tyson and Lang’s hopeful concluding message is on-target—that knowledge-based dominance, either in space or on Earth, is not possible in today’s interconnected world, and that cooperation in the use of our knowledge is the necessary path to planetary well-being.” - John M. Logsdon, Professor Emeritus, Space Policy Institute, George Washington University

“Tyson and Lang draw on a vast canvas of historical sources to show convincingly that major advances in science and technology through history have depended on military imperatives. This is a richly argued and always interesting book that reminds us that science and militarism have always had a close relationship.” - Asif Siddiqi, author of The Red Rockets’ Glare: Spaceflight and the Soviet Imagination, 1857-1957