action-adventure advanced-technology adventure alien alien-contact alien-encounter alien-invasion alien-life alien-lifeform alien-species alien-war aliens amnesia apocalyptic apollo-program artificial-intelligence astrobiochemistry astrobiology astrodynamics astronaut astronauts astronauts-perspective astronomy astrophysical-phenomena astrophysical-phenomenon astrophysics biology captivating captivating-plot catastrophe celestial-bodies celestial-mechanics civilization-at-risk clever climate-crisis collegesuccess communication communication-with-aliens contact-with-aliens cosmic cosmic-disaster cosmic-mysteries creative crisis disaster discovery discovery-of-new-planets earth earth-saving earths-extinction earths-future engaging-characters english epic epic-adventure exploration exploration-mission extinction-event extraterrestrial extraterrestrial-communication extraterrestrial-intelligence extraterrestrial-life fast-paced fiction first-contact friendship galactic-exploration general genetic-engineering global-catastrophe global-crisis global-disaster gravitational-waves gravity gripping gripping-plot hardsci-fi hardscience-fiction heroic-protagonist heros-journey hightech hope human-ingenuity human-resilience humanity humanitys-future humanitys-last-hope humor infinite-possibilities ingenuity intelligence intelligent-life intelligent-species intergalactic-travel interstellar interstellar-communication interstellar-travel intrigue invasive-species isolation mars mathematical-puzzles microbial-life microbiology mission mission-to-mars mission-to-save-humanity mystery nasa near-future neuroscience newyorktimesbestseller newyorktimesreviewed nyt:hardcover-fiction=2021-05-23 outer-space pandemic physics planetary-exploration planetary-science planetary-systems problem-solving puzzles quantum-mechanics rescue-mission resource-depletion saving-the-planet sci-fi science science-fiction science-fiction-thriller science-thriller scientific scientific-discovery scientific-experimentation scientific-experiments scientific-mission scientific-mystery scientific-research scientists solar-system solitary-hero solitude solving-puzzles space space-adventure space-crew space-exploration space-journey space-mission space-opera space-technology space-thriller space-travel spacecraft spaceship speculative-fiction stellar-formation survival suspense suspenseful team team-dynamics teamwork technological-innovation technology thriller thrilling thrilling-adventure time-dilation unconventional-hero unknown viral-outbreak witty-dialogue