- First published in 1972 by Little, Brown and Company, Inc.
- Published simultaneously in Canada by Little, Brown and Company (Canada) Limited.
- Printed in Switzerland.
- Paintings by Chesley Bonestell. 15 colour plates between pp. 60 and 61. List of plates included.
- Text by Arthur C. Clarke. Preface [ix-xi], Acknowledgements and ten chapters.
- Illustrated also with 27 figures in the text: diagrams, drawings, photographs, including some black-and-white reproductions of paintings by Chesley Bonestell.
- Front cover by Chesley Bonestell - "Saturn from its largest moon, Titan" - credited on the dust jacket; title taken from captions to the plates.
- Back cover photographs of Chesley Bonestell (Ansel Adams) and Arthur Clarke (uncredited).
- The parts "The First Scouts" and "Appointment with Mars" are reprinted (with slight alterations of the text and without the illustrations) in Clarke's By Space Possessed (1993).
