Seiun and ActuSF Award nominations. Mary Robinette Koval continues to explore her grandiose alternate history world that she began in Calculating the Stars. The new novel Heaven's Rock takes us back to 1961, when humanity has already settled on the Moon and is looking forward to the next step: travel to Mars and its colonization. Of course, Elma York, also known as the Lady Astronaut, would like to go to Mars, but much depends on who the International Aerospace Coalition decides to send on this historic, but potentially very dangerous mission. Will Elma be able to leave her husband and the opportunity to start a family to spend a few years traveling to Mars? And with the civil rights movement underway on Earth, will the astronaut pool continue to be replenished and, more importantly, will these men and women of all races be treated fairly when they reach their goal? This fascinating look at the real-life conflicts behind a fantastical space race will challenge our understanding of how history might have unfolded. Best Science Fiction Novel by The Verge, io9, Unbound Worlds, Tor, Kirkus Online, Nerdmuch .