Winner of the Luigi Napolitano Award (2006) from the International Academy of Astronautics
This book presents the fascinating story of the events that paved the way to space. It introduces the reader to the history of early rocketry and the subsequent developments that led into the space age. People of various nations and from various lands contributed to the breakthrough to space, and the book takes the reader to faraway places on five continents. It also includes many quotes to give readers a flavor of how the participants viewed the developments.
Most publications on the topic either target narrow aspects of rocket history or are popular books that scratch the surface, with minimal and sometimes inaccurate technical details. This book bridges the gap. It contains numerous technical details usually unavailable in popular publications. The details are not overbearing and anyone interested in rocketry and space exploration will navigate through the book without difficulty. There are 340 figures and photographs, many appearing for the first time.
| Preface | ix | |
| 1. | Humble Beginnings | 1 |
| 2. | Rocket Proliferation--the First Wave | 7 |
| 3. | Under Rocket Fire in India | 23 |
| 4. | The Congreve Rocket | 31 |
| 5. | Rockets Come to America | 47 |
| 6. | First American Rockets | 55 |
| 7. | Rocket Proliferation--the Second Wave | 69 |
| 8. | Public Imagination on Fire | 87 |
| 9. | Great Pioneers | 103 |
| 10. | The First Modern Rocket | 137 |
| 11. | Jato and Beyond | 167 |
| 12. | Building the Foundation | 201 |
| 13. | Road to Suptnik | 267 |
| 14. | Gateways to Heaven | 297 |
| 15. | The Breakthrough | 325 |
| 16. | Opening the Skies | 385 |
| 17. | Joining the Club | 417 |
| 18. | The First Thousand Years | 455 |
| Appendix A | Acronyms and Abbreviations | 463 |
| Appendix B | Selected Bibliography | 467 |
| Index | 477 | |
| Supporting Materials | 505 |
Anonymous
Posted September 23, 2004
The most complete history and encyclopedia of rocketry! Being an engineer by education and with strong interest in the subject I was immediately attracted by the sub-title. It is very well written (eg reads well) and impresses by both - the breadth and the depth of coverage. It is a must for any professional specialising in the area, an excellent reference book to keep on your bookshelf and a wonderful introduction in the history of the subject for teens. Strongly recommended for anyone with interests in rocketry, spacecraft, austronautics. Dr Vladas Leonas, Fellow of the IEAust Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Overview
Winner of the Luigi Napolitano Award (2006) from the International Academy of Astronautics
This book presents the fascinating story of the events that paved the way to space. It introduces the reader to the history of early rocketry and the subsequent developments that led into the space age. People of various nations and from various lands contributed to the breakthrough to space, and the book takes the reader to faraway places on five ...