Blazing the Trail: The Early History of Spacecraft and Rocketry

Front Cover
AIAA, 2004 - Technology & Engineering - 505 pages
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.

From inside the book

Contents

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
1
ROCKET PROLIFERATION THE FIRST WAVE
7
UNDER ROCKET FIRE IN INDIA
23
THE CONGREVE ROCKET
31
ROCKETS COME TO AMERICA
47
FIRST AMERICAN ROCKETS
55
ROCKET PROLIFERATION THE SECOND WAVE
69
PUBLIC IMAGINATION ON FIRE
87
ROAD TO SPUTNIK
267
GATEWAYS TO HEAVEN
297
THE BREAKTHROUGH
325
OPENING THE SKIES
385
JOINING THE CLUB
417
THE FIRST THOUSAND YEARS
455
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
463
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
467

GREAT PIONEERS
103
THE FIRST MODERN ROCKET
137
JATO AND BEYOND
167
BUILDING THE FOUNDATION
201
INDEX
477
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
505
Copyright

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