The history of human space flight

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Title:

The history of human space flight

Author:

Spitzmiller, Ted, author.

ISBN:

9780813054278

Personal Author:

Spitzmiller, Ted, author.

Physical Description:

xiv, 633 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

General Note:

Source of cataloging data: WCP

Abstract:

Ted Spitzmiller describes how humans first came to employ lifting gasses such as hydrogen and helium. He traces the influence of science fiction writers on the development of rocket science, looks at the role of rocket societies in the early twentieth century, and discusses the use of rockets in World War II warfare. Spitzmiller considers the engineering and space medicine advances that finally enabled humans to fly beyond the earth's atmosphere during the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. He recreates the excitement felt around the world as Yuri Gagarin and John Glenn completed their first orbital flights. He recounts triumphs and tragedies, such as Neil Armstrong's "one small step" and the Challenger and Columbia disasters. The story continues with the development of the International Space Station, NASA's interest in asteroids and Mars, and the emergence of China as a major player in the space arena. Spitzmiller shows the impact of space flight on human history and speculates on the future of exploration beyond our current understandings of physics and the known boundaries of time and space.

Contents:

Aerostats open the vista -- Creating rocket science -- Maturing the technology -- Space Medicine on the threshold -- Rocket-powered aircraft -- Cold War arms race -- The race into Space -- Developing a manned spacecraft --The first orbital flights -- Exploring the unknown -- Commitment to the Moon -- Rendezvous is the key -- Conceiving a moon rocket -- Gemini captures the lead -- Project Apollo -- Death stalks the astronauts -- The circumlunar goal -- One small step -- Exploring the Moon -- The first space stations -- Designing a reusable spacecraft -- Engineering the space shuttle -- The reality of failure -- Mir: A durable space station -- A permanent presence in Space -- Unfulfilled Soviet efforts -- Return of the expendable rocket -- The next generation of manned spacecraft -- Epilogue: What will the future bring? -- List of acronyms and abbreviations.

Subject Term:

Manned space flight -- History.

Added Author:

Gutierrez, Sid,

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Library	Material Type	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
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Summary

Military Writers Society of America Awards, Gold Medal for History Highlighting men and women across the globe who have dedicated themselves to pushing the limits of space exploration, this book surveys the programs, technological advancements, medical equipment, and automated systems that have made space travel possible.Beginning with the invention of balloons that lifted early explorers into the stratosphere, Ted Spitzmiller describes how humans first came to employ lifting gasses such as hydrogen and helium. He traces the influence of science fiction writers on the development of rocket science, looks at the role of rocket societies in the early twentieth century, and discusses the use of rockets in World War II warfare.Spitzmiller considers the engineering and space medicine advances that finally enabled humans to fly beyond the earth's atmosphere during the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. He recreates the excitement felt around the world as Yuri Gagarin and John Glenn completed their first orbital flights. He recounts triumphs and tragedies, such as Neil Armstrong's "one small step" and the Challenger and Columbia disasters.The story continues with the development of the International Space Station, NASA's interest in asteroids and Mars, and the emergence of China as a major player in the space arena. Spitzmiller shows the impact of space flight on human history and speculates on the future of exploration beyond our current understandings of physics and the known boundaries of time and space.

Reviews (1)

Choice Review

Spitzmiller, an accomplished pilot who is retired from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, begins his history with the earliest aerospace technology and pioneers, including balloonists, early rockets, Robert Goddard (known as the "father of modern rocketry"), rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, and the V-2 rocket. Spitzmiller provides useful background on space medicine, rocket-powered aircraft, and the Cold War. In addition, the science, technology, and design of human-capable rockets is clearly and insightfully detailed. The book concludes with chapters containing up-to-date material on expendable rockets and what is next for the future of manned spacecraft. The people involved in the design, development, and operations of human space flight systems are placed in perspective, and their contributions are accurately attributed. The many drawings and photographs are excellent and add to understanding the history of the technology. The majority of the book's content is a very competent, complete history of manned spacecraft. Overall, this book is a strongly recommended resource. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. --Alvin M. Strauss, Vanderbilt University

Foreword	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xi
Prologue	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
1 Aerostats Open the Vista	p. 3
2 Creating Rocket Science	p. 21
3 Maturing the Technology	p. 41
4 Space Medicine on the Threshold	p. 56
5 Rocket-Powered Aircraft	p. 83
6 Cold War Arms Race	p. 105
7 The Race into Space	p. 115
8 Developing a Manned Spacecraft	p. 136
9 The First Orbital Flights	p. 168
10 Exploring the Unknown	p. 210
11 Commitment to the Moon	p. 225
12 Rendezvous Is the Key	p. 233
13 Conceiving a Moon Rocket	p. 251
14 Gemini Captures the Lead	p. 276
15 Project Apollo	p. 317
16 Death Stalks the Astronauts	p. 334
17 The Circumlunar Goal	p. 350
18 One Small Step	p. 383
19 Exploring the Moon	p. 414
20 The First Space Stations	p. 448
21 Designing a Reusable Spacecraft	p. 482
22 Engineering the Space Shuttle	p. 498
23 The Reality of Failure	p. 521
24 Mir: A Durable Space Station	p. 542
25 A Permanent Presence in Space	p. 558
26 Unfulfilled Soviet Efforts	p. 573
27 Return of the Expendable Rocket	p. 581
28 The Next Generation of Manned Spacecraft	p. 588
Epilogue: What Will the Future Bring?	p. 603
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations	p. 607
Bibliography	p. 611
Index	p. 615

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Table of Contents