Space Exploration History

Ambassadors from Earth relates the story of the first unmanned space probes and planetary explorers - from the Sputnik and Explorer satellites launched in the late 1950's to the thrilling interstellar Voyager missions of the '70's - that yielded some of the most celebrated successes and spectacular failures of the space age. Jay Gallentine delivers a quirky and unforgettable look at the lives and legacy of the Americans and Soviets who conceived, built, and guided those unmanned missions to the planets and beyond.

The Space Race tells the captivating story of one of the most defining periods in human history—a battle for supremacy between the United States and the Soviet Union that extended far beyond Earth’s atmosphere. From the dawn of the Cold War, when both superpowers vied for technological dominance, to the incredible achievements that followed, this book takes readers on a journey through the milestones that shaped space exploration. Discover the awe-inspiring tales of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, the courageous flights of Vostok and Mercury, the Moon landings, and the space ...

Nothing captivates the human imagination like the vast unknowns of space. Ancient petroglyphs present renderings of the heavens, proof that we have been gazing up at the stars with wonder for thousands of years. Since then, mankind has systematically expanded our cosmic possibilities. What were once flights of fancy and dreams of science fiction writers have become nearly routine. Space travel is a sometimes heroic, sometimes humorous, and always dangerous journey fraught with perils. Space Oddities brings unknown, offbeat, and obscure stories of space to life.

Historian William Sheehan and astronomer and planetary scientist Jim Bell combine their talents to tell a unique story of what we've learned by studying Mars through evolving technologies. What the eye sees as a mysterious red dot wandering through the sky becomes a blurry mirage of apparent seas, continents, and canals as viewed through Earth-based telescopes.

Renowned space historian John Logsdon traces the greatest moments in human spaceflight by weaving together essential, fascinating documents from NASA's history with his expert narrative guidance. Beginning with rocket genius Wernher von Braun's vision for voyaging to Mars and closing with Elon Musk's contemporary plan to get there, this volume traces major events like the founding of NASA, the first American astronauts in space, the Apollo moon landings, the Challenger disaster, the daring Hubble Telescope repairs, and more.

Discover the final frontier in a whole new way with Beyond Earth, a comprehensive guide to the history, science, and future of space exploration. From the very beginning of rocket science, to the race to launch the first astronaut into space, this eBook is your ultimate guide to exploring the cosmos. With detailed chapters on everything from spacecraft design and development to the science of planetary exploration, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how humans have come to travel beyond our own planet. But Beyond Earth is't just about the technical side of space travel. It's also a ...

This exciting second book in the Lost series tells the incredible true story of the doomed Apollo 13 moon mission that nearly ended in disaster. On April 11, 1970, the Apollo 13 space shuttle set off for the third intended American moon landing. Two days later and 200,000 miles from Earth, disaster struck when an oxygen tank exploded onboard the spacecraft, leaving three astronauts with only one goal: to make it home alive.

Launius places American and Soviet programs on equal footing - following American aerospace engineers Wernher von Braun and Robert Gilruth, their Soviet counterparts Sergei Korolev and Valentin Glushko, and astronaut Buzz Aldrin and cosmonaut Alexei Leonov - to highlight key actions that led to various successes, failures, and ultimately the American Moon landing.

Spanning four decades of dramatic advances in astronomy and planetary science, this book tells the story of eleven iconic exploratory missions and how they have fundamentally transformed our scientific and cultural perspectives on the universe and our place in it

July 20, 1969. It’s a day that has earned a spot in history. It’s the day that America was the first nation to succeed in sending two astronauts - Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong - to the moon. But what led to this unforgettable event? What were the stakes riding on the Apollo 11’s safe landing? In acclaimed author Douglas Brinkley’s first young readers' edition, space fans will get the riveting and factual backstory of arguably the most significant achievement of the 20th century.

This book includes key presidential speeches on the exploration of space from President Kennedy to President Trump. It includes the fascinating speech that Nixon had written, and subsequently recorded, but fortunately never delivered. The speech was in the event that the Apollo 11 mission did not succeed. Others include Kennedy's bold 1961 speech setting out the goal of sending a man to the moon, which was then achieved within the decade.

Every year, scientists send people and robots into our solar system to explore space. How are scientists preparing for journeys to Mars? What are robotic explorers and how do they study the incredible planets and moons at the outer reaches of our solar system? Learn more about these thrilling missions.

Most of us, young or old, have dreams of grand things, but it is the rare souls that sees their dreams standing before them, taller than the Statue of Liberty, with enough raw power to launch men to the moon. Wernher von Braun was such a dreamer. From a young age, he knew that rockets and space travel would be the driving force in his life; however, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime had different plans for this young man, as he would lead Germany’s development of the V-2 rocket, which at that time was one of the most advanced weapons known to man. After World War II had ravaged most of ...

Discover some of the many contributions women, people of color, immigrants, and people with disabilities made to space exploration. From an engineer in the control room to a mission specialist that went on four space flights, these heroes are transforming how we think of space.

Humans have always been fascinated by the universe, but only a few have been daring enough to travel beyond the Earth. From venturing into space for the first time to building the International Space Station in orbit, the history of space exploration is filled with peril, bravery and strokes of genius. In this beautifully illustrated anthology, spaceflight expert, Libby Jackson, reveals the very best true stories of humankind's thrilling journey to the stars.

An all-seeing Moon rock of almost impossible age, called Bok, has been looking down at our blue and green planet for millennia. Geologists - people who study rocks - have a saying: 'rocks remember.' During his time, Bok has witnessed some truly wondrous things. Created in the earth-shattering collision four and a half billion years ago that led to the formation of the Moon, he has seen stars burst into being and meteors streak through the solar system. He has seen his own Moon surface be transformed with craters, and he has watched a fiery planet transform into the haven we know today.