Bille, Matt, and Erika Lishock, with a foreword by James A. Van Allen. The First Space Race: Launching the World’s First Satellites. (Illus.) College Station, TX: Texas A&M, 2004. 214pp. $24.95. ISBM 1-58544-374-3. Index.
This is a well-documented treatise of the people, events, and scientific discoveries that led to human beings’ initial excursion into near earth space. The intertwined competitive web of the three major engineering teams that existed in the first half of the 20th century and ultimately proved the practicality of the theoretical orbital mechanics espoused by Kepler and Newton is chronicled in this thoroughly researched and informative book. The extension of human knowledge resulted from the Soviet Sputnik and the American Vanguard, Explorer, and classified NOTSNIK projects is succinctly described. This book is a “must read” for anyone interested in an authoritative account of this critical period of space-flight development.
- Science Books and Films, American Association for the Advancement of Science, November/December 2005
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