To a Distant Day: The Rocket Pioneers (Outward Odyssey: A People's History of S)
"To a Distant Day is not simply about scientific and technical developments. It provides insight into the social and political context of the early rocket pioneers and how progress emerged amidst competing egos, political pressures, and technical challenges... Insightful, instructive, and definitely worth the read." - Greg Andres, Journal of The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada "As someone who has been teaching a course on space exploration for many years and has visited most of NASA's space centers, I have found plenty of new and valuable material in To a Distant Day... I recommend the book to all who wish to know more about the conditions, people, and discoveries between 1890 and 1960 that led to the space age." - Pangratios Papacosta, Physics Today "As much a story of cultural ambition and personal destiny as of scientific progress and technological history, To a Distant Day offers a thoroughly compelling account of humankind's determined efforts - sometimes poignant, sometimes amazing, sometimes mad - to leave Earth behind." - Quest "Let us hope for as good a companion volume taking the story to the shuttle and space-station era and the emergence of space powers other than Russia and the U.S."--Roland Green, Booklist "Since the dawn of time, mankind has looked skyward and longed to travel the heavens, to feel the glow of distant stars, to explore the celestial bodies of our galactic neighborhood, and to venture beyond this earthly cradle. Chris Gainor's work, To a Distant Day, tells of the engineers, the scientists, and the explorers who realized the ancient dream and ventured from Earth."--David R. Self, Technology and Culture "Chris Gainor's new book, To a Distant Day, recreates the colorful history of how rocketry came to be."--David Reneke, davidreneke.com