Breaking the chains of gravity : the story of spaceflight before NASA / Amy Shira Teitel.

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    • Abstract:
      Summary: "NASA's history is a familiar story, one that typically peaks with Neil Armstrong taking his small step on the Moon in 1969. But America's space agency--and in particular its Apollo lunar-landing program--wasn't created in a vacuum. It was assembled from pre-existing parts, drawing together some of the best minds the non-Soviet world had to offer.... Amy Shira Teitel tells the story of America's nascent space program, its scientific advances, its personalities and the rivalries it caused between the various arms of the United States military, right up to the launch of Sputnik in 1957. At this point getting a man in space became a national imperative leading to the creation by Dwight D. Eisenhower of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration."--Front flap of jacket.
    • Content Notes:
      Hobby rocketeers -- The rocket loophole -- The turning tide of war -- Escape and surrender -- Nazi rockets in New Mexico -- Rockets meet airplanes -- A new war, a new missile, and a new leader -- Higher and faster -- Edging into hypersonics -- The floating astronaut -- Space becomes an option -- The first satellite race -- One little ball's big impact -- The fight to control space -- Epilogue: America finds its footing in space.
    • Notes:
      Includes bibliographical references (pages [277]-296) and index.
      1 5 17
    • Other Titles:
      Story of spaceflight before NASA.
    • ISBN:
      9781472911179 :
      9781472911186 (pbk.)
    • Accession Number:
      2015046643
    • Accession Number:
      933596254
    • Accession Number:
      ccp.977259