Project Vanguard

Book excerpt: This is the inside story of one of the earliest successful U.S. satellites, a fascinating Cold War–era chronicle of the nation's earliest battles and triumphs in the Space Race. It recounts the origins, development, and results of Project Vanguard, a pioneering venture in the exploration of outer space. Primarily an analysis of the project's scientific and technical challenges, this volume documents onboard experiments, instrumentation, tracking systems, and test firings. It also portrays the drama of organizing an unprecedented project under the pressure of a strict time limit as well as the tempestuous climate of American opinion during the Soviet Union’s Sputnik launches. The history concludes with an evaluation of the satellite program's significant contributions to scientific knowledge. Numerous historic photographs highlight the text, which is written in accessible, nontechnical language. In addition to a historic foreword by Charles A. Lindbergh, this new edition features an informative introduction by Paul Dickson. Authoritative and inexpensive, it will appeal to students and teachers of history and science as well as aviation enthusiasts.