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Author:

Stone, Robert, 1958- author.

Title:

Chasing the moon : the people, the politics, and the promise that launched America into the space age / Robert Stone and Alan Andres.

Edition:

First edition.

Publisher:

Ballantine Books,

Copyright Date:

2019

Description:

xiii, 359 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color) ; 24 cm

Subject:

Astronautics and state--United States--History--20th century.
Aeronautics and state--United States--History--20th century.
Space flight--History--20th century.
Space race.
Outer space--History--History--20th century.

Other Authors:

Andres, Alan, author.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [317]-338) and index.

Contents:

Prologue: July 16, 1969 -- A place beyond the sky (1903-1950) -- The man who sold the moon (1952-1960) -- The New Frontier (1961-1963) -- Welcome to the space age (1964-1966) -- Earthrise (1967-1968) -- Magnificent desolation (1969) -- The final frontier (1970-1979) -- Afterword: After a few more revolutions around the sun.

Summary:

"A companion to PBS's American Experience draws on eyewitness accounts and newly discovered archival material to chronicle the stories of the visionaries who helped America win the space race with the first lunar landing"--Publisher.
"A charismatic young president issued the historic Moon landing challenge. This book, which greatly expands the companion PBS series, tell the stories of the visionaries--based on eyewitness accounts and newly discovered archival material--who helped America win the space race with the first lunar landing fifty years ago. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy proposed the nation spend twenty billion dollars to land a man on the Moon before the end of the decade. Based on eyewitness accounts and newly discovered archival material, Chasing the Moon reveals for the first time the unknown stories of the fascinating individuals whose imaginative work across several decades culminated in America's momentous achievement. More than a story of engineers and astronauts, the moon landing--now celebrating its fiftieth anniversary--grew out of the dreams of science fiction writers, filmmakers, military geniuses, and rule-breaking scientists. They include: -Science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, whose writing inspired some of the key players in the Moon race. A scientific paper he wrote in his twenties led to the U.S. beating Russia in one area of space: communications satellites. -Wernher von Braun, the former Nazi military genius who oversaw Hitler's rocket weapons program. After working on ballistic missiles for the U.S. Army, he was recruited by NASA to manage the creation of the Saturn V moon rocket. -Astronaut Frank Borman, commander of the first mission to circumnavigate the Moon, whose powerful testimony before Congress in 1967 decisively saved the U.S. lunar program from being cancelled. -Poppy Northcutt, a young mathematician who was the first woman to work in Mission Control. Her media exposure as a unique presence in this all-male world allowed her the freedom to stand up for equal rights for women and minorities. -Edward Dwight, an African American astronaut candidate, recruited at the urging of the Kennedy White House to further the administration's civil rights agenda--but not everyone welcomed his inclusion. Setting these key players in the political, social, and cultural climate of the time, and including captivating photographs throughout, Chasing the Moon focuses on the science and the history, but most important, the extraordinary individuals behind what was undoubtedly the greatest human achievement of the twentieth century."--Dust jacket.

ISBN:

1524798126
9781524798123

OCLC:

(OCoLC)1080556391

LCCN:

2018059390

Locations:

USUX851 -- Iowa State University - Parks Library (Ames)

GBPF771 -- Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library (Ankeny)

TCPG826 -- Bettendorf Public Library Information Center (Bettendorf)

BAPH771 -- Des Moines Public Library (Des Moines)

SIPD314 -- James Kennedy Public Library (Dyersville)

HNPC845 -- Hawarden Public Library (Hawarden)

SCPC074 -- Hudson Public Library (Hudson)

S1PD771 -- Johnston Public Library (Johnston)

CPPC926 -- Kalona Public Library (Kalona)

GYPE631 -- Knoxville Public Library (Knoxville)

YEPF572 -- Marion Public Library (Marion)

GOPG641 -- Marshalltown Public Library (Marshalltown)

YMPD532 -- Monticello Public Library (Monticello)

KWPE446 -- Mount Pleasant Public Library (Mount Pleasant)

GAAX314 -- Northeast Iowa Community College Library - Peosta (Peosta)

GMPD771 -- Pleasant Hill Public Library (Pleasant Hill)

WSPF215 -- Spencer Public Library (Spencer)

SKPC094 -- Sumner Public Library (Sumner)

CQPE926 -- Washington Free Public Library (Washington)

SFPH074 -- Waterloo Public Library (Waterloo)