Award-winning science writer Rod Pyle profiles the remarkable pilots,
scientists, and engineers whose work was instrumental in space missions
to every corner of our solar system and beyond. Besides heralded names
like Neil Armstrong, John Glenn, and Gene Kranz, the author highlights
some of the "hidden figures" who played crucial roles in the success of
NASA, Soviet, and international space exploration. For example,
Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to travel into space, aboard
Soviet spacecraft Vostok 6. American Margaret Hamilton was an
accomplished mathematician and one of the first female software
engineers to design programs for spaceflight, software that proved
critical to the success of the moon landing. And Pete Conrad, "salty
sailor of the skies," flew twice in the Gemini programs, landed on the
moon in Apollo 12, and was the commander of the first crew to visit
America's new Skylab space station--its first ever--in 1973.Complemented
by many rarely-seen photos and illustrations, these stories of the
highly talented and dedicated people, many of whom worked tirelessly
behind the scenes, will fascinate and inspire.