Kennedy Space Center: Gateway to Space

"This pictorial history of the Kennedy Space Center boasts a highly illuminating text to go with over 150 detailed, richly reproduced photos. The remarkable achievements of NASA's glory days are fully elucidated here, including the flight of Alan Shepard, the first American to ride a rocket into space-just eleven years after the first Cape Canaveral launch-and the first Earth orbit, only a year later, by John Glenn; the journey to the moon aboard the Saturn rocket; and the development of the shuttle. A short history of rocketry includes fascinating historical photos of German engineers working on the V2, and it's to Reynold's credit that he chooses not to gloss over the program's troubling dependence on former Nazi engineers, presenting the story of America's space race with the Soviets in its full post-war context. Nor does Reynolds shrink from the disasters-the fire aboard Apollo 1 and the loss of two space shuttles-and the carelessness and pennywise cost-cutting that caused them. Reynolds concludes with chapters on non-manned space vehicles and on the future of space exploration, followed by an excellent index. Although completed prior to the recent announcements about the shuttle's successors, this book is still extremely practical and enjoyable; Chapter 12, which follows along as the space shuttle is prepared for launch, is worth the cover price alone. It's a solid historical overview, especially appealing to budding engineers between the ages of six and sixteen." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Reynolds takes readers on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Kennedy Space Center and describes how rockets are manufactured, transported, assembled, and ultimately launched into space. He also provides an overview of the Center's development, its role in the missile race, and its key missions. Some 150 photographs in color and b&w accompany the text. Reynolds is the author of several books on space exploration and related topics. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

An insider's history of the heart of America's space program from its earliest days.

NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center set the stage for the American adventure in space. Sprawled across 140,000 acres on Florida's Atlantic coast, the center has hosted the succession of rocket launches that have rewritten our knowledge of aeronautics and our very understanding of the nature of the universe.

Chosen because of its perfect location, with the wide Atlantic providing a buffer, Kennedy Space Center is now a major tourist attraction appealing to visitors of all ages.

This spaceport has served as the departure gate for every American space flight mission and the launching point of hundreds of other advanced scientific spacecraft. Kennedy Space Center will continue to make history as NASA embarks on new adventures in space exploration.

The book includes detailed information on: The earliest development of rockets in the United States and Germany The development of rockets and their launch facilities The missile race and U.S.-Soviet rivalry to be first in space The great Apollo program and the race to the moon The shuttle program, the Space Station and the Hubble Telescope The future of space exploration.

Clearly written, meticulously researched and packed with more than 150 spectacular images, Kennedy Space Center is the only complete history of this important site.