Books in From the Earth series

Since ancient times, people have envisioned the possibility of space travel. Spaceflight finally became a reality after many centuries of scientific study on two fronts: astronomy and flight. Theories about the solar system were proposed, tested, and revised. Instruments for examining the night skies were invented and improved. Flight was accomplished as a result of countless experimentssome of them deadly. This resource traces space explorationone of the most exciting pursuits in historyfrom the legend of Icarus to the reality of Sputnik.

In 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yury Gagarin became the first person to orbit Earth. Now, more than a half-century later, huge advances have been achieved in spaceflight. Humans have walked on the moon, lived in orbit around Earth on space stations, and are now looking to Mars as the next frontier. This easy-to-understand narrative presents the Cold Wars space race, the effects of spaceflight on humans, what is required to become an astronaut, and how NASA and private companies are embracing the future of spaceflight.