A commanding encyclopedia of the history and principles of spaceflight––from its humble beginnings to its likely future

"Our reason for spaceflight is just this: we are human, and to be human is to be inquisitive. At heart, we are explorers with a universe of billions of new worlds before us."
–– from the Introduction

The Complete Book of Spaceflight compiles more than 3,000 extensively cross-referenced entries, spanning every historic milestone and technological achievement in the quest to conquer space. In this all-inclusive reference, astronomer David Darling provides fascinating insights into the cultural development of spaceflight, including its history, science, and technology; the people involved; spaceflight’s role in popular culture; and much more. The Complete Book of Spaceflight includes:

• All key missions, manned and unmanned
• Notable fictional portrayals of space journeys
• Biographies of astronauts, rocket engineers, and others involved in space exploration
• Current concepts for future interplanetary and interstellar missions
• Extended, highlighted articles on major topics from Project Mercury to Mir