Rex Hall Boeken

This book is the first known work in the west dedicated to revealing the full story of the Vostok space missions, and the first fledgling steps off our planet. In Leaving the Planet authors Rex Hall and Dave Shayler review this Soviet demonstration of technological progress. The text examines both the developmental and operational aspects of the missions, which at the time were clouded in secrecy. This fascinating and important text features a significant amount of new material on the spacecraft, as well as the history, design and development of the launch vehicle. It also includes the full story of the men and women who trained for these missions, some of whom never flew.

So too did these 35 men and women, swept up in the dynamic thrust and ongoing development of America's Space Shuttle program.This book on the Group 8 Astronauts, the TFNGs, is an excellent summation of the individuals first selected for the new Space Shuttle Program.

The flight of Gemini 4 in June 1965 was conducted barely four years after the first Americans flew in space. It was a bold step by NASA to accomplish the first American spacewalk and to extend the U.S. flight duration record to four days. This would be double the experience gained from the six Mercury missions combined. This daring mission was the first to be directed from the new Mission Control at the Manned Spacecraft Center near Houston, Texas. It also revealed that: Working outside the spacecraft would require further study. Developing the techniques to rendezvous with another object in space would not be as straightforward as NASA had hoped. Living in a small spacecraft for several days was a challenging but necessary step in the quest for even longer flights. Despite the risks, the gamble that astronauts Jim McDivitt and Ed White undertook paid off. Gemini 4 gave NASA the confidence to attempt an even longer flight the next time. That next mission would simulate the planned eight-day duration of an Apollo lunar voyage. Its story is recounted in the next title in this series: Gemini 5: Eight Days in Space or Bust.

Rex Hall and Dave Shayler provide a unique history of the Soyuz spacecraft programme from conception, through development to its use, detailed in the only English language book available on this topic. Planned for publication in 2003, it will celebrate 40 years since the original concept of the Soyuz craft.

Focusing on the pioneering journey of the first twenty Soviet cosmonauts, this account delves into their history, training, and unique experiences. It offers a captivating narrative enriched by previously unpublished photographs of the lesser-known candidates, shedding light on the often-overlooked aspects of the space race. The book provides readers with an engaging and informative glimpse into the lives of these remarkable individuals who shaped the early days of human space exploration.