The launch of the first liquid propellant rocket in 1926 led to the development of the first long-range missiles, fired in anger during World War II. By 1957, the technology had advanced and intercontintental ballistic missiles were developed that formed the basis of the first launch vehicle to carry a satellite, Sputnik 1, into orbit. It marked the beginning of the Space Age. In the U.S.-Soviet Space Race of 1959-91, the Moon, all the planets in the solar system except Pluto, and an asteroid and a comet were explored by spacecraft. Since 1991, the exploration of the solar system has continued, with Mars being the prime target. Since the Space Age began, 12 men have walked on the Moon, over 400 people have experienced space travel, satellites provide the world with a range of services from environmental monitoring to cellphone calls, and space station operations have become routine. In the other sdirection, the Hubble Space Telescope has enabled astronomers to peer 12 billion light years into the past and to take their first look at a black hole. Through evocative photographs, this entrancing volume looks at the history in order to see into the future. What else will be achieved in the coming decades?
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