Remembering the Space Age; NASA SP-2008-4703

Dick, Steven J. (Editor)

ISBN 10: 0160817234 / ISBN 13: 9780160817236

Published by National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of External Relations, History Division, Washington DC, 2008

About this Item

xiii, [1], 465, [1] pages. Illustrations (some in color). About the Authors. Acronyms and Abbreviations. NASA History Series. Index. Proceedings of October 2007 conference, sponsored by the NASA History Division and the National Air and Space Museum, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Sputnik 1 launch in October 1957 and the dawn of the space age. Among the authors are: Roger D. Launius, John M. Logsdon, and Hans Mark. Steven J. Dick (born October 24, 1949, Evansville, Indiana) is an American astronomer, author, and historian of science most noted for his work in the field of astrobiology. Dick served as the Chief Historian for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration from 2003 to 2009 and as the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology from 2013 to 2014. Before that, he was an astronomer and historian of science at the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, DC, from 1979 to 2003. Fifty years ago, with the launch of Sputnik I on October 4, 1957 and the flurry of activity that followed, events were building toward what some historians now recognize as a watershed in historyâ "the beginning of the Space Age. There is no doubt that the last 50 years have witnessed numerous accomplishments in what has often been termed "the new ocean" of space, harking back to a long tradition of exploration. Earth is now circled by thousands of satellites, looking both upward into space at distant galaxies and downward toward Earth for reconnaissance, weather, communications, navigation, and remote sensing. Robotic space probes have explored most of the solar system, returning astonishing images of alien worlds. Space telescopes have probed the depths of the universe at many wavelengths. In the dramatic arena of human spaceflight, 12 men have walked on the surface of the Moon, the Space Shuttle has had 119 flights, and the International Space Station (ISS), a cooperative effort of 16 nations, is almost "core complete." In addition to Russia, which put the first human into space in April 1961, China has now joined the human spaceflight club with two Shenzhou flights, and Europe is contemplating its entry into the field. After 50 years of robotic and human spaceflight, and as serious plans are being implemented to return humans to the Moon and continue on to Mars, it is a good time to step back and ask questions that those in the heat of battle have had but little time to ask. What has the Space Age meant? What if the Space Age had never occurred? Has it been, and is it still, important for a creative society to explore space? How do we, and how should we, remember the Space Age? It is with such questions in mind that the NASA History Division and the National Air and Space Museum Space History Division convened a conference on October 22-23, 2007, to contemplate some of the large questions associated with space exploration over the last half century. The conference encompassed two main themes, reflected in the first two sections of this book. The first, "national and global dimensions of the Space Age," was meant to examine the place of space exploration in human history. The second theme, "remembrance and cultural representation of the Space Age," posed questions about how the historical record of the Space Age has been collected, preserved, displayed, and interpreted around the world, especially in the United States, Russia, the European Union, Canada, and China.

Seller Inventory # 83246

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Remembering the Space Age; NASA SP-2008-4703
• Publisher: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of External Relations, History Division, Washington DC
• Publication Date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0160817234
• ISBN 13: 9780160817236
• Binding: ardcover
• Edition: Presumed First Edition, First printing.
• Condition: Very good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Space
  • Aerospace
  • NASA
  • Space Exploration

About this title

Synopsis

Proceedings of October 2007 conference, sponsored by the NASA History Division and the National Air and Space Museum, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Sputnik 1 launch in October 1957 and the dawn of the space age.

About the Author

Steven J. Dick is the Chief Historian for NASA and Director of the NASA History Division. He worked as an astronomer and historian of science at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, DC for 24 years before coming to NASA Headquarters in 2003. Among his recent books are Societal Impact of Space Flight (NASA SP 4801, 2007, edited with Roger Launius), Critical Issues in the History of Spaceflight (NASA SP 4702, 2006, edited with Roger Launius), The Living Universe: NASA and the Development o Astrobiology (2004), with James Strick) and Sky and Ocean Joined: The U.S. Naval Observatory, 1830 2000 (2003). Dr. Dick is the recipient of the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, two NASA Group Achievements Awards, and the 2006 LeRoy E. Doggett Prize for Historical Astronomy of the American Astronomical Society.