In the 1950s and early 1960s a small fraternity of daring, brilliant men made the first exploratory trips into the upper stratosphere, reaching the edge of outer space in tiny capsules suspended beneath plastic balloons. This book tells the story of these tenacious men as they laboured on the cusp of a new age, seeing things that no one had ever seen and experiencing conditions no one was sure they could survive. Mostly U.S. Air Force and Navy officers, among them doctors, physicists, meteorologists, engineers, astronomers ...
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In the 1950s and early 1960s a small fraternity of daring, brilliant men made the first exploratory trips into the upper stratosphere, reaching the edge of outer space in tiny capsules suspended beneath plastic balloons. This book tells the story of these tenacious men as they laboured on the cusp of a new age, seeing things that no one had ever seen and experiencing conditions no one was sure they could survive. Mostly U.S. Air Force and Navy officers, among them doctors, physicists, meteorologists, engineers, astronomers, and test pilots, they struggled with meagre budgets, bureaucratic politics, and one another. It is a thrilling story of tremendous personal sacrifice and great risk for the promise of adventure and the opportunity to uncover a few precious aspects of the universe. Capt. Joseph Kittinger, for example, rode a balloon up to 103,000 feet in an open gondola and then stepped out and freefell to Earth, becoming the only person to break the sound barrier without a vehicle. Lt. Col. David Simons stayed aloft for a full day and night in a primitive pressurized capsule to become one of the first to see the curvature of the planet. In this work, Craig Ryan masterfully captures the drama of their spectacular achievements and those of many of the other space pioneers who made America's stratospheric balloon programs possible.
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Add this copy of Pre-Astronauts: Manned Ballooning on the Threshold of to cart. $5.92, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by US Naval Institute Press.
Add this copy of Pre-Astronauts: Manned Ballooning on the Threshold of to cart. $5.92, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by US Naval Institute Press.
Add this copy of Pre-Astronauts: Manned Ballooning on the Threshold of to cart. $5.92, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by US Naval Institute Press.
Add this copy of Pre-Astronauts: Manned Ballooning on the Threshold of to cart. $5.92, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by US Naval Institute Press.
Add this copy of The Pre-Astronauts: Manned Ballooning on the Threshold to cart. $9.99, very good condition, Sold by 417 Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Branson, MO, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Naval Institute Press.
Add this copy of The Pre-Astronauts to cart. $16.93, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2003 by US Naval Institute Press.
Add this copy of The Pre-Astronauts: Manned Ballooning on the Threshold to cart. $17.49, very good condition, Sold by Alien Bindings rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from BALTIMORE, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Naval Institute Press.
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Seller's Description:
Softcover edition (2003) in Very Good+ or Near Fine condition. The covers are in great shape with only a hint of shelf wear. The binding is square and tight. Organization stamp neatly marked out on the half-title page. The interior pages are clean and unmarked. The book will be carefully packaged for shipment for protection from the elements. USPS electronic tracking number issued free of charge. In the 1950s and early 1960s a small fraternity of daring, brilliant men made the first exploratory trips into the upper stratosphere, reaching the edge of outer space in tiny capsules suspended beneath plastic balloons. This book tells the story of these tenacious men as they labored on the cusp of a new age, seeing things that no one had ever seen and experiencing conditions no one was sure they could survive. Mostly U.S. Air Force and Navy officers, among them doctors, physicists, meteorologists, engineers, astronomers, and test pilots, they struggled with meager budgets, bureaucratic politics, and one another. It is a thrilling story of tremendous personal sacrifice and great risk for the promise of adventure and the opportunity to uncover a few precious aspects of the universe. Capt. Joseph Kittinger, for example, rode a balloon up to 103, 000 feet in an open gondola and then stepped out and freefell to Earth, becoming the only person to break the sound barrier without a vehicle. Lt. Col. David Simons stayed aloft for a full day and night in a primitive pressurized capsule to become one of the first to see the curvature of the planet. In this work, Craig Ryan masterfully captures the drama of their spectacular achievements and those of many of the other space pioneers who made America's stratospheric balloon programs possible. 344 pages.
Add this copy of Pre-Astronauts: Manned Ballooning on the Threshold of to cart. $18.52, like new condition, Sold by GreatBookPrices rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Columbia, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by US Naval Institute Press.
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Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 344 p. Contains: Unspecified. Bluejacket Books. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
