Acknowledgments

Gene, my bride, has been patient with me for many years, 63 to be exact. In the past, I’ve traveled extensively, and even when home, I’ve had deadlines to meet and weekend activities to attend. So last January, in retirement, I asked my daughters whether it was fair to embark on another major endeavor. I explained why I wanted again to put pencil to paper. They thought I should, but only if their mother was sympathetic. Gene was not just enthusiastic; she was supportive from then until now, even when I disappeared behind closed doors for countless hours.

My output on foolscap is illegible to most, but somehow Julie Cleary, my associate, was able to interpret and transcribe the contents. There were, of course, rewrites and additions, and then a table of contents, an index, and footnotes—this last the greatest hurdle of all. The final copy is a testament to her perseverance and skill.

I also want to recognize Marie Doherty and the members of the Media Services Department in the Draper Laboratory for their assistance with three key illustrations.

This opus could not have been published without the full support of NASA’s History Division, and in particular Steve Garber, with whom I’d worked previously on my book Aiming at Targets (NASA SP-4106, 1996). Now, as in the past, his professionalism, his calm demeanor, and his can-do attitude made this publication become a reality.

Special thanks also go to Nadine Andreassen, Steven Dick, Giny Cheong, Annette Lin, and Mike Peacock of the History Division for all their help.

Dr. Asif Siddiqi, an expert in Russian space history, also contributed a great deal by reviewing the manuscript. Thanks also to the various peer reviewers who provided much useful feedback.

Special thanks also go to the fine professionals in the NASA Headquarters Printing and Design office. Lisa Jirousek carefully edited the manuscript, Tatiana Floyd laid it out, Jeffrey McLean and Henry Spencer handled the printing, and Steve Johnson and Gregory Treese oversaw the whole effort. My hat is off to all of these people for their expert contributions.