EDITORIAL INFORMATION

The civil space program of the United States has been one of thee most significant activities of the latter half of the twentieth century. Even at this juncture, only a little more than a generation after the first orbital flights, the compelling nature of space exploration and the activity that it has engendered on the part of many people and government organizations make the U.S. civil space program a significant ara of investigation.

At the same time, questions about why it took the shape it did; which individuals and organizations were involved; what factors influenced particular choices of scientific objectives and tecnologies to be used; and the political, economic, managerial, international, and cultural contexts in which the events of the space age have unfolded are especialiy pertinent as the U.S. government seeks to come to grips with future policies and programs.

Exploring the Unknown is a mul-volume series containing a selection of key documents in the history of the U.S. civil space program. Volume III, focusing on the use of space for practical applications, prints 112 key documents on the history of satellite communications, remote sensing of Earth, and space as an investment in economic growth, edited for ease of use. Many of these are published here for the first time. Each is introduced by a headnote providing context, bibliographical information, and background information necessary to understanding the document. These are organized into three major sections, each beginning with an introductory essay that keys the documents to major events in the history of the space program.

This documentary history is an essential reference for anyone interested in the history of the U.S. civil space program and its development over time. It will serve as a valuable source both for students and scholars. Additional volumes will appear later that trace relations with other organizations and the programmatic developments in the history of the U.S. exploration of space.

(Extracted from the dust jacket)

GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

-Contents.

-Acknowledgements.

-Introduction.

-Biographies of Volume III Essay Authors and Editors.

-Glossary.

-Chapter One.

-Essay: The History of Satellite Communications, by Joseph N. Pelton.
-Documents:
-I-1 thru I-30.

-Chapter Two.

-Essay: Observing the Earth From Space, by Pamela E. Mack.
-Documents:
-II-1 thru II-50.

-Chapter Three.

-Essay: Space as an Investment in Economic Growth, by Henry R. Hertzfeld.
-Documents:
-III-1 thru III 32.

-Biographical Appendix.

-Index.

-The NASA History Series.