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 multi-volume series containing a selection of key documents in the history of the U.S. civil space program. Volume V, focusing on the exploration of space by robotic spacecraft that have significantly altered our perspectives on the cosmos, prints 121 key documents on the history of space science, planetary exploration of the solar system, and space astrophysics, edited for ease of use. Many of these documents 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 four 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 space science 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 V Contributors.

-Glossary.

-Chapter One.

-Essay: Space Science: Origins, Evolution, and Organization, by John E. Naugle.
-Documents:
-I-1 thru I-35.

-Chapter Two.

-Essay: NASA and Planetary Exploration, by Amy Paige Snyder.
-Documents:
-II-1 thru II-46.

-Chapter Three.

-Essay: Exploring the Universe: Space-Based Astronomy and Astrophysics, by Nancy Grace Roman.
-Documents:
-III-1 thru III-40.

-Biographical Appendix.

-Index.

-The NASA History Series.