موشک‌ها: گوگرد، اسپوتنیک و اسکرام‌جت‌ها

Beginning in China in 70 B.C., this fascinating history chronicles the development of rockets from gunpowder-filled sticks of bamboo to interstellar commercial satellites. In particular, the story of American Robert Goddard is traced as he led the group of 20th-century space enthusiasts who realized that rockets would provide the key to early space exploration. Also included are the contributions to rocket evolution of rugged New York stuntmen, rangy Australian kangaroos, and a nudist New Zealand physicist. A history of rockets from their early Chinese origins to their modern use in the military, space exploration and commercial peacetime use. Our story starts around 700 BC when the Chinese used a form of gunpowder to fumigate their houses. The first real rockets were gunpowder filled sections of bamboo thrown under horses to scare them; the next development was to tie these to arrows. The Mongols took rockets from China to Europe where only some, including Admiral Nelson and the Crown Prince of Sweden, were impressed. The Royal Navy used them in all sorts of odd actions against restless natives in Tierra Del Fuego, Australia and New Zealand and the Russian and Austrian empires adopted rockets as alternatives to artillery in boggy and mountainous territory. By 1870 their heyday appeared over. But since the Roman Empire people had dreamed of travelling to the moon and by 1900 some were starting to realise that rockets were the only way to get there. Robert Goddard in the USA and other space enthusiasts all across Europe in the first half of the twentieth century started developing the rockets that are now used for space exploration, by the military, and for commercial purposes such as setting up satellite communications that have revolutionized our modern world. Our story ends with a look at the future of rockets and the third generation spacecraft, the scramjet. The author fills this book with a cast of unusual people and events to tell the story of the history of rocketry including pissoirs in Paris, stuntmen in New York, kangaroos in outback Australia and a socialist nudist New Zealand physicist. Our story starts around 700 BC when the Chinese used a form of gunpowder to fumigate their houses. The first real rockets were gunpowder filled sections of bamboo thrown under horses to scare them; the next development was to tie these to arrows.

The Mongols took rockets from China to Europe where only some, including Admiral Nelson and the Crown Prince of Sweden, were impressed. The Royal Navy used them in all sorts of odd actions against restless natives in Tierra Del Fuego, Australia and New Zealand and the Russian and Austrian empires adopted rockets as alternatives to artillery in boggy and mountainous territory. By 1870 their heyday appeared over.

But since the Roman Empire people had dreamed of travelling to the moon and by 1900 some were starting to realise that rockets were the only way to get there. Robert Goddard in the USA and other space enthusiasts all across Europe in the first half of the twentieth century started developing the rockets that are now used for space exploration, by the military, and for commercial purposes such as setting up satellite communications that have revolutionized our modern world.

Our story ends with a look at the future of rockets and the third generation spacecraft, the scramjet.

The author fills this book with a cast of unusual people and events to tell the story of the history of rocketry including pissoirs in Paris, stuntmen in New York, kangaroos in outback Australia and a socialist nudist New Zealand physicist. Our story starts around 700 B.C. when the Chinese used a form of gunpowder to fumigate their houses. The first real rockets were gunpowder-filled sections of bamboo thrown under horses to scare them; the next development was to tie these to arrows.

The Mongols took rockets from China to Europe where only some, including Admiral Nelson and the Crown Prince of Sweden, were impressed. The Royal Navy used them in all sorts of odd actions against 'restless natives' in Tierra Del Fuego, Australia and New Zealand, and the Russian and Austrian empires adopted rockets as alternatives to artillery in boggy and mountainous territory. By 1870 their heyday appeared over.

But since the Roman Empire people had dreamed of travelling to the moon and by 1900 some were starting to realise that rockets were the only way to get there. Robert Goddard in the USA and other space enthusiasts all across Europe in the first half of the twentieth century started developing the rockets that are now used for space exploration, by the military and for commercial purposes such as setting up satellite communications that have revolutionised our modern world.

Our story ends with a look at the future of rockets and the third-generation spacecraft, the scramjet.

Contents......Page 7 Prologue......Page 9 1 Sputnik and the 50-year rule......Page 23 2 The first rockets......Page 33 3 The alchemists......Page 49 4 Congreve's ricochet rockets......Page 70 5 The rockets' red glare......Page 93 6 After Waterloo......Page 112 7 The dream of space......Page 125 8 Civil rockets......Page 137 9 The universal touring gene......Page 152 10 A question of fuels......Page 169 11 Chasing Goddard......Page 182 12 Rockets in World War II......Page 207 13 The Space Age......Page 228 14 The alternatives......Page 247 Postscript......Page 264 Acknowledgements......Page 266 References......Page 270 Index......Page 280 Sulfur, Sputnik and Scramjets Contents 7 Prologue 9 1 Sputnik and the 50-year rule 23 2 The first rockets 33 3 The alchemists 49 4 Congreve's ricochet rockets 70 5 The rockets' red glare 93 6 After Waterloo 112 7 The dream of space 125 8 Civil rockets 137 9 The universal touring gene 152 10 A question of fuels 169 11 Chasing Goddard 182 12 Rockets in World War II 207 13 The Space Age 228 14 The alternatives 247 Postscript 264 Acknowledgements 266 References 270 Index 280 Beginning in China in 70 B C, this history chronicles the development of rockets from gunpowder-filled sticks of bamboo to interstellar commercial satellites. It traces the story of American Robert Goddard as he led the group of 20th-century space enthusiasts who realized that rockets would provide the key to early space exploration. The history and development of rockets is chronicled in a study that ranges from gunpowder-filled sticks of bamboo in 70 B.C. China to interstellar commercial satellites and explains how rockets became the key to early space exploration. Original.