The Pre-Astronauts - Paperback

Pre-Astronauts: Manned Ballooning on the Threshold of Space

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.

The Pioneers of High-Altitude Exploration

Mostly U.S. Air Force and Navy officers, among them doctors, physicists, meteorologists, engineers, astronomers, and test pilots, these pioneers struggled with meager budgets, bureaucratic politics, and one another. This is a thrilling account of tremendous personal sacrifice and great risk for the promise of adventure and the opportunity to uncover precious aspects of the universe.

Record-Breaking Achievements

Capt. Joseph Kittinger 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. Craig Ryan masterfully captures the drama of their spectacular achievements and those of many other space pioneers who made America's stratospheric balloon programs possible.

A Critical Chapter in Space Exploration History

This work documents the critical transition period between aviation and space exploration, when brave individuals pushed the boundaries of human endurance and technological capability. Their experiments and discoveries laid the groundwork for the space programs that would follow, making this an essential read for anyone interested in the complete history of American space exploration.