Les satellites artificiels américains

John Shirley Hurst
Translated from the English by H. Claireau
Year1957
PublisherDeux Rives
PlaceParis
LanguageFR
Pages191
Rating★★★☆☆ (3/5)
AudienceGeneral, Student
LevelBeginner
Keywords
space physicsastronauticsrocketartificial satelliteProject Vanguard
ThemesSpace Race, Launchers & Propulsion

A first-hand account of the American artificial satellite program (Project Vanguard), written by the Director of Information of the US Federal Civil Defense Administration and published in French translation in 1957. The book traces President Eisenhower's announcement of July 29, 1955, the scientific origins of the project (atmospheric research, V-2 rockets, International Geophysical Year), the contributions of the National Science Foundation and the Navy, and the technical details of the Vanguard satellite and its launcher. A contemporary witness account written before the Sputnik launch, it captures American optimism at the dawn of the Space Age.

📖 Editorial Review

Published in French translation in the very year of Sputnik's launch, this book offers a rare vantage point: that of an American government communications official who had inside access to the Vanguard program. A valuable period document, it captures the optimism and uncertainties of the United States on the eve of a …