Book excerpt: In 1957 Sputnik launched toward the stars. President Kennedy then announced that the United States would send men to the Moon and then return them to Earth.These pivotal moments sparked an unequaled bound forward in human innovation and scientific exploration. At the heart of this momentous time were the men and women working behind the scenes. Scientists, historians, and astronomers share their memories and contributions from this unparalleled era in essays told in their own words. They are the remarkable generation who witnessed and contributed to some of space science’s most stunning achievements. Here they have recorded their memories—their childhood inspirations, their challenges, failures, and triumphs—for future generations. A unique and authoritative record of a momentous period in human history, The Space Age Generation highlights the golden age of space exploration and the people who made it happen. Contributors Leo Aerts Alexander Basilevsky Klaus Brasch Clark R. Chapman Dale P. Cruikshank William K. Hartmann William Leatherbarrow Baerbel Koesters Lucchitta Yvonne Pendleton Peter H. Schultz William Sheehan Paolo Tanga Charles A. Wood