Aerostats open the vista -- Creating rocket science -- Maturing the technology -- Space Medicine on the threshold -- Rocket-powered aircraft -- Cold War arms race -- The race into Space -- Developing a manned spacecraft --The first orbital flights -- Exploring the unknown -- Commitment to the Moon -- Rendezvous is the key -- Conceiving a moon rocket -- Gemini captures the lead -- Project Apollo -- Death stalks the astronauts -- The circumlunar goal -- One small step -- Exploring the Moon -- The first space stations -- Designing a reusable spacecraft -- Engineering the space shuttle -- The reality of failure -- Mir: A durable space station -- A permanent presence in Space -- Unfulfilled Soviet efforts -- Return of the expendable rocket -- The next generation of manned spacecraft -- Epilogue: What will the future bring? -- List of acronyms and abbreviations.