The Road to Space: The Record of China’s Aerospace Development

When in 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first satellite, China’s dream of space travel seemed to be in the far distant future. So how has the Chinese Space Program caught up so fast? Authors Li Xuanqing and Liu Gang chart China’s path to the stars in great and inspiring detail, from the earliest attempts to launch a simple rocket, and up to the Moon Exploration Project and even plans in the future for Mars. We see every step in China’s rapid rise into space and follow those hardworking and creative pioneering scientists like Qian Xuesen and others as they struggle to build Dongfanghong 1, the first Chinese satellite, the mighty Long March Rockets, the Shenzhou spacecraft, and the Chang'e Moon Exploration Project. Learn about the personal lives of the astronauts, often from simple rural beginnings, as they tell their incredible stories of hard work, bravery, and triumph as they soar to the stars.And the space program has provided China and the world with many technical advancements, including the Beidou global positioning system, giving a wealth of civilian applications of the knowledge gained from the efforts to conquer space. In addition, China’s astronauts are teaching young children about the possibilities of space travel, giving new generations reasons to dream of flying in the stars.With 85 historic photos, this book will inform and inspire future generations to learn from these heroic efforts to take China into space, to the Moon, Mars, and beyond!