Customer Reviews

Testing Aircraft, Exploring Space: An Illustrated History of NACA and NASA

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This is a quite successful attempt to synthesize the history of the sole federal organization created to undertake research and development (R&D) in flight technology. The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was established in 1915 in response to the rapid advancement in aeronautical technology in Europe and the need in the United States to duplicate and surpass that level of effort. The NACA was transformed into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 1958 in the aftermath of the Sputnik crisis, and given a mandate to undertake R&D in space technology in addition to its aeronautics component. As a synthesis this work brings together what is known about the history of these organizations. It does not seek to advance basic knowledge but instead to ensure that what is presently known is captured in a single volume. In successfully doing so, Bilstein's work will become the standard work on the subject.

Roger Bilstein is one of the very best historians of air and space technology working today. He also has the ability to prepare exceptionally comprehensive, uniquely useful syntheses. His books--"Flight in America: From the Wrights to the Astronauts" (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1984, and several subsequent editions) and "The American Aerospace Industry: From Workshop to Global Enterprise" (Twayne Publishers, 1996)--are also standard introductory works on their subjects. Both books are the place to start with in any investigation of air and space activities. It is not easy to write satisfactory syntheses and Bilstein has a knack for it, as do no others working in aerospace historians. He demonstrates it well here.

"Testing Aircraft/Exploring Space" is the latest synthesis from Bilstein, and it bears all of the outstanding qualities of his earlier efforts mentioned above. He ranges broadly across his subject, exploring the history of the NACA and NASA since 1915. It is not an institutional history, however, emphasizing the research and development activities of these federal organizations rather the bureaucracy and the minutia of politics.

It is a terrific overview of a complex and important subject appearing at the time of the celebration of a century of flight since the Wright brothers.

Testing Aircraft, Exploring Space is a profusely illustrated history of the NACA and NASA institutions, and their contributions to aviation and space exploration science, research, human exploration and much, much more. Black-and- white photographs, meticulous detail, and an involving survey of both history and discovery, make Testing Aircraft, Exploring Space an absorbing and informative study of America's exploration of the true "final frontier".

This is a very interesting book that concisely details the history of NACA and NASA. It doesn't get too deep into the technical or political sides, but tries to show a balanced view of all the important aspects of these organizations. My only complaint is regarding the pictures. One picture is used twice to represent two distinctly different aircraft, and a couple photographs appear very pixelated, as if they were taken from the internet and enlarged too much.