"... the book reminds us of an important lesson in the postwar era of big science: that government policy may lead initially to tremendous support for various fields of science and technology." --Science

"... a triumph of historical analysis." --Choice

"This is an excellent record of the beginnings of the NASA plantetary astronomy program in the years 1958-70." --American Historical Review

"The historical circumstances that led to this country's great leap into space were unique, but it is clear that there are many lessons to be learnt from this enthralling tale and Tatarewicz tells the tale well." --Annals of Science

When NASA went looking for expertise on the moon and planets following Sputnik, they found that astronomers had long since turned their telescopes away from our planets and toward the stars. Where were the scientists who could help the United States explore the solar system? The answer, as this important new study shows, was that NASA had to create them

This story of the precipitous rise and decline of planetary astronomy is an important case study of science in an age of state-managed research and development. It demonstrates that the lines between science, technology, politics, and society are anything but fixed and impermeable.