Colonizing the Planets (1975)

I am off to vist the far off planets for a couple of weeks, so no posts for a while. Here is a beauty to leave you with.

Bergaust, Erik. Colonizing the Planets. New York : Putnam. (93 p.) 24 cm.

Discusses "the factual story of manned interplanetary flight into the 21st century' (according to the cover). Topics include unmanned probes, the exploration of Mars and Venus, nuclear-powered rockets and the terrafoming of Venus.

Illustrations of rockets, manned spacecraft going to Mars, manned landing on one of Saturn's moons, and a permanent space station around Venus.

Rockets and Missiles (1957)

I really like the cover of this one with evoking exploration and how rockets will take us to the moon.

UPDATE :Reader Graham Bates tells me "The cover illustration is, in fact, from a series of ads issued by Northrop Aircraft in the late 1950's (the Snark being one of their missiles).

Bergaust, Erik. Rockets and Missiles. New York: GP Putnam's Sons. (48 p.) 28 cm.


This one is a pictorial encyclopedia of the rockets and missiles used by the Army, Navy and Air Force. It also has sections on research rockets and "missiles of tomorrow" It gives 1 page to each type of missile. With a 1 page glossary of rocket and missile terms at the back of the book.

Rockets and Spacecraft (1966) Vols 1 & 2

Children's books come in all sizes. These are some of the smallest I have found that fit my "children's non-fiction" about space collection. These were part of the "Orbit Pocket Library" and are only 10 cm by 10 cm.

Rockets and Spacecraft, Book One. and Two London : Collins. (28 p.) 10 cm. Board, DJ.

With no obvious copyright date, from spacecraft depicted it is around 1966. Has text alternating with illustrations. They have many illustrations of rockets, both military and various civilian programs.

Especially interesting are the British rocket designs depicted. It is almost impossible to find children's books about the British rockets.

as well as American concepts that never quite got beyond the planning stages.

Rockets, Missiles, and Satellites (1958)

Knight, Clayton. Rockets, Missiles and Satellites. New York: Grosset and Dunlap. (61 p.) 29 cm.

This book focuses more on airplanes and military rockets rather than space flight (which is covered only on pp. 1-18). Describes basic rocket history and theory. Illustrations of rockets, satellites and space ships of the future.

Best thing about it is it has a nice rocket drawing on the cover.

Planes and Rockets (1965)

One of those thin pamphlets that seemed to be in every classroom in the mid-60s.




Victor, Edward. Illustrated by Barss, Bill. Planes and Rockets. Chicago: Follett Publishing Co. (30 p.) 21 cm.

Elementary text about flight and rocket theory. Includes illustrations of rockets, satellites and the Apollo lunar lander. Also found in softcover. "Follett Beginning Science" series.





This may be the cover you are used to since they would rebind it for extended use:

Rockets into Space (1955)

...the Story of Rockets and the exciting possibilities of space travel.

Here is an rare and odd one. This was an early SRA book (Science Research Associates). SRA were classroom reading books. You would read a short book and then answer questions about it testing your reading comprehension. As you can tell this copy is an ex-school library copy and may be the only copy you will ever see.

Joseph, Alexander. Illustrated by Merrick, Don. Rockets into Space. Chicago: Science Research Associates. (48 p.)

Produced for use as a science text, this pamphlet presents basic rocket theory. Also discusses atomic fueled rockets, and a visit to the moon. It is part of the "Modern World of Science" series.

Rocketmen and What They Do (1962)

And where would rockets be without ROCKETMEN! (and WOMEN). This is one of those early career books that gave children an insight into what the people who help the astronauts (and rockets) do.

Coombs, Charles I. Rocketmen and What They Do. New York: Franklin Watts Inc. (184 p.) 22 cm.

Unfortunately the book has no illustrations. It discusses the people who fire rockets and support those firings. Descriptions include NORAD personnel, Submarine ICBM operators, fuel fabricators, and aerospace medicine technicians, devoting a chapter to each.