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Author
Language
English
Description
In the 1940s and 50s, when the newly minted Jet Propulsion Laboratory needed quick-thinking mathematicians to calculate velocities and plot trajectories, they recruited an elite group of young women -- known as human computers -- who, with only pencil, paper, and mathematical prowess, transformed rocket design, and helped bring about the first American ballistic missiles. But they were never interested in developing weapons; their hearts lay in the...
Author
Language
English
Description
"One of the most elusive and controversial figures in NASA's history, George W.S. Abbey was called "the Dark Lord," "the Godfather," and "UNO" (unidentified NASA official) by those within NASA. From young pilot and wannabe astronaut to engineer, bureaucrat, and finally director of the Johnson Space Center ("mission control"), Abbey's story has never been fully told--until now. This fascinating account takes readers inside NASA to learn the real story...
Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
"The Space Age began just as the struggle for civil rights forced Americans to confront the long and bitter legacy of slavery, discrimination, and violence against African Americans. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson utilized the space program as an agent for social change, using federal equal employment opportunity laws to open workplaces at NASA and NASA contractors to African Americans while creating thousands of research and technology...
Author
Accelerated Reader
IL: LG - BL: 4.3 - AR Pts: 1
Lexile measure
720L
Language
English
Formats
Description
"Why is Lonnie Johnson important? He invented the Super Soaker! Readers follow his journey from a NASA engineer working on missions to Jupiter and Saturn to becoming the inventor of one of the most popular toys in the United States. This story of hard work is filled with engaging text and colorful images, all reviewed by Smithsonian experts"--
Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
This book is a behind-the-scenes look at the bizarre crime of astronaut Lisa Nowak, who drove 900 miles to intercept and confront her romantic rival in an airport parking lot--allegedly using diapers on the trip so she wouldn't have to stop. This is a riveting journey inside the high-pressure world of one of America's most elite agencies and the life of one beleaguered astronaut.
Author
Lexile measure
1120L
Language
English
Description
Before John Glenn orbited the Earth or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of professionals worked as "Human Computers," calculating the flight paths that would enable these historic achievements. Among these were a coterie of bright, talented African-American women. Segregated from their white counterparts by Jim Crow laws, these "colored computers," as they were known, used slide rules, adding machines, and pencil and paper to support America's...
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