On a universal or microscopic scale, science is endlessly fascinating. Humankind’s curiosity about the way our world works will never be fully satisfied no matter how many breakthroughs or discoveries are made. And even when used as a foundation for science fiction, the information and understanding we achieve from that study only expands and enhances the boundaries of our imaginations. Taschen’s new book The NASA Archives explores America’s history of space flight, and it is an endlessly fascinating document that not only collects images of the groundbreaking technology used to catapult men and women into the stars, but chronicles the scientific progress and very real human effort—in terms of intelligence, ingenuity and even lives—of achieving these historic breakthroughs that allow us to better understand our world and our universe.
Featuring photographs, speeches and documents from the era—including John F. Kennedy’s famous tribute to the space race—The NASA Archives compiles hundreds of images and artifacts from the 1950s to today. This includes a collection of the pins and patches created for each space mission, documentation of the various uniforms and suits worn by astronauts, and of course a visual history of the vehicles used to launch them into space—and in some cases, to bring them back home. Writer Piers Bizony ties these materials together with detailed, thoughtful, compelling prose that weaves a narrative of history that highlights moments great and small in the space race.
These include photos of Langley engineer Richard Whitcomb and his pioneering “blended wing” concept:
Poring through the book, it’s easy to let yourself get distracted by the photographs, which range from the iconic to the obscure. Many, such as this picture of Buzz Aldrin on the moon (taken by Neil Armstrong), seem imprinted on our cultural consciousness and inseparable from space travel:
Nevertheless, what’s so special about the book is that it not only provides answers and context for those images that have been emblazoned upon our memories, but only intensifies our interest in the ins and outs of the science and sacrifice involved with the space program. It taps into that excitement and imagination, and nourishes it.
Further, it reminds us that space travel was not just an ambition of the past, even if the American space program has been reduced, dismantled and deprioritized since its heyday. An early passage highlights the “citizen scientists” that NASA has recruited and provided uncensored data for to help further our understanding of the universe as technology evolves and gives us a clearer picture of the stars, planets and ourselves.
Images: Courtesy of NASA