Includes bibliographical references (pages 284-288)

First steps: from Earth to the sky -- The Space Age: steps to orbit and beyond -- Human steps to space -- Global steps to space: a world of space agencies and institutes -- Space and society: building a spacefaring civilisation -- Private industry: commercial steps to space -- Planetary science: robotic steps to the solar system -- Astronomy in the Space Age: taking steps to the stars -- Next steps: where do we go from here? -- Mars quest: humanity's future on the Red Planet

"Humanity has always looked to the stars, but it hasn't been until relatively recently that we have managed to travel into space. Carolyn Collins Petersen takes us on a journey from the first space pioneers and their work, through the First World Warled technological advances in rocketry that formed the basis for the Space Age, to the increasing corporate interest in space. This detailed examination of our steps into space is viewed from our potential future there - on Mars to be exact - and considers how we will reach that point. The author concludes with our current advances and our immediate ambitions in space exploration. The future and its scientific possibilities are enthralling: who will be the first to step on Mars? Will matter/antimatter annihilations take us to the Kuiper Belt, or will it be ion propulsion? What is the Alcubierre Warp Drive? Will it take us to the stars?"--Publisher's description