On October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union launched the world's first man-made satellite Sputnik-1, opening the doors to a new cosmic era. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of this momentous occasion 50 Years of Space: A Global Perspective gathers in a single volume, brief histories of all the major space agencies of the world written by people of impeccable credentials. In the past 50 years, many countries have found their own, unique paths to orbit. The objectives were multi-dimensional – an opportunity for investigating and understanding outer space; a means of showcasing technological superiority; a means to solve social problems. The essays assembled in this book illustrate the many different solutions that each country or organisation has developed.