J. D. Hunley

Originally published in 1987, this study assesses the extent to which social and economic conditions affected the outcome of Reichstag and Landtag elections. It discusses the economic development in the district of Düsseldorf both before and during the period covered, 1867-1878; it also examines those social conditions in the region that remained static from 1867 – 1878, but also considers, as a background to each election or set of elections, short term changes in economic and social conditions.

Originally published in 1987, this study assesses the extent to which social and economic conditions affected the outcome of Reichstag and Landtag elections. It discusses the economic development in the district of Düsseldorf both before and during the period covered, 1867-1878; it also examines those social conditions in the region that remained static from 1867 – 1878, but also considers, as a background to each election or set of elections, short term changes in economic and social conditions.

In this definitive study, J. D. Hunley traces the programme’s development from Goddard’s early rockets (and the German V-2 missile) through the Titan IVA and the Space Shuttle, with a focus on space-launch vehicles. Since these rockets often evolved from early missiles, he pays considerable attention to missile technology, not as an end in itself, but as a contributor to launch-vehicle technology. Focusing especially on the engineering culture of the programme, Hunley communicates this very human side of technological development by means of anecdotes, character sketches, and case studies of problems faced by rocket engineers. He shows how such a highly adaptive approach enabled the evolution of a hugely complicated technology that was impressive—but decidedly not rocket science. Unique in its single-volume coverage of the evolution of launch-vehicle technology from 1926 to 1991, this meticulously researched work will inform scholars and engineers interested in the history of technology and innovation, as well as those specialising in the history of space flight.