"The story of the race into space is marked by the greatest superpower rivalries, political paranoia, and technological feats of the twentieth century. But until now, we have only known half the story. With the end of the Cold War, a generation of secrets and cover-ups has been revealed, bringing a historic opportunity: the unmasking of the true heroes and villains behind the biggest race of mankind." "In this fast-paced account, Deborah Cadbury pits the Americans' chief rocket designer, ex-Nazi Wernher von Braun, hurriedly white-washed by the US to lead the way, against the obscure Russian engineer Sergei Korolev - a genius known only as the 'Chief Designer' - whose story has long remained a mystery. Both were men of their times, but with visions that were timeless. And both were prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to see the fulfilment of their dreams." "Von Braun had almost limitless funds and the best minds that could be sourced from the entire globe. Korolev had a budget so tight that initially his engineers used cardboard boxes as drafting tables. They both sent astronauts into space not knowing for sure whether they would ever be seen again. The world watched as the American and Soviet teams, impervious to disaster, took the fight for the coveted prize right up to the wire - but there could only be one winner." "Deborah Cadbury, in this book, combines sheer adventure and nail-biting suspense with a moving portrayal of the human dimension to this epic struggle. Using source materials never before seen, she tells the story of the Cold War, of espionage and ambition, of ingenuity, passion, and the final, mind-bending voyage beyond the bounds of the Earth."--BOOK JACKET.
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