The fifth edition is a major revision of the book. This edition reflects the increased variety of technical areas in the aerospace field. The objectives are: a familiarity with some of the important milestones in aerospace history and an appreciation for the rapid advancement which has occurred; a working vocabulary of the field; an appreciation of the operational environment and the operational aspects of aerospace vehicles; a discussion of the basic aerospace systems and concepts; elemental concepts of aerospace vehicle performance; flight safety information and philosophy; aerospace vehicle design philosophy.