On Mars: Exploration of the Red Planet, 1958-1978--The NASA History (Dover Books on Astronomy)

Generations of scientists and stargazers have studied the Red Planet and pondered its possibilities. Commissioned by NASA itself, this volume is the authoritative history of the start of the agency's explorations of our closest neighbor. It recounts the often fragile cooperation among people in government, industry, and academia, and is highlighted by dozens of photos taken by Viking cameras.