Alternate history and the evolution of manned flight (original) (raw)

Several turning points in aerospace history are examined to explore possible alternative outcomes and important aspects of the historical significance of the divergences and the impact upon aerospace technology. In early aviation, the aviators Otto Lilienthal, Samuel Langley, and the Wright Brothers are considered as likely candidates for alternative historical paths. In early rocket development, the lives of the rocket scientists Robert Goddard, Wernher von Braun, and Sergei Korolev are similarly examined.