Brian Lloyd: If you go to the home page of Behind the Black, you will see a box at the top of the page, with detailed instructions for buying one of the last four copies of the Chronological Encyclopedia. However, I will add them here: To get your own autographed copy of this now rare collector’s item, please send a $120 check (which includes shipping) payable to Robert Zimmerman to

Behind The Black, c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652

It was really quite something in those days. The launch would go off, and everyone would watch as the rocket disappeared into the sky. Then the wait began… and tension would rise as everyone waited apprehensively for confirmation that the satellite made orbit – which wouldn’t occur until a downrange station (in Africa I think) picked up the telemetry signal some 15 minutes later. Then a big mutual sigh of relief, often accompanied by boisterous cheering!

Andi: Sorry but the Encyclopedia was only published as a hardback. No ebook version exists.

Incidentally, my father was instrumental in the meteorological satellite program, and was the one primarily responsible for the TIROS and NIMBUS series of weather satellites. He took me to the launch of Tiros 1 on April 1, 1960 – fortunately the date did not jinx the mission!

Jay Nawrocki asked, “Is an update to this book being prepared that covers 2000 to 2016?”

Unfortunately, not at this time. While my Chronological Encyclopedia does end in December 1999, it does provide a complete and detailed history of everything that was accomplished in space during entire last half of the 20th century, thus making it the best historical and science reference for the beginnings of the space age.