James Van Allen

Astrophysicist and space pioneer James Van Allen (1914-2006), for whom the Van Allen radiation belts were named, was among the principal scientific investigators for twenty-four space missions, including "Explorer I "in 1958, the first successful U.S. satellite; "Mariner 2"'s 1962 flyby of Venus, the first successful mission to another planet; and the 1970's "Pioneer 10" and "Pioneer 11," missions that surveyed Jupiter and Saturn. Abigail Foerstner blends space science, drama, military agenda's, cold war politics, and the events of Van Allen's lengthy career to create the first biography of this highly influential physicist.