A Vertical Empire

A Vertical Empire provides a description of the British rocketry and space programme from the 1950s to 1970s, detailing the Medium Range Ballistic Missile Blue Streak and its conversion to a satellite launcher as part of the European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO). This extensively revised second edition includes material only made available in the past ten years and the text is supplemented by numerous photographs, sketches and statistics. The all-British satellite Black Arrow is described, as well as the research rocket Black Knight, the Blue Steel missile and the rocket powered interceptor aircraft. Contents: Rocket MotorsRocket InterceptorsBlue SteelBlue Streak — The OriginsBlue Streak — The ‘Underground Launcher’Blue Streak — The CancellationBSSLVThe European Launcher Development Organisation — ELDOEuropaBlack KnightBlack Knight and the Re-entry ExperimentsBlack ArrowThe ‘Might Have Beens’ Readership: Readers interested in the history of technology and enthusiasts of British technology. Keywords:Blue Streak;Black Arrow;Black Knight;Blue Steel;Rocket MotorKey Features:It is the only work to give a full and complete overview of the programmeThere are certain areas which are covered only in this book — e.g. the Black Knight research rocketA large amount of new material has become available in various archives over the past ten years, and this material has been incorporated into the new editionReviews: “The technical evolution and never-ending political debates associated with those missile projects are presented in great detail in this well-written and meticulously researched volume.” The Observatory Magazine “This book is to be highly recommended for its objectivity and realistic appraisal of an inspiring example of a can-do spirit. It is required reading for anyone seeking the truth about how Britain let slip one of its greatest engineering opportunities and was profoundly let down by a political elite that abandoned UK skill and world-class performance.” Spaceflight “Hill offers a series of fascinating snapshots on some of the technical and political issues these rocketry and missile programmes faced, often accompanied by his own thoughts and opinions along the way. ” The Aeronautical Journal