Tells the story of the search for a rocket propellant which could be trusted to take man into space. Acclaimed scientist and sci-fi author John D. Clark writes with irreverent and eyewitness immediacy about the development of the explosive fuels strong enough to negate the relentless restraints of gravity.

Contents
In Re John D. Clark - foreword by Issac Asimov
Preface
 1    How It Started
 2    Peenemunde and JPL
 3    The Hunting of the Hypergol . . .
 4    . . . and Its Mate
 5    Peroxide - Always a Bridesmaid
 6    Halogens and Politics and Deep Space
 7    Performance
 8    Lox and Flox and Cryogenics in General
 9    What Ivan Was Doing
10    "Exotics"
11    The Hopeful Monoprops
12    High Density and the Higher Foolishness
13    What Happens Next
Glossary
Index