Roger D. Launius

About the Author

Roger D. Launius is Associate Director for Collections and Curatorial Affairs and a senior curator at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, as well as former NASA chief historian. David H. DeVorkin is a senior curator at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

Includes the names: Launius Rd, Roger Launius, Roger D. Launis, Rodger D. Launius-, Ph.D. Roger Launius, ed. Roger D. Launius, Ph. D. Roger Launius, Roger D. Launius, et.al., ed.

Disambiguation Notice:

Roger D. Launius writes on lunar and Planetary exploration, history of U.S. space flight, Mormonism, and baseball

Image credit: Roger D. Launius [credit: Carla Schaffer]

Works by Roger D. Launius

Popular Recent

NASA and the Exploration of Space (1998) 56 copies, 1 review

The Smithsonian History of Space Exploration: From the Ancient World to the Extraterrestrial Future (2018) 51 copies, 1 review

Space Stations: Base Camps to the Stars (2003) 38 copies, 2 reviews

Imagining Space: Achievements, Predictions, Possibilities 1950-2050 (2001) 35 copies

Smithsonian Atlas of Space Exploration (2009) 32 copies, 1 review

Robots in Space: Technology, Evolution, and Interplanetary Travel (2008) 28 copies

Apollo's Legacy: Perspectives on the Moon Landings (2019) 27 copies, 1 review

Spaceflight and the Myth of Presidential Leadership (1997) 25 copies

Joseph Smith III, Pragmatic Prophet (1988) 24 copies

Cultures in Conflict; A Documentary History of the Mormon War in Illinois (1995) — Editor — 22 copies

Differing Visions: Dissenters in Mormon History (1994) — Editor; Introduction — 22 copies

NASA: A History of the U.S. Civil Space Program (An Anvil Original) (1994) 18 copies

To Reach the High Frontier: A History of U.S. Launch Vehicles (2002) 18 copies

Frontiers of Space Exploration (1998) 16 copies

Kingdom on the Mississippi Revisited: NAUVOO IN MORMON HISTORY (1996) — Editor; Contributor — 14 copies

Reaching for the Moon: A Short History of the Space Race (2019) 13 copies

Critical issues in the history of spaceflight (2006) 11 copies, 1 review

Space a Journey to Our Future... The Official Companion to the Exhibit (2004) 10 copies

The C-5 Galaxy History: Crushing Setbacks, Decisive Achievements (2001) 10 copies, 2 reviews

NACA to NASA to now : the frontiers of air and space in the American century (2022) 10 copies

Reconsidering Sputnik : forty years since the Soviet satellite (2000) 9 copies

Alexander William Doniphan: Portrait of a Missouri Moderate (1997) 9 copies

An Illustrated History of the Kirtland Temple (1986) 9 copies

Apollo: A Retrospective Analysis (2011) 9 copies

Coming Home: Reentry and Recovery From Space (2012) 8 copies

Hubble's Legacy: Reflections by Those Who Dreamed It, Built It, and Observed the Universe with It (Smithsonian… (2014) 7 copies

Invisible Saints: A Study of Black Americans in the Reorganized Church (1988) 6 copies

Exploring the solar system : the history and science of planetary exploration (2012) 6 copies

Space Shuttle Legacy: How We Did It and What We Learned (Library of Flight) (2013) 6 copies, 1 review

Reconsidering a Century of Flight (2003) — Editor — 6 copies

Joseph Smith, Jr.'s Red Brick Store (Western Illinois monograph series) (2019) — Author — 6 copies

NASA Spaceflight A History of Innovation (2017) — Editor — 5 copies

Zion's Camp: Expedition to Missouri, 1834 (1984) 5 copies

Father Figure: Joseph Smith III and the Creation of the Reorganized Church (1990) 5 copies

Kirtland Temple: An Historical Narrative (1986) 4 copies

Missouri Folk Heroes of the Nineteenth Century (1989) — Editor; Contributor — 4 copies

Historical Analogs for the Stimulation of Space Commerce (2014) 4 copies

Seasons in the Sun: The Story of Big League Baseball in Missouri (Sports and American Culture Series) (2002) 3 copies

History of Rocketry and Astronautics Proceedings of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth History Symposia of the International… (1994) 3 copies

An Annotated Bibliography of the Apollo Program 2 copies

Smithsonian Atlas of Space: A Map to the Universe from the Big Bang to the Future 2 copies

Globalizing Polar Science: Reconsidering the International Polar and Geophysical Years (Palgrave Studies in the History… (2010) — Editor — 2 copies

Sputnik, Eisenhower, and the founding of NASA: Unintended Consequences of the International Geophysical Year 1 copy

The U.S. Space Program and American Society (Perspectives on History) (1970) 1 copy

The historical dimension of space exploration: reflections and possibilities [Space Policy 16 (2000) 23-38] 1 copy

Toward a History of the Space Shuttle: An Annotated Bibliography 1 copy

Underlying assumptions of human spaceflight in the United States [Acta Astronautica 62 (2008) 341-356] 1 copy

Planning the post-Apollo space program: Are there lessons for the present? [Space Policy 28 (2012) 38-44] 1 copy

Apollo's Legacy: The Space Race in Perspective 1 copy

After Apollo: The Legacy of the American Moon Landings (2013) 1 copy

Innovation and the Development of Flight (1999) 1 copy

MAC and the Legacy of the Berlin Airlift (Monograph of the Military Airlift Command, Office of History) (1989) — Author — 1 copy

The Military Airlift Command: A Short History, 1941-1988 1 copy

Work Explorer

Associated Works

The NASA Archives. 60 Years in Space (2019) — Contributor — 58 copies

Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History (2000) — Contributor — 41 copies

Abandoned in Place: Preserving America's Space History (2016) — Foreword, some editions — 32 copies, 1 review

Excavating Mormon Pasts: The New Historiography of the Last Half Century (2004) — Cover artist — 17 copies

Utah History Encyclopedia (1994) — Contributor — 17 copies, 1 review

Reconsidering No Man Knows My History (1996) — Contributor — 15 copies, 1 review

Scattering Of The Saints: Schism Within Mormonism (2007) — Contributor — 10 copies

Walking to Olympus: An EVA Chronology (1997) — Foreword — 6 copies

Restoration Studies II: A Collection of Essays About the History, Beliefs, and Practices of the Reorganized Church of… (1983) — Contributor — 6 copies

An early Latter Day Saint history: The book of John Whitmer kept by commandment (1980) — Editor, some editions — 6 copies

Enchanted Rendezvous : John C. Houbolt and the Genesis of the Lunar-Orbit Rendezvous Concept (1999) — Foreword — 6 copies

Mormon Identities in Transition (1996) — Contributor — 4 copies

Humans to Mars : Fifty Years of Mission Planning, 1950-2000 (2001) — Foreword — 4 copies

Journal of Mormon History - Vol. 32, No. 3, Fall 2006 (2006) — Contributor — 3 copies

Restoration Studies III: A Collection of Essays About the History, Beliefs, and Practices of the Reorganized Church of… (1986) — Contributor — 3 copies

Utah Historical Quarterly (Spring 1990, Volume 58, Number 2) (1990) — Contributor — 3 copies

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Volume 20, Number 4, Winter 1987 (1987) — Contributor — 2 copies

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought - Volume 31, Number 1 (Spring 1998) (1998) — Contributor — 2 copies

Utah Historical Quarterly - Vol. 59, No. 4, Fall 1991 (1991) — Contributor — 2 copies

Utah Historical Quarterly, Vol. 51, No. 2 (Spring 1983) (1983) — Contributor — 2 copies

Journal of Mormon History - Vol. 17, 1991 (1991) — Contributor — 2 copies

Journal of Mormon History - Volume 19 No. 1 (Spring 1993) (1993) — Contributor — 2 copies

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought - Volume 28, Number 2 (Summer 1995) (1995) — Contributor — 2 copies

Restoration Studies VI: A Collection of Essays About the History, Beliefs, and Practices of the Reorganized Church of… (1995) — Contributor — 1 copy

Utah Historical Quarterly - Vol. 54, No. 2, Spring 1986 - Roads Less Traveled (1986) — Contributor — 1 copy

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought - Volume 39, Number 4 (Winter 2006) (2006) — Contributor — 1 copy

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought - Volume 30, Number 2 (Summer 1997) (1997) — Contributor — 1 copy

Utah Historical Quarterly - Vol. 63, No. 3, Summer 1995 (1995) — Contributor — 1 copy

Utah Historical Quarterly - Vol. 62, No. 4, Fall 1994 (1994) — Contributor — 1 copy

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought - Volume 27, Number 1 (Spring 1994) (1994) — Contributor — 1 copy

Utah Historical Quarterly - Vol. 56, No. 2, Spring 1988 - Great Salt Lake (1988) — Contributor — 1 copy

Utah Historical Quarterly - Vol, 54, No. 3, Summer 1986 - The Great Depression (1986) — Contributor — 1 copy

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought - Volume 25, Number 4 (Winter 1992) (1992) — Contributor — 1 copy

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought - Volume 22, Number 2 (Summer 1989) (1989) — Contributor — 1 copy

Restoration Studies IV: A Collection of Essays About the History, Beliefs, and Practices of the Reorganized Church of… (1988) — Contributor — 1 copy

Sunstone - Vol. 19:3, Issue 103, September 1996 (1996) — Contributor — 1 copy

Journal of Mormon History - Volume 15 (1989) (1989) — Contributor — 1 copy

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought - Volume 24, Number 2 (Summer 1991) (1991) — Contributor — 1 copy

Restoration Studies VIII: A Collection of Essays About the History, Beliefs, and Practices of the Reorganized Church of… (2000) — Contributor — 1 copy

Restoration Studies V: A Collection of Essays About the History, Beliefs, and Practices of the Reorganized Church of… (1993) — Contributor — 1 copy

Journal of Mormon History - Volume 19, No. 2 (Fall 1993) (1993) — Contributor — 1 copy

Journal of Mormon History - Volume 21, No. 1 (Spring 1995) (1995) — Contributor — 1 copy

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought - Volume 23, Number 3 (Fall 1990) (1990) — Contributor — 1 copy

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought - Volume 23, Number 2 (Summer 1990) (1990) — Contributor — 1 copy

Tagged

19th century (6) 20th century (13) aero-astro (9) American history (6) Apollo (8) art (17) astronomy (17) biography (8) Community of Christ (5) hardcover (6) history (67) history of religion (5) history of science (6) history of technology (5) Latter Day Saints (5) LDS (19) LDS history (7) Lunar Exploration (5) moon (7) Mormon (21) Mormon History (19) Mormonism (10) NASA (31) non-fiction (18) own (6) read (6) reference (11) religion (8) rockets (7) science (35) Shelfari_import (6) space (58) space exploration (19) space flight (7) space program (6) Space Science (5) space travel (12) technology (8) to-read (14) Utah (6)

Common Knowledge

Legal name: Launius, Roger Dale
Birthdate: 1954-05-15
Gender: male
Nationality: USA
Birthplace: Galesburg, Illinois, USA
Places of residence: Galesburg, Illinois, USA (birthplace)
Washington, D.C., USA
Crofton, Maryland, USA
Education: Graceland College, Lamoni, Iowa, USA (BA|History|1976)
Louisiana State University (MA|1978)
Louisiana State University (PhD|1982)
Occupations: historian
museum curator
author
Organizations: National Air and Space Museum (curator)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (chief historian)
Scott Air Force Base (historian)
American Astronautical Society
International Academy of Astronautics
American Association for the Advancement of Science (show all 12)
American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics
Society for History in the Federal Government
Mormon History Association (president)
John Whitmer Historical Association
Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois (command historian)
Hill Air Force Base (chief of office of history)
Awards and honors: NASA Group Achievement Award (2011)
John F. Kennedy Astronautics Award (2009)
Roger R. Trask Award (2009)
NASA Distinguished Service Medal (2001)
NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1999)
Disambiguation notice: Roger D. Launius writes on lunar and Planetary exploration, history of U.S. space flight, Mormonism, and baseball

Members

Reviews

Apollo's Legacy: Perspectives on the Moon… by Roger D. Launius

A comprehensive look at the history of NASA’s Apollo program and its irrevocable impact on American society. As he considers the many perceptions of the moon landings . . . celebrated, criticized, denied . . . the author examines them in the light of key moments in the space race.

Carefully-researched, examining both the origins and the accomplishments of the Apollo program, the book highlights previously untold stories and insights of the program in the light of the Cold War as it offers a historical perspective on mankind’s steps away from planet Earth.

Highly recommended.… (more)

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jfe16 | May 21, 2019 |

Space Stations: Base Camps to the Stars by Roger D. Launius

I thought this would be a book about the ISS and maybe Mir, something to skim and discard. I was pleasantly surprised by its scope, beginning with an early appearance of a "brick moon" space station in mid-19th century science fiction and placing the concept of space stations firmly in the context of early rocketry and space flight. This book has earned a place with the rest of the space-related books on our shelf.

I'd be interested in reading a 15-years-later update.

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muumi | 1 other review | Jan 7, 2019 |

The Smithsonian History of Space Exploration: From… by Roger D. Launius

Examining man’s continued desire to explore the next frontier in the Smithsonian’s own unique way, this book takes readers from its earliest history to the edge of tomorrow.

This comprehensive look at space exploration, accompanied by charts, illustrations, and photographs, examines the history of spaceflight, the dawning of the space age, and the race to the moon. It looks at international space exploration, shines a spotlight on both manned and unmanned missions, and offers a list for suggested further reading.

Here readers will find an in-depth history of global space discovery and exploration from the time of man’s earliest speculations to transterrestrial expectations. In these pages, readers will discover the story of the dream becoming reality even as they ponder the future waiting for mankind to bring it into existence.

Highly recommended.… (more)

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jfe16 | Dec 15, 2018 |

Smithsonian Atlas of Space Exploration by Roger D Launius

The history of space exploration has brought about many leaps for mankind. Here in this coffee-table-sized book, foremost experts from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum offer readers a stunning visual narrative of our journey from the Earth to the stars.

From ancient observatories and the scientists who envisioned space, the narrative takes readers to the beginning of the space age and the gateways to space. Orbiting the Earth and reaching for moon lead readers to other terrestrial worlds, and then across the solar system.

A basic shelf of readings on the history of space exploration is included for further reading.

Highly recommended.… (more)

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jfe16 | Nov 20, 2018 |

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