On the Cutting Edge: Tales of a Cold War Engineer at the Dawn of the Nuclear, Guided Missile, Computer, and Space Ages

On the Cutting Edge presents a series of true stories providing the first account of many of the major programs and projects that have made the last sixty years an era of remarkable progress in the aerospace arena. Robert F. Brodsky, an internationally known scientist, engineer, and teacher, brings a unique perspective to this book, since in each of the world-changing events discussed, he was a firsthand observer or participant. Written in an accessible style, Brodsky's account begins with the start of the computer and atomic ages and progresses chronologically through the subsequent ages of guided missiles and space.

Through a series of interrelated narratives, readers learn about the conquest of the sonic barrier, why the space age started when it did, details of a rescue from a space station, how astronautics became a legitimate academic discipline, the inevitable rise of the hydrogen economy spurred by fusion, and the great aerospace events of the past century. On the Cutting Edge also includes descriptions of little-known historical events, such as the use of the atom bomb by the United States in Mexico, and of the many technological developments of the 1960s that are just now coming to fruition.

Dr. Robert F. Brodsky is a pioneer in both spacecraft design and the teaching of astronautics. Until his retirement in 1996, he was a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Southern California, and he has held executive engineering positions at Sandia Corporation, Aerojet, Convair, and TRW Space and Technology. He was named Outstanding Aerospace Educator and University Professor of the Year, among many honors.