First edition, first printing, of Carl Sagan’s first book, concerning the topic that consumed him throughout his life. This wonderful association copy comes from the library, with ownership stamp to the front free endpaper, of Dr Homer E. Newell Jr. (1915-1983). Newell was a mathematics professor and author who became a powerful US government science administrator, rising eventually to the third in command of NASA. In the early 1960s he controlled or influenced virtually all non-military unmanned space missions for the free world. He played a significant role in the negotiations which led to the creation of NASA, chairing a committee of rocket and satellite experimenters that drafted a consensus plan for a national space establishment which was presented to Eisenhower’s science advisor, and advising the Senate preparedness investigating subcommittee… When the legislation establishing NASA was passed in 1958, Newell was given credit by his peers, including Van Allen, who called him “The Spark Plug” for a strong space science element in NASA. Newell joined NASA in 1958 (the year this book was published), and was successively assistant director for space sciences (1958-1960), deputy director of space flight programs (1960-1961), director of space sciences (1961-1963), associate administrator for space science and applications (1963-1967) and finally associate administrator of NASA, the third ranking position, from 1967 until 1974 (and as such overseeing the Moon Landing.) (1967-1974). In 1965, Newell was awarded the President’s Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service. He was also commemorated in the Goddard Space Flight Center’s Homer E. Newell memorial library, and asteroid 2086 Newell.