Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovski was the founder of Soviet astrophysics and cosmonautics. He was a self-taught scientist and inventor, a schoolteacher, a cosmic and futurist philosopher, and a science fiction writer. His important designs include dirigibles formed with a metallic shell with a unique navigation system, the jet propulsion engine, the use of rockets for space travel, high altitude balloons, air-cushion vehicles, high-speed trains, and heavier-than-air aircraft. This book is a portrait of this extraordinary man and his extraordinary mind. It provides a sketch of his life and an introduction to his views and ideology, and a collection of original translations of his scientific concepts of the universe and space travel, his cosmic and socialist philosophy, as well as his most popular science fiction story.
Daniel H. Shubin translated many books from Russian into English and authored many on Russian history, philosophy and religion.