LA VIE SERAIT -- ELLE POSSIBLE A BORD DE SATELLITES ARTIFICIELS DE LA TERRE OU DE PROJECTILES ASTRONAUTIQUES? .. by Esclangon, M. Ernest - 1950

Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1950. Octavo, pp. [1-2] [1-2] 3-18 [19-21: ads] [22: imprint], original orange printed wrappers. First edition. Offprint from MEMORIAL DE L'ARTILLERIE FRANCAISE, Volume 23, number 4 (1949). An important paper by a French astronomer and mathematician, who became director of l'Observatoire de Paris and president of the l'Académie des Sciences, on the possibility of manned space flights and the use of earth orbiting artificial satellites for scientific and military purposes, with emphasis on ballistic and mechanical issues. Not in Ciancone. Covers a bit rubbed at edges, tiny chip from lower left corner of rear cover, a very good copy. (#135452)