Blast Off at Woomera
1957 book by Hugh Walters
 First edition | |
| Author | Hugh Walters |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Leslie Wood |
| Language | English |
| Series | Chris Godfrey of U.N.E.X.A |
| Genre | Science fiction novel |
| Publisher | Faber |
Publication date | 1957 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 187 |
| OCLC | 30163717 |
Dewey Decimal | 823.91 |
| Followed by | The Domes of Pico |
Blast Off at Woomera is a children's science fiction novel, the first in the Chris Godfrey of U.N.E.X.A. series by British author Hugh Walters. It was published in the UK by Faber in 1957, in the United States by Criterion Books in 1958 (under the title Blast Off at 0300), and in the Netherlands in 1960 by Prisma Juniores (under the title Ruimtevaarder nummer één -- Astronaut Number One).[1]
The book predates the first actual usage of satellite imagery by two years, and human spaceflight by four years.
Plot summary
Strange objects have been sighted on the Moon near Mons Pico. Suspecting a communist plot, the British Government quickly formulates a plan to photograph the dome-like objects from above at a closer range. The rocket is not large enough to send a man. Chris Godfrey, a 17-year-old science whiz with an interest in rocketry, who is less than 5 feet tall, is selected to assist. The launch site is Woomera Rocket Research Station in South Australia, but there may be a Soviet traitor among the ground crew.[1]
Reception
Floyd C. Gale of Galaxy Science Fiction rated the book five stars out of five for children, stating that it "includes plenty of action and international intrigue. Plausible and detailed, it is a juvenile Prelude to Space".[2]
References
- ^ a b "Blast Off At Woomera". unexa.org. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
- ^ Gale, Floyd C. (October 1960). "Galaxy's 5 Star Shelf". Galaxy Science Fiction. pp. 142–146.
Children and Young Adult Literature portal
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Hugh Walters's U.N.E.X.A series
- Blast Off at Woomera (1957)
- The Domes of Pico (1958)
- Operation Columbus (1959)
- Moon Base One (1960)
- Expedition Venus (1962)
- Destination Mars (1963)
- Terror by Satellite (1964)
- Journey to Jupiter (1965)
- Mission to Mercury (1965)
- Spaceship to Saturn (1967)
- The Mohole Mystery (1968)
- Nearly Neptune (1969)
- First Contact? (1971)
- Passage to Pluto (1973)
- Tony Hale, Space Detective (1973)
- Murder on Mars (1975)
- The Caves of Drach (1978)
- The Last Disaster (1978)
- The Blue Aura (1979)
- The Dark Triangle (1979)
- The Glass Men (unpublished)
- Boy Astronaut (1977)
- First Family on the Moon (1979)
- School on the Moon (1981)
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