People have probably always dreamed of a time when they could fly like birds. This book looks at how that dream became something near reality. The first big breakthrough was in the 18th century when the Montgolfier brothers flew a hot-air balloon for the first time. Fixed-wing aircraft and planes driven by internal combustion engines followed. In the past half century the pace of invention has been amazing. Jet-powered aircraft can travel at supersonic speeds, and a combination of powerful rockets and a better knowledge of Earth’s gravity has enabled people to go to the Moon and, potentially, far beyond.