ESA SP-1235 A History of ESA, 1958-87 Vol.1 24 April 2000   Tracing the history of the European collaborative space programme from its beginnings in the late 1950s to the creation of a single space agency in the early 1970s and up to recent developments, in the light of its main actors and policies. Read online        •  Order online (http://www.spacebooks-online.com/)  •  A History of the European Space Agency, Volume I: The story of ESRO and ELDO, 1958-1973 (pdf) (http://www.esa.int/esapub/sp/sp1235/sp1235v1web.pdf)  •  A History of the European Space Agency, Volume II: The story of ESA, 1973-1987 (pdf) (http://www.esa.int/esapub/sp/sp1235/sp1235v2web.pdf)