Rural life in Wyoming and Montana, college years at the University of Minnesota, entrance into particle physics and eventual entrance into balloon studies of cosmic rays and high energy physics. Research at Convair; work at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as scientist and as administrator developing major astronomical missions including Ranger, Viking, Voyager and High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO). Also prominently mentioned are: Clinton Anderson, Jack Clark, Paul Coleman, Freeman Dyson, Phyllis Freier, Harry Goatt, Harry Hess, Ed Hill, Lyndon B. Johnson, Urner Liddel, Frank McDonald, Norman Ness, Homer Edward Newell, Edward Ney, Alfred O. Nier, G. K. O'Neill, Frank Oppenheimer, Robert J. Seamans, Lyman Spitzer, James Van Allen, John Von Neumann, James Webb, Joseph Weinberg, J. B. Weisner; Discoverer (Satellite), General Dynamics Co., Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Langley Research Center, Lunar Orbiter, Mariner (Spacecraft), Martin Marietta Co., National Academy of Sciences (U.S.) Space Science Board, Nuclear Emulsion Recovery Vehicle, Pioneer (Rocket), Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation, United States Air Force, United States Congress, United States Office of Management and Budget, University of California at Los Angeles, Viking (Rocket), and Voyager (Spacecraft).