This episode of Blueprint For Space traces the evolution of rocket and spaceflight technology from its early 20th-century roots through World War II and into the Cold War-era space race. It highlights key figures like Wernher von Braun, the development of V-2 rockets, and how former military rocketry laid the groundwork for space exploration. It also covers the launch of Sputnik, the creation of NASA, and the first human spaceflights, culminating in Yuri Gagarin’s historic orbital mission.