Cold War History • Science & Teaching

Geoff Perry & The Kettering Group

How a British teacher and his pupils revealed secrets of the Soviet Union's space program.

What's It About?

Geoff Perry and the Kettering Group is the true story of a British physics teacher who, together with his pupils in the 1960s, revealed that the Soviet Union was launching satellites into space from a clandestine location. Perry turned his satellite-watching hobby into a student-focused group, supplemented by observers around the world, that revealed numerous secrets about the USSR’s space program. He became a widely recognized and trusted authority on all aspects of Soviet space activities in the midst of the Cold War.

Praise for the Book

Des Welch has done a masterful job of capturing the unique talents and contributions of Geoff Perry and the Kettering Group that demystified Soviet space activities in the Cold War era.

— Marcia Smith, editor, spacepolicyonline.com

Geoff Perry was the quintessential brilliant English eccentric and a pioneer of what is now called ‘open-source intelligence.’ Welch takes us into the details of the detective work by which he and his army of schoolchildren transformed the Western public's understanding of the secretive Soviet space effort.

— Jonathan McDowell, author, Jonathan's Space Report

We value the pioneers in any field, but especially so in the sciences. Des Welch has researched widely to compile a detailed biography of this space pioneer and educator. It is long overdue.

— Stuart Eves, former member of the Kettering Group

Inside the Story

A remarkable testament to classroom curiosity and the power of the scientific method.

[01] DISCOVERY

The Secret Cosmodrome

How Doppler shift analysis on telemetry signals led Kettering Grammar School to expose Plesetsk—the USSR’s unacknowledged northern spaceport—years before Moscow admitted it existed.

[02] NETWORK

A Global Citizen Network

What started in a Northamptonshire classroom evolved into an informal worldwide listening web of amateur trackers and trusted analysts during the peak of the Space Race.

[03] LEGACY

Transparency & Trust

Explore how Geoff Perry’s obsession with open scientific truth not only inspired generations of engineers and scientists, but helped reduce mistrust during the Cold War.

About the Author

Desmond Welch is a retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and a former NASA Space Shuttle astronaut instructor. He holds degrees in meteorology, physical science and space studies, and is certified in satellite orbit analysis and planning. He lives in southwest Florida with his wife, and enjoys reading, running, and swimming in the Gulf.

You may contact the author at: desmondwelch@europabooks.press

Experience the Thrill of Cold War Sleuthing

Discover the definitive history of one of the most improbable and inspiring chapters in the history of space exploration.

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