Cosmic Calamity – A Cornish Conundrum: by David Burnell (1965)

The satellite launch from Newquay Airport was the first in the United Kingdom. It should have been the tonic which the whole country needed. Till it all went horribly wrong.

Maxine Travers arrived from GCHQ Bude on government orders, to find out what had really happened: which foreign power had caused this upset? But she could find no obvious security leak.

Later, when it came to trying again, George Gilbert became the Spaceport’s business planner. Could she do any better?

Nothing might ever have been discovered without the gallant librarian from Newquay; and, later, the enterprising teacher from Fowey.

And not forgetting the lasting influence of John Betjeman.