Short answers, pulled from the story.
The journal Icarus began publication in 1962 under the stewardship of Academic Press. This new periodical emerged to serve a growing community of scientists studying the Solar System and extrasolar systems.
Albert G. Wilson and Zdeněk Kopal served as the first editors from 1962 through 1968. Their tenure established the initial scope for scientific inquiry into planetary bodies.
Elsevier purchased Academic Press and took control of the journal in 2000. This acquisition transferred ownership rights and operational responsibilities to a larger corporate entity.
The title Icarus references the figure from Greek mythology who flew too close to the sun. Every issue frontispiece features an extended quotation from Sir Arthur Eddington equating adventurousness with the scientific investigator.
Carl Sagan took over editorship in 1968 and held the position until 1979. During his tenure he steered the journal toward broader scientific horizons emphasizing research on astronomy, geology, meteorology, physics, chemistry, and biology within planetary contexts.