Long has the moon captured the imagination of world; from science fiction to astrology; howling wolves to lunar calendars. To President John F. Kennedy, however, the moon was a destination. To put a man on the moon would be to challenge Russia's recent achievements in space exploration and assert the US's technological prowess on the world stage. As we know, the mission was a success, and yet while everyone is familiar with Neil Armstrong's iconic line and his bold tread on the moon's dusty surface, few are privy to the events leading up to this moment. Former NASA engineer, David Baker, gives a behind-the-scenes account of the space race, including the political impetus behind the mission, the Apollo 8's lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, as well as some of the tale's tragedies. Bursting with fascinating stories, striking photographs of the team and exclusive material provided by NASA personnel, this book perfectly captures the risk, complexity and gravitas of this immense journey.

In 1961 President Kennedy issued a challenge to land a person on the moon and return safely to Earth before the end of the 1960s, a bold proclamation at the time, given that only one US astronaut had been to space, for just 15 minutes. The race to the moon was part of the larger Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, a race where the Russians appeared far ahead of the Americans. Apollo was a complicated, dangerous and expensive adventure involving 400,000 people across the nation. Before it was over, NASA had made 11 Apollo flights, six of which landed on the moon, and eight astronauts had lost their lives. But it was also fun, and the crews never missed a chance to enjoy the trip or pull off a prank 240,000 miles from home. The Apollo Missions for Kids tells the story from the perspective of those who lived it—the astronauts and their families, the controllers and engineers, the technicians and politicians who made the impossible possible.

This illustrated history by a trio of experts is the definitive reference on the Apollo spacecraft and lunar modules. It traces the vehicles' design, development, and operation in space. More than 100 photographs and illustrations.

In 1961 President John F. Kennedy challenged the United States to land a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth before the end of the decade. It seemed like an impossible mission and one that the Russians?who had launched the first satellite and put the first man into Earth orbit?would surely achieve before the Americans. However, the ingenuity, passion, and sacrifice of thousands of ordinary people from all walks of life enabled the space program to meet this extraordinary goal. This is the story of fourteen of those men and women who worked behind the scenes, without fanfare or recognition, to make the Apollo missions successful.

Compiled here are many important documents about the Apollo 16 mission including the complete debriefing in the crew's own words.

The untold story of the historic voyage to the moon that closed out one of our darkest years with a nearly unimaginable triumph In August 1968, NASA made a bold decision: in just sixteen weeks, the United States would launch humankind’s first flight to the moon. Only the year before, three astronauts had burned to death in their spacecraft, and since then the Apollo program had suffered one setback after another. Meanwhile, the Russians were winning the space race, the Cold War was getting hotter by the month, and President Kennedy’s promise to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade seemed sure to be broken. But when Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders were summoned to a secret meeting and told of the dangerous mission, they instantly signed on. Written with all the color and verve of the best narrative non-fiction, Apollo 8 takes us from Mission Control to the astronaut’s homes, from the test labs to the launch pad. The race to prepare an untested rocket for an unprecedented journey paves the way for the hair-raising trip to the moon. Then, on Christmas Eve, a nation that has suffered a horrendous year of assassinations and war is heartened by an inspiring message from the trio of astronauts in lunar orbit. And when the mission is over—after the first view of the far side of the moon, the first earth-rise, and the first re-entry through the earth’s atmosphere following a flight to deep space—the impossible dream of walking on the moon suddenly seems within reach. The full story of Apollo 8 has never been told, and only Jeffrey Kluger—Jim Lovell’s co-author on their bestselling book about Apollo 13—can do it justice. Here is the tale of a mission that was both a calculated risk and a wild crapshoot, a stirring account of how three American heroes forever changed our view of the home planet.

Originally created in 1971 by NASA contractor Grumman, the Apollo Spacecraft News Reference (LEM) was intended to educate members of the media, government, and private sector contractors about one of history's most ambitious undertakings. Within its pages you'll find general information about the Apollo Program, and a detailed examination of the Lunar Excursion Module and crew extra-vehicular activity procedures and equipment. (A companion book that focuses on the CM is also available.) Scores of photos and diagrams accompany the easy-to-understand text. Chapters include: Introduction, Mission Description, Apollo Spacecraft, Lunar Module, Crew Personal Equipment, Environmental Control, Control and Displays, Guidance, Navigation, and Control, Main Propulsion, Reaction Control, Electrical Power, Communications, Instrumentation, Lighting, Portable Life Support System, Biographies, Grumman Aircraft Corp., Brief History of the LM, LM Manufacturing, Glossary, Contractors, The Moon (chapter written by Richard C. Hoagland), Index, and the LM Anatomy Booklet (reprinted in black and white). It also includes a fascinating chapter about ""LM Derivatives,"" showing how variations of the LM could have been built and flown in support of a wide variety of missions. Although it may be one of the most complete studies of the systems and technology that made landing on the Moon possible, it's never been easy to find copies of this text because copies were never widely released -- until now. This reprint is of an edition featuring a mission similar to Apollo 15, 16 or 17, with astronauts performing three 7-hour EVAs using the Lunar Roving Vehicle. It features all the original text, diagrams and photos. It's a wonderful reference for the space flight fan, docent or engineering buff or for anyone else who ever wondered, ""How'd they do that!""