Overview

Stung by the pioneering space successes of the Soviet Union - in particular, Gagarin being the first man in space, the United States gathered the best of its engineers and set itself the goal of reaching the Moon within a decade.In an expanding 2nd edition of How Apollo Flew to the Moon, David Woods tells the exciting story of how the resulting Apollo flights were conducted by following a virtual flight to the Moon and its exploration of the surface. From launch to splashdown, he hitches a ride in the incredible spaceships that took men to another world, exploring each step of the journey and detailing the enormous range of disciplines, techniques, and procedures the Apollo crews had to master. While describing the tremendous technological accomplishment involved, he adds the human dimension by calling on the testimony of the people who were there at the time. He provides a wealth of fascinating and accessible material: the role of the powerful Saturn V, the reasoning behind trajectories, the day-to-day concerns of human and spacecraft health between two worlds, the exploration of the lunar surface and the sheer daring involved in traveling to the Moon and the mid-twentieth century.Given the tremendous success of the original edition of How Apollo Flew to the Moon, the second edition will have a new chapter on surface activities, inspired by reader's comment on Amazon.com. There will also be additional detail in the existing chapters to incorporate all the feedback from the original edition, and will include larger illustrations.

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9780387518732

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Reviews

From the reviews: <p> A space exploration enthusiast from Bearsden has written a book about Apolloa (TM)s journeys to the moon in 1971. a ] David, a post-production editor at BBC Scotland, is keen to point out that his book is a ] aimed at geeks. He was careful to make it as human as possible and accessible for all. He says it is a narrative rather than a manual. His book is entitled a ~How Apollo Flew to the moona (TM) and is available from all good bookshops. (Milngavie & Bearsden Herald, January, 2008) <p> David has written a book in his spare time, compiled from his extensive research into the manned space missions. The book hea (TM)s produced is a composite mission that follows a virtual flight to the moon from launch to splashdown. a ] Hea (TM)s managed to write a scientific book about the moon that is science-packed, but actually very easy to read. a ] His book has been well received among the international space community but it deserves to be a cross-over success. (Glasgow Sunday Herald, February 2008) <p> I must personally say that I have found, what I consider, the quintessential book on flying Apollo. If you want to understand the terminology, the various systems, how they functioned together to land on the Moon and return home, then this is the book. While I have written articles on the Apollo Guidance Computer, the star charts used and proofed a new book coming out on the lunar landing, this book explains the mission simply and succinctly. David, this book is really well done. (Larry McGlynn, www.apollotribute.blogspot.com, March, 2008) <p> An impressive book about the sequence of NASA Apollo flights that led to and beyond the moon landing in 1969. a ] The bookprovides excellent descriptions of what occurred at each stage of the missions a ] . this one is particularly good at explaining technical issues like orbital mechanics in understandable language. Includes excellent photographs (several in color) and diagrams, a 5-page glossary, a 3-page suggestion for further reading, and a good 20-page index. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers/libraries. (W. E. Howard, CHOICE, Vol. 45 (10), June, 2008) <p> This is, quite simply, one of the five best books ever written about the Apollo programme a ] . Most books on Apollo have dealt with the a ~whata (TM) and a ~whena (TM) of the subject; this is the first to go deeply into the a ~howa (TM) of the missions a ] . Accompanying the text are many photos and diagrams, and therea (TM)s also a selection of colour plates. a ] Therea (TM)s so much to absorb in this book a ] . A superb book in all respects! (Liftoff, Issue 244, March-April, 2008) <p> A wealth of knowledge regarding the early days of manned space exploration. a ] Woods describes each phase of an Apollo Mission in intimate detail, from the stacking of the booster until the crews are safely abroad the aircraft carrier. a ] Ultimately, it is an easy read. a ] As an armchair historian, I have always wondered about the intricacies on Apollo. Woodsa (TM) book really satisfied my curiosity about systems and people. (James M. Busby, Space Times, Vol. 47 (3), 2008)

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