posted 03-09-2015 10:04 AM               

There are few photographs as awe-inspiring as those of a gleaming white Saturn V rising from the launch pad in a bed of smoke and fire. That is the only impression that many people have of the role of Kennedy Space Center. And yet, thousands of workers labored at KSC around the clock, seven days a week, for half a year to prepare a mission for that brief moment of truth. This is the story of what went on during those hectic six months.

Countdown to a Moon Launch provides an in-depth look at the carefully choreographed workflow for an Apollo mission at KSC. Using the Apollo 11 mission as an example, readers will learn what went on day by day to transform partially completed stages and crates of parts into a ready-to-fly Saturn V. Firsthand accounts of launch pad accidents, near misses, suspected sabotage, and last-minute changes to hardware are told by more than 70 NASA employees and its contractors. A companion to "Rocket Ranch," it includes many diagrams and photographs, some never before published, to illustrate all aspects of the process. NASA's groundbreaking use of computers for testing and advanced management techniques are also covered in detail.

This book will demystify the question of how NASA could build and launch Apollo missions using 1960s technology. You'll discover that there was no magic involved – just an abundance of discipline, willpower, and creativity.

• Softcover: 450 pages
  
• Springer (July 14, 2015)
  
• ISBN-10: 3319177915
  
• ISBN-13: 978-3319177915

posted 07-25-2015 08:42 PM               

Great reading! As a astro-geek and history buff, I thought I knew a lot about the Apollo program until I read this book — it provides another perspective on the flight of the Eagle. I highly recommend it as a well-written account that pulls together a wide range of engineering & technical material in an organized & flowing manner.

This is the detailed story of the building and launching of Apollo 11 as told by many of the engineers, builders and workers. The author spent hundreds of hours with former workers across the country, many of whom were never before interviewed.

It is written in timeline fashion, with chapters counting down to launch while reviewing the processes, events and construction in a concise and logical manner. Diverse topics are explained and brought together with frequent quotes and anecdotes from some of the thousands of people at Cape Canaveral. Topics covered include the expected background on building all the parts, backstory on many workers, management and leadership issues, and resolving problems. One surprise was the sabotage investigation when it seemed the mission was nefariously endangered.

This approach is comprehensive and extremely thorough, and despite great detail tends to flow well without being dull or textbook-like. The extraordinary efforts required for a successful launch are well researched.