Posts: 1492
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012

posted 07-11-2026 03:36 PM               

---

In the 60s, after each U.S. manned space mission (Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo), LIFE magazine would invariably run a piece about the mission "In the Astronauts' Own Words."

How accurate or relevant were these articles? Were they really in the astronauts own words, or were they "ghost written" by NASA PR types?

Just curious.

Posts: 938
From: Derbyshire UK
Registered: Mar 2023

posted 07-11-2026 04:28 PM               

---

From what I understand, they were neither ghost written nor the astronauts own words as such.

The Time-Life exclusive stories gave the astronauts a significant sum of money. Time-Life reporters interviewed the astronauts and quotes were written down. Photographers were also present. But the final piece was written by the reporter and was subject to review by both the astronauts, their representatives, and NASA, before publication.