The First Men on the Moon

This book tells the story of Apollo 11. The story is brought to life by exploiting the flight plan, mission report and in-flight transcripts. A color section features the high-resolution scans recently produced by NASA from the original Hasselblad film.

This book offers a lively and definitive account of the Apollo 11 mission. It is based on the in-flight transcripts and post-flight debriefing, including conversations among the crew in the spacecraft that were not transmitted. It presents a color section that features the high-resolution scans recently produced by NASA from the original Hasselblad film. The introductory chapters review the motivation to land on the Moon by the end of the 1960s, the development of the Saturn V rocket and the Apollo spacecraft as the means of doing so, the selection of potential landing sites, the precursor missions, and the backgrounds of the three men who were to fly Apollo 11. In contrast to most books about Apollo, which concentrate on how NASA geared up for the program, 75% of this book is devoted to Apollo 11. This comprehensive account dispels the myth that NASA faked the moon landings. The author's expertise and considerable experience of writing about the Moon landings shines through and seamlessly unites the myriad details of the mission.

Brings the story to life, exploiting the flight plan, mission report, in-flight transcripts (including conversations among the crew in the spacecraft that were not transmitted) and post-flight debriefing Presents a color section that features the high-resolution scans recently produced by NASA from the original Hasselblad film In contrast to most books about Apollo, which concentrate on how NASA geared up for the program, 75% of The First Men on the Moon will be devoted to Apollo 11 This comprehensive accounts dispels the myth that NASA faked the moonlandings

Résumé
This book tells the story of Apollo 11, starting with crew selection and training, the choice of the landing site, and the assembly of the space vehicle, then a detailed account of the mission, featuring the lunar landing and moonwalk, and a review of how our knowledge of the Moon's history was revolutionised as a result.

Contenu
Part I. The decision to go the Moon.- The Apollo spacecraft.- CSM.- LM.- The Saturn V launch vehicle.- Ground support.- Mission Control.- MSFN.- Precursor missions.- Gemini.- Apollo 8.- Apollo 9.- Apollo 10.- Selecting a landing site.- Apollo operational constraints.- Lunar Orbiter reconnaissance.- Surveyor surface investigation.- The mascon issue.- Site shortlist.- Part II. The men of Apollo 11.- The crew rotation system.- Neil Armstrong.- Buzz Aldrin.- Michael Collins.- Training.- Simulators.- Geology training.- Surface experiments.- Preparations.- Stacking.- The crawler.- Suiting up.- Witnesses.- The ticking clock.- Setting off.- Ascent.- Activities in parking orbit.- Translunar injection.- Through the radiation belts.- Coasting.- TD and E.- Coasting in passive thermal roll.- Navigational checks.- Crossing the neutral point.- Arrival.- Behind the Moon.- Lunar orbit insertion.- Circularisation.- Viewing the landing site.- Preparations.- Separation.- Descent.- Descent orbit insertion.- Initiation of powered descent.- Touchdown.- Tranquillity Base.- Post-landing activities.- EVA preparations.- On the ladder.- 'One small step'.- The flag ceremony.- Collecting rocks.- Ingress, sleep and preparations to leave.- Coming home.- Liftoff and rendezvous.- TEI.- In-flight press conference.- Entry, splashdown, recovery, BIG suits and quarantine trailer.- Home.- Part III. The lunar samples.- Follow-on missions.- The next two.- The lunar field geologists.- Budget cuts and lost opportunities.- Life after Apollo 11.- Reflections.