Customer Reviews

Apollo 11: The NASA Mission Reports, Vol. 2

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Amazing ... the detail of this book ... facts and figures like I've never read before. This book, page after page documents the monumental struggles overcome by NASA personal in the quest to keep the United States space program alive. It's format is so easy to follow and details fall easily at hand. The rich color sections add to this book as does the fantastic CD included and at what value. I am hooked and will be reading the rest in this line. What a fantastic tool for schools ... this is the Space program like I've never seen it captured before.

Robert Godwin's series of Mission Reports gets better each time a new one comes out. I can't wait for Apollo 12 to come out!

Over the years, Robert Godwin and Apogee Books, have compiled a variety NASA documents, press kits, crew interviews and the like, which recount the early days of the space race, focusing on the Apollo missions. This time, they have released a second volume of information dedicated in the first lunar landing of Apollo 11, which includes a CD with television footage of the lunar EVA and an excellent companion NASA publication, the technical briefing. Apollo 11 was the only the third manned mission to the moon. This mission was commanded by Neil Armstrong who was accompanied to the surface by Buzz Aldrin with Michael Collins as the Command Module pilot. Compared to the other two Apollo 11 volumes, this book and its CD does not contain as much material.

The entire book only contains one NASA produced report, the crew debriefing. The report contains the crew comments and feelings about various parts of the mission and generally avoids the technical language that many of the NASA documents include. The crew debrief contains crew comments from the suiting up phase to the landing, plus comments about the training (did it or did not help the crew). There are many sections that provide a thorough crew description about the problems, the flight to the moon, the moon walk (or EVA), and the lunar science conducted from orbit. As one would expect, most of the debriefing is focused on the moon landing and the first moon walk, and as a result, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong do most of the talking. I always find the crew debriefing quite enjoyable, because it is the closest thing to being there.

This compact disc which accompanies the book contains the entire television transmission of the first moon walk, a 30 minute interview of Buzz Aldrin and a QuickTime panoramic movie of the landing site. While some readers/viewers will find the quality of this television footage poor, it is important to note the quality of television transmission in 1969 was just as poor. At least that's how I remember it.

Some general information that might be useful.

1) These reports are just scanned-in documents from previously released NASA press kits, etc., In order to preserve the spirit of the original reports, all typographical and grammatical errors have NOT been fixed.

2) Proceeds from the book goes to "The Watch" an asteroid impact research project of the Space Frontier Foundation. In other words, Apogee Books is making very little off the sale of US government produced books.

3) Many people have asked why the post mission reports are not included. Since NASA has published many books with hundred of pages (The NASA SP series), and the data from these missions is still being analyzed, it would be impossible to do.

Rare material here; packed with technical details. Interesting interview with Buzz Aldrin on the CD, along with the full footage of the TV broadcast from Tranquility Base. Fascinating book.

Long-awaited (well, several months anyway), this second volume provides the crew debriefing from the historic mission, which is my favorite section of this series. The CD also supplies a copy of the complete video of the television from the moon walk, which I am looking forward to seeing again. Surely everyone of my generation and older remembers the ghostly image of Neil Armstrong tentatively stepping onto the moon and Buzz Aldrin hopping in figure-eights around the camera as he got used to lunar gravity.

Now if they'd only do the same for Apollo 9!

This book makes nice reference material. If you are really into NASA, and Apollo in particular, as I am, you will really like this. I have not seen material quite like this elsewhere, therefore I feel that this is definately something to read. I only give three stars because I was disappointed in the included CD and I think there was a missed opportunity to elaborate throught the book. The CD mainly contains a rather lame interview with Aldrin and mpegs of surface activities. I wish landing related video had been included on the CD.

Just when I thought the first volume was awesome, Apogee went and out did themselves. I truly enjoyed reading the Apollo 11 Vol 2. Obviously, one of my favorite parts of this book is the footage contained on the CD of man's first walk on the moon. I never get tired of seeing this video. The crew debriefing is also very interesting. It is cool to be able to hear the astronauts thoughts on the whole process. In all, I'd say the Apollo Mission Report Volume 2 is worth buying. What a great book!!!

This 3 volume series on Apollo 11 is a treasure of information on this historic flight of the Apollo Program. The CDs are a wonderful addition with incredible resources for use in the classroom. As a high school science teacher, it is wonderful to have these great resources!

This book was not what I expected. There are interviews with the astonauts printed in question answer format. Makes quite a dull read, and comes accross as some publisher trying to earn a few dollars without much effort. Pity, as Apollo 11 surely was one of man's boldest accomplishments.