10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Great Book From Robert Godwin And Apogee Books, November 27, 2001
This review is from: Apollo 15: The NASA Mission Reports Vol 1: Apogee Books Space Series 18 (Paperback)
This book appears to have been released to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Apollo 15 mission and contains a great deal of information about this extremely important lunar exploration mission. This mission was the first extended duration lunar exploration mission (3 days on the Moon's surface) and featured the lunar rover, which greatly extended the area that the two astronauts could explore. This Apollo mission is considered to be one of humanity's greatest voyages of exploration. David Scott commanded the Apollo 15 mission and contributes a few introductory pages.
The book opens with the usual NASA mission press kit. Unlike the earlier Apollo 14 press kit, this press kit is significantly larger, due to the increased emphasis on the scientific exploration of the Moon. The next portion of the book contains an excellent section titled "On the Moon With Apollo 15." This section focuses on the geology of the Hadley Rille/Apennine Mountains landing site, the science experiments that will be conducted on the surface and the equipment and tools that will be used to accomplish these tasks. This portion of the book was published separately by NASA in 1971 and a used copy now sells for around 25$. The next section of the book, the Pre-flight Mission Operations Report, presents an overview of planned timelines (work plan), while the next section, the Post-flight Mission Operations Report, presents the actual timelines, points out the discrepancies between the two timelines and describes any problems with the hardware
The crew debrief section, which is about 100 pages long, contains the crew comments and feelings about various parts of the mission and for the most part avoids the technical language that many of the NASA documents include; however there are several sections where the crew practically talks in acronyms. 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). Dave Scott and Jim Irwin dominate most of the crew debrief, since most of the questioning and mission focused on the lunar surface operations; however, Al Worden has a lot to say about his photographic survey of the moon and his deep space EVA (the first one ever conducted). I always find the crew debriefing quite enjoyable, because it is the closest thing to being there and you get two or three first had view points of various aspects of the mission.
The enclosed CD (be careful it is hard to get out) contains a lot of color and black and white photographs, several NASA films and an extremely interesting feature on the development of the Lunar Rover.
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.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Only One Flaw., November 2, 2001
This review is from: Apollo 15: The NASA Mission Reports Vol 1: Apogee Books Space Series 18 (Paperback)
The Nasa Mission Report series are FANTASTIC products. I cannot more highly recommend them. BUT: they only have one flaw. Getting the CD-Rom out of their tight package on the rear page runs the risk of badly damaging the back cover if you're not careful. And that's what I unfortunately did to my copy of Apollo 15. I suggest using a sharp letter-opener very carefully to pierce and open the seal at the top of the CD-Rom's plastic sleeve. What's this book/CD-Rom like? The range of documents and video clips is excellent and the photos are not too bad, but I've seen clearer versions of some of these pictures elsewhere. The video of "In The Mountains Of The Moon" is disappointingly fuzzy and pixelated, unlike the rest of the clips which are very good. Roll on Volume Two!!
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5 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
APOLL0 15! FIRST TRULY GREAT MOON MISSION., September 6, 2001
This review is from: Apollo 15: The NASA Mission Reports Vol 1: Apogee Books Space Series 18 (Paperback)
APOLLO 15 was deemed by NASA as the first "Moon" mission of great exploration, due to the HADLEY-APPENINE Mountain region of Moon, and the Moon's first car! THE LRV, or lunar roving vehicle. I was friends with JIM IRWIN who told me back in 1987 that that's where he spent his summer vacation in summer of 1971.On The Moon! Dave Scott and Apollo 15 crew were very brilliant men like all the others who; on this mission however; just happened to stumble along the oldest (to date) Moon rock brought back to the Earth. Called THE GENISIS ROCK, GENISIS meaning in the beginning or the oldest! I am so humbled and honored at being the first to do my review of APOLLO 15S BOOK. I just know the late Jim Irwin would want me to . This one's for you JIM!!! Jim told me that how the mountains of THE MOON gave him a feeling, a presence of sensing/feeling God'd presence there. At how after that point on his life began changing for the better! I will lift up mine eyes, from wence cometh my help. first scripture quoted on Moon by COL. IRWIN, a verse from Psalms! Apollo 15 was first true mission of great exploration!!!!!!!! i say this because another fine book called: APOLLO EXPEDITIONS TO THE MOON said so and nasa as well!nDue to the location in Moons mountanous region and the lunar roving vehicle {LRV} as well.See the mountanous areas of THE MOONwere thought to have the oldest known rocks that erupted from MOONS inner core to the surface from possible lunar volcanoe's metorites hitting lunar surfc. Thus resulting in throwing Moons inner core particles to the surface millions of years ago, scientists speculate. The Genesis Rock was dated at 4.5 billion years old!!!!!!!!!!!! was the size of a large persons fist. Jim Irwin also told me that he was MOON'S first ditch digger in a joking mannor. As he and DAVE SCOTT, mission commander dug for lunar samples and experiments. Jim Irwin also said that there was an insant where the lunar car{rover} had a problem with a mechanical procedure when deploying it for first time on Moon. Jim had to along with DAVE SCOTT; try to{in bulky suits) to fasten a loose nut/bolt under rover and the troubles they encountered. Jim told me how he had to get fixed in a one knee position and how " through his prayers" to OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST successfully got critical problem repaired; crucial to rovers operation!!!!!!! And finally the excitement of how DAVE SCOTT wanted to take rover way down a very steep slope down HALEY RILLE, and Jim told commander SCOTT: " You can go down there if you want to DAVE; however, Im staying here", worying that if the two of them got stuck down in the canyon; it could be life threatning! Jim passed away in 1991 from a major heart attack jogging. He often told me that due to his space/lunar suit's food/water feeder into his mouth not working properly, he lost much potassium from perspiration that he often felt was responsible to his heart problems later on! COMMAND MODULE PILOT ALFRED WARDEN was especially trained to do first "real" extensive mapping of lunar surface for first time for future remaining flights, and an extra day was spent in orbit mapping out lunar surface. a great read. Ill never forget you Jim! TONY!
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