Apollo: The Definitive SourcebookOn 25 May 1961, John F Kennedy announced the goal of landing an American man on the Moon by the end of the decade. This challenge forced NASA to review the planned lunar landing of a three-man spaceship named Apollo in the mid-1970s. In 1962, it was decided that a specialized vehicle would accompany the main spacecraft, to make the lunar landing while the mothership remained in lunar orbit. To send these vehicles to the Moon would require the development of an enormous rocket. Development was protracted, but in December 1968 Apollo 8 was launched on a pioneering mission to perform an initial reconnaissance in lunar orbit. When Apollo 17 lifted off from the Moon in December 1972, the program was concluded. Now, at long last, there is a real prospect of a resumption of human exploration of the Moon. This book provides an overview of the origins of the Apollo program and descriptions of the ground facilities, launch vehicles and spacecraft that will serve as an invaluable single-volume sourcebook for space enthusiasts, space historians, journalists, and programme-makers on radio and TV. It supplements tha other books that have focused on the politics and management of the Apollo program, the astronauts, and their training and exploits. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
A manned satellite | 2 |
The Saturn launch vehicle | 3 |
NASAS longterm plan | 6 |
Conceiving the Apollo spacecraft | 7 |
The way to the moon the mission mode | 9 |
Change of administration | 10 |
Kennedys challenge | 11 |
Mission timeline | 216 |
Testing the LM in Earth orbit | 221 |
Launch preparations | 222 |
Earth orbit phase | 225 |
Recovery | 230 |
mission objectives | 231 |
Mission timeline | 246 |
Testing the LM in lunar orbit | 253 |
The mode debate continues | 14 |
Saturn testing starts | 16 |
Mercury mark it? | 17 |
Issuing contracts | 19 |
Reorganization | 21 |
The decision for Gemini | 23 |
Deciding the mission mode | 24 |
Mission planning issues | 27 |
Lem design issues | 29 |
Ongoing changes | 30 |
Mueller takes charge | 31 |
Kennedys assassination | 34 |
Refining the docking system | 36 |
Refining the LEM | 37 |
Suit issues | 40 |
Gearing up | 41 |
Developing th Saturn V | 44 |
Preparing Apollo | 45 |
Setback and recovery | 49 |
Picking up the pace | 52 |
The first Saturn V flight | 53 |
Overcoming problems with daring plans | 55 |
Dress rehearsal | 60 |
The landing crew | 61 |
Development program | 63 |
first flight test | 64 |
Completing Phase I | 65 |
Phase II testing | 66 |
Conclusions | 69 |
A CSM on a ballistic arc | 75 |
Ascent phase | 76 |
Postboost phase | 79 |
Conclusions | 80 |
Mission timeline | 82 |
Evaluating the SIVB | 85 |
Ascent phase | 86 |
Earth orbit phase | 88 |
Conclusions | 89 |
Mission timeline | 91 |
Testing the CM heat shield | 93 |
Ascent phase | 95 |
Recovery | 97 |
Conclusions | 98 |
Mission timeline | 103 |
Cabin fire | 105 |
Vehicle history | 106 |
Chronology of the fire | 111 |
Investigation | 112 |
The cause of the fire | 115 |
First test of the Saturn V | 121 |
Ascent phase | 124 |
Earth orbit phase | 126 |
Recovery | 127 |
Mission timeline | 137 |
Unmanned test of the LM | 139 |
Ascent phase | 140 |
Conclusions | 143 |
Mission objectives | 146 |
Mission timeline | 148 |
Second test of the Saturn V | 151 |
Earth orbit phase | 154 |
Recovery | 157 |
Mission objectives | 164 |
Mission timeline | 166 |
Testing the CSM in Earth orbit | 169 |
Launch preparations | 170 |
Earth orbit phase | 171 |
Recovery | 178 |
Mission objectives | 185 |
Mission timeline | 188 |
Testing the CSM in lunar orbit | 193 |
Launch preparations | 195 |
Ascent phase | 197 |
Earth orbit phase | 199 |
Lunar orbit phase | 201 |
Transearth phase | 203 |
Recovery | 204 |
Conclusions | 205 |
Mission objectives | 213 |
Earth orbit phase | 257 |
Lunar orbit phase | 258 |
Transearth phase | 261 |
Recovery | 262 |
Conclusions | 263 |
Mission objectives | 270 |
Mission timeline | 272 |
Landing on Mare Tranquilitatis | 277 |
Landing sight | 278 |
Launch preparations | 283 |
Ascent phase | 284 |
Earth orbit phase | 287 |
Lunar orbit and lunar surface phase | 288 |
Transearth phase | 292 |
Recovery | 293 |
Conclusions | 294 |
Mission objectives | 296 |
Mission timeline | 317 |
Landing in Oceanus Procellarum | 325 |
Launch sights | 327 |
Earth orbit phase | 331 |
Lunar orbit and lunar surface phase | 332 |
Transearth phase | 336 |
Conclusions | 337 |
Mission objectives | 339 |
Mission timeline | 351 |
Inflight abort | 359 |
Landing site | 360 |
Launch preparations | 361 |
Ascent phase | 363 |
Earth orbit phase | 365 |
Abort | 366 |
Recovery | 369 |
Conclusions | 370 |
Mission objectives | 373 |
Mission timeline | 383 |
Landing in the Fra Mauro Formation | 391 |
Launch preparations | 392 |
Ascent phase | 394 |
Earth orbit phase | 396 |
Lunar orbit and lunar surface phase | 397 |
Transearth phase | 401 |
Conclusions | 402 |
Mission objectives | 404 |
Mission timeline | 413 |
Landing at HadleyApennine | 423 |
Launch preparations | 425 |
Ascent phase | 428 |
Lunar orbit and lunar surface phase | 430 |
Transearth phase | 434 |
Conclusions | 435 |
Mission objectives | 439 |
Mission timeline | 459 |
Landing at DescartesCaley | 469 |
Launch preparations | 471 |
Earth orbit phase | 474 |
Lunar orbit and lunar surface phase | 476 |
Transearth phase | 479 |
Recovery | 480 |
Conclusions | 481 |
Mission objectives | 493 |
Mission timeline | 495 |
Landing at TaurusLittrow | 505 |
Launch preparations | 508 |
Ascent phase | 509 |
Earth orbit phase | 512 |
Lunar orbit and lunar surface phase | 513 |
Transearth phase | 517 |
Recovery | 518 |
Mission objectives | 520 |
Mission timeline | 534 |
In retrospect | 545 |
The outstanding mystery | 547 |
Appendix | 549 |
Glossary | 613 |
Bibliography | 617 |
625 | |