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Failure Is Not an Option: Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond
Gene Kranz Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Similar Items:
ASIN: 0743200799 |
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In 1957, the Russians launched Sputnik and the ensuing space race. Three years later, Gene Kranz left his aircraft testing job to join NASA and champion the American cause. What he found was an embryonic department run by whiz kids (such as himself), sharp engineers and technicians who had to create the Mercury mission rules and procedure from the ground up. As he says, "Since there were no books written on the actual methodology of space flight, we had to write them as we went along."Kranz was part of the mission control team that, in January 1961, launched a chimpanzee into space and successfully retrieved him, and made Alan Shepard the first American in space in May 1961. Just two months later they launched Gus Grissom for a space orbit, John Glenn orbited Earth three times in February 1962, and in May of 1963 Gordon Cooper completed the final Project Mercury launch with 22 Earth orbits. And through them all, and the many Apollo missions that followed, Gene Kranz was one of the integral inside men--one of those who bore the responsibility for the Apollo 1 tragedy, and the leader of the "tiger team" that saved the Apollo 13 astronauts.
Moviegoers know Gene Kranz through Ed Harris's Oscar-nominated portrayal of him in Apollo 13, but Kranz provides a more detailed insider's perspective in his book Failure Is Not an Option. You see NASA through his eyes, from its primitive days when he first joined up, through the 1993 shuttle mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope, his last mission control project. His memoir, however, is not high literature. Kranz has many accomplishments and honors to his credit, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, but this is his first book, and he's not a polished author. There are, perhaps, more behind-the-scenes details and more paragraphs devoted to what Cape Canaveral looked like than the general public demands. If, however, you have a long-standing fascination with aeronautics, if you watched Apollo 13 and wanted more, Failure Is Not an Option will fill the bill. --Stephanie Gold
Book Description
Gene Kranz was present at the creation of America's manned space program and was a key player in it for three decades. As a flight director in NASA's Mission Control, Kranz witnessed firsthand the making of history. He participated in the space program from the early days of the Mercury program to the last Apollo mission, and beyond. He endured the disastrous first years when rockets blew up and the United States seemed to fall further behind the Soviet Union in the space race. He helped to launch Alan Shepard and John Glenn, then assumed the flight director's role in the Gemini program, which he guided to fruition. With his teammates, he accepted the challenge to carry out President John F. Kennedy's commitment to land a man on the Moon before the end of the 1960s.Kranz was flight director for both Apollo 11, the mission in which Neil Armstrong fulfilled President Kennedy's pledge, and Apollo 13. He headed the Tiger Team that had to figure out how to bring the three Apollo 13 astronauts safely back to Earth. (In the film Apollo 13, Kranz was played by the actor Ed Harris, who earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance.)
In Failure Is Not an Option, Gene Kranz recounts these thrilling historic events and offers new information about the famous flights. What appeared as nearly flawless missions to the Moon were, in fact, a series of hair-raising near misses. When the space technology failed, as it sometimes did, the controllers' only recourse was to rely on their skills and those of their teammates. Kranz takes us inside Mission Control and introduces us to some of the whiz kids -- still in their twenties, only a few years out of college -- who had to figure it all out as they went along, creating a great and daring enterprise. He reveals behind-the-scenes details to demonstrate the leadership, discipline, trust, and teamwork that made the space program a success.
Finally, Kranz reflects on what has happened to the space program and offers his own bold suggestions about what we ought to be doing in space now.
This is a fascinating firsthand account written by a veteran mission controller of one of America's greatest achievements.
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Perhaps best known through Ed Harris's Oscar-nominated portrayal in the film Apollo 13, Gene Kranz was a NASA flight controller throughout the entire manned space program. Kranz witnessed everything from Alan Shepard's and John Glenn's early flights in the Mercury program through the triumph of Neil Armstrong's giant leap for mankind in Apollo 11 and the near-disaster of Apollo 13. Kranz headed the "tiger team" that saved the Apollo 13 astronauts, and he provides new details about the urgent and successful improvising that brought the crew safely back to Earth.Failure Is Not an Option is a thrilling insider's account of Mission Control from the early years of trying to catch the Russians to the end of the manned space program. It is filled with behind-the-scenes stories, including the painful self-examination that took place following the Apollo 1 disaster and the daring decision to schedule an Apollo flight to the moon before NASA had ever launched a manned rocket beyond earth orbit. Kranz's stories about the dedication and resourcefulness of the astronaut corps and Mission Control teams show how an organization dominated by young people only in their twenties could succeed in one of the boldest missions in human history, placing a man on the moon in less than a decade.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring reading for technical leaders of all kinds.......2007-08-15
a fist hand report of the early NASA years.......2007-06-30
The best way to learn about spaceflight is through this book.......2007-05-17
Failure Is Not An Option..........2007-03-15
Not a bad book - not a great one either........2007-01-16
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Spaceflight Life Support and Biospherics (Space Technology Library, V. 5)
Peter Eckart Manufacturer: Microcosm ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 1881883043 |
Book Description
Spaceflight Life Support and Biospherics is the introduction to space life support systems and artificial ecosystems that has so far been lacking. It is a source of information for everyone involved in the life support system design and development process -- engineers, scientists, and students -- as well as all those who are simply interested in this existing discipline. The structure of this book is such that it gives step-by-step answers to the basic questions concerning life support systems on any scale -- from small microbial systems to the Earth's biosphere: + Why life support system development and biosphere research? + How does our natural life support system, the biosphere, work? + What are the environmental conditions for life support systems in space? + What are the fundamental terms and requirements of life support? + Which physicochemical life support subsystems currently exist? + Which are the potential bioregenerative life support technologies of the future? + What are life support systems of future planetary habitats going to look like? + What are the experiences of the largest artificial ecosystem -- Biosphere 2? + What are the potential terrestrial benefits of life support development?Customer Reviews:
Very useful.......2007-04-18
A very good introduction and summary to the topic.......1996-08-30
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Exploring the Solar System: A History with 22 Activities (For Kids series)
Mary Kay Carson Manufacturer: Chicago Review Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 1556525931 |
Book Description
Customer Reviews:
Solar System Book-Space Info.......2006-08-19
An awesome choice for our star-crazy young ones!.......2006-04-01
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Journey to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Guidance Computer
Eldon C. Hall Manufacturer: AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics & Ast ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 156347185X |
Book Description
The first of its kind, Journey to the Moon details the history and design of the computer that enabled U.S. astronauts to land on the moon. In describing the evolution of the Apollo Guidance Computer, Mr. Hall contends that the development of the Apollo computer supported and motivated the semiconductor industry during a period of time when integrated circuits were just emerging. This was the period just before the electronics revolution that gave birth to modern computers.In addition, the book recalls the history of computer technology, both hardware and software, and the applications of digital computing to missile guidance systems and manned spacecraft. The book also offers graphics and photos drawn from the Draper Laboratories' archives that illustrate the technology and related events during the Apollo project.
Written for experts as well as lay persons, Journey to the Moon is the first book of its kind and a must for anyone interested in the history of science and the relevance of computer technology to space exploration.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent content, astronomical cost.......2004-12-26
Superior and Detailed Account.......2003-09-05
It is somewhat technical (I had no idea how they made rope memory modules, an early ROM format before this book for instance), but Hall is very careful to explain things in terms that an average reader can readily understand.
The book itself documents the Apollo Guidance Computer from conception through numerous iterations and changes, to final successful lunar landings. Although the AGC capabilities seem trivial today, the AGC was the world's first Integrated Chip computer, and had enormous hurdles to overcome. In the end, of course, we know that Hall and his fellow employees at MIT did a good job...what I didn't know before was exactly what they had to do and the challenges they had to overcome.
Worth the Effort.......2000-06-09
What a Journey !.......1999-10-14
I try to imagine after reading your book, how proud you must be to have helped make history. The Apollo program is the greatest accomplishment of the 20th Century.
The Moon in your PC.......1999-03-16
Eldon C. Hall weaves for the reader a journey that reveals the gestation of the computer from it's inception through the actual lunar missions. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the computers that they sit in front of on a daily basis. The AGC helped weave today's digital DNA.
The Apollo Guidance Computer-Just think of it as having a little bit of the Moon in your PC.
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Exploring the Moon: The Apollo Expeditions (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration)
David M. Harland Manufacturer: Springer ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
Accessories:
ASIN: 1852330996 |
Book Description
If you have ever asked yourself What did the astronauts do on the lunar surface? What did they say while they were there? What did they photograph? How did their discoveries alter our understanding of lunar geology? Will we ever go back to the moon? If so, Exploring the Moon is the book for you. This unique insight into the three Apollo missions (15, 16 and 17) answers all these questions and much more. Using the actual transcripts of what the astronauts said to each other whilst carrying out their duties, and numerous photographs taken at each step of the exploration, this book provides a graphic illustration of what can arguably be described as Mankinds greatest feat of exploration.Customer Reviews:
A Detailed Account of what the Astronauts Did on the Moon.......2006-02-01
A MUST FOR THOSE INTO SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORATION.......2000-12-29
It is true that a lot of geological concepts are thrown at the reader from the beginning and those (like myself) who have no previous background in geology might be intimidated but I find that a careful reading of the excellent glossary contained in the book should give enough background to make the science generally accessible. Harland makes clear why the various landing sites were chosen and what the geological issues were that were to be investigated. Traverse maps showing the various geological features to be explored are included for each mission. The many photographs presented illustrate the main discoveries and their significance. Of special note are the panoramas personally assembled by Harland (which are also available on the internet's Apollo Lunar Surface Journal) which give a stunning view of the Lunar environment as the astronauts saw it.
Finally, I strongly urge someone who finds himself becoming more interested in the subject of Lunar geology to also read Don Wilhelm's "To a Rocky Moon" which presents the historical development of our ideas about the Moon up through the famous Kona Conference in 1984 which determined that the Moon was probably created due to a giant body impacting with the fledgling Earth and also Paul Spudis' "The Once and Future Moon" which gives a summary of our state of knowledge up to the mid-1990's and directions for future exploration.
Apollo - telling it like it was.......2000-09-29
If you are interested in the Moon, or simply in why humanity goes into space, read this book.
A steep learning curve for most, but worth it........2000-09-23
Overall a really terrific book, but nevertheless, I agree with some other reader's criticisms:
1. The basic geological terms and principles should have been explained to laymen throughout the first half of the book. So much of the wonder and excitement of the adventure is dependent on a thorough understanding of what the scientists were searching for. Patient readers (like me) will wade through and learn "the hard way" (checking the glossary often) but Harland could have made the book a smoother ride with a little more "teaching."
2. The pictures could definitely be better. In particular, every mission should have a detailed traverse map up front with all craters and landmarks noted that are mentioned in the text. I found that I had to supplement the book with charts and photos from the internet in order to properly follow along.
That's it! I've learned a tremendous amount and am grateful to the author for making me into more of an expert on a subject that I have always loved.
Good, But Not Great.......2000-09-08
The author throws around far too many hard-to-understand geology phrases. So much so, you might think he's chatting with the "boys at the lab." I've been reading up on lunar geology for years, but found I needed to keep my geology dictionary nearby just follow along.
Although well illustrated, most of the pictures are tiny and hard to see, and have a pixelated apperance as if he scanned them or copied from the Internet. You will be disappointed in them.
The last fault is the writing style. While it is informative, it is not very lively or easy going. It is slightly dry and you will have to concentrate on getting through it.
If you are an Apollo or Moon fan you will probably be glad you got it. But as I said in the title -- it's good but not great.
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Living on a Space Shuttle (Rookie Read-About Science)
Carmen Bredeson Manufacturer: Children's Press (CT) ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 0516269550 |
Customer Reviews:
my son loves this book.......2007-03-06
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Humans and Machines in Space: The Vision, the Challenge, the Payoff : 29th Goddard Memorial Symposium (Science and Technology Series)
Bradley Johnson , Gayle L. May , and Paula Korn Manufacturer: Amer Astronautical Society ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover ASIN: 0877033560 |
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Living in Space
G. liHarry Stine Manufacturer: M. Evans and Company, Inc. ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Similar Items: ASIN: 0871318415 |
Book Description
Getting humanity's eggs out of one fragile planetary basket.Customer Reviews:
Easy to read.......2000-05-12
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Living in Space (Heinemann First Library)
Patricia Whitehouse Manufacturer: Heinemann ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover ASIN: 1403451516 |
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Living In Space (The Real Deal)
Sharon Dalgleish Manufacturer: Chelsea House Publications ProductGroup: Book Binding: Library Binding ASIN: 0791084396 |
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