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688 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1994
Lovell, Haise and Swigert of exploded Apollo 13 making it back alive despite the odds.
See the explosion site? Photo taken by crew about to try re-entry into our home world.
Pete Conrad on the Moon; Lunar Module “Intrepid” above the Moon.
The happy buddy crew of Apollo 12.
Gumdrop. So tempting to reach out and touch. While it’s staring at you with those unmistakable eyes on top.
Today, at the NASA space centers in Houston and Florida, the Saturn Vs for Apollo 18 and 19 [both missions canceled] lie on tourist stands, like unfinished obelisks, reminders of a time that seems now as remote as the moon itself. Across the distance of a [half] century, Apollo is an anomaly. There was a rare confluence of historical forces in 1961: A perceived threat to national prestige from the Soviet Union was met by a dynamic leader, John Kennedy, and economic prosperity allowed him to launch a massive effort to demonstrate America’s capabilities. The moon was the ideal target – close enough to reach, audacious enough to capture the imagination.
… from 1961 to 1972, the objective was as clear and inspiring as any you could ask for. You had only to go outside at night and look at it.
On his way into a fitful sleep, Anders began to realize: We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the earth.