Moon Shot: The Inside Story of America's Race to the Moon

by Deke Slayton, Alan Shepard, Jay Barbree

Book Overview

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, and the space race was born. Desperate to beat the Russians into space, NASA put together a crew of the nation's most daring test pilots: the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1878685546
• ISBN13: 9781878685544
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Turner Publishing, Inc.
• Length: 383 Pages
• Weight: 1.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Moon Shot

This was an excellent book for anyone who is interested in the efforts to be the first to reach the moon. I have been a space junkie from the times my Mom would keep us home from school to watch the Mercury and Gemini launches. I was reminded of many things I observed and realized that my memories of the flights were from the perspective of a child. Hearing about the same events from the perspective of those who participated was very rewarding.

Two Grounded Astronauts Achieve Their Dreams to Fly in Space

This review is based on the original (1994) hardback edition. This book is much more than a history of the space program from about 1957 to 1975. It includes the inspirational determination for Shepard to fly again and for Slayton to fly even once. I had the pleasure of meeting Alan Shepard and getting his autograph on this book. The book captures the intensity of the space race. When Shepard saw Sputnik 1 (or, more probably, the upper-level rocket stage also in orbit), he chagrined at the fact that it didn't have "Made in the USA" written on it. Later, the Soviets were sad that the men circling the moon on Christmas Eve 1968 didn't have Russian names. Some seldom-discussed information is provided in this book. For instance, the US could have orbited a satellite over a year before Sputnik (p. 45). Were it not for an overcautious NASA, Shepard could have beat Gagarin into space by a month (p. 89, 91). The dog, Laika, is said to have lived for several days in space (p. 44). We now know that she died several hours after launch--from an overheated cabin. The authors discuss the politics behind the space program. For instance, the grounding of Deke Slayton had been for political and not medical reasons, as there was no evidence that Deke's heart irregularity would interfere with space flight. Rather, the fear was that, were Slayton's flight to end in disaster for any reason, his heart condition would automatically be suspected, and those who cleared him for flight would face automatic recrimination. The authors also allege that politics was behind the choice of Houston as the site for the Space Center. Both astronauts also had to contend with politics in the wake of the Apollo 13 near-disaster, notably the call, by some politicians, to cancel all remaining Apollo moon flights. Shepard also realized that, were his Apollo 14 to fail to land on the moon, there most probably would be no further Apollo flights. One is thrilled by Alan Shepard finding a surgical treatment for his Meniere's syndrome, and getting restored to flight status. Up to that time, he had considered himself an eagle whose wings had been clipped and who had been forced to be a turkey--in more ways than one. Then, over ten years after his grounding, Deke Slayton got his chance...in a joint US-Soviet flight that would have been equally unimaginable at the time of his grounding.

Two Grounded Astronauts Achieve Their Dreams to Fly in Space

This book is much more than a history of the space program from about 1957 to 1975. It includes the inspirational determination for Shepard to fly again and for Slayton to fly even once. I had the pleasure of meeting Alan Shepard and getting his autograph on this book. The book captures the intensity of the space race. When Shepard saw Sputnik 1 (or, more probably, the upper-level rocket stage also in orbit), he chagrined at the fact that it didn't have "Made in the USA" written on it. Later, the Soviets were sad that the men circling the moon on Christmas Eve 1968 didn't have Russian names. Some seldom-discussed information is provided in this book. For instance, the US could have orbited a satellite over a year before Sputnik (p. 45). Were it not for an overcautious NASA, Shepard could have beat Gagarin into space by a month (p. 89, 91). The dog, Laika, is said to have lived for several days in space (p. 44). We now know that she died several hours after launch--from an overheated cabin. The authors discuss the politics behind the space program. For instance, the grounding of Deke Slayton had been for political and not medical reasons, as there was no evidence that Deke's heart irregularity would interfere with space flight. Rather, the fear was that, were Slayton's flight to end in disaster for any reason, his heart condition would automatically be suspected, and those who cleared him for flight would face automatic recrimination. The authors also allege that politics was behind the choice of Houston as the site for the Space Center. Both astronauts also had to contend with politics in the wake of the Apollo 13 near-disaster, notably the call, by some politicians, to cancel all remaining Apollo moon flights. Shepard also realized that, were his Apollo 14 to fail to land on the moon, there most probably would be no further Apollo flights. One is thrilled by Alan Shepard finding a surgical treatment for his Meniere's syndrome, and getting restored to flight status. Up to that time, he had considered himself an eagle whose wings had been clipped and who had been forced to be a turkey--in more ways than one. Then, over ten years after his grounding, Deke Slayton got his chance...in a joint US-Soviet flight that would have been equally unimaginable at the time of his grounding.

They Don't Make Astronauts Like These Guys Anymore!

There was a time when astronauts didn't have to be pointy headed scientists or politically correct public relations diplomats. Moonshot captures the rough and tumble, fiercely competitive early days of the Cold War space program better than most. The real space business was much more rugged and and cruel than the public relations machine of NASA told us. The "perfect specimens" selected for the Original Seven astronaut corps were far more human than they would have wanted to admit. This account of the struggles and accomplishments of America's early astronauts tells us as much about how we have changed as a people, as it does about orbital rendezvous, astronaut training, and landing on the moon. The technical aspects of spaceflight are in the book, but so is human drama and intrigue. The story of the dramatic comebacks of Alan Sheperd and Deke Slayton offers the kind of inspiration so many people are looking for today

Hollywood Styled Story of America's Quest for the Moon

Great book! You get the point of view of two who were on the inside (Shepherd and Slayton) and two reporters who help make the story flow. The wording replicates the true drama of the moments as if you were actually there during the key moments in America's drive to land men on the moon. You'll swear you are beside Alan Shepherd as the Apollo 14 LEM descends toward the moons surface as the computer and radar problems amount. Good, thorough history of the major trials and triumphs of the Apollo program set against the backdrop of getting to the moon before the Soviets. If you enjoy reading about Space Exploration, you owe it to yourself to get this book