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Recommendations for a book to learn about space missions?

Fusion
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I have the FOIS and have spent plenty of time wearing 3570.50, and am of course superficially aware of Omega’s part in space missions. I think it’s very cool.
I would really like to learn about the different space missions (Apollo, mercury etc) and what they achieved.
Is there a text you guys recommend? I understand I can Wikipedia this stuff but a book seems nicer to me.
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64Wing
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Fusion Fusion
I have the FOIS and have spent plenty of time wearing 3570.50, and am of course superficially aware of Omega’s part in space missions. I think it’s very cool.
I would really like to learn about the different space missions (Apollo, mercury etc) and what they achieved.
Is there a text you guys recommend? I understand I can Wikipedia this stuff but a book seems nicer to me.
A2272FF5-DBD3-4B81-A178-5C3DC217D89A.jpeg
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mercury/missions/program-toc.html
https://www.amazon.com/Failure-Not-Option-Mission-Control/dp/1439148813 (Mr. Kranz was so kind to send me a signed copy of this book and it is excellent!)
https://www.amazon.com/Project-Mercury-Manned-Programme-Springer/dp/1852334061
https://www.amazon.com/Their-Own-Words-Mercury-Missions/dp/1591502403

Also check out the Marshall Space Flight Center's YouTube channel and go find the quarterly reports playlist. Really great footage in there.
 
saulgoodman
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64Wing 64Wing
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mercury/missions/program-toc.html
https://www.amazon.com/Failure-Not-Option-Mission-Control/dp/1439148813 (Mr. Kranz was so kind to send me a signed copy of this book and it is excellent!)
https://www.amazon.com/Project-Mercury-Manned-Programme-Springer/dp/1852334061
https://www.amazon.com/Their-Own-Words-Mercury-Missions/dp/1591502403

Also check out the Marshall Space Flight Center's YouTube channel and go find the quarterly reports playlist. Really great footage in there.

Try Conquest of the Moon by Wernher Von Braun, Magnificent Desolation by Buzz Aldrin, Lost Moon by Jim Lovell, and Failure is not an Option by Gene Kranz. These four books will give you good and different perspectives on the space program from four key players. Enjoy.
 
SpeedyPhill
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How is Your Russian ?
A complete overview of manned Russian spaceflight and recovery operations... treasure trove for spaceflight fans
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jsducote
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My own recollection, having read a number of the recommendations here and many others, is that they are not very technical, especially those written by the astronauts or engineers involved in the flights. Nuts, there's a book at home that I can recommend, but of course I can't think of it.
 
jsducote
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
How is Your Russian ?
A complete overview of manned Russian spaceflight and recovery operations... treasure trove for spaceflight fans
.
Sokol_MoonwatchUniverse.jpg
A good primer, in English, would be Oberg's 'Red Star in Orbit'
[His later books, imho, are trying too hard to be sensational]
 
amphib44
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A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin. Mostly Apollo, but very good.
 
SpeedyPhill
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For those who really want technical & scientific background information, there's only one source = NASA SP books 📖
These time-period SP - Special Publications became available after each mission and exist for Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and ASTP.
Most amazingly the price US $ 4.25 is on the backcover these books, together with the text: Postmaster: If Undeliverable Do Not Return
Top Tip: Try to get the real thing, don't go for the re-editions on Amazon, which are bad-copied versions with some pages way to black to read !
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NASA SP-350 (312 pages) and NASA SP-362 (256 pages)
NASA_SP_MoonwatchUniverse_.jpg

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Apollo Preliminary Science Reports : numbered from Apollo 8 to Apollo 17 = NASA SP- 201 232 214 235 272 289 315 330
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wagudc
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I thought I would resurrect this thread, for more recommendations. I know there are some serious space nerds here, so I'm sure you all will have lots of ideas. I am mostly interested in learning more about the Apollo missions, especially the later ones (i.e. post Apollo 11). I will also check out the Gene Kranz book recommended by @64Wing above.

Here are the books I have read or listened to audio versions of. I would recommend all of them:

Moon Shot: The Inside Story of America's Apollo Moon Landings, by Alan Shepard, Deke Slayton and Jay Barbree
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First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong Paperback, by James R. Hansen
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Rocket Men: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon, by Craig Nelson
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Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First Journey to the Moon, by Robert Kurson
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amphib44
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A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts by Andrew Chaikin. Fantastic read...
 
wagudc
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amphib44 amphib44
A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts by Andrew Chaikin. Fantastic read...
Thanks, I'll check it out.
 
Emeister
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Adding two more that I don't think have been mentioned yet.
These get top reviews from the space nerds.
Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins
The All American Boys by Walt Cunningham (Apollo 7)

I've got a terrible attention span so haven't read my copies yet.
Walt narrates his own book for the audio book fans.
Edited:
 
SpeedyPhill
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There're over 20 volumes in these excellent in-depth manned spaceflight books series, but here are those with wrist watch interest:
(Photo: Moonwatchuniverse)
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MoonwatchUniverse_bookz-.webp
 
wagudc
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Emeister Emeister
Adding two more that I don't think have been mentioned yet.
These get top reviews from the space nerds.
Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins
The All American Boys by Walt Cunningham (Apollo 7)

I've got a terrible attention span so haven't read my copies yet.
Walt narrates his own book for the audio book fans.

I listened to Gene Cernan's audiobook as read by the author and can recommend it, and am currently reading
Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins. I am particularly enjoying Collin's book. It adds unique personal observations that seem different from all the others I have read.

1733333962976.webp 1733333993291.webp
 
wagudc
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
There're over 20 volumes in these excellent in-depth manned spaceflight books series, but here are those with wrist watch interest:
(Photo: Moonwatchuniverse)
.
MoonwatchUniverse_bookz-.webp
These look interesting. These must give a very detailed account of each mission. Are there pages and pages of minute technical details that would be only of interest to the most extreme space nerd, or would they be an enjoyable for a casual space nerd?
 
SpeedyPhill
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Those Springer-Praxis series have stories and technical details, for some I voluntary cooperated to write a "box" about the wrist watches worn.
As mentioned a few posts above here, if You really want non-technical photobooks, then I recommend these Pickering book series:
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MoonwatchUniverse-OMEGA.webp
 
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