Picturing Apollo 11
Picturing Apollo 11
Rare Views and Undiscovered Moments
July 16, 1969. Nearly one million spectators flock to Cape Canaveral to witness the largest rocket ever built send three Americans to the Moon. Four days later, two step onto the lunar surface. The extraordinary achievement is celebrated around the world. Images capturing these incredible moments fill the pages of Picturing Apollo 11, an unprecedented photo¬graphic history of the space mission that defined an era. Through a wealth of unpublished and recently discovered images, this book presents new and rarely seen views of the people, places, and events involved in planning, accomplishing, and commemorating the first Moon landing. Starting with the extensive preparations for the mission, these photographs show astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins training for the flight and their spacecraft and stages of the massive Saturn V rocket arriving at the Kennedy Space Center for assembly. They display the media frenzy over the unfolding story and the “Moon fever” that gripped the nation. In addition to both ubiquitous and lesser-known images of the moonwalk itself, the authors present life back on Earth while men explored the lunar surface, as well as the anniversary festivities that paid homage to them in the following decades. Accompanying text details each scene, revealing the enormous scale and scope of the activities that went into planning and executing one of humankind’s most historic moments. Presented chronologically, each picture evokes the electric atmosphere of the time. No other book has showcased as many never-before-seen photos connected with Apollo 11 or as many images covering the activities from the months before to the years after the mission. Most of the hundreds of photographs were selected from NASA archives and J. L. Pickering’s collection, the world’s largest private collection of U.S. human space flight images.
Pickering and Bisney present a host of never-before-seen photographs of the mission, including images of the three astronauts, the Kennedy Space Center and spectators gathered to watch history being made before their eyes.’—Los Angeles Times ‘50 years ago this July, Neil Armstrong took ‘one giant leap for mankind’ as he became the first human to step foot on the moon’s surface—and now, never-before-seen pictures provide a unique glimpse behind the profound 1969 voyage.’—Daily Mail ‘In a story told primarily through photos and captions, historian Pickering and journalist Bisney (coauthors of Moonshots and Snapshots of Project Apollo), chronicle 1969’s heady days of ‘moon fever.’ Across 10 well-organized chapters, the selected images capture the country’s mounting excitement; the meticulous preparation of astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins; and finally the moon landing itself and the crew’s return to Earth. Subjects range from the magnificent—the Apollo 11 rocket at sunset or twilight on the launching pad—to the mundane—the astronauts signing rental car forms at a NASA base. Some of the most affecting images are simple portraits of Aldrin, Armstrong, and Collins, which amply capture their discipline and determination. In the introduction, Bisney notes that he and Pickering don’t claim to include any new material from space, as all ‘in-flight photography’ has been publicly available since 1969; NASA buffs familiar with such images may find fresh interest in, for instance, those of the astronauts enduring a 21-day isolation period after their return and then being feted around the world. The reader is left with an ample sense of the astronauts’ fame and, thanks to Pickering and Bisney’s wise selections, of their lasting accomplishment.’—Publishers Weekly ‘The perfect launch vehicle for younger generations to vicariously experience the nation’s nervous anticipation prior to Apollo 11’s blastoff, through to the final euphoric roar at seeing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin kick up moon dust.’—Foreword Reviews ‘Whenever we think of Apollo 11, we think of people; not just Armstrong, Collins and Aldrin, but the 400,000 who put the mission together, the million-strong crowd who filled the beaches and roads of Cape Kennedy, and the audience of half a billion who tuned in on radio or TV. . . . Picturing Apollo 11 honours the people who strove against all odds to land a man on the Moon.’—Sky at Night Magazine ‘An amazing collection of images that captures every aspect of the mission.’—Quest: The History of Human Spaceflight ‘The perfect launch vehicle for younger generations to vicariously experience the nation’s nervous anticipation prior to Apollo 11’s blastoff, through to the final euphoric roar at seeing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin kick up moon dust.’—Foreword Reviews ‘What this book accomplishes is something unique. . . . These images go far beyond Armstrong and Aldrin’s lunar landing to show the tense, thrilling and even mundane moments along the way in the Apollo program.’—Space ‘Paint[s] a detailed picture of the moon landing. . . . A comprehensive photographic history of Apollo 11.’—Seattle Times
Focused almost exclusively on the three astronauts of Apollo 11, this profusely illustrated book recounts the adventure of the first Moon landing.’—Roger D. Launius, former associate director of collections and curatorial affairs, National Air and Space Museum ‘A visual feast. We’re right alongside Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins, and Buzz Aldrin through the months of training, the incredible journey to the Moon, and the hero’s welcome that greeted their return. Pickering and Bisney have produced a precious chronicle of a time that will never come again.’—Andrew Chaikin, author of A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts ‘Visually engaging and comprehensive. From training to splashdown, from the Saturn V towering on the launchpad to intimate moments among the crew, Picturing Apollo 11 offers a rich portrait of the first lunar landing.’—Teasel Muir-Harmony, author of Apollo to the Moon: A History in 50 Objects ‘Apollo 11 was humanity’s greatest achievement. Pickering and Bisney have collected some of the best images of little-known events from the lead-up to humankind’s first steps on another world.’—Jason Rhian, senior editor, SpaceFlight Insider ‘A vivid reminder that Apollo 11 was not only an astonishing technological accomplishment but also a deeply human one.’—Ron Miller, coauthor of Space Stations: The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space
J. L. Pickering is a spaceflight historian and authority who has been archiving rare space images for more than 40 years. John Bisney is a journalist who has covered the space program for CNN, the Discovery Science Channel, and SiriusXM Radio. Together, they have coauthored Space¬shots and Snapshots of Projects Mercury and Gemini: A Rare Photographic History, Moonshots and Snapshots of Project Apollo: A Rare Photographic History, and The Space-Age Presidency of John F. Kennedy: A Rare Photographic History.
