EAN: 9783319177885

SPRINGER PRAXIS BOOKS ROCKET RANCH - JONATHAN...

Jonathan Ward takes the reader deep into the facilities at Kennedy Space Center to describe
NASA's first computer systems used for spacecraft and rocket checkout and explain how tests and
launches proceeded. Descriptions of early operations include a harrowing account of the heroic
efforts of pad workers during the Apollo 1 fire. A companion to the author's book Countdown to
a Moon Launch: Preparing Apollo for Its Historic Journey  this explores every facet of the
facilities that served as the base for the Apollo Saturn missions. Hundreds of illustrations
complement the firsthand accounts of more than 70 Apollo program managers and engineers. The
era of the Apollo Saturn missions was perhaps the most exciting period in American space
exploration history. Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center were buzzing with activity.
Thousands of workers came to town to build the facilities and launch the missions needed to put
an American on the Moon before the end of the decade. Work at KSC involved much more than just
launching rockets. It was a place like none other on Earth. Technicians performed intricate
operations  and hazards abounded everywhere  including lightning  fire  highly-toxic fuels 
snakes  heat  explosives  LOX spills  and even plutonium. The reward for months of 7-day
workweeks under intense pressure was witnessing a Saturn V at liftoff. For anyone who ever
wished they had worked at Kennedy Space Center during the Apollo era  this book is the next
best thing. The only thing missing is the smell of rocket fuel in the morning.

Aktuelle Preise zur EAN 9783319177885

Produktinformationen zur 9783319177885