David Woods (7)

A very clear technical description of the Saturn V launcher. Also describes Skylab, but not the Apollo craft or missions.

One of the best I've seen of this 'What do Haynes do next?' series of 'Workshop Manuals'. The writing is clear, the technical level pitched is just right and the illustration and product quality is excellent.

This doesn't have the technical depth of a 500-pager like [Roger Bilstein]'s [Stages to Saturn]. But it is much deeper than one might expect on picking it up. The engines in particular are well described and many of the subtle mechanisms, like the problems of re-starting the S-IVB stage for a second time, are explained in a way that assumes little initial knowledge but still manages to convey a real understanding.… (plus d'informations)

This book is part of the series of books written in the style of the classic car Haynes manuals. Only this isn't going to tell you how to change the spark plugs in a Ford Escort: it charts the design, testing, construction and use of the mighty Saturn V rocket system. The book provides a quick introduction to rocketry by way of Goddard's experiments in the States and Wernher von Braun's team building Nazi German's A4/V2 missiles, before diving into process that lead to the design of the largest successful rocket launcher of the 20th century.

The subsequent chapters look at each of the stages of Saturn V, its various engines, guidance system and then their uses in Apollo and Skylab missions. Each chapter comes complete with excellent period photos, 16mm film slides, copies of original blueprints and diagrams explaining many of the processes involved.

Whilst it isn't going to turn you into a rocket scientist any more than a traditional Haynes manual will make you a super car designer, it does give the reader a good understanding behind the principles involved and many of the challenges that had to be overcome to land men on the Moon. A recommended read for those interested in spaceflight and NASA's history, worth it for some of the pictures alone.… (plus d'informations)

Like Haynes’s earlier Owners’ Workshop Manual on Soyuz, this is not a how-to-fix-it guide to NASA’s Gemini spacecraft. It is instead a detailed exploration of the Gemini program and spacecraft. Perhaps it doesn’t boast the number of diagrams of NASA’s own technical documentation, but it comes pretty close. It’s also very readable. And very interesting. I hadn’t known, for example, about the difficulties experienced by Gene Cernan during the US’s second spacewalk during Gemini IX-A. Good stuff.… (plus d'informations)