To a Rocky Moon: A Geologist's History of Lunar Exploration

by Don E. Wilhelms

When human exploration of the lunar surface began in 1969, it marked not only an unprecedented technological achievement but also the culmination of scientific efforts to understand lunar geology. Memoirs of the Apollo astronauts have preserved the exploratory aspects of these missions; now a geologist who was an active participant in the lunar program offers a detailed historical view of those events--including the pre-Apollo era--from a heretofore untold scientific perspective. It was the responsibility of the scientific team of which Don Wilhelms was a member to assemble an overall picture of the Moon's structure and history in order to recommend where on the lunar surface fieldwork should be conducted and samples collected. His book relates the site-selection process in detail, and draws in concomitant events concerning mission operations to show how they affected the course of the scientific program. While discussing all six landings in detail, it tells the behind-the-scenes story of telescopic and spacecraft investigations before, during, and after the manned landings. Intended for anyone interested the space program, the history of science, or the application of geology to planetology, To a Rocky Moon will leave all readers with a better idea of what the Moon is really like. In so expertly summarizing this earlier phase of exploration, it stands as an authoritative touchstone for those involved in the next.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Geology, Space

477 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Amandayvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writer is filled with rightful angst for at the time of it's publication, the limited photos from the Apollo era were the only solid coverage of the moon. It is my understanding that there is now a high definition lunar orbiter and 100% photo coverage of the moon. I would be interested in the author's opinion of related new advancements. Question of volcanism/impact does not seem satisfyingly answered in this book. Could all volcanism have been the result of impact melting or were there processes, say radioactive decay, which could have heated up material enough for it's own site-limited melting to form more traditional volcanoes?

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that lies at the intersection of Geology Nerd Avenue and Apollo Geek Lane.

[Bikerider99 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent geology and engineering references for Earth's moon. College level reading.

[Steve Van Slyke · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who minored in geology in college but never used it professionally, I loved it. It's amazing how much they were able to deduce before the landings and the level of detail that they went to make geologic maps based on the knowledge gained from all six landings. The view into the political side of moon geology was also interesting. It whetted my appetite for the results of the Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter (LRO) mission, and hopefully future manned missions to continue the geologic study of the moon.