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Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions
A Behind-the-Scenes Look At NASA’s incredible Journey to the Moon
Space journalist and insider Nancy Atkinson weaves together the riveting story of NASA’s mission to complete “the greatest adventure on which humankind ever embarked.”
This incredible account is a keepsake celebrating some of the most important and dramatic events in modern history. Told through over 60 personal interviews and oral histories, as well as personal photographs, this tribute to the men and women who made the Apollo 11 mission a reality chronicles the highs and lows that accompanied the race to the Moon: the devastating flash fire that killed the crew of Apollo 1; the awe of those who saw their years-in-the-making contributions to space exploration blast off from Cape Canaveral; the knuckle-biting descent of Apollo 11 to the lunar surface; a near-catastrophic event on the crew’s flight home; the infectious excitement and jubilation across the world after the astronauts returned safely to Earth.
These little-known stories of the dedicated engineers, mathematicians and scientists in the 1960s reveal the “hows” of the Apollo missions and bring to life the wonder and excitement of humanity’s first steps on the Moon.
Space journalist and insider Nancy Atkinson weaves together the riveting story of NASA’s mission to complete “the greatest adventure on which humankind ever embarked.”
This incredible account is a keepsake celebrating some of the most important and dramatic events in modern history. Told through over 60 personal interviews and oral histories, as well as personal photographs, this tribute to the men and women who made the Apollo 11 mission a reality chronicles the highs and lows that accompanied the race to the Moon: the devastating flash fire that killed the crew of Apollo 1; the awe of those who saw their years-in-the-making contributions to space exploration blast off from Cape Canaveral; the knuckle-biting descent of Apollo 11 to the lunar surface; a near-catastrophic event on the crew’s flight home; the infectious excitement and jubilation across the world after the astronauts returned safely to Earth.
These little-known stories of the dedicated engineers, mathematicians and scientists in the 1960s reveal the “hows” of the Apollo missions and bring to life the wonder and excitement of humanity’s first steps on the Moon.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published July 2, 2019
24 people are currently reading
2143 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Atkinson
7 books54 followersNancy Atkinson is a science journalist and author with a passion for telling the stories of people involved in space exploration and astronomy. She writes for Universe Today, Seeker and Ad Astra, and her latest book about the Apollo program is titled “Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions.” It shares the untold stories of engineers and scientists who helped make the Apollo program so successful, despite the daunting odds against it.
Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (Dec. 2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.
She has been involved with several space-related podcasts, including Astronomy Cast, 365 Days of Astronomy and was the host of the NASA Lunar Science Institute podcast. Nancy lives in Minnesota.
Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (Dec. 2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.
She has been involved with several space-related podcasts, including Astronomy Cast, 365 Days of Astronomy and was the host of the NASA Lunar Science Institute podcast. Nancy lives in Minnesota.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 5, 2019
This book takes a slightly different approach to the Apollo missions than other books I have read. It looks at the years leading up to the moon landing in 1969 and focuses on the engineers, scientists, families, and NASA managers tasked with developing a way to get to the moon by the end of the decade. The astronauts are interspersed in the story, but they seem to have cameo roles in the book; the focus is on the unknown multitudes who had to figure out things like communicating over 240,000 miles, developing computers and programs that did not exist, or safely docking two spaceships.
If you enjoy the engineering and science angle to the story of getting to the moon, this book is a good one, and it also seems to cover personal stories and people who are largely unknown but played such a huge role in the Apollo project. The engineers out of college in the early 1960s and with no more than a slide rule and a suitcase got the astronauts to the moon, and this is their story.
If you enjoy the engineering and science angle to the story of getting to the moon, this book is a good one, and it also seems to cover personal stories and people who are largely unknown but played such a huge role in the Apollo project. The engineers out of college in the early 1960s and with no more than a slide rule and a suitcase got the astronauts to the moon, and this is their story.
June 28, 2020
This is definitely geared toward those who are fascinated with the space program, specifically the Apollo missions. Though there are many, many personal stories, it does get pretty wonky at times. I enjoyed it immensely, even the parts that were WAAAAY over my head.
October 11, 2019
Well researched with personal insight from many of the individuals involved in the NASA Space program as well as lavishly illustrated with posed publicity photos and lots of candid shots of buildings, people and equipment from the beginning in 1962 through Apollo 11, the landing on the moon and further trips and discoveries until the program ended in 1972.
We are familiar with the image of the mission control room with dozens of wall monitors as well as individual monitoring stations manned by men with a pressed shirt, tie and massive headsets. In a photo from one of the Mercury missions in 1962, there are perhaps 15 people with chunky monitor desks with switches, one monitor and lots of underutilized gray space and even more empty floor. NASA grew to fill that space.
This was the same time where NASA could only afford to share two of the huge computers - one in Maryland, one in Florida. There were none in Texas or California. And this was when computers were room-filling behemoths with temperamental vacuum tubes and, in many cases, required notification of the local electric company before turning them on due to the massive power drain on the grid.
The beginning of the book drags a bit since literally, EVERYTHING, had to created basically from scratch.
- The Houston Mission control site was a cow pasture.
- Kennedy Space Center (called Cape Canaveral at that time) was a missile firing facility. All the launch pads and facilities for storage and assembly of the rockets as well as transportation and sturdy roads to move the tremendously heavy rockets.
- Rockets that were strong enough to leave Earth's gravity and be consistent in their work. More crashed and exploded than actually flew for a long time.
- Communications systems that would cover the distances as well as be as close to Real Time as they could be made.
- Tracking systems and their facilities across the world
- Maneuvering thrusters system
- Protective suits and eventually the isolation suits that those that actually set foot on the moon had to wear to protect the Earth from 'foreign' bio-organisms
- Simulations imagined and constructed for every possible experience
- Manuals to be written on every system, every happenstance especially the computers that were just beginning to come into the digital age but still very basic with limited memory and processing power.
- How the astronauts were to be able to rest, eat and even eliminate waste during the days-long missions
The public saw the end result of eight long years of work. Most never saw or even conceived of the obstacles that challenged the ingenuity of not only the employees of NASA but that of it's contractors across the U.S. and the world. Perhaps as the plaque that was left behind on the moon after that first trip stated: 'We came in peace for all mankind.' All of mankind is still benefiting from those discoveries and innovations to this day.
The only possible addition that I would like to have seen is an appendix of the various badges from the Mercury program through Apollo. Only one appears in the publicity photo of Apollo 14. Any others are small blobs of color on their suits.
2019-141
We are familiar with the image of the mission control room with dozens of wall monitors as well as individual monitoring stations manned by men with a pressed shirt, tie and massive headsets. In a photo from one of the Mercury missions in 1962, there are perhaps 15 people with chunky monitor desks with switches, one monitor and lots of underutilized gray space and even more empty floor. NASA grew to fill that space.
This was the same time where NASA could only afford to share two of the huge computers - one in Maryland, one in Florida. There were none in Texas or California. And this was when computers were room-filling behemoths with temperamental vacuum tubes and, in many cases, required notification of the local electric company before turning them on due to the massive power drain on the grid.
The beginning of the book drags a bit since literally, EVERYTHING, had to created basically from scratch.
- The Houston Mission control site was a cow pasture.
- Kennedy Space Center (called Cape Canaveral at that time) was a missile firing facility. All the launch pads and facilities for storage and assembly of the rockets as well as transportation and sturdy roads to move the tremendously heavy rockets.
- Rockets that were strong enough to leave Earth's gravity and be consistent in their work. More crashed and exploded than actually flew for a long time.
- Communications systems that would cover the distances as well as be as close to Real Time as they could be made.
- Tracking systems and their facilities across the world
- Maneuvering thrusters system
- Protective suits and eventually the isolation suits that those that actually set foot on the moon had to wear to protect the Earth from 'foreign' bio-organisms
- Simulations imagined and constructed for every possible experience
- Manuals to be written on every system, every happenstance especially the computers that were just beginning to come into the digital age but still very basic with limited memory and processing power.
- How the astronauts were to be able to rest, eat and even eliminate waste during the days-long missions
The public saw the end result of eight long years of work. Most never saw or even conceived of the obstacles that challenged the ingenuity of not only the employees of NASA but that of it's contractors across the U.S. and the world. Perhaps as the plaque that was left behind on the moon after that first trip stated: 'We came in peace for all mankind.' All of mankind is still benefiting from those discoveries and innovations to this day.
The only possible addition that I would like to have seen is an appendix of the various badges from the Mercury program through Apollo. Only one appears in the publicity photo of Apollo 14. Any others are small blobs of color on their suits.
2019-141
September 16, 2019
I loooove space and non-fiction space books (see: my list) and this new release recently hit my radar.
Atkinson's work is set apart from a typical astronaut/NASA employee autobiography because she is able to look at the Apollo program through a wide lens. Yes, she absolutely gets into some of the fun astronaut stories, but also gives many of the different departments, program administrators, engineers and worker-bees (my term, not hers) their due. There were an estimated 400,000 employees, contractors, scientists and more working on the Apollo program, and Atkinson samples a very interesting and diverse cross-section for this book.
Reading Eight Years to the Moon made the excitement, milestones, near misses and tragedies of the Apollo space program palpable and accessible (disclaimer: recall my love-of-space bias). There was a nice balance of people, project management, technology and some administration (can't avoid administration when you're coordinating 400,000 warm bodies).
I am so excited! And did you know we're going to the moon in 2024? I might have to take the year off work.
As a space book lover there was plenty of information I've seen but it was interesting to see it through a new lens and nicely contextualized in the flow of the book. Atkinson also uncovered some new information about some extremely dangerous near misses during re-entry on the first handful of Apollo missions that had never been published/disclosed before. Couple other new-to-me details too.
I think it's impossible to share the history of the whole Apollo program in <300 pages (let alone <3,000) but this was a superb read, including all the colour photos.
Thanks Saskatoon Public Library for getting a copy into the system at my request!
Atkinson's work is set apart from a typical astronaut/NASA employee autobiography because she is able to look at the Apollo program through a wide lens. Yes, she absolutely gets into some of the fun astronaut stories, but also gives many of the different departments, program administrators, engineers and worker-bees (my term, not hers) their due. There were an estimated 400,000 employees, contractors, scientists and more working on the Apollo program, and Atkinson samples a very interesting and diverse cross-section for this book.
Reading Eight Years to the Moon made the excitement, milestones, near misses and tragedies of the Apollo space program palpable and accessible (disclaimer: recall my love-of-space bias). There was a nice balance of people, project management, technology and some administration (can't avoid administration when you're coordinating 400,000 warm bodies).
I am so excited! And did you know we're going to the moon in 2024? I might have to take the year off work.
As a space book lover there was plenty of information I've seen but it was interesting to see it through a new lens and nicely contextualized in the flow of the book. Atkinson also uncovered some new information about some extremely dangerous near misses during re-entry on the first handful of Apollo missions that had never been published/disclosed before. Couple other new-to-me details too.
I think it's impossible to share the history of the whole Apollo program in <300 pages (let alone <3,000) but this was a superb read, including all the colour photos.
Thanks Saskatoon Public Library for getting a copy into the system at my request!
Read
February 9, 2020Disclaimer: I got a copy through a Goodreads giveaway.
Eight Years to the Moon by Nancy Atkinson
I was astounded by the level of detail and breadth of topics. The author filled the book with stories told through interviews with those who worked on Apollo. Engineers, scientists and others who solved incredible problems in order to get men on the moon. Families and friends who lived through the heartbreak of crashes or fire.
I followed the space program as a boy. And it inspired me. Reading these stories gave me even more inspiration knowing more about the obstacles and time lines. As an engineer, my challenges pale in comparison to these. It leaves me even more astounded at what they accomplished.
The stories include working out the radio systems, computer programming, control thrusters, and so many more systems and logistics. This book is incredibly in-depth. Any fan of the program will learn much from this book.
Eight Years to the Moon by Nancy Atkinson
I was astounded by the level of detail and breadth of topics. The author filled the book with stories told through interviews with those who worked on Apollo. Engineers, scientists and others who solved incredible problems in order to get men on the moon. Families and friends who lived through the heartbreak of crashes or fire.
I followed the space program as a boy. And it inspired me. Reading these stories gave me even more inspiration knowing more about the obstacles and time lines. As an engineer, my challenges pale in comparison to these. It leaves me even more astounded at what they accomplished.
The stories include working out the radio systems, computer programming, control thrusters, and so many more systems and logistics. This book is incredibly in-depth. Any fan of the program will learn much from this book.
October 16, 2019
The fiftieth anniversary commemorative edition of the history of the Apollo missions brings readers more than sixty personal interviews, oral histories, and illustrations to chronicle the race to the moon. Beginning in 1962 with NASA’s newly-created manned spaceflight program through the 1969 lunar landing, the unfolding story focuses on the engineers, the mathematicians, and the scientists working behind the scenes who helped to make the lunar landing a reality.
The book also includes a commentary by astronaut Russell Schweickart, a prologue detailing the Apollo 11 lunar landing, an Acronym Reference Guide, a list of interviewees and or oral histories, and a list of films and websites. Readers with an interest in NASA’s manned spaceflight program, in Apollo 11, or in learning about the contributions of those working behind-the-scenes will find much to appreciate here.
Highly recommended.
The book also includes a commentary by astronaut Russell Schweickart, a prologue detailing the Apollo 11 lunar landing, an Acronym Reference Guide, a list of interviewees and or oral histories, and a list of films and websites. Readers with an interest in NASA’s manned spaceflight program, in Apollo 11, or in learning about the contributions of those working behind-the-scenes will find much to appreciate here.
Highly recommended.
August 19, 2019
Nancy Atkinson delivers an admirable write-up of the Apollo program, from start to finish. The book was available for the 5oth anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon. I thoroughly enjoyed the book from start to finish. The author had access to the NASA archives and the faces behind the scenes in the space race that many recall as America's finest moment of the 196os.
I wholly recommend the book to all-- both for the amateur and expert. I bought the 50th Anniversary edition and intend to enjoy the book for years to come. A great job.
I wholly recommend the book to all-- both for the amateur and expert. I bought the 50th Anniversary edition and intend to enjoy the book for years to come. A great job.
August 5, 2019
It looks like a pretty coffee table book and there are many beautiful photos, but this book is full of content! More than just a recounting of the flights of the space program, it really takes you behind the scenes with the thousands of people who made it all happen. It's a history of NASA, showing you aspects that may have not fully been explored in other books. It's not a quick read unless you just want to look at the pictures, but it's well worth your time.
July 24, 2019
Outstanding
Recommended in Science Magazine. Factual. Flawless. Important source on how the Unified S-Band System came together. Well written. Beautiful photos.
Recommended in Science Magazine. Factual. Flawless. Important source on how the Unified S-Band System came together. Well written. Beautiful photos.
September 13, 2019
With the 50th anniversary of the successful Apollo 11 moon landing this summer I have been watching every documentary and reading books on this historic event. I’ve always been fascinated by the space program (I reviewed the book American Moonshot earlier this year). Yet the best material I have found on the Apollo program and the moon landing is Nancy Atkinson’s book “Eight Years to the Moon: This History of the Apollo Missions”.
As I retired software engineer I loved the technical details in the book, especially about the early years when NASA planners were debating the best way to meet John F Kennedy’s challenge, “Land a man on the moon by the end of the decade!” Atkinson quotes one engineer during this challenging time, “You get to do things that nobody has ever thought about and nobody has every deal with. And then you also have problems like nobody else too.”
Not into technical details? The book will appeal to you, too, with many photos from the Apollo era. The oversized “coffee table” book was worth it to me just to look at all the pictures.
I learned details of the Apollo missions that I was not aware of before. For example, when Neil Armstrong piloted Apollo 11’s lunar module Eagle five miles away from the original landing site, this presented a huge challenge for NASA. “In spaceflight, timing is everything. Knowing the Eagle’s exact location would establish the timing of lift-off from the Moon in order to meet with Columbia in lunar orbit,” Atkinson writes. She quotes flight dynamics officer Dave Reed in Mission Control who said to flight director Gene Kranz at the time, “We have a problem; we do not know where the hell they are.”
I relived the thrills and challenges of the Apollo missions by reading “Eight Years to the Moon”. Well worth it!
As I retired software engineer I loved the technical details in the book, especially about the early years when NASA planners were debating the best way to meet John F Kennedy’s challenge, “Land a man on the moon by the end of the decade!” Atkinson quotes one engineer during this challenging time, “You get to do things that nobody has ever thought about and nobody has every deal with. And then you also have problems like nobody else too.”
Not into technical details? The book will appeal to you, too, with many photos from the Apollo era. The oversized “coffee table” book was worth it to me just to look at all the pictures.
I learned details of the Apollo missions that I was not aware of before. For example, when Neil Armstrong piloted Apollo 11’s lunar module Eagle five miles away from the original landing site, this presented a huge challenge for NASA. “In spaceflight, timing is everything. Knowing the Eagle’s exact location would establish the timing of lift-off from the Moon in order to meet with Columbia in lunar orbit,” Atkinson writes. She quotes flight dynamics officer Dave Reed in Mission Control who said to flight director Gene Kranz at the time, “We have a problem; we do not know where the hell they are.”
I relived the thrills and challenges of the Apollo missions by reading “Eight Years to the Moon”. Well worth it!
April 8, 2020
4.5 stars
This book tells the story a many engineers and other people involved in the Apollo project, which reach 400.000 all around the world. It is a feat of humankind to reach the surface of the moon safely and return. Many challenges plagued the mission and it is so interesting to heard and read how they were able to solve all the problem. Even the ones that they didn’t know about.
I learn a lot about the Apollo missions , not just about what happened after launch but also how it all started and was developed.
This book tells the story a many engineers and other people involved in the Apollo project, which reach 400.000 all around the world. It is a feat of humankind to reach the surface of the moon safely and return. Many challenges plagued the mission and it is so interesting to heard and read how they were able to solve all the problem. Even the ones that they didn’t know about.
I learn a lot about the Apollo missions , not just about what happened after launch but also how it all started and was developed.
September 16, 2019
Looking for an Apollo 11 anniversary read that isn't astronaut-centered? Read this!
Quite a refreshing read. Too many other books on the same subject fall into telling the same stories about the same people over and over again. This book chooses to focus on individuals who worked in the space program, but have not had their stories told yet. I had heard of very few of the people highlighted here, which means I got to learn quite a bit. Hearing the story of Apollo through different voices was quite refreshing. You also learn more about just how such an audacious thing like a mission to the moon was developed and designed.
My only quibble was that I'd like more/larger photos. For a larger than average sized book, I would have expected more pictures.
One of the most unique space books in the last few years. Definitely worth a read.
Quite a refreshing read. Too many other books on the same subject fall into telling the same stories about the same people over and over again. This book chooses to focus on individuals who worked in the space program, but have not had their stories told yet. I had heard of very few of the people highlighted here, which means I got to learn quite a bit. Hearing the story of Apollo through different voices was quite refreshing. You also learn more about just how such an audacious thing like a mission to the moon was developed and designed.
My only quibble was that I'd like more/larger photos. For a larger than average sized book, I would have expected more pictures.
One of the most unique space books in the last few years. Definitely worth a read.
July 14, 2020
This book is not about the science or the spacecraft, it's about the people behind the science and the spacecraft. GREAT stories.
March 24, 2021
Fresh perspective
I have read many books on the Apollo program over the years, but this one gave me a broader perspective as well as a number of pieces of information about the history I did not know. Very in-depth and interesting!
I have read many books on the Apollo program over the years, but this one gave me a broader perspective as well as a number of pieces of information about the history I did not know. Very in-depth and interesting!
April 23, 2025
Few human programs captured the imagination the way the Apollo missions did: to prepare for and land humans on the moon.
The title is inspired by former US President JFK's challenge to, "before this decade (the 1960s) was out" of landing on the moon and returning home safely; around 8 years from his speech to Armstrong's "giant leap for mankind". In the book, Nancy Atkinson introduces us to a host of characters - from backroom contractors to the astronauts who made the trips - that sought to illustrate just how much of a collective effort it was to accomplish the objectives of Project Apollo. It's estimated that over 400,000 people from around the world contributed to the program's success, and we "meet" some of the lesser known ones (as well as many famous names) in this deeply-researched work.
Extremely nerdy, packed with technical and engineering details, and jargon-heavy, the information can fly over your head occasionally, pun intended. For space program fans and science geeks, this read is Disneyland in book form and a prequel-style approach done well.
Highly recommended, but avoid the typo-ridden Kindle version.
Note: I bought this book to mark/celebrate my first project with NASA 😀
The title is inspired by former US President JFK's challenge to, "before this decade (the 1960s) was out" of landing on the moon and returning home safely; around 8 years from his speech to Armstrong's "giant leap for mankind". In the book, Nancy Atkinson introduces us to a host of characters - from backroom contractors to the astronauts who made the trips - that sought to illustrate just how much of a collective effort it was to accomplish the objectives of Project Apollo. It's estimated that over 400,000 people from around the world contributed to the program's success, and we "meet" some of the lesser known ones (as well as many famous names) in this deeply-researched work.
Extremely nerdy, packed with technical and engineering details, and jargon-heavy, the information can fly over your head occasionally, pun intended. For space program fans and science geeks, this read is Disneyland in book form and a prequel-style approach done well.
Highly recommended, but avoid the typo-ridden Kindle version.
Note: I bought this book to mark/celebrate my first project with NASA 😀
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews