Five, four, three, two, one, ignition...

Most of us know that bit of the countdown to a rocket launch, perhaps from watching one on television or in a movie--dramatic and usually followed by lots of flame and a rocket ascending into the sky (and usually lots more story afterward).

What we don’t usually know is that there is a much longer countdown leading up to those last few minutes that we may not be as familiar with. One that starts long before the launch, and that encompasses a myriad of details of assembly, checklists, tests, more tests, a bit of improvisation from time to time, a few more tests, and lots of problem solving and coordination. And lots of people.

This book covers launch preparations for Apollo launches (with some particular focus on Apollo 11, but including details from a number of launches). This includes vehicle assembly, testing, coordination, and even the last few seconds of the countdown, but doesn’t really cover anything after launch. There is so much material here about what happens before the launch, which is so fascinating and involving that the rest is almost anticlimactic.

The first few chapters set the scene, with a general overview of the complexity of the process; a chapter on “Requirements, Test and Computerization” with lots of details on how testing was managed; a discussion of how the computer systems helped control the launch process; and an overview of the spacecraft and other facets of the launch process.

This is followed by chapters that track various components of the mission through the assembly, testing, and launch process. The chapter on the Lunar Module starts at 170 days before launch. Other chapters cover the vehicle assembly building, the launch pad, and the launch countdown itself (and how it works, when things have to happen, and how the launch teams coped when they didn’t). Another chapter covers the countdown demonstration test, which was two dress rehearsals, one with propellant and fuels loaded but no flight crew (the wet test) and one without the fuel (the dry test) and with the astronauts on the launch vehicle. This test went well with some launches, but not at all well with others, which enabled the teams involved to work out problems in procedure and coordination and find fixes to ensure that everything worked as planned.

This is a fine, fun read with lots of information, especially about coordination and testing. There are lots of diagrams and pictures of everything from the stamps used to indicate the status of a test, to the badges worn by staff, to the people involved, and of course of the hardware. Sadly, some of these are of lesser quality, which makes them harder to interpret, but that they are here at all is reflective of the author’s hard work. There is also a selection of images on the author’s website.

This book is recommended for anyone with an interest in space and the American space program, but it also contains a wealth of information that could be of interest and use for engineering students and those interested in organizational systems and processes.

More reviews about this item: Amazon, B&N