The author, an astronaut, discusses his early career, his training for space flight, his trips into space including the first lunar landing, and the possibilities for life and flight in space in the future.

"Imagine being far enough from the earth that it looks like a tiny blue circle. In July 1969, three men aboard the Apollo spaceship got to see just that on their way to the moon. The moon landing is an unforgettable episode in American history. For centuries, going to the moon had seemed like an interesting idea, but surely impossible. But as various technologies developed at a rapid pace in the mid-20th century, the impossible became possible. You've surely heard of Armstrong's famous words, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." But there's probably a lot that you don't know. Get ready to discover the following: - The debate behind Armstrong's famous words - The contents of the poem that Pat Collins gave her husband before he left Earth - The adrenaline rush of the three astronauts when Apollo 11 launched - How the astronauts dealt with TV cameras to provide video footage - The complex responsibilities of managing a spaceship 50 years ago Even if you've heard recordings of Neil Armstrong's voice many times, when you immerse yourself in the dramatic events of July 1969, you'll unearth the significance and fascination of this famous historical event"--

Learn why NASA astronaut Mike Collins calls this extraordinary space race story "the best book on Apollo": this inspiring and intimate ode to ingenuity celebrates one of the most daring feats in human history. When the alarm went off forty thousand feet above the moon's surface, both astronauts looked down at the computer to see 1202 flashing on the readout. Neither of them knew what it meant, and time was running out . . . On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon. One of the world's greatest technological achievements -- and a triumph of the American spirit -- the Apollo 11 mission was a mammoth undertaking involving more than 410,000 men and women dedicated to winning the space race against the Soviets. Set amid the tensions and upheaval of the sixties and the Cold War, Shoot for the Moon is a gripping account of the dangers, the challenges, and the sheer determination that defined not only Apollo 11, but also the Mercury and Gemini missions that came before it. From the shock of Sputnik and the heart-stopping final minutes of John Glenn's Mercury flight to the deadly whirligig of Gemini 8, the doomed Apollo 1 mission, and that perilous landing on the Sea of Tranquility -- when the entire world held its breath while Armstrong and Aldrin battled computer alarms, low fuel, and other problems -- James Donovan tells the whole story. Both sweeping and intimate, Shoot for the Moon is "a powerfully written and irresistible celebration" of one of humankind's most extraordinary accomplishments (Booklist, starred review).

It's 1969 and the United States is about to begin an adventure that mankind has dreamed of since the beginning of time — a trip to the moon. In a day-by-day, minute-by-minute countdown — in the control room and up in space — you'll experience the thrill of this breathtaking "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind!" Countdown to the Moon is a companion to Steve Englehart's award-winning story of the Wright Brothers, Countdown to Flight. Together, these two Countdowns chronicle the liftoff and apex of mankind's eternal quest to leave the earth behind.