Beschreibung:

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER – Benson, Charles D. and Flaherty, William B. Moonport: A History of Apollo Launch Facilities and Operations (NASA SP-4204). Washington: NASA, 1978. From the library of Fred Durant, who assisted von Braun's Explorer I launch effort, an account of the launch facilities and operations at Kennedy Space Center, SIGNED by astronauts After World War II, Frederick Durant conducted studies in rocketry and assisted Dr. Wernher von Braun, the pioneer of rocket technology and space science in America, with putting the first U.S. satellite, Explorer I , into orbit. In 1964, Durant became assistant director and head of the newly formed Astronautics Department of the Smithsonian Institute. Durant's copy of Moonport is SIGNED and INSCRIBED with their individual Apollo flight numbers by: Buzz ALDRIN, Alan BEAN, Gene CERNAN, Gordon COOPER, Walt CUNNINGHAM, Charles M. DUKE, JR, Richard GORDON Fred HAISE, James LOVELL Edgar MITCHELL, Wally SCHIRRA, Rusty SCHWEICKART, Dave SCOTT, Tom STAFFORD, Paul WEITZ, and Al WORDEN. The first chapters include the requirements for the launch site to send men to the Moon and describe the efforts to obtain land to perform these operations. Design issues for the launch structures to fly the Saturn series of rockets are covered, as well as the overall impact of socio-economic issues along the Space Coast. The book provides extensive details on the largest launch area, Launch Complex 39, for the massive Saturn V . Five appendixes contain numerous data on the world's only Moonport at the Kennedy Space Center. 10 by 7 inches. Original tan cloth. Durant’s mailing label is affixed to the inside front cover.