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first describes how we prepared scientifi- 

 cally to go to tiie moon. This preparation 

 involved mapping the moon (because all 

 good explorers need maps), training the 

 astronauts to be precise scientific ob- 

 servers, and sending a variety of un- 

 manned precursor probes to tell us about 

 the nature, composition, and state of the 

 lunar surface. These robotic probes were a 

 boon to lunar science: they mapped, sur- 

 veyed, tasted, and examined the moon on 

 a variety of scales. They produced data 

 that are still being analyzed as we continue 

 to unravel the moon's secrets. But most 

 importantly, they paved the way for the 

 coming of Apollo and proved that the 

 things people had to fear on this epic jour- 

 ney were largely illusory; the moon be- 

 nignly and patiently awaited them. 



Wilhelms next recounts each Apollo 

 lunar mission in detail, including that of 

 the hard-luck Apollo 13, which exploded 

 on the way to the moon in 1970, nearly 

 costing the lives of its crew. For each mis- 

 sion, he describes the scientific prepara- 

 tions (including the oft-contentious selec- 

 tion of a landing site), the mission itself, 

 what we learned from the mission, and 

 how that information fit into our emerging 

 picture of the history and evolution of the 

 moon. 



Each chapter is expertly and carefully 

 drawn, and the scientific controversies are 

 told at a level that makes them easily un- 

 derstood by the general reader. We see 



through these pages how the Apollo sys- 

 tem developed from a minimalist engi- 

 neering test-bed into a robust and aston- 

 ishingly capable exploration tool. This 

 emergence was neither a foregone conclu- 

 sion nor a fortuitous happening, but came 

 about through the determined efforts of a 

 dedicated group of talented engineers and 

 scientists who, in my opinion, gave the 

 American taxpayers the best value for 

 their money that they have ever gotten, be- 

 fore or since. 



Wilhelms sprinkles his text with many 

 anecdotes. He has a fine eye for the char- 

 acter sketch and a dry, understated wit; 

 both tools serve him well in his description 

 of the myriad characters, eccentrics, and 

 occasional genius that this business seems 

 to attract. We meet, for example, Dan Mil- 

 ton, a geologist who applied for astronaut 

 training, although colleagues who rode in 

 a car with him as driver feared for their 

 lives; Gordon Swann, raconteur and good- 

 ole-boy, who nimbly jumped political 

 minefields and ably led the field geology 

 team for the Apollo 14 and 15 missions 

 (which gready increased the scientific ca- 

 pability and productivity of the Apollo 

 system); and tlie inimitable Hal Masursky, 

 a geologist who ran through obscure air- 

 ports to yet another meeting (where some 

 momentous decisions occurred) to look 

 after the interests of the geologists. 



Some of the sharply drawn portraits are 

 of the men who went to the moon: Neil 



In 1971, Apollo 's lunar-lander Falcon set dow n neai the moon 's Apennine Mountains. 

 Vehicle tracks and footprints are visible in the foreground. 



NASA photo AS15-92-12430 



68 Natural History 1/94 



