We Reach the Moon [antikvár]

AcknowledgmentsThis is, first and foremost, a newspaper reporter's book. I am not a scientist or engineer. But my years of covering the Apollo Project were an enlightening adult-education course in the fields of knowledge I either neglected as a university student or was not even exposed to in the pre-space curriculum. Nor am I a certified historian. But no journalist who looks beyond his typewriter can ignore the elements of history in the raw material that is his story.And I am notI was about to say, I am not a romantic, a dreamer, for journalists pride themselves in being detached observers of other men's passions. But who could cover the story of man's first footsteps on another world, and cover it as more than a science story or another nuts-and-bolts technology story, without feeling in himself a flutter of all the romantic urges that hav^ sent men across oceans, up mountains and out into the air and then the space beyond the air? I could not.Whatever future historians may say of Apollo, I will be grateful to The New York Times for the opportunity to be a close observer of this ^eat adventure.This is not solely my book. I owe a large debt to a number of members of the Times staff, including Walter Sulhvan, Henry R. Lieberman, Evert Clark (no longer with the paper), Tom Buckley, Harry Schwartz, John W. Finney, Richard Witkin, Harold M. Schmeck, Jr., Sandra Blakeslee, Bernard Weinraub, James T. Wooten and Douglas Kneeland. Their stories and editorial assistance were an invaluable contribution to the book. The diagrams are the work of the Times map department headed by Andrew Sabbatini.I want to single out for credit Richard D. Lyons, a boon companion and especially helpful colleague through all the major Apollo missions, and William K. Stevens, who provided most of the material and writing for the chapter on the Apollo 11 crew. Another good companion and colleague through all this was Douglas M. Dederer, who was especially helpful during my many visits to Cape Kennedy. The Natiomd Aeronautics and Space Administration and many of the major Apollo industrial contractors helped make available the many documents and background materials that facilitated coverage of Apollo.Others who made the book possible were Carter Horsley and Sydnor Vanderschmidt, who made important research contributions. Mark Bloom was kind enough to read and offer suggestions on a part of the book. Mary Rourke typed much of the manuscript.No one gave me more encouragement than my wife, Nancy, who shares my enthusiasm for the story and was uncomplaining of the time taken from our lives by the program to get men to the moon.Every writer needs an editor, and I was fortunate to have two very skillful and understanding editorsLee Foster and Donald Johnston. Finally, I want to thank Jack Stewart, who had the original idea, for his encouragement and patience over the long months of giving birth to this book.JNW July 1969