Managing the Moon Program: Lessons Learned From Project Apollo (The NASA History Series)

There have been many detailed historical studies of the process of deciding on and executing the Apollo lunar landing during the 1960’s and early 1970’s. From the announcement of President John F. Kennedy on May 25, 1061, of his decision to land an American on the Moon by the end of the decade, through the first lunar landing on July 20, 1969, on to the last of six successful Moon landings with Apollo 17 in December 1972, NASA carried out Project Apollo with enthusiasm and aplomb. The NASA History Office has chosen to publish this monograph containing the recollections of key participants in the management process. The collective oral history here was recorded in 1989 at the Johnson Space Center. It includes the recollection of key participants in Apollo’s administration, addressing issues such as communication between field centers, the prioritization of technological goals, and the delegation of responsibility.