Saturn V - America's Apollo Moon Rocket

Since rocket theory is well examined by many books (a good benchmark work is Sutton's Rocket Propulsion Elements), this report is a pratical complement for curious undergraduate students or highly educated (in science) space buffs.

The other side of the coin refers to the volume format. Actually it should earn a value of merit of 2/3 stars because it is not a anastatic reprint but a very good photocopy in a ring binder, giving, lets say, a "professional look" to your bookshelf. Consequently, if you like an elagant tome in the rack, this is not the case.
August 02, 2002

This book, on the other hand, is photocopied single-sided (!), bound (if you can call it that) in a three-ring binder, and costs almost as much as three Mission Reports. I don't think the reproduction is even actual-sized but is somewhat reduced, making many of the diagrams almost unreadable.

That being said, I was interested in the various facts and figures and construction elements of the Saturn V, particularly the various diagrams of the stages and of the engines. So it wasn't a complete waste. However, I could only recommend this book to someone who really, really wants to know the nitty-gritty details about the Saturn V. It's a waste for anyone else, and even those who fit this description will not be happy with the price or the production quality of this book.
February 01, 2002

[an] invaluable reference for understanding the Saturn launch vehicles [is] NASA - MSFC, SATURN V NEWS REFERENCE (1968). Produced by MSFC in cooperation with the major Saturn contractors, this three-ring loose-leaf volume illustrates essential Saturn systems, subsystems, components, and miscellaneous hardware. The accompanying text describes, in semitechnical terms, the function and operation of a bewildering array of Saturn hardware. As a means of grasping the complexities of the Saturn launch vehicle and the essentials of the different stages, including tankage, engines, and guidance, [it is] indispensable.

I couldn't agree more. All Saturn enthusiasts should own this book.
June 19, 2001

Until this reproduction came along, the best available book on the Saturn program was STAGES TO SATURN, a NASA history authored by Roger Bilstein. Bilstein's work remains unrivalled in its description of the long and difficult path from the concept of the five-engine monster to its unbelievably successful use in the Apollo and Skylab programs. However, STAGES provided only minimal information about the rocket itself, and contained few informative illustrations.

On the other hand, this World Spaceflight News book - based mainly on the SATURN V NEWS REFERENCE available to the privileged few at the time of the Apollo missions - provides a wealth of detail and great technical illustrations about the rocket. Bilstein even cites the NEWS REFERENCE in his "Sources and Research Material" section.

Regarding the document that forms the basis for this book, Bilstein writes:

"[an] invaluable reference for understanding the Saturn launch vehicles [is] NASA - MSFC, SATURN V NEWS REFERENCE (1968). Produced by MSFC in cooperation with the major Saturn contractors, this three-ring loose-leaf volume illustrates essential Saturn systems, subsystems, components, and miscellaneous hardware. The accompanying text describes, in semitechnical terms, the function and operation of a bewildering array of Saturn hardware. As a means of grasping the complexities of the Saturn launch vehicle and the essentials of the different stages, including tankage, engines, and guidance, [it is] indispensable."

I couldn't agree more. All Saturn enthusiasts should own this book.
June 07, 2001