Chief engineer Thomas J. Kelly gives a firsthand account of designing,
building, testing, and flying the Apollo lunar module. It was, he
writes, "an aerospace engineer's dream job of the century." Kelly's
account begins with the imaginative process of sketching solutions to a
host of technical challenges with an emphasis on safety, reliability,
and maintainability. He catalogs numerous test failures, including
propulsion-system leaks, ascent-engine instability, stress corrosion of
the aluminum alloy parts, and battery problems, as well as their fixes
under the ever-present constraints of budget and schedule. He also
recaptures the exhilaration of hearing Apollo 11's Neil Armstrong report
that "The Eagle has landed," and the pride of having inadvertently
provided a vital "lifeboat" for the crew of the disabled Apollo 13.