NASA's Moon Program / Springer Praxis Books (PDF)

From the reviews:

“Space historian/writer Harland … describes the first and early US satellite programs as well as the Soviet programs. … In addition to discussing program management, operations, hardware, and performance of the pre-Apollo missions, Harland places heavy emphasis on lunar geology and geography. … the volume includes more than 150 photographs and drawings of the moon. This historical account … will be useful to people working in the field of space history and technology. Summing Up: Recommended. Researchers, faculty, and professionals.” (A. M. Strauss, Choice, Vol. 47 (4), December, 2009)

“This new book … describing what we knew before making the attempt, and how we discovered new things we needed to know before committing Apollo to the first manned lunar landings. … if you are an engineer, scientist, or a space buff, this book will hold your interest.” (James M. Busby, Space Times, Vol. 49 (1), January/February, 2010)

“The narrative is fast-moving, informative and logically organized … . if you want to know, literally to the thousandth of a second, exactly what the Ranger, Lunar Orbiter and Surveyor spacecraft did during their lunar missions, it’s in there. Well over 200 well-chosen photos, drawings, diagrams and maps, many of them at full-page size, embellish and clarify the text--they’re worth more than ‘1,000 words’ each. … should reach a wider audience … . I recommend this volume most highly and without reservation.” (Terry Sunday, Amazon, July, 2011)