Search - Moon Machines on DVD

Understanding Apollo from the engineering side

David J. Delaurant | Fresno, CA USA | 06/22/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gosh, what a great (albeit short) series this was!



Unlike most programs dealing with space flight, this series is about engineers rather than astronauts. Seeing the cleverness that went into the different elements of Apollo should make you proud of -- and optimistic about -- your species.



For me, the episode on the lunar rover is easily worth the cover price by itself, but the lunar suit comes a very close second.



"

Brilliant

Dr. S. Quick | 07/11/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What makes this collection of documentaries so fascinating and wonderful is firstly they focus on the technical side of the greatest human engineering feat ever achieved, secondly the stories are told by the engineers who were actually involved.

Each episode discusses the designs, trials and tribulations, and final culmination or 'moment of truth' when the system was utilized in the missions. The engineering detail is very good for a documentary and far better than anything I have seen before. The footage is also very good quality and fascinating.

The best thing however, is the people. In explaining the program they show a great deal of humility, intelligence, sometimes humour, and then there are moments where they explain what the stress, long hours and problem solving was doing to their personal lives, and finally they come to terms with their achievement.

If you are an engineer, scientist, or are of a technical disposition you will find this inspirational. There should be more documentaries like this.

"

The far side of the moon landing

J. T. Druecker | Seymour, IN | 07/23/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As one who had the great good fortune to see these magnificent machines in action, I am very glad to see this sory by the men who made them. If you enjoyed "In the Shadow of the Moon" or "From the Earth to the Moon" DVD's you will love this one! This DVD is the perfect complement to "Apollo" by Charles Muray and Catherine Bly Cox.I also highly recommend "Angle of Attack" by Mike Gray that tells the inside story of North American Aviation's incredible problems in developing the second stage of the Saturn V - the incomparable S-II-C. "Apollo" by Murray and Cox was published 20 years ago, and it is a delight and just a superb account of how we went to the Moon in 8 years and 2 months after JFK hurled his challenge to the country and at the Soviets. This incomparable book tells the story through the people that solved unsolvable problems. This DVD actually has them telling the story in their own words. Of particular interest to the connoisseur is the seldom told tale of Apollo 4, and the near-disaster of Apollo . The sleuthing of the problems of Apollo 6 is still a tour de force of root cause analysis. The very next Saturn V that was launched after this near failure went to the Moon carrying Apollo 8. The human stories retold in this DVD make the unbelievable event come alive. For those of you who, alas, did not live through this incredible period - this DVD is a good tase of what it was like."

Simply Fantastic

S. Nicol | Michigan | 07/01/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is easily the best series about Apollo to date. I heard last week that we spent the equivalent of one TRILLION dollars in 2009 dollars on the Apollo program. After you watch this, you will know why. These guys had to invent almost everything as they went. I really thought the Navigation episode was the best, but they were all great. I had never heard of "Rope Memory" until this - amazing."