Buy new:
-16% $18.43
FREE delivery Sunday, October 13 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$18.43 with 16 percent savings
List Price: $21.95
The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
FREE pickup Tuesday, October 15 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

1.27 mi | ASHBURN 20147

How pickup works
Pick up from nearby pickup location
Step 1: Place Your Order
Select the “Pickup” option on the product page or during checkout.
Step 2: Receive Notification
Once your package is ready for pickup, you'll receive an email and app notification.
Step 3: Pick up
Bring your order ID or pickup code (if applicable) to your chosen pickup location to pick up your package.
Only 8 left in stock (more on the way).
$$18.43 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$18.43
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Rick Houston
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Go, Flight!: The Unsung Heroes of Mission Control, 1965–1992 (Outward Odyssey: A People's History of Spaceflight) Paperback – Illustrated, October 1, 2017

by Rick Houston (Author), Milt Heflin (Author), John Aaron (Foreword)
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$18.43","priceAmount":18.43,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"18","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"43","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"nxuIBuN5Emw7Hvfkaxiszy78xWLB3LxAsux9dOBZMI46YtaJ2F636BxTMUdlCrtJY%2BCU3bRBaRZKvteqNwKa3f0ygy4xrxacBvACsSzWKQ4ZIcAl3i3bXqL21hSQ%2FFxEmjivWLMIZPIIZ7vx08nyCg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$16.99","priceAmount":16.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"16","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"nxuIBuN5Emw7Hvfkaxiszy78xWLB3LxAp%2FvNcih%2Fo4Qx02yAnAVWz6%2BO3FpWVYNdVbuo%2FWVTuchtkYweRe55%2Fbv15Byz%2F5Xk%2Brdrve3BM1%2BAIwqCAO73gBsfNaQayKuwJcrJ%2Bh6t4vvEGV9P45fBOwoTxuXZYawXkMo%2FbWw25Mys6XuOo7U6tomJO6kGvISg","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}],"desktop_buybox_group_2":[{"displayPrice":"$18.43","priceAmount":18.43,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"18","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"43","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"nxuIBuN5Emw7Hvfkaxiszy78xWLB3LxAsux9dOBZMI46YtaJ2F636BxTMUdlCrtJY%2BCU3bRBaRZKvteqNwKa3f0ygy4xrxacBvACsSzWKQ4ZIcAl3i3bXqL21hSQ%2FFxEmjivWLMIZPIIZ7vx08nyCg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"PICKUP","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":2}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

The talented men (and later women) who worked in mission control at what is now Johnson Space Center occupied a room located on the third floor of Building 30, a room that at first glance looked like just another auditorium in just another government building but would eventually become known by many as “the Cathedral.” These members of the space program were the brightest of their generation, making split-second decisions that determined the success or failure of a mission. The flight controllers, each supported by a staff of specialists, were the most visible part of the operation, running the missions, talking to the heavens, troubleshooting issues on board, and, ultimately, attempting to bring everyone safely back home.

None of NASA’s storied accomplishments would have been possible without these people. Interviews with dozens of individuals who worked in the historic third-floor mission control room bring the compelling stories to life. Go, Flight! is a real-world reminder of where we have been and where we could go again given the right political and social climate. This paperback edition includes a new epilogue by the authors about making the documentary Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo.
 
Previous slide of product details
  1. Part of series
    Outward Odyssey: A People's History of Spaceflight
  2. Print length
    378 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    University of Nebraska Press
  5. Publication date
    October 1, 2017
  6. Dimensions
    6 x 0.84 x 9 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1496203364
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1496203366
  9. See all details
Next slide of product details
Books with Buzz
Books with Buzz
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more

Frequently bought together

Go, Flight!: The Unsung Heroes of Mission Control, 1965–1992 (Outward Odyssey: A People's History of Spaceflight)
This item: Go, Flight!: The Unsung Heroes of Mission Control, 1965–1992 (Outward Odyssey: A People's History of Spaceflight)
$18.43
Get it as soon as Sunday, Oct 13
Only 8 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Ultimate Engineer: The Remarkable Life of NASA's Visionary Leader George M. Low (Outward Odyssey: A People's History of S
$22.50
Get it as soon as Sunday, Oct 13
Only 13 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Failure Is Not an Option: Mission Control From Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond
$12.49
Get it as soon as Sunday, Oct 13
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A great read both for fans for spaceflight and for scholars interested in a social history of Mission Control."—Margaret Weitekamp, Quest

“Milt Heflin did it all, from helping recover Apollo crews returning from the moon to overseeing the first make-or-break repair of the Hubble Space Telescope. Heflin’s insight and experience shine in his and coauthor Rick Houston’s Go, Flight!, a firsthand glimpse into the fascinating world of mission control.”—William Harwood, CBS News space reporter Published On: 2015-03-04

“Those of us who worked in the MOCR [Mission Operations Control Room] were privileged to be in the right place at the right time in American history. We didn’t know that sending men to the moon was impossible, so we somehow managed to do just that. We lived in a time when our vision was not limited by how far our eyes could see, but only by what our minds could dream. Authors Rick Houston and Milt Heflin are helping keep that dream alive in Go, Flight!”—Jerry Bostick, chief of the Apollo-era Flight Dynamics Branch Published On: 2015-03-04

“I experienced almost every emotion possible while working in mission control. Authors Rick Houston and Milt Heflin have taken me right back into the heat of battle with their outstanding book.”—Steve Bales, guidance officer during the Apollo 11 lunar descent  Published On: 2015-03-04

“This book represents the most detailed account to date of how a group of ordinary men from rural America and smokestack towns became an extraordinary team that built the future. As well as tales of technical achievement, you will find the human stories about the band of brothers that formed Mission Control, and who became the best they could be.”—Keith Haviland, co-executive producer of Last Man on the Moon, a documentary film about Apollo 17 commander Gene Cernan Published On: 2015-03-04

About the Author

Rick Houston is a journalist with twenty years of experience and the associate producer and consultant for the documentary film Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo. He is the author of Wheels Stop: The Tragedies and Triumphs of the Space Shuttle Program, 1986–2011 (Nebraska, 2013). Milt Heflin worked for NASA for nearly half a century, including on the prime recovery ships during splashdown and post-landing activities for Apollo 8, Apollo 10, Apollo 16, Apollo 17, each of the three Skylab flights, and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. He later became a flight director who led the mission control team during the Space Shuttle flight to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. John Aaron is a legendary former flight controller.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Nebraska Press; Illustrated edition (October 1, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 378 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496203364
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496203366
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.84 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Rick Houston

Rick Houston

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
238 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book great, excellent, and fascinating. They appreciate the details and thorough research. Readers describe the stories as engrossing, interesting, and lesser-told. They also say the writing quality is well-written.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ReadabilityInformation qualityStory qualityWriting quality
27 customers mention "Readability"27 positive0 negative

Customers find the book excellent, fascinating, and valuable. They say it's a great read for space buffs and provides a real feel for the time and emotions of mission control.

"If you are a space program nerd like me, this book is simply wonderful...." Read more

"...This is the story of those people.This is a wonderful book that tells what went on behind the scenes at mission control...." Read more

"...Enjoyable book, hard to put down." Read more

"This is a fascinating book about the men on the floor of the Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) during America's most daring and romantic time..." Read more

20 customers mention "Information quality"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book great, engrossing, and compelling to read. They say it's well-researched, well-written, and an excellent documentary. Readers also mention the book is the best in depth on Apollo they have read.

"...This book helps convey that beautifully. My one caution is that if you are NOT a space program nerd, the level of detail here might be a negative...." Read more

"An entertaining and informative read." Read more

"...In other words, the book is not too technical and should be easily understood by anyone who knows the basics of early space exploration...." Read more

"A thorough, well-researched, well-written account of the lives of the console jockeys responsible for the most exciting, inspiring, nerve-wracking..." Read more

13 customers mention "Story quality"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the stories engrossing, interesting, and untold. They say the book is exceptional in telling their story. Readers also enjoy the history from the 1950s through the 1970s and beyond. Additionally, they mention the personal stuff breaks it up and keeps it interesting.

"An entertaining and informative read." Read more

"...The writing flows very well and the stories are engrossing; I had trouble putting the book down...." Read more

"...Provides a wealth of interesting background on not just the missions and the men that oversaw their success, but also pulls the curtain back a bit..." Read more

"...start of Mercury through to the shuttle era, this book is chock full of personal stories, accurate recollections from dozens of flight controllers,..." Read more

5 customers mention "Writing quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book well-written, fascinating, and engrossing.

"...The writing flows very well and the stories are engrossing; I had trouble putting the book down...." Read more

"A thorough, well-researched, well-written account of the lives of the console jockeys responsible for the most exciting, inspiring, nerve-wracking..." Read more

"...The stories as told by these incredible men are so well written they grab your attention and keep you...." Read more

"...Well-written and with a minimum of geekspeak (what little there is has been explained), it looks at the people who Made Things Happen." Read more

Historical NASA insight
4 out of 5 stars
Historical NASA insight
The book was recommended to me by an ISS ADCO in Houston. It's a very interesting perspective for space/NASA enthusiasts.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Avgeek
5.0 out of 5 stars Sensational for space program nerds
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2023
Verified Purchase
If you are a space program nerd like me, this book is simply wonderful. Very few people appreciate the complexity of the Space Shuttle program, and what an amazing achievement of engineering it was. This book helps convey that beautifully. My one caution is that if you are NOT a space program nerd, the level of detail here might be a negative. But of course, it's exactly those details that makes the book so readable for those of us with some background. To those folks: buy it!
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Gary Milgrom
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Behind-the-Scenes Look at Mission Control
Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2015
Verified Purchase
The Apollo moon landing program has been written about from many perspectives – the engineering of the machines, the science returned from the moon, the management of complex programs, the dedication of workers across the country and the political reasons for it’s ultimate success. While the astronauts were on board the spacecraft they and their craft were watched over by a team of dedicated mission controllers and computers in NASA’s Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR). These are the people who calculated the rocket firings, orbital maneuvers, braking requirements, rendezvous coordinates and more – in many ways they flew the actual mission. This is the story of those people.

This is a wonderful book that tells what went on behind the scenes at mission control. The training and simulations for missions are covered as well as the actual missions themselves. The book is full of first hand interviews with the people involved and they have generated nuances and details never uncovered before. For instance, many enthusiasts will be familiar with John Aaron’s “SCE to Aux” call as Apollo XII was launched into a thunderstorm, but the book has pages of details around this single call, from how the knowledge was originally discovered to the other critical calls made during this off-nominal launch.

While the Gemini and Apollo spacecraft carried computers, these were ultimately back ups to NASA’s MOCR and Real Time Computing Complex. Authors Rick Houston and Milt Heflin have done an outstanding job of taking us back to those rooms, where men in their 20’s made life or death decisions during the flights. The book starts by explaining the location and function of each console then moves on to operations. Years ago there were big gaps in NASA’s worldwide tracking abilities and the consequences of these are explained as well. The Gemini missions are covered in full, then we move on. Tensions between different controllers or different ideas to solutions are decided by the Flight Director, who ultimately had complete authority over the mission. An incident tells how senior NASA management learned to not change decisions made by the Flight Director. The background and training of these people and movement of staff from the “Trench” to the back support rooms is covered. The book also does an outstanding job of bringing us inside the camaraderie of the Flight Controllers, their feelings during hectic but historic parts of their job and the respect they had for their co-workers, management and leadership.

The heady days of Apollo can never be repeated, for engineering and computing advancements as much as many other reasons. Fifty years ago NASA was literally blazing new paths with each launch, and every astronaut's biography talks about the teamwork and dedication of the people on the ground behind their successes. This book opens the door to Mission Control and sits us beside its staff during some of the most wonderful and most harrowing moments in space history. The MOCR is now a Historic Landmark and the authors speak of the privilege to visit it and talk to the people who used it. The book does such a good job of putting us back in those times it also felt like a privilege to read about. I highly recommend this book to all NASA and Apollo enthusiasts.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
William Hagen
4.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining and informative read.
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2016
Verified Purchase
An entertaining and informative read.
Helpful
 Report
B. Nault
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read book!
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2016
Verified Purchase
Simply put, for anyone interested in the history of the American space program, this is a must read, must have, book.

By now, one could think that the story of the Gemini and Apollo programs had been completely covered and done. There are now many books in print that contribute significantly to telling the stories and giving us the background on these major achievements. Some books are now considered as the ‘’canon’’ on the topic. One can think of Murray & Cox’ Apollo, Chaikin’s Man on the Moon, Collins’ Carrying the Fire, Brooks’ Chariots for Apollo, Hansen’s First Man (and a few others) as the absolute must read books. I believe that Houston and Helfin’s book can justifiably be added to the canonical books on the US space program.

Rick Houston and Milt Helfin obviously had access to many, if not most, of the survivors of the Mission Control team that sent man to the Moon. This results in a book that give insights into the minds and personalities of the mission controllers. The book does cover some well-known chapters of the space program but its unique and original contribution is to allow us to live these events from the point of view of the men of Mission Control. The book succeeds in balancing the technical aspects of Mission Control’s work with the historical importance of the events it covers. In other words, the book is not too technical and should be easily understood by anyone who knows the basics of early space exploration. The writing flows very well and the stories are engrossing; I had trouble putting the book down.

With this book, the mission controllers who worked anonymously (largely) in MOCR have finally been able to tell their own story in their own words. It is well past time they get the recognition they deserve.
Two big thumbs up.
11 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Raymond McAtee
5.0 out of 5 stars Mission Control Back Stories
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2024
Verified Purchase
A detailed look into the inter workings of the role Mission Control played during the formative years of America's Space Program. Enjoyable book, hard to put down.
Helpful
 Report
Pixelpop
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Read....With a Curious Omission
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2019
Verified Purchase
This is a fascinating book about the men on the floor of the Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) during America's most daring and romantic time in space exploration. Provides a wealth of interesting background on not just the missions and the men that oversaw their success, but also pulls the curtain back a bit on the individual personalities of those and how they didn't always get along.

But there is one glaring (by the standards of the rest of the book) omission. The flight of Apollo 7, the first manned flight of the Apollo Command and Service Modules in Earth orbit. This was a hugely important mission, being the first manned space flight since the Apollo 1 fire and the first flight of the redesigned Command Module. Yet there was no mention of this flight in the book. I suspect the reason may have to do with the fact that many of those manning the consoles during this flight threatened to walk out (well, maybe not...but many swore they would never work with the Apollo 7 crew again). The Apollo 7 crew, commanded by Wally Schirra, came very close to mutiny, constantly questioning (or outright ignoring) the directives and recommendations of the MOCR team. In fact, none of this crew (Schirra, Donn Eisele and Walt Cunningham) ever flew another mission.

In a book that details the good (and sometimes not so good) character of the men in the MOCR, it's surprising that none apparently wanted to be quoted or even associated with Apollo 7.
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
B Cat
5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable informative read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 11, 2021
Verified Purchase
This book features many of the people that made the US space exploration from the 1960s to the early 1990s possible, and doesn't assume knowledge of the different Mission Control functions or of NASA history. Reading it, I got a feeling for the different people, their strengths and weaknesses, also of the number of times an expedition was rescued by the skill, knowledge and dedication of the people involved. The book gave me a better appreciation of the impressive achievements of the space program in the early years. Includes some good anecdotes and some inspiring moments. Lots of detail but I found it very readable.
Report
Gordon
5.0 out of 5 stars What did all those people do in mission control?
Reviewed in Canada on December 14, 2019
Verified Purchase
After interviewing many of the controllers in mission control. Their stories add more depth to what went on there.
Report
Helmut Heisig
5.0 out of 5 stars Die Helden des Flugkontrollzentrums in Houston!
Reviewed in Germany on January 31, 2017
Verified Purchase
Ein tolles Buch über den Teil der Geschichte der bemannten Raumfahrt der USA,über den es noch kaum etwas zu lesen gab und gibt. Es sind die Erlebnisse der Männer von Mission Control in Houston, die mit ihrem Einsatz entscheidend mit dazu beigetragen haben,dass Menschen den Mond betreten haben.Beeindruckende Geschichten,viel Hintergründiges,ein tolles Buch für alle,denen die bemannte Raumfahrt am Herzen liegt.
Report
Richard P.
5.0 out of 5 stars Stylish, classy, interesting....
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2018
Verified Purchase
Top notch book that actually tells a real living story and is very well written - some of the books on space I find can understandably tend to become a bit 'dry' and diary focused (I have probably bought most of them) - but this one really brings the experience to life as, for me, did the books from Michael Collins, Chris Hadfield, Gene Kranz (didn't dare miss him out sir), and Guenter Wendt.
I have them all together on my book shelf - exulted company for sure in which it stands unashamed. I have the associated DVD and it is also well worth getting. Read this and wonder at the team work, confidence and style of the team involved in the programme. A class act for sure and a classy book to give them the respect due to them.
Report
Shane Mulcair
4.0 out of 5 stars Great book, if a little too focused for my taste
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2016
Verified Purchase
A pretty decent book on the Mission Control personalities who presided over the Gemini and Apollo missions. The book reads reasonably well, though the author clearly wants all of the names mentioned, simply because he's trying to acknowledge the "unsung" heroes. The only difficulty with this is the sheer number of paragraphs which introduce a new person, who is then barely, if ever, mentioned again. The same could be said for the shuttle and Apollo disasters, with only brief mention given to the accidents themselves, and all the time spent on mission control.
I guess the book had such a vast scope, it was better being focused the way it was. If you want to read about the entire space programme, including the astronauts stories, I'd look elsewhere. If you want to learn about the people who built NASA and controlled every mission, this is definitely the book for you.
Report