[FPSPACE] Challenge to Apollo and the Soviet Space History Community
Larry Klaes
lklaes@bbn.com
Thu, 26 Oct 2000 10:51:37 -0400
X-Sender: rlaunius@mail.hq.nasa.gov
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Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2000 07:43:16 -0400
To: history@lists.hq.nasa.gov
From: Roger Launius <<rlaunius@hq.nasa.gov>
Subject: Challenge to Apollo and the Soviet Space History Community
Sender: owner-history@lists.hq.nasa.gov
Greetings:
We are pleased to note the exceptionally positive reception being enjoyed
by the recent publication, <italic>Challenge to Apollo: The Soviet Race
to the Moon, 1945-1974</italic> (NASA SP-2000-4408, 2000), a pathbreaking
study by Asif A. Siddiqi. Below are several comments posted on the World
Wide Web by space historians involved in studying the Soviet program.=20
This book is available for public sale from the U.S. Superintendent of
Documents. How to order: For sale for $79.00 (domestic postpaid), $98.75
(non-U.S.). By Mail: Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954,=20
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. FAX: (202) 512-2250. Phone: (202) 512-1800
(7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Eastern time). This book may be ordered on-line at=20
<underline><color><param>0000,0000,fefe</param>http://bookstore.gpo.gov/inde=
x.html</color></underline>
on the Web. Order stock number 033-000-01231-4. This book may also be=
purchased from the NASA Information Center, Code CMI-1, NASA Headquarters,=
300 E Street SW, Room 1H23, Washington, DC 20546-0001, (202) 358-0000.
Sincerely,
Roger D. Launius
roger.launius@hq.nasa.gov
----------------------------------------------------------------------
JAMES E. OBERG, HOUSTON, TEXAS, author of "RED STAR IN ORBIT," space=
historian and journalist:
posted on sci.space.history internet newsgroup:
What-EVER the price, this is a must read for all space history buffs! It=
certainly is going to be the main reference -I'll- be using in the future!
Jim Oberg
www.jamesoberg.com
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DR. DWAYNE A. DAY, WASHINGTON, D.C., co-editor of "EXPLORING THE UNKNOWN:=
VOLUME I" and "EYE IN THE SKY: THE STORY OF THE CORONA SPY SATELLITES,"=
space historian
posted on FPSpace internet list-server on August 31, 2000:
Fellow FP Spacer and all-around-nice guy Asif Siddiqi has a new book out on=
the history of the Soviet space program and it is one damn impressive piece=
of work.
The book is titled Challenge to Apollo and it covers the history of the=
Soviet space program from 1945 until 1974. The book is 1011 pages long.
I admit to not having even started to read it. However, everyone who has=
read it who I have talked to (about half a dozen people) has said it is=
outstanding. Not just okay. Not just good. But outstanding. It covers=
everything, from Korolev's time in the prison camp to the lunar program to=
the Salyut space stations. This is now the DEFINITIVE English-language=
space history book. As we say in Washington, our man Asif now has some=
pretty impressive creds...
It is a NASA SP publication. Hard cover with quite a few illustrations,=
line drawings, and many many tables and appendices and all that kind of=
stuff.
So, if you are at all interested in the Soviet space program, then you=
should immediately get this book, quit your job, and spend the next three=
months of your life reading it.
Go buy Challenge to Apollo. You hear me? Get it right now.
DDAY
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STEVEN ZALOGA, author of "TARGET AMERICA: THE SOVIET UNION AND THE STRATEGIC=
ARMS RACE, 1945-1964," military historian
posted to FPSpace internet list-server on August 31, 2000:
Dwayne and everybody:=20
I most wholeheartedly agree. I've read the first several chapters and it is=
superb. A major, major addition to our understanding of the former USSR.
Steve Z.
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GLEN SWANSON, HOUSTON, TEXAS, HISTORIAN, NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, editor=
of "BEFORE THIS DECADE IS OUT"
review sent to various internet newsgroups:
How ironic that NASA, a federal agency born out of the cold war, has=
published a public history of its rival. Even more incredible, is the fact=
that it is good, VERY good. Asif's Siddiqi's new book "Challenge to Apollo"=
is definitely worth reading, if not for the fact of simply checking out=
what 16 years of meticulous research has produced on a subject that the=
author is clearly knowledgeable and passionate about telling. The author=
has poured heart and soul into what will be regarded as the definitive=
western record of the Soviet space program. After having read nearly one=
quarter of its 1,000 plus pages, I would venture to say that this work will=
be one of the few to break the GPO stigma and move over into the mainstream=
press. I've heard nothing but praise for his work to date, which does not=
at all surprise me having been familiar with Asif's earlier works through=
Quest. This volume came out of a lifelong fascination for all things=
relating to the Soviet space program and it clearly shows on every page. I=
know that Asif sought to record the story accurately and for himself. The=
fact that he spent so much time on the manuscript not knowing if it would=
ever get published is a tribute to the honesty and integrity of his work.=
Works such as this are rare because the author had no agenda for its=
release --it is genuine. If you're interested in the history of spaceflight=
and never
ventured to pick up a NASA SP, start with this one. You will not be=
disappointed.
-- Glen E. Swanson, Historian
NASA Johnson Space Center
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MARK WADE, AUSTRIA, maintains famous ENCYCLOPEDIA ASTRONAUTICA on the=
internet:
posting on FPSpace internet list-server on September 7, 2000:
I received a copy last night, and just opened it up in the middle and=
started reading. The book is everything one could hope for and more. It is=
not a dry account with arcane references to design bureaux and article=
numbers - it reads more like a novel. The personalities and politics=
involved are recounted in the manner of an epic struggle of personalities=
and differing concepts. Superb writing, outstanding integration of accounts=
of key meetings and events from multiple sources. Absolutely mandatory on=
the bookshelf of anyone interested in space, no matter what the cost...=20
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D
Mark Wade
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DENNIS NEWKIRK, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, author of "ALMANAC OF SOVIET MANNED SPACE=
FLIGHT," space historian:
posted to FPSpace internet list-server on September 8, 2000:
Let me add to the many accolades already presented here and no doubt yet to
be made for Asif Siddiqi's wonderful book "Challenge to Apollo".
Years ago, Asif was kind enough to allow me to read a few sample chapters=
which were very interesting, but since then Asif has finely crafted the=
book into a great history and a wonderfully entertaining read. I've been=
busy savoring the first several chapters and in addition to features that=
have already been noted, the book details the organization and=
disorganization of the early years of Soviet spaceflight better than=
anything I've read before. It tells in great and entertaining detail the=
relationships of many individuals responsible for the space and missile=
programs - not just 2 or 3 big names repeated in many earlier books. And, I=
think it relates how US space program events influenced Soviet planning and=
politics far better that previous books - not just the US did this so the=
Soviets did that. Well, I could go one telling you about this, but I'd
rather go back to reading the book...
If you have a healthy interest in the history of spaceflight in general, you=
should read this book.
------------------------
Dennis Newkirk - rusaerog@mcs.net
Editor of the Russian Aerospace Guide=
<underline><color><param>0000,0000,fefe</param>http://www.mcs.net/~rusaerog
</color></underline>Author of the Almanac of Soviet Manned Space Flight
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BART HENDRICKX, BELGIUM, noted historian of the Soviet/Russian space=
program, author of many many works on space history
posted on FPSpace internet list-server on September 20, 2000:
I know there is probably little I can add to the praise that Asif Siddiqi's=
book "Challenge to Apollo" has already received on this list, but I would=
like to say a few words myself nevertheless. I've only managed to read the=
first 100 pages or so of this 1000+page book, but that's more than enough=
to convince me that it is a major landmark in the study of the Soviet space=
programme. In fact, having always admired Asif's historical articles in=
magazines such as Spaceflight, JBIS and Quest, this didn't come as a=
surprise to me. I suppose that for many people who thought they knew a=
thing or two about Soviet space history, reading this book is a humbling=
experience. That at least is definitely the case for me. Personally, it=
brings back memories of reading Jim Oberg's "Red Star in Orbit" and Phil=
Clark's "The Soviet Manned Space Programme" in the 1980s, which to a great=
extent sparked my own interest in this field.
Of course, what sets "Challenge to Apollo" apart from these and other=
previous Western publications is that it benefits from the massive amounts
of information that have become available from the Russians since they=
opened the floodgates in the glasnost era. We saw bits of that new=
information scattered all over the place in various Western space magazines=
throughout the 1990s, but much of it remained inaccessible to Western=
historians either because it was never translated or because the source=
material was too hard to come by. Asif Siddiqi got down to the colossal=
task of collecting all the bits and piecing them together into a coherent=
story and has done so brilliantly.
While nitpickers will always find tiny mistakes, the last thing Asif Siddiqi=
should be criticized of is indulging in unfounded speculation, which=
unfortunately has been a trademark of many earlier Western books on the=
Soviet space programme. I would estimate that 80 % or more of the sources=
used are Russian, so that the book to a large extent is a synthesis of what=
the Russians themselves have written about their space programme both=
during and after the era of censorship. This is not to say that Asif=
Siddiqi has just blindly copied all that information. He analyzes it in a=
well-balanced way and compares it with what is available from Western=
sources. "Challenge to Apollo" will hopefully also help debunk some of the=
persisent myths about the Soviet manned space programme that have remained=
alive throughout the 90s. The book is also fascinating to read in that it=
blends technical details with historical background and personal=
information about the characters involved. The sheer size of the book and=
the copious footnotes on just about every page testify to the fact that=
this is the result of a tremendous amount of perseverance and enthusiasm.=
In fact, one wonders how Asif managed to write a book like this in the time=
that he did (essentially six years from start to finish, I gather from the=
preface). For
many it would probably take just about a lifetime (I know it would for me!).
This is without doubt the most comprehensive and accurate history of the=
Soviet manned space programme (until 1974) that can be written at this=
point. As the author points out himself in the bibliographic essay, it is=
now a matter of waiting until primary documents from government and=
Communist Party levels as well as from the design bureaus themselves become=
available to fill in all the blanks. Let me say in conclusion that this=
book is not only a must for Western space buffs, but also for our Russian=
friends, who ironically do not have a comparable book in their own language=
covering this aspect of the Soviet space programme in such depth (which is=
not in any way meant as criticism). For them it will be equally thrilling=
to see the declassified information of the past 15 years or so assembled in=
one book.
Bart Hendrickx
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DAVID PORTREE, HOUSTON, TEXAS, author of "MIR HARDWARE HERITAGE," space=
historian
posted on FPSpace internet list-server on September 12, 2000:
Well, it has arrived - the much-vaunted book CHALLENGE TO APOLLO by Asif=
Siddiqi.
One can hope that Asif's book is only the first in a series of NASA books=
taking in more national space programs, since the U.S. program has never=
operated in a vacuum.=20
Some of the earlier descriptions posted here had me worried - Asif's book=
was described as reading "like a novel" and "extensively illustrated."=
Neither charge is warranted. It reads like a well-written history, and,=
while it contains some illustrations, it's not a picture book. The text is=
meaty and the footnotes are as extensive as one would expect in a serious=
history. It's not like some of the NASA illustrated histories I've seen,=
which generally tend to read like public affairs documents. Whew! Y'all had=
me worried. . . .
To me a really terrific feature is the bibliographic essay, which provides=
insights into how Asif did his research. That's the most important things=
about this book - that it's the first to delve into the formerly closed=
archives of primary materials in Russia. And I think I'll be referring to=
the ~100 pages of tables and appendices it contains a great deal in future.=
=20
Buy it, you'll like it.
David
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JONATHAN MCDOWELL, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, HARVARD-SMITHSONIAN=
ASTROPHYSICS LABORATORY, maintains world famous and authoritative=
"JONATHAN'S SPACE REPORT" on current space news
message to NASA History Office, September 12, 2000:
I just finished a first pass reading through Asif's book. I've already sent=
him comments, but I thought I would comment to you that this is a landmark=
study that NASA can be very proud to have published. I hope the History=
Office can come out with more works of this quality!
Best regards,
Jonathan McDowell
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CONSTANTINE DOMASHNEV, maintains FPSpace internet list-server
Let me add two words to [the reviews of Challenge to Apollo]
Judging by a few pages I was lucky to have opportunity to read, the book of=
Asif Siddiqi is of enourmous historical value first of all for Russians=
themselves and everyone who is interested in understanding Russia.=20
The book clearly stands out because of very extensive, honest and truthful=
(without slipping into either condemnation nor glorification) description=
of a significant, but yet almost unknown layer of a Russian society of that=
time, as well as the scope of events these people were involved into.=20
--
Constantine Domashnev=20