This resource blog is different than my other resource blogs. I’ve read so many books about space exploration over the years that a single list would be overwhelming!
As a result, I’ve decided to highlight what I consider to be the best space exploration books by category. I hope you find it useful!
Best History of the Apollo Program (Single Volume)
A Man On The Moon – The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts (Andrew Chaikin)
Best History of the Space Program (Multiple Volumes) (NOTE: All the following books are published by University of Nebraska Press)
Into That Silent Sea – Trailblazers of the Space Era, 1961-1965 (Francis French & Colin Burgess)
In The Shadow of the Moon – A Challenging Journey to Tranquility, 1965-1969 (Francis French & Colin Burgess)
Footprints In The Dust – The Epic Voyages of Apollo, 1969-1975 (Edited by Colin Burgess)
Homesteading Space – The Skylab Story (David Hitt, Owen Garriott, Joe Kerwin)
Bold They Rise – The Space Shuttle Early Years, 1972-1986 (David Hitt & Heather R. Smith)
Wheels Stop – The Tragedies and Triumphs of the Space Shuttle Program, 1986-2011 (Rick Houston)
Most Comprehensive History of the Space Program (Multiple Volumes) (NOTE: All the following books are published under the heading “A History of Human Space Exploration” by Ben Evans)
Escaping The Bonds Of Earth – The Fifties and the Sixties
Foothold In The Heavens – The Seventies
At Home In Space – The Late Seventies and the Eighties
Tragedy And Triumph in Orbit – The Eighties and Early Nineties
Partnership In Space- The Mid to Late Nineties
The Twenty-First Century In Space
(NOTE: The above volume unfortunately does not go into detail about events taking place within the past fifteen years. If you’re interested in the International Space Station, the best reference I’ve found to date is International Space Station 1998 – 2011 by David Baker. It is part of the Owner’s Workshop Manual series and does a good job of describing the space station’s assembly.)
Best History of the Soviet Space Program (Multiple Volumes)
Sputnik And The Soviet Space Challenge (Asif A. Siddiqi)
The Soviet Space Race With Apollo (Asif A. Siddiqi)
Best Space Exploration Publishers
Springer-Praxis & NASA – Both publish all types of books about space exploration for both the layman and the expert. All are available in either paperback and / or hardcover. Many are also available as e-books. Books published by Springer-Praxis & NASA comprise a majority of my collection
As with all my Resource blogs, I’ll be adding to this list over time.
Your feedback is always welcome!
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