Failure is not an Option: Mission Control From Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond (Thorndike Paperback Bestsellers)

by Gene Kranz

book data

139 ratings, 4.08 average rating, 42 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		32%
4		46%
3		17%
2		3%
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published

May 1st 2001 by Berkley Trade

binding

Paperback, 416 pages

isbn

0425179877 (isbn13: 9780425179871)

description

In 1957, the Russians launched Sputnik and the ensuing space race. Three years later, Gene Kranz left his aircraft testing job to join NASA and champi...more

[close] In 1957, the Russians launched Sputnik and the ensuing space race. Three years later, Gene Kranz left his aircraft testing job to join NASA and champion the American cause. What he found was an embryonic department run by whiz kids (such as himself), sharp engineers and technicians who had to create the Mercury mission rules and procedure from the ground up. As he says, "Since there were no books written on the actual methodology of space flight, we had to write them as we went along."

Kranz was part of the mission control team that, in January 1961, launched a chimpanzee into space and successfully retrieved him, and made Alan Shepard the first American in space in May 1961. Just two months later they launched Gus Grissom for a space orbit, John Glenn orbited Earth three times in February 1962, and in May of 1963 Gordon Cooper completed the final Project Mercury launch with 22 Earth orbits. And through them all, and the many Apollo missions that followed, Gene Kranz was one of the integral inside men--one of those who bore the responsibility for the Apollo 1 tragedy, and the leader of the "tiger team" that saved the Apollo 13 astronauts.

Moviegoers know Gene Kranz through Ed Harris's Oscar-nominated portrayal of him in Apollo 13, but Kranz provides a more detailed insider's perspective in his book Failure Is Not an Option. You see NASA through his eyes, from its primitive days when he first joined up, through the 1993 shuttle mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope, his last mission control project. His memoir, however, is not high literature. Kranz has many accomplishments and honors to his credit, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, but this is his first book, and he's not a polished author. There are, perhaps, more behind-the-scenes details and more paragraphs devoted to what Cape Canaveral looked like than the general public demands. If, however, you have a long-standing fascination with aeronautics, if you watched Apollo 13 and wanted more, Failure Is Not an Option will fill the bill. --Stephanie Gold

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02/25/08

Betsy rated it:

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in June, 2006

recommends it for: Business leaders, project managers, space buffs

While the astronauts were getting the glory of magazine covers and trips to the White House, members of the ground crew in Houston were quietly keeping the space program in motion. Gene Kranz, perhaps best known for serving as Flight Director during Apollo 13, was a sharp, well-respected manager and team leader. He began with NASA during the Mercury program and rose to great success within the organization. While this is a great autobiography for space buffs, it's also a great guidebook for b...more

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02/08/09

Kipi rated it:

(review of isbn 0743200799)

bookshelves: american-history, memoir, non-fiction

I am a space junkie. Two of my favorite movies are Apollo 13 and The Right Stuff. It only made sense to read Gene Kranz's book. I enjoyed reading his history and his perspective of the history of NASA, but he is a technology guy, and his writing is a little too technical for me. I read this one just after I read Jim Lovell's book, Lost Moon, and Lovell's book is SO readable that it made this one just that much more difficult. I will probably put this one back on the "to-read" list...more

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04/04/08

Sarah rated it:

Read in September, 2008

After reading Chris Kraft's book, Flight, I knew I had to read Gene Kranz's point of view. This became even more true when I walked into the room that will be mission control for the Solar Dynamics Observatory (the mission on which I worked) and saw his signature (he also wrote a message: "SDO is a go for flight!").

Unfortunately, I started reading this book on the way over and back from a trip I took to Hawaii. As a result of the time changes, I really didn't get enough...more

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03/11/08

George Bradford rated it:

bookshelves: apollo

This is the story of NASA's Mission Control from it's birth until the early 1990s. The focus is not on the celebrated astronauts. This is about the engineers, technicians and aviators on the ground who made some of America's greatest accomplishments happen.

Gene Kranz was himself an accomplished aviator before joining NASA. He was also a down to earth, no nonsense leader. As the Flight Director at Mission Control, Gene Kranz was the final authority on all decisions and actions. E...more

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06/22/09

PastAllReason rated it:

bookshelves: biography, read-2009, science

Read in June, 2009

A key insider's view of the US Space Program from the early days to the end of the Apollo space program. Kranz's straightforward style is professional, forthcoming and passionate about the importance of space program. His chapters on Apollo 11 and Apollo 13 are especially noteworthy.

Oh, and I enjoyed the explanation for his wearing of the vests, including the fact that it was his wife who made them for him.

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08/31/08

Greg rated it:

Read in April, 2009

Ultimately this book was just OK...I was very interested in reading about the early NASA programs from the perspective of someone on the ground instead of one of the astronauts, and it definitely delivered in that regard.

Kranz details his whole career at NASA from its start to its peak and through its decline. I mostly wanted to read this book to hear about the Apollo 11 and Apollo 13 missions, but the sections on those were actually somewhat short. Instead, Kranz included almost...more

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04/03/08

Joyce McCombs rated it:

I'm the daughter of a space guy... Dad worked on the Lunar Rover and various Apollo mission components as part of Boeing in Seattle. As a child of the 60's, we were rousted out of bed many an early morning to watch a "shot go up"... and every time it was a thrill. Apollo 13 was something we took personally in our house... I remember my mom and I were attending a PTA meeting and all of a sudden my Dad showed up (VERY unusual!) and announced that "the mission was in trouble"...more

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07/05/09

Kent rated it:

Read in June, 2009

I am a little biased on this, but it was a great history lesson on what it took to build the Apollo program. What struck me most (since I am living this part now) were the comments when the flight controllers knew that there were only a few missions left to go to the moon and then there would be a long delay.

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03/24/09

Armen Chakmakjian rated it:

bookshelves: biography, history, leadership, science-technology

This is one of the best books I have ever read. a real tour de force of how the US space program evolved. It covers all of NASA's highs and disasters in the race to the moon.

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06/01/09

Stuart rated it:

bookshelves: currently-reading

Read in June, 2009

The Mission Control view of the personalities and the background behind the Mecury, Gemini and Apollo programs from the legendary but humble character of Gene Kranz.

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02/01/09

Jason rated it:

(review of isbn 0743200799)

bookshelves: autobiography, non-fiction

Read in July, 2005

Gene Kranz is pretty much as close to my hero as I consider one. A normal, mild-mannered American, who just happened to help get us to the moon and back again.

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06/23/08

Melissa rated it:

Read in September, 2008

Wow - what a book. Kranz goes on a bit here and there, lots of lists of names - but I liked how he did that - carefully giving credit to everyone (at least, I assume everyone)involved in various efforts.
In todays world, it seems a rarity to find that kind of environment - where hard work (as compared to nonsensical office politics) is rewarded, where trust is placed in people, and responsibility is accepted. There were some extremely motivating passages.
This book is an example of w...more

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11/25/08

fbuser1215144947 rated it:

Read in June, 2007

recommends it for: Everyone

This book is exceptional. It is a book that all American school children should read.

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07/08/08

John rated it:

bookshelves: space-exploration

The Mercury/Gemini/Apollo era has captured my imagination like few other subjects. There was no precedent for manned spaceflight...no templates, no past experiences, no helpful advice from previous generations. The engineers, pilots, and controllers just figured it out and made it happen. While the astronauts got all of the ticker tape parades and glory, the brilliant minds behind the scenes are what made it all possible. Gene Kranz was there for some of the most memorable moments in human h...more

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01/27/09

Joseph rated it:

Read in January, 2005

Excellent case study in leadership under remarkable conditions.

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10/19/07

Cappy rated it:

Read in September, 2007

recommends it for: space race enthusiasts

Gene Kranz was a tough cookie while asending the ladder to be the senior controller at NASA during the Apollo era. His tales of the behind the scenes grief and anguish following delays and tragc losses, and the elation he expresses when describing the successes the agency experienced throughout the 50s, 60s, and 70s. I have actually been to a live presentation he made at an aeromedical conference and he still ha the personna of a tough professional.

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08/11/08

Jake rated it:

Gene Kranz is one of the most brilliant minds in America. Without him, there is no NASA, America loses the space race(can you imange!!!). Gene Kranz, who was portrayed by Ed Harris in the movie Apollo 13 is truly an unsung American Hero. He was with NASA before its inseption and throughout the space shuttle. Thats a life time people!! A great history lesson for young and old!!!

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03/27/08

Mark rated it:

Read in March, 2008

For me, as a child of the Apollo years, this was a can't-put-down book. It is NOT particularly well-written from a literary standpoint -- it ends up reading more like a gussied up logbook. However, if you have an interest in those early years of the space program, it provides lots of interesting details from the standpoint of Mission Control.

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06/25/08

Kaelie rated it:

Read in July, 2008

A very business-like and interesting account of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs from someone who was most certainly right in the trenches. Personally I craved more of a human-interest angle and sometimes got numbed by the technicalities, but that's just me -- this is a good book.

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09/03/08

Cliff rated it:

Probably one of my favorite books ever. Kranz doesn't really mean to make this a book on leadership, but it's exuded on almost every page. Strong recommend to anyone looking to see a great example on leadership and learn a little more about the glory days of the Apollo program.

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