CNN - Review: 'Chariots for Apollo'

(CNN) -- By now, the story has been told thousands of times. It was the only real battle of the Cold War, and it was fought in the New Frontier. There were victories, defeats and casualties. When it was all over, there wasn't much to show for all the effort. The most telling symbol of the final outcome is footprints. Twelve sets of footprints on the powdery surface of the moon.

In "Chariots for Apollo," authors Charles R. Pellegrino and Joshua Stoff tell the history of the space race from a different perspective. They don't offer a biography of the scientists who dreamed up the machines that carried men to the moon, or the life stories of the men who flew them. Theirs is the story of the machines themselves. In particular, they offer a biography of the Lunar Module, the spindly, spider-like lander that was the last link in the technological chain that allowed the United States to beat the Soviet Union to the moon.

The story of the LM is told by the men and women who built it. They were the designers, engineers and technicians who conceived the unlikely spacecraft and turned it into reality. Most of them were employed by Grumman Aerospace Corporation, a defense contractor that embraced the challenges of space flight and won the contract to construct the LM. Pellegrino and Stoff portray them as brimming over with the same "right stuff" that characterized members of the astronaut corps.

It is a fascinating story, filled with challenges and crises, hopes dashed and dreams come true. It is also a very human story. The people who built the machinery of Apollo were pushed to the limits of their endurance and talents -- just as the astronauts were. They didn't have to face the uncertainties of traveling a quarter-million miles through space. Instead, they had to face the uncertainties of whether the machines they made were capable of making the trip and bringing the astronauts back alive.

Pellegrino and Stoff recount not only the achievements and setbacks of Apollo, but also the achievements and setbacks of the Soviet space program. As we view the photographs of the American flag planted in the lunar soil, we sometimes forget just how high the stakes were.

"Chariots for Apollo" was initially published in the mid-1980s. Unfortunately, its appearance coincided with the Challenger explosion. This updated edition has been released to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the first moon landing.

Despite a few minor factual missteps (like affiliating longtime ABC News correspondent Frank Reynolds with NBC) and a bit of literary license (some of the people appear under pseudonyms), Pellegrino and Stoff do a creditable job of getting the story straight. In the process, "Chariots for Apollo" offers the same kind of drama and excitement found in the movie "Apollo 13" and the miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon". It will be required reading for self-professed "space buffs" and is a valuable addition to the history of human achievement in the 20th century.

L.D. Meagher is a senior writer at CNN Headline News. He has worked in broadcasting for 30 years.

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