July 2019 marks 50 years since Neil Armstrong took his famous first steps on the surface of the Moon. As people celebrate the anniversary of this great American achievement, they might wonder why there have been no further human missions to the Moon since the last Apollo mission (Apollo 17) in 1972 –  none from the United States or any other country. This book assesses the technical legacy of the Apollo missions based on the 50 years of space developments since the program's end. The question “Why haven’t there been more human missions to the Moon?” is explored through a multidisciplinary approach that weaves together technological and historical perspectives.The nine manned Apollo missions, including the six that landed on the Moon, are described here by an author who has 50 years of experience in the space industry and whose work spanned the Apollo 8-13 Missions. This historical backdrop will inform the final section of the book, which provides a comprehensive assessment of today’s programs and current plans for sending humans to the Moon.weiterlesen