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Rating: 
Summary: Message from the Publisher
Review: Being an absolute space nut in the nicest possible way, I am extremely pleased that my brother decided to spend as much time as he did on this book. The work and research that went in to it was at least three times more than any of our other Mission reports series. It has been a labour of love for Rob since last summer. I am personally going to ensure that copies of this book land on the desks of the Hon. Sean O'Keefe and the Hon. Donald Rumsfeld as I think they might be very interested in the contents. "Hey guys look what we could do back in the '60's. Cool huh?"
There is some amazing very clear video on the DVD of Neil Armstrong, Wally Schirra and Gus Grissom trying out simulators of the X-20. Stuff that I bet you haven't seen before. I know I'm biased, but this is one not to miss.
Rating: 
Summary: Be Careful What You Wish For
Review: If you want a collection of historical documents, this is the book. If you were hoping for some analysis and personal insight into Dyna-Soar, we will still have to wait. I personally was very disappointed in this book, however I understand that this type of raw detail may be entertaining to others.
Rating:
Summary: Be Careful What You Wish For
Review: If you want a collection of historical documents, this is the book. If you were hoping for some analysis and personal insight into Dyna-Soar, we will still have to wait. I personally was very disappointed in this book, however I understand that this type of raw detail may be entertaining to others.
Rating:
Summary: Another Winner From Apogee
Review: Our friends at Apogee books continue to peel the cobwebs away from the history of the space program and provide us all with unique insights into the workings of these pivotal programs and vehicles.The X-20 was one of the more interesting "might have beens" in the early days of the space race and that it was never built has more to say about the inability of the Air Force and the US government to agree upon its actual role than anything inadequate about the vehicle itself. Because it was never completed and, thus, never flew, information on the Dyna Soar has always been hard to come by with only small articles and snippets of information surfacing from time to time. Here in one book is a vast compendium of copied primary source material relating to this program. Copies of reports, drawings, photographs and even, on the DVD, movie film relating to the development of this intreguing vehicle. Those who have seen and enjoyed other titles in the Apogee line of "NASA Mission Reports" will find the same format here. If you are looking for an analytical history of the program with learned discussions of the reasonings behind the political changes that ultimately killed the program, this is not the book for you. This book is really a collection of archival papers with no modern analysis added. In many ways this is the purest way to view history as it allows the reader to make up their own mind, at least regarding the material presented. Very highly recommended to all space and technical history fans.
Rating:
Summary: A Little Known Project from Long Ago
Review: Way back in my college days, I first read of the Dyna-Soar project. Dyna-Soar was being pushed then as a Fractional Orbit Bombardment System (FOBS). It was to be launched by a massive booster, go into orbit, reach its target and drop an atomic bomb on it. Then the program got cancelled.
In this book it appears that the program had no real direction. It was a space plane, it was a research vehicle, it was recon vehicle, it was a shuttle, it was part of the Apollo program. The opinion is expressed that Robert McNamara cancelled the program because no one could tell him what he was getting for the money being spent. I suspect this is true, but I also expect that this was only part of the story. At the time there was a little thing going on called the Viet Nam war that was beginning to suck up a lot of money. The Apollo program was going strong, also expensive. President Johnson wanted money for his War on Poverty. Finally, one of the Anti Missile Treaties signed by the US and the USSR prohibited FOBS.
This book covers the Dyna-Soar program through reprinting the official documentation that flowed between the Air Force, NASA and the Contractors. There is very little analysis of what happened. As a collection of documents, this is the raw material that gives the unvarnished truth.
There's room here for another book that would give more of the political aspects. Could we have built it then? Could we build it now? Maybe we should give the project to Burt Rutan and Scaled Composites - The Dyna-Soar bird looked a lot like their Space Ship One.
Rating:
Summary: Dyna-Soar hypersonic strategic weapons system
Review: WE ALMOST HAD A SPACE SHUTTLE FORTY YEARS A GO!
I had heard a little, and found even less information about the X-20 Dyna-soar over the years. At last here is the definitive book on the subject. The good folks at Apogee books, Mr R Godwin in particular have done an excellent job in gathering all the information on this project. From its concept to its final manned orbital laboratory configuration. It is a most fascinating glimpse of 'what might have been'.
Well worth the addition to anyone's space library.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Well, as usual this Apogee Book is in line with the other products. This one includes a DVD which has some very interesting not to mention rare film of the cancelled Dyna soar project. Also interesting is the de-classified reports which the Nasa mission reports does not have.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Well, as usual this Apogee Book is in line with the other products. This one includes a DVD which has some very interesting not to mention rare film of the cancelled Dyna soar project. Also interesting is the de-classified reports which the Nasa mission reports does not have.
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