Why read Challenge to Apollo?

Book cover of Challenge to Apollo: The Soviet Union and the Space Race, 1945-1974

Book description

Taking advantage of the Soviet archives, which were opened in the 1990s, Siddiqi has written a groundbreaking work that examines why the Soviet Union fell behind in the space race of the 1960s after changing the course of human history with the first artificial satellite launch, Sputnik, in 1957.

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Why read it?

1 author picked Challenge to Apollo as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Nick Abadzis

Author

This really is the bible for anyone seeking to know about the USSR’s Space Program in detail. Siddiqi’s research is forensic and utterly exhaustive and includes all manner of original Russian language sources as well as interviews with many a Soviet space veteran and scholar. He tells the story of the nascent Soviet space effort and its development into a vast project that shaped the world; it includes the story of every major character and player involved. It’s absolutely essential reading for anyone interested in the other team that played in the Space Race.

From Nick's list on The best books on the Soviet space program and the space race.