Introduction Brown's Lunar Exploration Working Group Michael's Paper on a "Parking Orbit" The Rendezvous Committees Houbolt's First Crusade The Feelings Against Lunar-Orbit Rendezvous The Space Task Group's Early Skepticism Mounting Frustration President Kennedy's Commitment Houbolt's First Letter to Seamans A Voice in the Wilderness The LOR Decision Conclusion Notes Key Documents (pdf version)

There was a reluctance to believe that the rendezvous maneuver was an easy thing. In fact, to a layman, if you were to explain what you had to do to perform a rendezvous in space, he would say that sounds so difficult we'll never be able to do it this century. –Clinton E. Brown, head, Langley Lunar Mission Steering Group on Trajectories and Guidance (from an interview with the author, 17 July 1989) I'm not so sure we ever thought of rendezvous as very complicated. It's an amazing thing. We thought that if our guys could work out the orbital mechanics and we gave the pilot the right controls and stuff, then he'd land it and make the rendezvous. We didn't think it was very complicated. –Arthur W. Vogeley, Langley Guidance and Control Branch (from an interview with the author, 17 July 1989).     to the next page --->