Rare NASA-printed public affairs plan manual for the Apollo 11 mission, 8 x 10.5, eighty-four pages, July 1969, signed on the front cover in black felt tip by NASA public affairs officer and Apollo 11 launch announcer Jack King, who adds “‘Voice of Apollo.’” The plan index lists various sections, including: “Mission,” “Organization and Responsibilities,” “Security,” “Information Procedures and Operations,” “Recovery Procedures,” “Communications,” “Personnel Assignments,” and “Contractor Activities.” The “Mission” section, in part: “Apollo 11 is scheduled to be the first United States attempt to fulfill a national mission of landing men on the Moon and returning them safely to Earth before the end of the decade. The mission involves the 506 Saturn V, CSM 107 and LM 5. The crew is Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin Aldrin…If the mission is launched July 16, lunar touchdown will be at 4:19pm EDT July 20…A two hour 40 minute lunar surface EVA will begin at 2:02am EDT July 21…and liftoff of the LM from the Moon will bet at 1:55 pm EDT.” In fine condition, with some wear and a detached cover. Featured in the 2014 book Marketing the Moon, this public affairs manual reveals how NASA and the media planned to inform the world of the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing. Given that only a handful of these plans were printed, this is an exceedingly rare and sought-after edition.
