A day-by-day account of the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landingfrom launch prep to the crews' return to Earthby the author of 66: The World Cup In Real Time. Half a century has passed since arguably the greatest feat of the twentieth century: when Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon.Apollo 11: The Moon Landing In Real Timebrings the mission back to life as never before in a thrilling day-by-day account, exploring everything from the historic flight itself to how the $24-billion space program divided a nation. Journey back in time and feel the excitement build in the days before launch, and then experience the tension of the dramatic lunar landing and the relief of the crew's safe return to Earth. This engaging account mixes easily understandable explanations of the groundbreaking technology behind Apollo 11 with entertainment, excitement, and humor in equal measure. Set against a backdrop of the Cold War, race riots, and the Vietnam War, the mission polarized opinion worldwide. Alongside these issues, read long-forgotten tales including how a Chilean lawyer claimed he was the legal owner of the Moon, thousands of people signed up for proposed commercial Moon flights, Hilton revealed plans for a lunar hotel, ';flat Earth' believers claimed the mission was a hoax, and some scientists feared the astronauts would bring back deadly germs from space which would devastate mankind. ';A most enjoyable read.' Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly