Bedtime Biography: Shoot for the Moon audiobook cover - The Space Race and the Extraordinary Voyage of Apollo 11

Bedtime Biography: Shoot for the Moon

The Space Race and the Extraordinary Voyage of Apollo 11

James Donovan

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Biography & Memoir

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Bedtime Biography: Shoot for the Moon
The Space Race Begins+
Project Mercury & First Astronauts+
Project Gemini & Kennedy's Goal+
Project Apollo & Preparation+
The Apollo 11 Mission+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
What event shocked Americans in 1957 and effectively kickstarted the space race?
  • A. The Soviet Union's successful launch of Sputnik 1.
  • B. The sudden explosion of America's first satellite.
  • C. The announcement of Project Mercury by NASA.
  • D. The discovery of a Soviet weaponized satellite in orbit.
Question 2 of 8
Why did the United States recruit Wernher von Braun for their space program?
  • A. He was the only scientist who knew how to build a mission control center.
  • B. He had successfully launched the first Soviet satellite into space.
  • C. He was an expert in rocket design who had run the German rocket program.
  • D. He was a highly decorated American test pilot with an engineering degree.
Question 3 of 8
Which group of professionals did NASA determine were best suited to become the first astronauts?
  • A. Submarine commanders
  • B. Test pilots
  • C. Aerospace engineers
  • D. Combat medics
Question 4 of 8
What was the primary purpose of Project Gemini?
  • A. To put the first American astronaut into Earth's orbit.
  • B. To test the technology and procedures needed for a future moon landing.
  • C. To launch an unmanned probe to take photographs of the lunar surface.
  • D. To build the first permanent space station in Earth's orbit.
Question 5 of 8
What critical skill did Neil Armstrong demonstrate during the Gemini 8 mission?
  • A. He successfully repaired a broken oxygen valve while on a spacewalk.
  • B. He remained conscious and regained control of a dangerously spinning spacecraft.
  • C. He manually calculated the trajectory to return the spacecraft to Earth after a computer failure.
  • D. He safely landed the Gemini capsule in the ocean during a severe storm.
Question 6 of 8
What caused the tragic deaths of the Apollo 1 astronauts during a preflight rehearsal?
  • A. A catastrophic failure of the rocket's first-stage engines.
  • B. A failure in the capsule's parachute system during a drop test.
  • C. An electrical short circuit that ignited the capsule's pure-oxygen atmosphere.
  • D. A sudden loss of cabin pressure that caused a lack of oxygen.
Question 7 of 8
Why did Michael Collins continuously rotate the Apollo 11 spacecraft in a 'barbecue roll' on the way to the moon?
  • A. To generate artificial gravity for the astronauts inside the cabin.
  • B. To prevent one side of the spacecraft from being constantly roasted by the sun.
  • C. To maintain a stable radio connection with mission control in Houston.
  • D. To slow down the spacecraft's momentum before entering lunar orbit.
Question 8 of 8
What unexpected challenge did Armstrong and Aldrin face just moments before landing the Eagle on the moon?
  • A. A cloud of dust kicked up by the descent engine obscured Armstrong's vision of the ground.
  • B. The lunar module's main thruster completely failed, forcing a hard landing.
  • C. Mission control lost radio contact with the astronauts for several minutes.
  • D. The hatch of the lunar module jammed, delaying their exit onto the surface.

Bedtime Biography: Shoot for the Moon — Full Chapter Overview

Bedtime Biography: Shoot for the Moon Summary & Overview

Narrated by Oliver Mains

Music by Federico Coderoni

Shoot for the Moon (2019) provides a riveting, wide-ranging account of the early space race. It guides you through the historic Apollo 11 mission which first landed humans on the moon, and sheds light on the legacy of the preceding missions that paved its way.

Who Should Listen to Bedtime Biography: Shoot for the Moon?

  • Anyone interested in the space race and the Cold War
  • Science geeks interested in NASA’s early endeavors
  • Future astronauts who need to do their homework

About the Author: James Donovan

James Donovan is an American author specializing in popular history. His previous best-selling books include A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn – the Last Great Battle of the American West (2008) and The Blood of Heroes: The 13-Day Struggle for the Alamo – and the Sacrifice That Forged a Nation (2012). He lives in Dallas, Texas. 

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