The fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landings provides perspective for this definitive account of the 'giant step'. Foreword from Tom Hanks Born in 1956, Andrew Chaikin grew up in Great Neck, New York, with a fascination for the heavens and space exploration. While studying geology at Brown University he participated in the Viking mission to Mars at the NASA/Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In addition to his work as a space historian and science journalist, Chaikin has taught extensively at NASA. He lives in Vermont. Info about Chaikin's other books can be found on his website, www.andrewchaikin.com.