Piers Bizony
Piers is a science journalist and space historian. His latest book is Moonshots: 50 Years Of NASA Space Exploration Seen Through Hasselblad Cameras (Voyageur, 2017)
Recent articles by Piers Bizony
Profile | Michael Collins: Apollo 11 command module pilot
A modest and thoughtful man, he once said that “...the main qualification for flying to the Moon was to have been born at the right time, 1930, give or take a year or two.”
Apollo 11 Space Mission | Seconds from disaster
After a successful launch and a smooth journey to the Moon, Apollo 11 looked to be proceeding according to plan. But just as the lunar module closed in on its intended landing site, alarms began to sound.
Profile | Buzz Aldrin: Apollo 11 lunar module pilot
But for the design of the lunar module’s interior and position of the spacecraft’s door, Aldrin might have been the first man on the Moon.
Profile | Wernher von Braun: Director of the Marshall Space Flight Center/Saturn V Chief Architect
The former Nazi's life is highly controversial, but his mind was unquestionably brilliant, and helped propel the USA to the Moon.
Profile | Neil Armstrong: Apollo 11 mission commander
Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the Moon, but his career as a test pilot meant he was used to risking his life in the name of science.
“We choose to go to the Moon” | Read JFK’s Moon speech in full
With the US trailing Russia in the space race, President Kennedy had to rally popular support for an increased American effort.