"AN EPOCH-MAKING STEP IN THE EVOLUTION OF MAN": FIRST EDITION OF MOON: MAN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE, RICHLY ILLUSTRATED, SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY 14 IMPORTANT ASTRONAUTS, TWICE BY BUZZ ALDRIN

(APOLLO ASTRONAUTS) BEDINI, Silvio. VON BRAUN, Wernher. WHIPPLE, Fred L. Moon: Man's Greatest Adventure. New York: Harry N. Abrams, [1973]. Folio (12 by 15-1/2 inches), original silver-decorated blue cloth, cartographic endpapers. $8500.

First edition of this large, lavishly illustrated celebration of humankind's journey to the moon, signed and inscribed on the first leaf by 14 Mercury, Apollo and Skylab astronauts: Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean, Scott Carpenter, Gene Cernan, Gordon Cooper, Walt Cunningham, Charles Duke, Fred Haise, Joe Kerwin, Jack Lousma, Edgar Mitchell, Rusty Schweickart, Thomas Stafford and Paul Weitz. Additionally inscribed by Aldrin on the color frontispiece photographic portrait of him standing on the lunar surface.

The Apollo project, which carried human beings to the moon and back, was "the greatest human adventure; the Odyssey of the millennium" (Burrows, 428-33). This impressive volume commemorates the achievements of the manned space program, beginning with ancient dreams of reaching the stars to Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's exploration of another world. Abundantly illustrated with numerous black-and-white and color photographs—many full- and double-page, including several mounted plates—featuring spectacular images of not only the moon but also the Earth from orbit. Without original dust jacket.

A fine copy, desirable signed by numerous notable space pioneers.