Space Exploration History Jim Irwin Signed To Rule the Night Apollo 15 Memoir 1973

Jim Irwin Space Exploration

Book

Irwin, James B. To Rule the Night: The Discovery Voyage of Astronaut Jim Irwin, published in 1973, gives Irwin’s firsthand account of Apollo 15 and the personal and religious convictions that shaped his interpretation of lunar exploration. Irwin served as lunar module pilot alongside commander David Scott and command module pilot Alfred Worden on the mission launched July 26, 1971. Scott and Irwin explored the Hadley Apennine region using the Lunar Roving Vehicle, extending the geographic range and scientific scope of crewed lunar fieldwork. The memoir belongs to the autobiographical literature of the Apollo program, combining operational recollection with Irwin’s account of the spiritual transformation he associated with seeing Earth and working on the lunar surface.

Irwin, James B., with William A. Emerson Jr. To Rule the Night: The Discovery Voyage of Astronaut Jim Irwin. Philadelphia: A. J. Holman Company, 1973. Inscribed by Irwin on an interior page, “To Larry Cashion, my Best Wishes. Jim Irwin.” Printing and edition statements not supplied. One volume. 251 pages. Hardcover in dust jacket; illustration details and size not supplied. The narrative follows Irwin’s preparation for Apollo 15, the voyage aboard Endeavour and Falcon, and his lunar surface work with Scott, while also examining the religious meaning he drew from the mission. Published bibliographic records identify William A. Emerson as collaborator and confirm the A. J. Holman imprint, 1973 publication date, and 251-page extent.

Apollo 15 was the first of the extended Apollo “J” missions and the first mission to use the Lunar Roving Vehicle, allowing Scott and Irwin to travel farther from the lunar module and conduct more extensive geological investigations than earlier landing crews. NASA records that the astronauts collected approximately 170 pounds of lunar material during more than eighteen hours of surface exploration. Irwin’s personalized inscription to Larry Cashion gives this copy an identifiable presentation association, though no further information about the recipient has been supplied. Minor wear consistent with use may be present, but no specific defects are identified; binding, dust jacket, inscription, and text remain very good. Signed presentation copy linking Apollo 15’s expanded scientific exploration of the Moon with Irwin’s own account of its lasting intellectual and spiritual effects.

Item #3939

Price: $225.00