A fascinating behind-the-scenes history of a vital component of the space program, this book goes inside the suit that made it possible for human beings to set foot on the Moon. Bill Ayrey, longtime space suit test engineer at ILC Dover, draws on original files and photographs to tell the dramatic story of the company’s role in the Apollo Program. “A space suit: a miniature space craft, so well designed for Apollo missions as described in this book. Excellent throughout, so comprehensive, so enjoyable.”— Michael Collins , Apollo 11 astronaut   “Ayrey’s details fascinate. . . . Photos and engineering design diagrams add helpful visual detail to the text. This accessible, anecdote-packed history will please many an astronomy buff.” — Publishers Weekly   “An excellent addition to the existing literature on this subject. . . . [We can] hope that current space suit designers are reading Ayrey’s book and learning the lessons it has to teach.”— Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly   “Well-provided with copious line diagrams, pictures, five appendices, chapter notes and further reading recommendations, this is a historically and technically important book that handles all the detailed complexity and development of the Apollo series space suits with accuracy, clarity, and precision.”— Journal of Aeronautical History   “A rare and rewarding book. Ayrey goes into the complexity of both spacesuit design and quality management in straightforward language. . . . He tells a story that is engaging and entertaining.”— National Space Society   “This is the story of the ultimate space suit for lunar explorers; a garment that evolved over many years of experiment and development; a garment that protected me five times during extravehicular excursions into the vast unforgiving hazards of space exploration, including three days on the surface of the moon.”— David Scott , Apollo 15 commander “Ayrey, a testing lab manager for the textile manufacturer International Latex Corporation Industries, provides a pleasing insider’s look at the space suits ILC constructed for NASA’s Apollo program. He explains that the Apollo space suit grew out of the stiff pressure suits created for early 20th-century pilots who flew unpressurized planes at high altitudes. ILC’s experience making pressure helmets for the U.S. Air Force formed the foundation for its space suit work, but it was sometimes an uphill battle for the company, with its occasionally laissez-faire culture, to fit into NASA’s highly bureaucratic structure. But, Ayrey notes, the dedication and craftsmanship of ILC’s staff meshed well with the attention to detail and fit each suit required. Ayrey’s details fascinate: made from 15 layers of materials, each suit was custom fitted to its wearer, right down to gloves made from molds of the specific astronaut’s hands. Suit testing included an x-ray to be sure no pins had been left behind while the suits were being sewn―a critical suit check still done today. Black and white photos and engineering design diagrams add helpful visual detail to the text. This accessible, anecdote-packed history will please many an astronomy buff.”― Publishers Weekly “A space suit: a miniature space craft, so well designed for Apollo missions as described in this book. Excellent throughout, so comprehensive, so enjoyable.”― Michael Collins, Apollo 11 astronaut “This is the story of the ultimate space suit for lunar explorers; a garment that evolved over many years of experiment and development; a garment that protected me five times during extravehicular excursions into the vast unforgiving hazards of space exploration, including three days on the surface of the moon.”― David Scott, Apollo 15 commander “A unique and comprehensible history of a group of men and women who undertook the challenge to create a space suit that would allow humans to explore another world for the first time.”― Cathleen Lewis, coauthor of Spaceflight: A Smithsonian Guide “A detailed and engaging account of how a group of engineers and seamstresses from a small company built the first and only suit used on the moon. A remarkable book, indispensable for anybody interested in the Apollo program.”― Pablo de León, University of North Dakota Bill Ayrey was a space suit test engineer and company historian at ILC Dover for over forty years. He spent more than 140 hours pressurized in the Space Shuttle EVA suit, testing the many components, during its years of development. Over the past twenty years, he has assisted the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in preserving the suits within its collection.