Brian May lands 'unique' space race deal

Brian May’s London Stereoscopic Company (LSC) is publishing its seventh title in October to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.

The Queen guitarist has teamed up with Astronomy magazine editor Dave Eicher to write the book, which also has a foreword from astronaut Charlie Duke to create a “visual masterpiece” about the Space Race and the Apollo Moon Landings.

May, who is creative director of the project, said it will be the first time the race will be “brought to life in true side-by-side full-colour stereoscopic 3-D”. MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) will publish in the US.

Mission Moon 3-D: A new perspective on the Space Race will be published on 30th October retailing at £30.

May described the 192-page book, which includes 300 images, as “something absolutely unique”.

“With all-new text by Astro Guru David Eicher, it’s the story of the Space Race and the Apollo Moon Landings told from both sides of the race - and brought to life for the first time ever in true side-by-side full-colour stereoscopic 3-D,” May said.

“Somehow, although it’s 50 years since these historic adventures, the trail is as fresh as ever, especially viewed in the ‘virtual’ world of the stereoscope.  Our small team has delved deeper than deep into the NASA archives and Russian sources, and the result has prompted Charlie Duke, the venerable Capcom (Mission Control) voice on the occasion of that first ‘Giant Step’ to tell us that the experience of this book is as close to being there on the Moon’s surface as it’s possible to get for Earth-bound creatures like us.

“Now co-publishing with the incomparable MIT Press in North America, this title also represents a big step up in the publishing universe for the relentlessly innovative London Stereoscopic Company.”

The book comes, as do all LSC publications, with a state-of-the-art OWL stereoscope, for a “full immersive experience”.

According to a LSC spokesperson, the book contains: captivating historic photos never before seen in stereo”, presenting the largest-ever collection of stereo photos of the Apollo program and space race, with some 150 unique views altogether. It explores the space race “in a new and special way” covering events from both the US and Soviet Union. It also contains new stories of the astronauts and a “unique” tribute section to the astronauts lost to the dangers of space exploration accompanied by substantial discussions of the scientific results of the missions, and with discussions of special moments in space.

Other features include contributions from Apollo astronauts Charlie Duke and Jim Lovell.

Last year May published the first Queen book to have been written by a Queen member and in 2016 he partnered with the V&A to produce a book for its exhibit, 'Undressed: 350 Years of Underwear Fashion', to take readers on a 3D “visual journey” through crinoline’s history.