The Apollo photo book: every crewed mission, restored

Apollo VII-XVII

Revised and Extended Edition

The Apollo photo book of every crewed mission: the photographs the Apollo astronauts took, from Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon, restored from the original film.

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Apollo VII-XVII, the Apollo photo book, standing with its cover facing

Two copies, one standing and one lying flat

The book open at the Apollo 15 spread: James Irwin saluting the flag beside the Lunar Module Falcon and the Lunar Roving Vehicle

Here’s what’s inside Apollo VII-XVII.

255 photographs, restored from NASA’s scans of the original film.
Chosen from more than
27,000
frames shot on 70mm film.
A foreword by Rusty Schweickart and an essay by Walt Cunningham.
Every crewed mission
11
Apollo 7 to Apollo 17, 1968 to 1972.
A chapter on the cameras, the film and the training.
A hardcover of
336
pages, 10.6 inches square.

The Apollo photo book, mission by mission.

Apollo VII-XVII is a photo book about NASA’s crewed Apollo missions, told entirely through the photographs the astronauts took themselves. Between 1968 and 1972, eleven crews flew Apollo 7 to Apollo 17. They carried Hasselblad cameras loaded with 70mm film and brought home more than 27,000 frames. We went through all of them and selected 255 for this book.

What’s inside

The book follows the programme in order, with a chapter for every crewed mission. It opens in Earth orbit with Apollo 7 and continues through Earthrise on Apollo 8, the first landing on Apollo 11 and the long geology traverses of Apollo 15, 16 and 17. Each chapter introduces the crew and the mission, and every photograph is captioned. You’ll find the famous images, like Earthrise, Buzz Aldrin on the lunar surface and the Blue Marble, alongside lesser-known frames: crew portraits, views through spacecraft windows and lunar panoramas stitched from separate exposures. A closing chapter covers the cameras, film and photographic training that made it all possible.

Restored from the original film scans

Every image starts from NASA’s high-resolution scans of the original 70mm flight film. We removed dust, scratches and age damage, and corrected colour and exposure. The goal was to stay true to what the astronauts saw, not to make the photographs look new. For the Revised and Extended Edition we went back to the archive to rework many images and add new discoveries. Read how we restored the photographs.

In the astronauts’ own words

Two Apollo astronauts wrote for the book. Walter Cunningham, the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 7, wrote an essay about photographing Earth from orbit on the first crewed Apollo flight. Rusty Schweickart, who flew on Apollo 9, wrote the foreword to the revised edition about his double role as astronaut and image-maker.

Who it’s for

It’s for anyone who loves space exploration, photography or modern history, and it makes a lasting gift. The text is in English and kept short, so the photographs carry the story.

The details

Apollo VII-XVII: Revised and Extended Edition, published by teNeues (2025)
By Floris Heyne, Joel Meter, Simon Phillipson and Delano Steenmeijer
336 pages, hardcover, 27 × 27 cm, 255 photographs
ISBN 9783961717064
First published in 2016 with the support of 300 Kickstarter backers, then by teNeues in 2018

Looking for the right Apollo photography book? Compare the options in our guide to the best Apollo photo books, see inside the book or browse the photographs by mission.

Take a look inside.

How we restored them.

Bringing the past back to life

For decades, the original Apollo film rolls were stored deep in NASA’s archives. While invaluable, the early scans of this material came with many challenges: faded colors, uneven exposures, surface scratches, and countless dust particles picked up over time. Because of this, fine details and crucial elements were (partly) lost, despite the high-resolution scanning techniques. Restoring the archive meant carefully correcting these flaws while preserving the authenticity and historical texture of the photographs.

Retouched / Original

When astronauts became photographers, history became art

The restoration process involved carefully balancing exposure and contrast, repairing damage such as dust and scratches, and refining the color grading to bring each image back to life with the clarity and depth the astronauts originally saw.

Exposure and contrast

Each frame was rebalanced to restore the natural light and shadow that the astronauts originally captured.

Repairing the image

Dust, scratches, and other imperfections accumulated over decades were meticulously removed.

Color grading

Subtle adjustments restored accurate hues and tones, giving the photographs their original vibrancy.

How we made it →

Written by those who were there.

The foreword

Rusty Schweickart

Lunar Module Pilot, Apollo 9

“What really inspired me to take that shot was that incredibly thin, iridescent blue margin between the Earth and the infinite blackness of the universe: our atmosphere.”

The opening essay

Walt Cunningham

Lunar Module Pilot, Apollo 7

“Even from the beginning, we couldn’t take pictures of anything we wanted to.”

Read Walt’s story →

“But your photographs…
they will live forever.”
Richard W. Underwood, NASA’s chief of photography for Mercury, Gemini and Apollo, to the crews

Buzz Aldrin on the Moon, photographed by Neil Armstrong, who is reflected in his visor with the lunar module

More than 27,000 photographs, 255 in the book

27,000+photographs on 70mm film, 1968–1972

255restored for the book

AS11-40-5903 · Apollo 11 · Page 127Two Men in One Frame. The second man is the reflection. Armstrong is the white shape in the gold visor, standing where you are standing.

How the astronauts took their photographs

The Gulf of Aden, photographed from Apollo 7

The hatch window of the Apollo 7 command module

Armstrong’s shadow on the Moon, with the lunar module Eagle in the distance

500 frames for eleven days.

Apollo 7 carried nine magazines of film, about 500 frames in all. “We were forced to restrict ourselves to only a few photos a day,” Walt Cunningham wrote.

Through the window.

Away from the moonwalks and spacewalks, every photograph was taken through a spacecraft window. On Apollo 7, the one with the best view fogged up.

No viewfinder.

On the Moon the camera rode on the chest of the suit. To aim, they turned their whole body. The cameras of Apollo →

Every frame has a story.

The crews photographed what their flight plans asked for, and whatever they could fit in between. Open a photograph to read what was happening.

Apollo 10 captured this stunning Earthrise over Mare Smythii, a 232mi (373km)-wide lava-filled basin on the Moon’s eastern limb. — Apollo 10Earth Over Smyth’s Sea“We can see how the Sun progresses across the Earth up there every time we get an Earthrise,” Tom Stafford said in lunar orbit.

Captured from outside the LM, this image shows Command Module Pilot David R. Scott inside the CSM, his visor just visible in the darkness. — Apollo 9Gumdrop From the PorchSchweickart took this from the lander’s porch, looking up past Spider to the open hatch of Gumdrop.

The Apollo 11 LM Eagle, photographed from CSM Columbia after undocking in lunar orbit. — Apollo 11Checking the Landing GearArmstrong turned Eagle so Collins could look it over. “The gear are looking good. I’ve seen three of them.”

A close-up of Apollo 13’s improvised “mailbox,” a life-saving carbon dioxide scrubber made from plastic bags, cardboard, and duct tape. — Apollo 13Square Canister, Round HoleThe command module’s canisters were square and the lunar module’s openings were round. Houston worked out a fix with plastic bags, cardboard and tape.

Worden performs the first deep-space EVA, floating outside the Command/Service Module (CSM) Endeavour. — Apollo 15The Line Back InsideBack in the cabin, Al Worden told Houston: “I wish I were back outside. It’s hell in here.”

Africa’s terrain with the Sahara Desert, Nile River, and contrasting lush regions. — Apollo 17Minutes Before the Blue MarbleAbout eight minutes later the crew took the four frames that became the Blue Marble. This view of Africa came first.

A poignant moment—the last moonwalker, Cernan, sits covered in lunar dust, next to his helmet and suit. — Apollo 17Two Helmets on the Engine Cover“I have never seen so much dirt and dust in my whole life,” Cernan said, back inside the lunar module after the last moonwalk.

Restored, not redrawn.

Most copies of these photographs online are old scans, full of dust, scratches and noise. We went back to NASA’s highest-resolution scans of the original film and cleaned every frame, adding nothing that was never there.

Restored: Buzz Aldrin on the Moon, Apollo 11, with Armstrong and the lunar module reflected in his visor

NASA scan

Restored

Compare the original scan and the restored photograph

The whole view.

To take in a landing site, the astronauts turned on the spot and shot frame after frame. We stitched those frames back together, so you see the scene as they stood in it.

Apollo 12 · Ocean of StormsRaw frames → seamless

The team behind the book.

Black and white portrait photo of Floris Heyne, Author of Apollo VII-XVII — Floris Heyne
Storytelling
Floris is a storyteller with a sharp eye for detail and visual narrative.

Black and white portrait photo of Joel Meter, Author of Apollo VII-XVII — Joel Meter
Image restoration & NASA archives
Joel is an image specialist with deep expertise in photographic restoration and NASA’s digital archives.

Black and white portrait photo of Simon Phillipson, Author of Apollo VII-XVII — Simon Phillipson
Editorial design & copy
Simon has a background in editorial design and copywriting.

Black and white portrait photo of Delano Steenmeijer, Author of Apollo VII-XVII — Delano Steenmeijer
Scanning & colour
Delano is a technical imaging expert who specialises in scanning, colour correction and visual restoration of archival NASA imagery.

How we made it →

Apollo VII-XVII: Revised and Extended Edition

The definitive photobook of NASA’s Apollo program — 255 restored images capturing humanity’s greatest journey into space.

Open copies of the Apollo VII-XVII photo book showing restored Apollo photographs

Open book displaying another of Walt Cunningham’s favorite photographs, showing Hurricane Gladys forming over the Gulf of Mexico during Apollo 7’s 91st Earth orbit, at an altitude of about 99 nautical miles.

255 restored photographs

Meticulously curated from over 27.000 Apollo images in the NASA archives, including rare panoramas and portraits.

Open book displaying the Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle, photographed from Command Module Columbia after undocking in lunar orbit. This critical maneuver set the stage for the first Moon landing, as Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz.

Exclusive astronaut insights

With first-hand contributions by Walter Cunningham (Apollo 7) and Rusty Schweickart (Apollo 9).

A photo of an open book showing images of the Apollo 11 astronauts on the moon, with an American flag planted on the lunar surface.

Exceptional print quality

Printed on heavyweight paper, showcasing the meticulously restored Apollo archive in exceptional clarity.

Astronaut Alan Bean climbing down the Lunar Module ladder, Apollo 12

The Blue Marble: the full Earth photographed by the Apollo 17 crew

Inside view of the book open to an article titled 'Small steps. Giant leaps.' with a photograph of an astronaut in a spacesuit climbing a ladder on the moon's surface, with a lunar module in the background.

Open book with text on the left page and a black-and-white photograph of a footprint on the moon's surface on the right page.

Lunar surface with bright crater rays, photographed from lunar orbit

Panorama of the Taurus-Littrow valley with the Lunar Roving Vehicle, Apollo 17

Lunar Module flying above the lunar surface, seen from the Command Module

Open book displaying black and white photographs of lunar rover vehicles on the moon's surface with lunar landscape in the background.

David Scott standing in the open Command Module hatch during Apollo 9

Open book showing two pages, with images of the moon and an astronaut on the lunar surface, the astronaut beside an American flag, on black space backgrounds.

Earthrise over the lunar horizon, Apollo 8

Open book with a black and white photo of an astronaut standing on the moon, holding a camera, with the lunar surface and Earth in the background, and a quote about photography on the facing page.

Open book showing Unique panorama photo. Captured 155 miles (250 kilometers) above Earth, this panorama freezes a defining moment of Apollo 9. Taken by Rusty Schweickart during his EVA on March 6, 1969.

Open book displaying two carefully restored photographs of Apollo 11 astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong.

Astronaut driving the Lunar Roving Vehicle, Apollo 17

Astronaut in his spacesuit looking up inside the spacecraft

Open book showing photographs of space exploration: the left page has an image of a spacecraft near the moon's surface with Earth in the background; the right page features a spacecraft in orbit with Earth's horizon visible in the background.

Lunar Module seen through the Command Module window

Open book with photographs of astronauts in space suits, some smiling and making expressions, inside a spacecraft. The book's pages are white with black text at the top of each page, with the left page labeled 'Apollo 17' and the right page also titl

Lunar Module Spider in Earth orbit, photographed from the Command Module, Apollo 9

Command Module Pilot Ron Evans during his spacewalk on the way home from the Moon, Apollo 17

Astronaut and Lunar Roving Vehicle seen through the Lunar Module window

Open book displaying pages about the Apollo program. The left page contains text and Mission Insignias for Apollo missions, while the right page features a black-and-white photograph of a crowd at John F. Kennedy Space Center during a rocket launch o

Lunar Module Pilot Charles M. Duke Jr. walks alone across the Descartes Highlands during Apollo 16, his long shadow stretching over the uneven lunar surface. Lunar Roving Vehicle in the background.

A dramatic close-up of Commander Wally Schirra aboard Apollo 7, bathed in intense sunlight streaming through the spacecraft window. The high-contrast lighting and low-angle perspective create a rare cinematic portrait.

Restoring history, frame by frame

Every photograph has been carefully revisited using the highest-resolution 70mm film scans from the NASA archives. Colors have been balanced, dust and scratches removed, and details revealed, while keeping original frame edges, film cuts, and handwritten film-lab annotations intact.

How we made it →

Astronaut on a spacewalk above the Earth, restored Apollo photograph

First-hand reflections from those who were there

Walter Cunningham (Apollo 7) shares his personal story of photographing Earth from orbit in an exclusive essay, a rare first-hand account of space photography in its earliest form.

Rusty Schweickart (Apollo 9) reflects on his dual role as astronaut and image-maker in an emotional foreword, exploring the creative and philosophical dimensions of photographing space.

Read Walt’s story →

Apollo VII-XVII, revised and extended edition, photographed from above

Get your hands on the definitive Apollo photobook

Apollo VII-XVII: Revised and Extended Edition is available now in a finely crafted, high-quality print edition. With luxurious paper stock, exceptional print clarity, and 255 restored images, it is the essential volume for lovers of space, photography, design, and history.

Buy the book →

Inside the book · How we made it · Shop · Reviews · All press & reviews

Specifications.

Photographs: 255, chosen from more than 27,000 frames taken on Apollo 7 to 17
Format: Hardcover, 10.6 × 10.6 in (27 × 27 cm), 336 pages, heavyweight paper
Foreword: Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9
Essay: “The Good Old Days” by Walt Cunningham, Apollo 7
Authors: Floris Heyne, Joel Meter, Simon Phillipson, Delano Steenmeijer
Editor: Neil Pearson
Publisher: teNeues
Language: English

Reviews

“Painstakingly restored and beautifully printed, the book reveals the full emotional and technical range of space exploration.”

TIME

“These photographs bring the mission back to life.”

Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9 Lunar Module Pilot

“Seeing the images so beautifully restored and presented, brings the experience full circle.”

Walt Cunningham, Apollo 7 astronaut

“A beautifully restored experience that redefines these images as cultural touchstones.”

VICE (Motherboard)

“This is THE book for any lovers of the space program, photography and general interest in space.”

Benedict Redgrove, NASA Photographer

“If you’re into space exploration, this stunning book is pretty much a must-have.”

Buzzfeed

“This beautifully produced book is a dramatic evocation of humanity’s greatest odyssey.”

The Guardian

“These images are emotional artifacts that preserve the wonder, courage, and fragility of humanity’s first steps into the unknown.”

CNN

“These images have become sacred relics: timeless, intuitive, and essential to how we understand our world from above.”

Wired

“A beautiful photographic portrait of our first foray to another world, captured in iridescent colour and striking monochrome.”

BBC Sky at Night Magazine

What readers say

Rated 4.7 out of 5 by more than 700 readers on Amazon · 4.6 on Goodreads · first edition funded by 300 Kickstarter backers

“This book is a must have for anyone who’s into that. Not only does this book show the pictures in beautiful resolution but it includes neat summaries of each mission and the astronauts involved.”

Jeremy North, verified purchase, Amazon.co.uk, February 2024

Reviewed by The Observer, PBS NewsHour, The Planetary Society and Spektrum der Wissenschaft. Read the reviews.

Ratings for the 2018 teNeues edition (ISBN 9783961711321), as of November 2026. The Revised and Extended Edition (2025) has a 5.0 rating from its first 25 Amazon ratings.

Eleven missions, one book.

Apollo VII-XVII: Revised and Extended Edition.

The book is available to buy here, from our publisher gestalten.

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Prints from the book

The photographs in Apollo VII-XVII are also available as museum quality prints. We restored them from the original film and mission data for the book, and print them as framed prints and photo prints at Space Photo Editions, our own print shop.

Visit Space Photo Editions →