author
Elbert A. King
1935–1998
A geologist and lunar scientist, he helped shape the scientific side of the Apollo era and later wrote about that experience with an insider’s eye. His work linked space exploration, meteorites, and the study of the Moon in a way that still feels vivid and accessible.
1 Audiobook
Texas Gemstones
by Elbert A. King
About the author
Born in Austin, Texas, in 1935, Elbert Aubrey King Jr. studied at the University of Texas at Austin and later earned his doctorate at Harvard. He built his career as a geologist and became especially known for work in tektites, meteorites, and lunar science.
King was closely involved with NASA during the Apollo years. Sources describe him as an important figure in the design of the Lunar Receiving Laboratory, where Moon rocks brought back by Apollo missions were handled and studied, and he was also connected with astronaut geology training and early lunar sample work.
Alongside his scientific research and teaching, he wrote Moon Trip: A Personal Account of the Apollo Program and its Science, a firsthand account that reflects both his technical knowledge and his sense of wonder about space exploration. He died in 1998 after a long illness.