"Classic hard SF", sensibly updated. Cassutt is a professional writer with a massive interest in the space program, so the depiction of NASA's internal politicking is probably reporting.
The fictional characters are profoundly, gloriously square; emotional without being introspective. That is, not introspective in the time-consuming, Wertherian way; they do know that their emotions may be bounding their rationality. Probably realistic for astronauts, they have a lot to do, Werther wasn't so productive.
There are human complications that wouldn't have been made so explicit in 1960s near-space stories. The square reaction is bemused and polite. It's a usable first-order reaction, and a standard of comparison for characters who are said to be gentlemen and gentlewomen but couldn't be so calm.
ISBN: 0-765-30645-X
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