The Great Apollo Eleven!

Official Landing Time: July 24, 1969; 12:50 p.m. EDT

Crew Neil Armstrong Commander Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. Lunar Module Pilot Michael Collins Command Module Pilot

Backup Crew James A. Lovell Commander Fred W. Haise Jr. Lunar Module Pilot William A. Anders Command Module Pilot

Prelaunch Milestones 11/21/68 - LM-5 integrated systems test 12/6/68 - CSM-107 integrated systems test 12/13/68 - LM-5 acceptance test 1/8/69 - LM-5 ascent stage delivered to Kennedy 1/12/69 - LM-5 descent stage delivered to Kennedy 1/18/69 - S-IVB ondock at Kennedy 1/23/69 - CSM ondock at Kennedy 1/29/69 - command and service module mated 2/6/69 - S-II ondock at Kennedy 2/20/69 - S-IC ondock at Kennedy 2/17/69 - combined CSM-107 systems tests 2/27/69 - S-IU ondock at Kennedy 3/24/69 - CSM-107 altitude testing 4/14/69 - rollover of CSM from the Operations and Checkout Building to the Vehicle Assembly Building 4/22/69 - integrated systems test 5/5/69 - CSM electrical mate to Saturn V 5/20/69 - rollout to Launch Pad 39A 6/1/69 - flight readiness test 6/26/69 - Countdown Demonstration Test

Launch July 16, 1969; 9:32 a.m. EDT Launch Pad 39A Saturn-V AS-506 High Bay 1 Mobile Launcher Platform-1 Firing Room 1

Orbit Altitude: 118.65 miles Inclination: 32.521 degrees Orbits: 30 revolutions Duration: eight days, three hours, 18 min, 35 seconds Distance: 953,054 miles Lunar Location: Sea of Tranquility Lunar Coordinates: .71 degrees north, 23.63 degrees east

Landing Pacific Ocean Recovery Ship: USS Hornet facts courtesy of:  http://www.nasa.gov

In 1969, Apollo 11 under Commander Neil Armstrong became the first every manned mission to land on the Moon, a national goal set by President John F. Kennedy on May 25th, 1961 to have a crew land go to the moon and return. While on the moon, the crew explored the lunar module (LM), sent television camera transmit signals to Earth, deployed a solar wind composition experiment, and gathered lunar surface materials. In addition, the crew took photographs of the terrain which allowed scientists to research and better understand the composition of the moon.

Apollo 11's landing on the moon changed the course of American History. It created a pivotal advancement during the Cold War in the Space Race, provided scientists with new information on lunar properties and space travel, and allowed a feed to be displayed from the moon to Americans at home during the events. This achievement really increased the credibility of the space program and heightened its popularity, inspiring many other exploration plans to go into place as well as further investigation of life in space. Overall, this space travel helped the American economy, and lead to the further development of satellites as well as other technological advances that help American society.

 

Works Cited

"Apollo 11 (AS-506)." Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2014. <http://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/topics/apollo/apollo-program/landing-missions/apollo11.cfm>.

"Apollo 11: First Men on the Moon." Space.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2014. <http://www.space.com/16758-apollo-11-first-moon-landing.html>.

Dunbar, Brian. "Apollo 11." NASA. NASA, 8 July 2009. Web. 30 May 2014. <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo11.html#.U4kw-PldWSA>.