The Apollo Program, led by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), had one goal: to land humans on the moon. “In 1961, President John F. Kennedy challenged the nation to land astronauts on the moon by the end of the decade. NASA met that challenge with the Apollo Program” (What Was the Apollo Program?). The program started with its first attempted flight in 1967, had its first successful flight in 1968, and ended with a moon landing in 1972. Missions 7 to 10 did not land on the moon, but helped future missions with its testing. Apollo 11 was the first flight that led to the first humans on the moon. Following that mission, Apollo 12, and 14 to 17 also had astronauts on the moon’s surface. The Apollo Program is important
…show more content…
Although Apollo Missions 7 to 10 did not land on the moon, the flights tested different mechanisms. Missions 7 and 9 tested the Lunar Modules and the Command, along with orbiting the earth. Missions 8 and 10 also were testing flights but orbited the moon (Williams). Apollo 7 was the first crewed mission in the program. The test flight launched on 11 October 1968 then returned on 22 October 1968. The mission’s main goal was to demonstrate the crew performance and both the command and service module. The next mission, Apollo 8, launched on 21 December 1968 and landed on 27 December of the same year. Objectives for the mission “... included a coordinated performance of the crew, the command and service module, or CSM, and the support facilities” (Apollo 8). The astronauts aboard the Apollo 8 were able to see the far side of the moon. Launched about three months later on 3 March 1969, Apollo 9’s goal was an “...Earth-orbital engineering test of the first crewed lunar module” (Apollo 9). It returned ten days later on 13 March 1969. Following Apollo 9, on 18 May 1969, Apollo 10 launched and was the second mission to orbit the moon. Apollo 10 returned on 26 May 1969 and was “...the first flight of a complete, crewed Apollo spacecraft to operate around the moon” (Apollo 10). Mission 10 was a trial for the famous Mission 11, just without landing on the
Although Apollo Missions 7 to 10 did not land on the moon, the flights tested different mechanisms. Missions 7 and 9 tested the Lunar Modules and the Command, along with orbiting the earth. Missions 8 and 10 also were testing flights but orbited the moon (Williams). Apollo 7 was the first crewed mission in the program. The test flight launched on 11 October 1968 then returned on 22 October 1968. The mission’s main goal was to demonstrate the crew performance and both the command and service module. The next mission, Apollo 8, launched on 21 December 1968 and landed on 27 December of the same year. Objectives for the mission “... included a coordinated performance of the crew, the command and service module, or CSM, and the support facilities” (Apollo 8). The astronauts aboard the Apollo 8 were able to see the far side of the moon. Launched about three months later on 3 March 1969, Apollo 9’s goal was an “...Earth-orbital engineering test of the first crewed lunar module” (Apollo 9). It returned ten days later on 13 March 1969. Following Apollo 9, on 18 May 1969, Apollo 10 launched and was the second mission to orbit the moon. Apollo 10 returned on 26 May 1969 and was “...the first flight of a complete, crewed Apollo spacecraft to operate around the moon” (Apollo 10). Mission 10 was a trial for the famous Mission 11, just without landing on the