What Is The Apollo Program

However, the Soviets were still in the lead, achieving more and more firsts: the first dual man flight, the first woman in space, the first three man flight, and the first spacewalk. Many Americans were getting worried. They saw the Soviet Union as the enemy, and right now the enemy was winning. The Americans needed something big to bring them to the lead. On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy made the bold, public announcement that the US would land a man on the moon before the decade was

The Apollo Program (1963-1972) was a series of missions with a goal to land humans on the moon. The program’s objective, set by President Kennedy in 1961, was achieved nine short years later (The Apollo Missions). Of the program, six were successful in doing so, Apollo 11 being the first to achieve that goal (Williams). The crew contained Neil Armstrong, Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin Jr. , and Michael Collins.

In doing research on space exploration and specifically the Apollo Missions, I have learned a lot about the purpose and significance behind this exploration. The goals set by NASA for these missions was to “establish technology to meet other national interests in space, achieve preeminence in space for the United States and develop man's capability to work in the lunar environment”. The motivation to get a man to the moon (Apollo 11) had a lot to do with the Cold War with the Soviet Union. President John F. Kennedy gave a speech that was aimed to convince the people that it was time to advance and play our part in the world. Thousands of people worked on this project, but it was really a national effort. Several questions arose as each of the

During the late 50s and early 60s the United States was falling behind in this race, but it wasn’t over. The next task was to be able to send groups of people into space together on one ship. This initiated the Voskhod and Gemini programs, Voskhod in the Soviet Union and Gemini in the United States. In the Soviets’ case there was not much changed from the Vostok craft except for the fact that they could fit 2 or 3 people on the craft. The Soviet Union only did two manned flights with the Voskhod program and left it; one flight in ’64 and one in ’65. The United States had completely changed from their original Mercury program though. It had a new design and “ the new design retained the conical, nickel-alloy walls and fiberglass ablative heat shield of Mercury, it also made use of new features – such as translations control thrusters to alter orbit, hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells to generate electricity, a radar system to allow rendezvous with other craft, and avionics that could withstand depressurization”(Universe Today). These missions whether one manned or not all helped paved the way to the “final lap” in the race to space. The United States and the Soviet Union each wanted to be the first to put a man on the moon; thus the start of the Soyuz and Apollo programs. For the UNITED States and NASA the Apollo missions started in 1961, but the first flight was in 1967 after they concluded with all the Gemini missions. The first ever Apollo flight ended in tragedy with an electrical fire starting and the capsule was destroyed killing the three people on board of the spacecraft. Many unmanned trials went about until finally the second manned trial by NASA in December 1968 with the Apollo 8 flight. Unlike Apollo 1, Apollo 8 was a huge

The moon landing was highly motivated by the space race between the United States, and the Soviet Union. The space race caused a very tense tone in each country, as they both were trying to be the first to make it into space. The Soviet Union made the first milestone by launching Sputnik into the earth’s orbit on October 4, 1957. Sputnik was the world 's first manmade satellite to make it into outer space. This was such a frightening time for the United States. The United States did not know if it was sent to space for a nuclear launch or

The United States was going to send the first people to orbit of the Earth. But first, needed to find men having the courage to go to the unknown. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, also known as NASA, worked tediously on certain standards an astronaut would have to pass. NASA created many physical and mental tests to determine who would be eligible for space exploration. As told, “by late January 1959, a list of 324 eligible men had developed.” Of those three hundred twenty-four candidates, seven were selected to go to space. Gus Grissim, Deke Slayton, John Glenn, Gordo Cooper, Wally Schirra, Scott Carpenter, and James Lovell would soon become known as the Original Seven. Likewise, during the course of this event, the Soviet Union Space Program began working on a new rocket called Lunik 1. Yet, unlike the plans for Sputnik 1 and 2, Soviet Russia had much bigger and creative plans for Lunik 1 to attempt a milestone in history. Instead of having Lunik 1 orbit the Earth, the Soviet Space Program aimed for reaching the moon. Although this was the original plan, the launch did not go as hoped for. Lunik 1 had missed the moon by a few thousand miles. But, as inaccurately assumed, did not seem to be a complete loss for the Soviet Union. For example, “but it missed by 3,728 miles (Schefter, 78). The mission was not a failure, though, because Lunik was able to surpass the distances of all previous satellites and truly enter into space." Once again, the Soviet Union was able to take another step ahead into the Space Race. In addition to the victory of the Soviet Union, the Soviet Space Program was prepared to send the first man into space before the United States. On April 12, 1961, the Soviet Space Program launched Yuri Gagarin into the orbit of Earth. Yuri became known as a cosmonaut, more or less translated to the “sailor of the universe.” Because science was not yet advanced

Shepard Jr. is the first American man to be launched into space. He was in the Mercury space capsule in a 15 minute suborbital mission (meaning it reaches the atmosphere and falls back on Earth). John H. Glenn Jr. became the first American to orbit Earth on February 20, 1962. After Project Mercury, Project Gemini started. Gemini 4's, Edward H. White Jr. conducted the first spacewalk (when an astronaut get’s out the space vehicle). Project Apollo began to be NASA’S priority in May 25, 1951. President John F. Kennedy announced the plan of launching a man in space to land on the Moon. He used this as a tool to subtly announce the US’s superiority of the Cold War enemies. It took 11 years to carry out. It took $25.4 billion dollars to achieve. This withstood challenges including lives of Roger B. Chaffee, Virgil "Gus" Grissom, and Edward H. White Jr. Jr. after a fire that took place in the Apollo capsule (January 27, 1967). October 1968 they launched different Apollo missions such as Apollo 7 (orbit earth) and Apollo 8 (orbit moon). July 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong steps foot on the Moon after Apollo 11 landed with Edwin E. Buzz Aldrin Jr. Michael Collins remained in the capsule. Apollo 13 almost launched however the oxygen tank exploded. Harrison H. Jack Schmitt was a geologist that was chosen to become an astronaut. NASA and the Soviet Union allied to make the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP). It served testing purposes and the crew launched separately,

The Apollo 11 mission was one of the most significant events in the space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union. after the USSR launched Sputnik, the first satellite, and successfully sent a man into space, America rushed to develop the technology that the Soviets already had, prompting the creation of the Apollo program. Apollo 11 was a mission to complete the first manned lunar landing. The mission was considered a great success, and was a win for the United States in the Space Race. The Apollo 11 mission had a crew of three men: Neil Armstrong, the commander, Buzz Aldrin, the lunar module pilot, and Michael Collins, the Command module pilot. All three men had previous experience in space on various Gemini missions. Armstrong

Gemini was a two manned spaceflight that would orbit Earth for two weeks before landing (two weeks as it was the time for a rocket to make a round trip to the moon). Gemini was a success as all ten of the manned spaceflights had accomplished their goals. The Apollo Program had begun in 1961. With the confident space program at a high, the presence of excitement was expected during the first step in the Apollo Program. Known as Apollo 204, on January 27, 1967, tragedy struck. At 6:31 in the evening, shouting was heard as the command module of the Saturn 1-B was engulfed in flames, killing the three astronauts (Breuer 178). Said to be a short circuit, the capsule was completely destroyed, but the rest of the rocket was unharmed. The tragedy shocked all of America, freezing the space program for months. The time left to land man on the moon had become that much shorter. Many Apollo missions later, on July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 lifted off hoping to finish the Space Race. Four days later, Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin were the first men to walk on the moon, defeating the Soviets (“Cold” para. 9). Americans now could say they had beaten the Soviets, showing pride in the country. They who have been behind in the Space Race were now

. . . Now it is time to take longer strides—time for a great new American enterprise—time for this nation to take a clearly leading role in space achievement, which in many ways may hold the key to our future on Earth,”” John F Kennedy remarked on May 1961 in his speech to congress presenting his views on the space race (Jha, Martand). Embarrassed at being behind the Soviet Union, President John F Kennedy made a claim to the congress on May 25,1961 that America would be the first to land a man on the moon, launching the Apollo program (History.com). Project Apollo was a United States human spaceflight program carried by NASA, one of its goals is landing Americans on the moon and returning them safely to Earth (Dunbar, Brian).

In 1961, the United States of America was embroiled in the Cold War with the Soviet Union. This confrontation was taking place not only on land, sea and air, but in space as well. On May 25th, 1961 recently elected US President John F. Kennedy addressed a joint session of Congress, during which he outlined his now famous Man on the Moon challenge. It was through this ambitious dream that the creation of the National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA) came about, which President Kennedy challenged to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Although he didn't live to see the achievement of his dreams, the United States successfully landed Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin on the moon on July 20, 1969 and

In conjunction with the Apollo program, which was launched 1961 and was completed in 1975, the US launched the Gemini program, also launched in 1961, which would develop technology for use on the Apollo spacecraft. The Gemini program primarily tested equipment and mission procedures and trained astronauts and ground crews for future Apollo missions. The overall objectives of the program included: long duration flights, testing the ability to maneuver a spacecraft and to achieve assembly and docking of two vehicles in Earth orbit, training of both flight and ground crews, conducting experiments in space, extravehicular operations (standup sessions and spacewalks), and active control of reentry to achieve an accurate landing. With the Gemini and Apollo programs, the U.S. had taken a huge lead in the Space Race. By landing on the moon, the United States effectively “won” the space race that had begun with the launch of Sputnik in 1957. For their part, the Soviets made four failed attempts to launch a lunar landing craft between the years of 1969 and 1972, including a launch-pad explosion in July

On May 25, 1961 Pres John F. Kennedy announced his goal of sending an American to the moon. Kennedy was under pressure due to the fact that the Soviet Union were ahead in the space race . Four years after the Russians had launched Sputnik, the first satellite in 1967, Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. Around that time the U-2 plane was shot down in Soviet territory.

This federal agency was “responsible for the aerospace research and the civilian space program.”2 The space race heats up, as the soviet unions become the first to put a man in space, “ Yuri Gagarin became the first man to enter earths orbit, in a single- pilot spacecraft called Vostok I,”2 however, America is not far behind; a month later Alan Shepard became the first American in space. Because of back and fourth success, US president John F. Kennedy announces “ the inauguration of the Apollo program, which pledged to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade.”2 After years of experiment, test flight, and training “ the Apollo 11 spacecraft was launched into space on July 26, 1969;” 3 in the spacecraft included astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. Four days later “The Eagle” landed on the moon; Neil Armstrong stepped outside and became the first man to walk on the moon. The United States had taken a huge lead in the space race with the Apollo programs, and the relations between the Soviet Union began to thaw.

In the period of 1960, no one could imagine a man can travel to the moon. On 20 July 1969, Apollo 11 launched to the moon. The first step on the moon proved the United States’ technology capacity. Due to the Cold War there was a Space race between U.S. and Soviet Union. Both of these countries wanted to show their technology development. John F. Kennedy was the 35th president during that time. He wanted the United States to get ahead of the Soviet Union also to demonstrate the technology capacity of the United States. John F. Kennedy wanted to accomplish the goal within decades. On 12th September 1962, President Kennedy made a speech at Rice University about United States decided to go to the moon.