Using the Past - Apollo 11

Space. Not the kind of space when you feel too cramped in an area.. but outer space. Isn't is so mysterious? The moons, planets, and stars have always fascinated me. Being a Christian, I believe that God created them, and still, I find them so magnificent. I decided to research on Apollo 11, the first mission when astronauts landed and stepped on the moon.

Sources:

1.  http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/imagery/apollo/as11/a11.htm

 

Apollo 11 Crew.

     This website has a detailed summary on the mission Apollo 11. It also includes detailed information on the purpose of each man on the crew: Neil A. Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. For example, Armstrong was the Commander, Aldrin was the Lunar Module Pilot, and Collins was the Command Module Pilot. It also has audio and videos from 1969 TV Broadcasts and the reading of the plaque on Apollo 11 (Video Below) by the crewman.
Image: http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/imagery/apollo/as11/images/AS11_crew.jpg

Neil Armstrong Reading The Plaque on the Apollo 11 Spacecraft

2.  http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo11.html

Apollo 11 Mission Patch

     This article from NASA explains the many mission objectives and has a deeply descriptive summary of the entire mission from Earth to the moon and back. The main objective said by President John F. Kennedy on May 25, 1961 stated that [Apollo 11] will perform a crewed lunar landing and return to Earth. Other objectives included scientific exploration by the lunar module, extensive photographs of the lunar terrain, samples of lunar-surface materials, experiments, and many other jobs for the crewmen to complete to better our understanding of our earth's moon. The mission summary went into great depth on the exact amount of time that the takeoff or other task took. For example, it is stated that the recovery ship USS Hornet splashed into the Pacific Ocean, 13 miles from Apollo 11, which landed specifically 13 degrees, 19 minutes north latitude and 169 degrees, nine minutes west longitude July 24, 1969.
Image: http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/338751main_11-lg.jpg


3.  http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/apollo11/

Neil Armstrong said,
"That's one small step for man,
one giant leap for mankind."

     This website has an easy to understand, timeline set-up of the Apollo 11 mission and aftermath. It starts off stating about the crew and takeoff and ends with the parade for the Hero Astronauts. This article uses many images to explain the different parts of the mission.
Image: http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/apollo11/fprint.jpg

4.  http://history.nasa.gov/ap11ann/kippsphotos/apollo.html

     This website is an exceedingly large gallery of images from Apollo 11 mission ranging from the crewmen training to the aftermath. The is a great website for photographic primary sources.

Lunar Module Inspection After Undocking

Buzz Aldrin Salutes the U.S. Flag

Apollo 11 Astronauts, still in their quarantine van, are greeted by
their wives upon arrival at Ellington Air Force Base

Images:
Above Left  http://history.nasa.gov/ap11ann/kippsphotos/6574.jpg
Above Right http://history.nasa.gov/ap11ann/kippsphotos/5875.jpg
Above Center  http://history.nasa.gov/ap11ann/kippsphotos/40147.jpg


5.  http://www.astronautix.com/flights/apollo11.htm

     This website article has a different layout than the other sources that I have researched from. It starts out as summary of the mission and moves on to a timeline of the Apollo 11 Chronology. I learned that there were a proposed sequence of Apollo missions leading to the lunar landing mission:

A - Saturn V/unmanned CSM development

B - Saturn IB/unmanned LM development

C - Saturn IB/manned CSM evaluation

D - Saturn V/manned CSM and LM development (A dual Saturn IB mission would be an   alternative to the Saturn V for mission D)

E - CSM/LM operations in high earth orbit

F - Lunar orbit mission

G - Lunar landing mission (like Apollo 11)

H - Lunar landing mission (Apollo 12, 13, and 14)

I - Reserved for lunar survey missions (not used)

J - Lunar landing missions, upgraded hardware (Apollo 15, 16, and 17)

View of Earth rising over Moon's horizon
taken from Apollo 11 spacecraft

Conclusion

    From researching from these website articles, I have learned various facts about the Apollo 11 Mission, which launched on July 16, 1969. From the chronological timelines, I understand how the Apollo 11 mission came to be and why and how it happened. It had always been mankind's dream to step foot on the moon and because of the Preliminary Apollo Reliability Report, commissioned May 16-June 15, 1965, the Apollo 11 mission came to be. Apollo 11 has lead to many other discoveries about the moon and the universe and has been a larger motivation to continue to explore the rest of the universe. It can also be a reminder for those who are not sure if they can fulfill a dream. I say go for it. It may take time, but it will be well worth it in the end.

"Mystery creates wonder and 

wonder is the basis of a man's desire 

to understand."

                                                                       

Neil Armstrong, Astronaut of Apollo 11