INTRODUCTION
Made by Numbers
The commitment to the Apollo Mission spread across the entire country, including mechanics, government officials and analysis.
America had numerous motivations for going to the Moon. It was an opportunity to learn about the lunar surface as well as beating out other countries who were trying to do the same.
SATURN V
“All engines running. Liftoff! We have a liftoff ... 32 minutes past the hour, liftoff on Apollo 11. Tower clear.”
The Apollo 11 spacecraft flew at 39,004km per hour for the 376,400km journey.
The rocket passed its first integrated test with flying colours and was cleared to send humans to the moon after only one more test flight.
The Saturn V rocket was 363 feet tall. In visual comparison that is the same as a...
36-story building and 60 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty
Space Race
DURATION:
WHY:
WHO:
Space Exploration
22 years
Soviet Union, USA
The space race was a period of competition between the Soviet Union and the United States. While the Americans sent monkeys on test flights, the Soviets preferred dogs. They were more obedient and Moscow street dogs were considered to be tougher. On July 22, 1951, Tsygan and Dezik reached an altitude of just under 70 miles.
By landing on the moon, the United States effectively “won” the space race that had begun with Sputnik's launch in 1957.
For their part, the Soviets made four failed attempts to launch a lunar landing craft between 1969 and 1972, including a spectacular launch-pad explosion in July 1969.
THE SURFACE
The moon’s surface is actually dark. Although compared to the night sky it appears very bright, with a reflectance just slightly higher than that of worn asphalt.
Its gravitational influence produces the ocean tides, body tides, and the slight lengthening of the day.
“THE SURFACE IS FINE AND POWDERY. I CAN KICK IT UP LOOSELY WITH MY TOE.”
The brightest and largest object in our night sky, the Moon makes Earth a more liveable planet by moderating our home planet's wobble on its axis, leading to a relatively stable climate.
As it also causes tides, this creates a rhythm that has guided humans for thousands of years.
CONSPIRACIES
“ONE GIANT...LIE. WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE THINK THE MOON LANDINGS WERE FAKE?”
Some people claimed the “giant leap for mankind” had been faked. That the moon landing was actually a hoax that the U.S. government had staged to win the space race with the Soviets began to gain traction in the mid-1970s.
Although these claims were false and easily debunked, they have persisted to this day.
NO CONSPIRACY
It is fake because the flag looks like it is flapping in the wind.
But how can that be, since there’s no wind on the moon?
The simple answer is, it isn’t flapping, a horizontal rod was put inside to make it stick out from the flagpole. Otherwise it would’ve hung slack like flags do on Earth when there’s no wind, which wouldn’t make for a very appealing photo.
In one of the pictures from the moon landing, you can see Armstrong clearly reflected in Aldrin’s visor.
Some skeptics have pointed out that Armstrong does not appear to be holding a camera, so someone else must be taking the picture. But that isn’t true.
Armstrong couldn’t walk around the moon with a regular hand-held camera. The camera he used on the moon was mounted on the front of his suit, which is where his hands are in the reflection.
