Apollo 11: Smooth landing on Moon
Apollo 11 was the first spaceflight that carried humans to the moon. It was launched on July 16, 1969 and smoothly landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. The mission module was launched by a Saturn V rocket from Kennedy Space Centre on Merit Island Florida and was the fifth crew mission of NASA’s Apollo program. Apollo 11 was part of the larger Apollo program initiated by NASA and the United States government to demonstrate American technological prowess.
Main fragments of Apollo 11
The Apollo spacecraft has major 3 parts:-
Service module (SM)
Command module (CM)
Lunar Module (LM)
The service module (SM) was for supporting the command module with propulsion, electrical power, oxygen, and water. The command module (CM) with a cabin for three astronauts, (the only part which came back to Earth). The lunar module (LM) had two stages, the ascent and descent stages. The ascent stage was to put astronauts back into lunar orbit while the descent stage was for landing on the moon.
Main crew
Commander :- Neil Armstrong
Command MODULE pilot:- Michael Collins
Lunar Module Pilot:- Edwin “Buzz” E.Aldrin Jr.
The Mission of Apollo 11
Lunar Landing: The primary goal was to land a manned spacecraft on the lunar surface and perform a crewed moonwalk.
Lunar Surface Activities: Once successfully landed on the Moon, the astronauts were tasked with conducting scientific experiments and collecting rock and soil samples from the lunar surface.
Lunar Ascent: After concluding their activities on the Moon, the Lunar Module (LM) had to successfully lift off from the lunar surface to rendezvous with the Command Module (CM) in lunar orbit.
Return to Earth: The Command Module, with the astronauts onboard, needed to return safely to Earth and make a controlled re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
Test Equipment and Procedures: The mission also served to test various equipment, procedures, and technologies related to lunar exploration.
Facts about apollo 11
The Lunar Module (LM) that landed on the Moon was named "Eagle" because of the bald eagle, the national bird of the United States.
Neil Armstrong when stepping foot on the lunar surface for the first time, famously said, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." The word "a" was not audible in the transmission, making it "one small step for man" instead of "one small step for a man."
The mission brought back a total of 47.5 pounds (21.5 kilograms) of lunar material, including rock and soil samples, which were later analyzed by scientists.
While orbiting the Moon, the Apollo 11 crew took a famous photograph known as "Earthrise." It captured the Earth rising above the lunar horizon.
After returning to Earth, the Apollo 11 astronauts were placed in quarantine to prevent potential lunar pathogens from spreading. They spent 21 days in isolation.
The original video recordings of the moonwalk were transmitted in a format that was incompatible with TV broadcasts in the United States which were later converted for public viewing.
Finally, after 8 days, 3 hours, 18 minutes, and 35 seconds Apollo 11 landed back on Earth. The experience of the Apollo 11 astronauts was a remarkable testament to human courage, determination, and teamwork. This historic journey of the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon and back played a crucial role in advancing space exploration and inspiring generations of people around the world. It was a symbol of human ingenuity, determination, and the pursuit of knowledge.
