Apollo to the Moon

IN 1961, President John F. Kennedy declared that America would land a man on the Aloon and bring him back safely by the end of the decade. On July 16, 1969, the first craft scheduled for a Aloon landing, Apollo 1 1, lifted off. On the craft were astronauts Neil Armstrong, Alichael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin.

The spacecraft had three parts: The command module carried the astronauts to and from the Aloon. The size of a large automobile, it was where the astronauts ate, slept, and worked.

The service module contained fuel and power equipment. The combined command and service module unit was called Columbia. I he lunar module, called the Eagle,, was the vehicle to land two astronauts on the Aloon.

After breaking away from earth’s gravity, Apollo 1 1 set a course for the Aloon. Michael Collins separated Columbia from the Eagle, then maneuvered around to dock with Eagle in position for the Aloon landing. It took three days of traveling to reach the Moon. An amazing event in history was about to happen.

Onboard Computer

This computer, in the Museum’s collection, controlled many systems on tne Apollo 11 spacecraft, including its movements fn space. Sometimes the astronauts switched to manual controls to steer the craft if they saw unexpected obstacles in the way.

► Ready for Launch

In this scene, experts gather at an early launch control center at Cape Canaveral, Florica, for the launch of an early Saturn rocket. Some peer up periscopes to check the rocket. Today, a control center at Kennedy Space Center in Florida monitors launches. After liftoff, Mission Control in Houston, Texas takes over monitoring the spacecraft.

* Log Book

Apollo 11 astronauts took this log book along on their historic mission to the Moon. It gives instructions for tasks they performed in fi ght, indud ng photographing clouds and other objects for scientists on Eanh to study.

Fun Fact: Space Meals

Talk about fast food! The Apollo 11 astronauts ate freeze-dried meals that were lightweight and easily stored in sealed packets. A typical meal? Dried chicken and rice, biscuit cubes, and juice. The astronauts squirted water into the bags of dry foods to eat them.