The Apollo Missions Apollo 11-17 involved landing men on the moon Apollo 13 was aborted due to a malfunction July 20, 1969, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong of Apollo 11 were first men on the moon Each mission consisted of three astronauts: one stayed on Command Module in lunar orbit, two descended in Lunar Module to moon’s surface Total of 12 men have walked on the moon NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Buzz Aldrin, in Apollo 11 and on the moon (above and right) The Apollo 11 launch Neil Armstrong

President Kennedy’s Challenge May 21, 1961: President Kennedy challenged the United States to land astronauts on the moon and to return them safely to Earth Challenge provided a “finish line” for the space race NSF North Mississippi GK-8 President John F. The Gemini Project Involved sending two astronauts into orbit for longer periods of time Paved the way and tested equipment for the Apollo missions to the moon Astronaut Ed White, II performs the first spacewalk by an American during the Gemini IV mission NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Astronaut Ed White, II The rendezvous of the Gemini VI and Gemini VII spacecraft The Mercury Project NASA’s first mission Mission goals: getting an astronaut into space completing an orbit returning astronaut to Earth safely Several preliminary Mercury launches were unmanned NSF North Mississippi GK-8 The Mercury - Atlas I spacecraft Enos the chimpanzee, crew of the Mercury – Atlas V spacecraft were in direct competition to have most advanced space program Viewed as contest between communism and capitalism National pride and fears for national defense played large roles in motivating space race NSF North Mississippi GK-8 United States Soviet Unionįirst Human in Space NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Yuri and his spacecraft, Vostok 1 On April 12, 1961, the Soviets succeeded in launching the first human into space, Yuri Gagarin, and returning him safely to Earthįirst American in Space Alan Shepard becomes the first American astronaut to enter space, aboard the Freedom 7 spacecraft, on NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Alan and his spacecraft, Freedom 7 space program First missions focused on getting humans into space, studying effects of space on humans, and returning astronauts safely to Earth NSF North Mississippi GK-8Ĭompetitors in the Space Race After the launch of Sputnik, the U.S. People feared the Soviet Union would dominate the world in space exploration NSF North Mississippi GK-8įormation of NASA Founded 1958 after Congress passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act Formed in direct response to the launch of Sputnik Purpose to provide organization and direction of U.S. Start of the “Space Race” October 4 th, 1957, Russia launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, into orbit Caused a wide-spread panic in the U.S. after WWII, lived and worked in Huntsville, AL from 1950 – 1970 Work provided the basis for all early NASA missions First director of NASA NSF North Mississippi GK-8 Wernher von Braun: Father of Space Exploration Along with other German scientists, developed the first rockets during and after World War II Came to the U.S.

Buzz aldrin race into space tipa