Pioneering Achievement Race to the Moon Pioneering Achievement Aerospace Engineering © 2011 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Moon Racing History Competition (Americans and Russians) New technology needed to be developed Accomplishments source of national pride Moon race required development in stages Unmanned rocket into Earth’s orbit Manned rocket into Earth’s orbit Manned flight to space Scout the Moon Land on the Moon

Moon Racing History Space age began October 4, 1957 Russian orbited Sputnik I First artificial satellite First living being November 3, 1957 Russian orbited Sputnik II Dog named “Laika” onboard Sputnik I was the size of a beach ball.

Moon Racing History National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) created 1958 Civilian-controlled Military maintained own programs President Kennedy committed in 1961 to land man on Moon before decade’s end "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project...will be more exciting, or more impressive to mankind, or more important...and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish...." President John F. Kennedy, 1961

Space Programs Pioneer IV space probe March 3,1959 Able-Baker Mission Juno II rocket Russian Mechta rocket two months earlier Able-Baker Mission Two monkeys survived space orbit Able-Baker mission took its name from the two monkeys, Able, a 3.18 kilogram (7-pound) rhesus monkey, and Baker, a 311.9 gram (11-ounce) squirrel monkey.

Space Program Russian Yuri Gagarin circled Earth once on April 12, 1961 Mercury Project Humans in space Allan Shephard's suborbital flight in May 1961 John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth NASA developed distinct program names for rockets and the space vehicle itself. For instance Gemini Program was boosted into space using a Titan II Launch vehicle. The Apollo missions were lifted using Saturn rockets.

Space Programs Gemini Program Learning experience to prepare for trips to the Moon NASA developed distinct program names for rockets and for the space vehicle itself. For instance Gemini Program was boosted into space using a Titan II Launch vehicle. The Apollo missions were lifted using Saturn rockets.

Space Programs Ranger and Lunar Orbiter programs (1961-67) Provided detailed photographs Scouted a landing site Surveyor Program (1966-68) Gathered moon samples

Moon Race Risks Excellent safety record despite risks Fire developed in Apollo command module Three astronauts died by asphyxiation January 27, 1967 Virgil I. Grissom Edward H. White II Roger B. Chaffee

Space Programs Apollo program Astronauts to Moon 3 scenarios Direct Earth orbit rendezvous Lunar orbit rendezvous (this was chosen) Used Saturn rockets The direct scenario required the entire vehicle to land on the Moon and then return to Earth as one unit. The Earth orbit rendezvous required a Moon landing vehicle to separate from an orbiting vehicle while orbiting the Earth. The lunar vehicle landed on the Moon, then returned to rendezvous with the orbiting vehicle. Both would return to Earth. Lunar orbit rendezvous required a Moon landing vehicle to separate from an orbiting vehicle while orbiting the Moon. The lunar vehicle landed on the Moon and then returned to rendezvous with the orbiting vehicle. Both would return to Earth. This method was chosen.

Moon Race Won Neil Armstrong 1st man on Moon July 20, 1969 America only nation on Moon Five more flights to the Moon 12 astronauts stepped on Moon Last Moon landing in 1972 "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind." U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong, on the Moon, 1969

Compact Equipment Equipment must be rugged yet compact Lunar rover unfolding from lunar lander.

Path to the Moon

Path to the Moon – Earth

Path to the Moon – Land on Moon

Path to the Moon – Leave Moon

Technology from Programs Gemini and Apollo made electrical power from hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells Astronauts used scanning telescope and sextant to take star sights and plot position of spacecraft Guidance and navigation information transmitted to Earth-based computers to calculate course or velocity changes

Post Moon Race Experiments in space Skylab Apollo-Soyuz (US and Russia) Space Shuttle

Post Moon Race Experiments in space Explore planets Hubble space telescope International Space Station (ISS) Many countries contributing Explore planets Mars rover

Write a one-page handwritten paper describing how the technology used in the race to the moon has helped us today.

References Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (2010). Retrieved from http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/attm/fs. html National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (2010). Retrieved from http://www.nasa.gov/