Landing on the Moon: What was the Apollo 11 mission of 1969?

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It is nearly 50 years since the United States became the first country to land men on the moon.

The Apollo 11 mission was an important moment in the history of the United States and the world, but what happened exactly and why is it important?

Why did the United States want to go to the moon?

A space race was developed between the United States and the Soviet Union at the time, after the launch in 1957 of the first Soviet satellite Sputnik.

When John F. Kennedy became President of the United States in 1961, many Americans believed they lost the race for technological superiority over their Cold War enemy.

Legend

Soviet cosmonauts missions, including Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, worry the United States

It was that year that the Soviet Union made the first inhabited space flight of all time.

The United States was determined to send a human mission there. In 1962, Kennedy made a now famous speech by announcing: "We chose to go to the moon!"

The space race continued and in 1965, the Soviets successfully guided an unmanned craft to land on the Moon.

How did the United States plan its mission?

NASA, the US space agency, has devoted enormous resources to what is now called the Apollo program.

Some 400,000 people participated in the 17 Apollo missions at a cost of $ 25 billion.

Apollo 11 take off — Legend

The Saturn V rocket takes off

Three astronauts were chosen for the Apollo 11 mission: Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins.

A powerful rocket – the Saturn V – carried the Apollo command and service module and the associated lunar module that was to land on the moon.

The plan was to use the Earth's orbit to reach that of the Moon, after which Armstrong and Aldrin would enter the lunar module. They would descend to the surface of the Moon while Collins remained in the control and service module.

Something went wrong?

The first crew flight supposed to be in orbit was Apollo 1 in 1967.

Lunar module — Legend

The lunar module seen from the command and service module

But disaster struck during routine checks before flight, when a fire swept the control module and killed three astronauts.

Manned space flights have been suspended for months.

During the Apollo 11 mission, communication problems with ground control were noted. And an alarm message sounds on the computer, which the team had never heard before.

The lunar module also ended up touching the initial target area.

Walk on the moon

Despite these problems, on July 20 – almost 110 hours after leaving Earth, Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the surface of the Moon. He was followed 20 minutes later by Buzz Aldrin.

The words of Armstrong, broadcast to the world through television, go into the story: "It's a small step for a man, a giant step for humanity."

The two men spent more than two hours outside the lunar module, collecting samples on the surface, taking pictures and setting up a number of scientific experiments.

Once their exploration of the moon was over, the two men docked at the command and service module.

Legend

The three astronauts after being caught in the Pacific

The trip back to Earth began and the crew plunged into the Pacific Ocean on July 24th.

About 650 million people around the world witnessed the first landing of the moon. For the United States, this success has allowed them to demonstrate its power to a global audience.

It was also an important boost to national self-esteem at the end of a tumultuous decade. He had seen Kennedy murdered, racial riots in major cities and unease over his military involvement in Vietnam.

How do we know it really happened?

A total of six American missions landed men on the lunar surface at the end of 1972; however, there are still conspiracy theories according to which the landings were organized.

However, since 2009, NASA has been using a reconnaissance vehicle in orbit around the moon. It returns high-resolution images showing signs of exploration on the surface of Apollo missions, such as footprints and wheel tracks.

Parade in New York for the Apollo 11 crew — Legend

The landing of the moon has become a reason for national celebration

There is also geological evidence of rocks reported from the surface.

What is the point of going on the moon?

The United States remains the only country to put people on the surface of the moon.

Sally Ride and other female astronauts — Legend

Sally Ride (far left) is the first female American astronaut to go into space. She is photographed with astronauts Judith Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathryn Sullivan and Rhea Seddon.

However, Russia, Japan, China, the European Space Agency and India have either sent probes into orbit around the moon, or put vehicles on its surface.

For one country to do so, it is a sign of its technological prowess that allows it to become a member of an elite club.

What does China want to do on the other side of the moon?
Why do so many people believe theories of conspiracy

There are also more practical reasons such as the desire to exploit its resources.

The ice at both poles can help the boats sink deeper into space because it contains hydrogen and oxygen that can be used to power the rockets.

The exploitation of the moon in search of gold, platinum and rare earth metals is also attracting interest, although the extraction capacity of such resources is not yet clear.

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