Apollo Expeditions to the Moon is a free 329-page download from NASA. (Because of its size, it may take a while to download!) This colorful publication printed in 1975 explains the Free 329-page publication that explains the purpose of the Apollo missions to the moon, the voyages, and the insights reaped.
No nation ever demonstrated its aspirations and abilities as dramatically as did the United States when it landed the first men on the Moon, or as much in public: More people on Earth watched that first small step on a foreign planet than had witnessed any prior event in the ascent of man. While it is still too early to assess the full significance of that remarkable undertaking, I think it is a good time to look back on the total enterprise, while the images are still sharp, and while those concerned are available to give testimony.
The book uses firsthand accounts from those intimately involved to explain the Apollo program:
- Why go to the moon.
- Feats of engineering.
- Rockets.
- Crew.
- Early scouts.
- Mission control.
- Tests of the systems.
- Explorations.
- The legacy of Apollo.
The Apollo requirement was to take off from a point on the surface of the Earth
that was traveling 1000 miles per hour as the Earth rotated, to go into orbit at 18,000 miles an hour, to speed up at the proper time to 25,000 miles an hour, to travel to a body in space 240,000 miles distant which was itself traveling 2000 miles per hour relative to the Earth, to go into orbit around this body, and to drop a specialized landing vehicle to its surface. There men were to make observations and measurements, collect specimens, leave instruments that would send back data on what was found, and then repeat much of the outward-bound process to get back home. One such expedition would not do the job. NASA had to develop a reliable system capable of doing this time after time.At the time the decision was made, how to do most of this was not known. But there were people in NASA, in the Department of Defense, in American universities, and in American industry who had the basic scientific knowledge and technical know-how needed to predict realistically that it could be done.
James Webb
Those familiar with the NASA Apollo voyages will recognize many of the contributors to the publication, including:
- James Webb.
- Robert R. Gilruth.
- Wernher von Braun.
- Christopher C. Kraft, Jr.
- Astronauts Mike Collins, Buzz Aldrin, Alan Shepard, and James Lovell, among others.
For home educators, this publication is a goldmine. If you are studying the “space race,” you’ll appreciate the historical background, and cause and effects. If you are interested in science, there is enough there to keep even the most adventurous young scientist busy. And then of course there are the angles of study that include astronomy, geography, math, and more.
A notebook is a must. The illustrations are a perfect complement to research.
History marches on. Hubble brings back views of things most of us couldn’t imagine. But some of us still remember the black and white television sets being wheeled into classrooms to view the Apollo missions. It was a big deal. And there is still much to learn from this snapshot in time.
Enjoy this free resource!
Free EBook
Suggestions
- There are 15 chapters. Create a narration for each providing the main points.
- Learn more about a few of the authors: James E. Webb, Wernher von Braun, Christopher C. Kraft, Jr. (Page 318 includes brief biographies of each.)
- There are dozens of illustrations. Choose a couple of favorites to sketch out for a notebook page.
- Use the diagram on pg. 23 to create a timeline for the Apollo Mission Profile.
- Explore some of the obstacles that needed to be overcome.
- What was the role Sputnik played?
- View the several moon landing locations.
- List the advantages and disadvantages of Cape Canaveral.
- Describe the spacesuit and the function of the various elements (see pg. 170).
- Despite the accomplishments, there were many failures (or near failures). Name a few. What good things came out of those failures?
- The book wraps up with the legacies of Apollo (Chapter 15). List and explain a few of these.
- Create a timeline using the Key Events in Apollo on page 320.
- Choose one of the items in the index to research.
Additional Resources
The First Moon Landing: A Unit Study
“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” Apollo 11 Moon Landing unit that includes many other resources!
NASA Solar System Exploration
Interactive that explores the moon.