DIY Homeschooler

What an excellent interactive! Now you can tour the Apollo 11 Command Module virtually at the Smithsonian site.

To mark the 47th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon-landing mission, the Smithsonian has made available a high-resolution 3-D scan of the command module “Columbia,” the spacecraft that carried astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins to the moon. This highly detailed model allows anyone with an internet connection to explore the entire craft including its intricate interior, which is not possible when viewing the artifact in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. The Smithsonian is also making the data files of the model available for download so it can be 3-D printed or viewed with virtual-reality goggles.

The tour walks you through the visual demonstration of:

• The interior crew compartment.
• Entrances.
• Docking tunnel passageway.
• Forward hatch and pressure seal.
• Side hatch.
• Crew couches.
• Controls (think dozens of toggle switches, buttons, and knobs).
• Displays and indicators.
• Guidance and navigation system controls.
• Sextant and telescope.
• Environmental systems.
• Storage.
• Handwritten notes.

No matter the degree of interest in space flight, most young people will enjoy the presentation.

If you scroll down, you can also print a “watertight” 3D model of the command module if you have access to a 3D printer!

Just an incredible resource and a great addition to our First Moon Landing unit!

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Additional Resources

The First Moon Landing: A Unit Study
Our own free unit with tons of information.

Apollo 11 Space Capsule Going on Another Mission
The actual Apollo 11 capsule is currently touring the nation in advance of the 50th anniversary. Information at NPR about where you can see the actual capsule on tour.