The Apollo Program carried out by NASA in the 1960s and 1970s marked the great scientific achievement with the landing of the first men on the Moon. Following almost half a decade later, the twin program Artemis is hoping to return humans to the lunar surface in 2024. Read more to learn about the historic and future accomplishments in space travel!
Apollo
The Apollo Program was created amid the Space Race and offered a pathway into groundbreaking space development. It would take years of experimentation and major setbacks before NASA could see its first success.
The first few years of the program would test out the Saturn rocket that would deliver astronauts into space. The Saturn rocket family, most notably Saturn V, which was used to bring several astronaut crews to the Moon, was adapted into launch vehicles from missiles for the Apollo missions. To this day, the Saturn V rocket remains one of the most powerful and successful rockets flown.
Following the testing of the Saturn rockets, there were uncrewed flights to slowly assemble and test the full spacecraft being used. This included the Saturn rockets, alongside the Apollo Command Module and the Lunar Module, used for landing and return.
The Saturn V had three stages: the first two were to propel the spacecraft into orbit while the third was used to bring the Apollo Command Module and Lunar Module to the Moon. Once astronauts have reached the Moon, the modules would separate, bringing the astronauts to the surface using the Lunar Module while the Apollo Command Module stayed in orbit. Once lunar exploration was done, the astronauts would use the Command Module to return to Earth.
The first three of the Apollo-Saturn flights were AS-201, AS-202, and AS-203. While launching these uncrewed flights, NASA was also testing its first crewed flight, AS-204, with astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger B. Chaffee. Unfortunately, tragedy struck, and a fire broke out within the spacecraft on the launch pad. Following the passing of the crew, the mission would be renamed Apollo 1 in their honor. The following uncrewed flights after Apollo 1 would be titled Apollo 4, 5, and 6, continuing on the Apollo namesake. (There would be no Apollo 2 or 3 missions.)
The subsequent Apollo missions would all be crewed until the program’s last mission:
Apollo 7: The first successful crewed Apollo mission and kept men in orbit around Earth for ten days, breaking previous records.
Apollo 8: The first mission to reach the Moon and come back. This was able to test the flight trajectory needed for a successful landing.
Apollo 9 and 10: These two missions were the rehearsal launches that tested the whole spacecraft in space to ensure everything would work smoothly. Apollo 9 remained in Earth’s orbit while Apollo 10 was flown along the Moon’s atmosphere.
Apollo 11: The most notorious of the Apollo missions, Apollo 11 would land the first man onto the surface of the Moon. As said by astronaut Neil Armstrong, the achievement was a “giant leap for mankind.” Spending about 8 days in space, 21 of those hours on the Moon’s surface, the crew would bring back lunar rock samples and a spot in the history books.
Apollo 12 through 17: The Apollo missions after Apollo 11 are not as memorialized but have aided in lunar exploration by returning more rock samples and launching more experimental projects on the Moon. Out of the five, Apollo 13 is the only one to not land on the Moon, as it had been damaged mid-flight and prompted an urgent return home.
No human has returned to the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission.
Artemis
The Artemis Program is the next endeavor for NASA to land the next man and first-ever woman onto the Moon. Named after Apollo’s twin goddess, the Artemis Program seeks to build upon the discoveries of the Apollo Program and serve as a gateway to future possible Mars exploration. The Artemis Program is still a work in progress and is not ready to launch until 2024, but here is what can be expected from the program in years to come:
The Space Launch System (SLS) is the newest rocket from NASA that will carry astronauts to the Moon, similar to Saturn V. It is the most powerful rocket ever built. This rocket will also carry Orion, a spacecraft that will be used to travel between the Moon, an orbital outpost, and Earth.
The crew is expected to explore the Moon’s South Pole, which is new territory to humans. One of the focused goals is to search for water and learn to use it from the Moon’s surface.
The Artemis missions are testbeds for Mars and will be used to experiment how humans can live away from Earth for future Mars expeditions. Astronauts will learn how to live on other celestial surfaces through Gateway, an outpost that will orbit the Moon to sustain a living on the surface. This will allow for easy transport for astronauts from both the Moon and Earth.
NASA is also partnering with other countries and companies to collaborate on the Artemis missions. Together, they seek to develop new technologies for future space travel and even improve technologies here on Earth.
Although the Artemis Program is still in its early stages, it is exciting to see the development of the next lunar mission. Be sure to follow NASA to stay updated on the program's next steps!
Thanks for reading!
Written by Kaylee Barrera
Sources:
“Apollo 1.” NASA, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo1.html. Accessed 13 Apr. 2021.
“Apollo-Saturn Uncrewed Missions.” NASA, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/Apollo-Saturn-Uncrewed.html. Accessed 13 Apr. 2021.
Hitt, David. “What Was the Apollo Program?” NASA, 19 July 2019, www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-was-apollo-program-58.html.
---. “What Was the Saturn V?” NASA, 7 Aug. 2017, www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-was-the-saturn-v-58.html.
Miller, Denise. “What Is the Artemis Program?” NASA, 16 Mar. 2021, www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-is-the-artemis-program-58.html.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration. “NASA: Artemis.” NASA, www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/#late. Accessed 13 Apr. 2021.
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