lunar landing: first article

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History of the Moon Landing: Becky Helme The time was the 1960s and the United States was completely engaged in the Cold War with the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had just sent Sputnik I into space, becoming the first satellite to orbit the Earth and marking the beginning on the Space Race (cite). The world watched as the Space Race was taken on as each nation competed to be the more technologically advanced nation. A few months later the US made their first attempt to keep up with the Soviets by launching the satellite VanguardTV3 on December 6, 1957 but failing in their attempt. By January 31, 1958 the United States caught up with Russia with the successful satellite, Explorer I. Soon shooting satellites were not enough and the Space Race shifted to lunar exploration. Once again, the U.S.S.R. gained the upper hand with Luna I, the first spacecraft to reach the moon a year later on January 2. The Soviet Union once again made a huge advancement with the spacecraft Vostok, manned by Yury Gagarin, better known as the first man in space. In response to the Soviet success, on May 25, 1961, President John F Kennedy made the announcement that the United States would be putting a man on the moon before the decade was over 1 . Historically speaking this was a time of both great tension and of great excitement. The ability to go to reach outer space opened up a whole new realm for the imagination. However, it was after all a war with the Soviet Union so there were threats to who will be the most superior nation. In 1968, NASA launches Apollo 8, the first of the series that was a manned spacecraft that successful passed through Earth's atmosphere and orbit the moon. But as successful as the mission was, a man still did not walk the moon so the Space Race was not over. On July 16, 1969 at 9:32 am Eastern Daylight Time, Apollo 11 mission launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The mission was commanded by Neil Armstrong with command module pilot Michael Collins and lunar module pilot Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin Jr. Four days later, as JFK has promised, Apollo 11 and it's three pilot's landed on the moon. Then, on July 21, 1969, at 10:56 pm EDT, the first steps on the moon were made and Neil Armstrong said his famous quote; "this is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" 2 . This is, of course, what the history books tell us what happened.

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Lunar Landing History

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Page 1: Lunar Landing: First Article

 

History of the Moon Landing: Becky Helme The time was the 1960s and the United States was completely engaged in the Cold War with the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had just sent Sputnik I into space, becoming the first satellite to orbit the Earth and marking the beginning on the Space Race (cite). The world watched as the Space Race was taken on as each nation competed to be the more technologically advanced nation. A few months later the US made their first attempt to keep up with the Soviets by launching the satellite VanguardTV3 on December 6, 1957 but failing in their attempt. By January 31, 1958 the United States caught up with Russia with the successful satellite, Explorer I. Soon shooting satellites were not enough and the Space Race shifted to lunar exploration. Once again, the U.S.S.R. gained the upper hand with Luna I, the first spacecraft to reach the moon a year later on January 2. The Soviet Union once again made a huge advancement with the spacecraft Vostok, manned by Yury Gagarin, better known as the first man in space. In response to the Soviet success, on May 25, 1961, President John F Kennedy made the announcement that the United States would be putting a man on the moon before the decade was over1. Historically speaking this was a time of both great tension and of great excitement. The ability to go to reach outer space opened up a whole new realm for the imagination. However, it was after all a war with the Soviet Union so there were threats to who will be the most superior nation.  

In 1968, NASA launches Apollo 8, the first of the series that was a manned spacecraft that successful passed through Earth's atmosphere and orbit the moon. But as successful as the mission was, a man still did not walk the moon so the Space Race was not over. On July 16, 1969 at 9:32 am Eastern Daylight Time, Apollo 11 mission launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The mission was commanded by Neil Armstrong with command module pilot Michael Collins and lunar module pilot Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin Jr. Four days later, as JFK has promised, Apollo 11 and it's three pilot's landed on the moon. Then, on July 21, 1969, at 10:56 pm EDT, the first steps on the moon were made and Neil Armstrong said his famous quote; "this is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"2. This is, of course, what the history books tell us what happened.