The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), often referred to simply as the “moon buggy,” was used on the Moon in the last three missions of the American Apollo program (15, 16, and 17) between 1971 and 1972. Its first use was during the Apollo 15 mission, driven by astronauts David Scott and Jim Irwin on July 31, 1971.
In order to go to the moon, we use complex (and somewhat risky) Lunar Orbit Rendezvous. But, can’t we land a spacecraft on the moon directly? Wouldn’t it be easier? Here’s why we use Lunar Orbit Rendezvous instead of sending a spacecraft to directly land on the lunar surface.
The human narrative is punctuated by milestones – the moments in time that significantly alter the course of history. The 20th century, in particular, was a period of unprecedented innovation and groundbreaking discoveries. This era birthed remarkable accomplishments like the structure of DNA, the mass production of penicillin, the inception of the computer, and the creation of the microchip. These achievements have undeniably transformed civilization as we know it, and it might be tempting to rank them among the top events of the last century. However, when projecting into the distant future, one event may shine brighter than the others: the first moon landing by Apollo 11.
The narrative surrounding NASA’s Apollo program often paints it as a high point that soon descended into unfulfilled potential. Critics point out the lack of moon bases, Mars landings, or a network of orbital outposts and label the program as more or less aimless following the landmark 1969 moon landing. However, to see Apollo only through this lens is to overlook its most enduring achievement: the ushering in of the digital age.
In the video below, in a poetry of language unparalleled by any other, the one and only Carl Sagan talks to us about the Gift of Apollo, bringing focus and perspective to the greatest engineering achievement in human history.
On January 27, 1967, three NASA astronauts, Roger B. Chaffee (b. February 15, 1935), Virgil I. Grissom (b. April 3, 1926), and Edward H. White II (b. November 14, 1930) died when a flash fire swept through the Apollo 1 command module during a launch rehearsal test. The three men inside perished despite the best efforts of the ground crew. It would take more than 18 months, and extensive redesigns, before NASA sent more astronauts into space.
On January 3, 2019, China’s lunar lander and rover Chang’e 4 achieved the first soft landing on the far side of the Moon in the history of humanity’s space exploration. It’s a space exploration success no nation or space agency (including NASA) has accomplished even as of January 2023.
On November 16, 2022, Wednesday, NASA finally launched its next moon rocket: Artemis I, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, carrying the uncrewed Orion spacecraft lifted off from Launch Complex 39B in Florida at 1:47 a.m. EST.
Apollo 7, the first crewed flight in NASA’s Apollo program was launched on October 11, 1968, exactly ten years after the space agency’s first launch. The mission successfully demonstrated the crewed performance of the Command and Service Modules and featured the first American live broadcast from space.
Much of the technology common today that we take for granted originates from the moon landing. Here are 10 moon-landing innovations that changed life on Earth.