Name
Date
Reaching for the Moon
By Jane Runyon
Step by step the United States space program moved toward its goal. In 1961,
President John F. Kennedy challenged scientists to place an American on the
surface of the moon by the end of the decade. They made small steps forward.
They made large steps forward. They even had setbacks which made the goal
seem almost impossible. It was now the winter of 1968. Would the goal be met?
On Christmas of 1968, three American astronauts were circling the moon in
the Apollo 8 spacecraft. Frank Borman, William Anders, and James Lovell were
closer to the moon than any American had ever been. It was not their goal to land
on the moon. They were there to make sure that it was possible to reach moon
orbit. They had. James Lovell sent a message back to every eager child listening.
"Please be informed there is a Santa Claus," he announced. William Anders
inspired his fellow citizens by reading the story of the Creation from a Bible he
had brought with him. The goal was close, but could it be reached in just one
short year?
The answer to that question would be answered less than seven months later. On July 16, 1969, a Saturn V
rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center complex in Florida. It carried the Apollo 11 crew. Neil
Armstrong was the commander of this mission. Michael Collins was the Command Module pilot, and Edwin
(Buzz) Aldrin was the Lunar Module pilot. All were experienced astronauts.
Seventy-six hours after launch, the spacecraft attained lunar orbit. They spent the next twenty-four hours
preparing the Lunar Module for its trip to the moon's surface. One hundred hours into the mission, the Lunar
Module was on its way into history. Michael Collins was to remain aboard the Command Module, Columbia.
Armstrong and Collins would be aboard the Landing Module.
The Lunar Landing Vehicle (LLV) was named Eagle. It had been programmed by NASA to land on the Sea
of Tranquility on the moon's surface. Shortly before touch down, Armstrong realized they were headed for a pile
of boulders. He took over the controls and within three seconds redirected the LLV to a safer spot. Armstrong
radioed back to an anxious America that, "The Eagle has landed." The two astronauts rested a bit and had a meal
before they donned their space suits and continued their adventure.
At 10:56 p.m. Eastern time on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped off the Lunar Module and uttered the
words that will be remembered in history, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." A
television camera had been attached to the Lunar Module allowing millions of American citizens the thrill of
witnessing this event. A collective sigh of relief was felt throughout the scientific community. A cheer of
success spread throughout the world.
Aldrin joined Armstrong on the moon's surface a few minutes later. The two astronauts spent two and one half
hours collecting surface material. All of this material would be returned to Earth for analysis by scientists. They
also tested their ability to move about in the reduced gravity found on the moon. A short game of golf was even
attempted. When the scheduled time on the moon came to an end, the astronauts reluctantly returned to the
module and were guided back to the Command Module still in orbit around the moon.
One hundred and ninety-five hours and fifteen minutes after launch, the crew landed in the Pacific Ocean. It
was July 24, 1969. The goal set by President Kennedy had been reached. The Soviet Union was nowhere near
ready to put a man on the moon. The Space Race had been won. A new breed of hero had been created in
America. Names like Armstrong, Glenn, Shepard, Grissom, and many more have taken their places in the history
of the United States.
Name
Date
Reaching for the Moon
Questions
1. Apollo 8 was the first American mission to land on the moon.
A. True
B. False
2. What decade was President Kennedy speaking of when he challenged scientists to put a man on the moon?
A. The 1900's
B. The 50's
C. The 60's
D. The 70's
3. How long did it take Apollo 11 to reach lunar orbit?
A. 76 hours
B. 48 hours
C. 100 hours
D. 24 hours
4. Why did Neil Armstrong take over the controls of the LLV?
5. The astronauts started working on the surface of the moon immediately upon landing.
A. False
B. True
6. How were the American people informed of the progress of Armstrong and Aldrin?
7. What did the astronauts bring back from the moon?
A. Radios
B. Golf clubs
C. LLV
D. Material from the surface of the moon
8. President Kennedy congratulated the astronauts on their success.
A. True
B. False
Name
What would it feel like to walk on the surface of the moon?
Date