To the Moon and Back: Apollo 8 and future moon missions

To the Moon and Back: Apollo 8 and future moon missions

Astronauts James Lovell, Frank Borman, and William Anders pose in suits for a portrait on November 22, 1968, a month before they go into lunar orbit.

It was assumed that the Apollo 8 mission would become a test flight simulating entry into the atmosphere from the moon, but never intended to fly to an earth satellite. Previously, no one could fall to Earth at a speed of 2407.5 miles per hour and remain whole, so NASA needed to practice. But that all changed after the successful launch of two probes of the USSR and the call of Kennedy to send people to the moon in the 1960s.

It was already a question of winning the space race, so the original plan of Apollo 8 had to be changed. In mid-August 1968, astronauts James Lovell, Frank Borman, and William Anders canceled all the holidays and set off to get ready to go to the moon.

In December, the three men suddenly found themselves farther than any earthling, changing our views on outer space and the ability of technology (went into lunar orbit). From prehistoric cephalopods, to ape-like ancestors and Alexander the Great, no creature was as far from the gravitational influence of the Earth as December 21, 1968. In fact, it was not only the triumph of America, but also the achievement of all mankind. Apollo 8 marked a long chain of development and breakthroughs, starting from the first dreamers who eagerly peered into the night sky.

On the eve of the anniversary of one of the most daring space missions of mankind, we celebrate 50 years of trying, learning, inspiration and ingenuity. And this applies not only to the exploration of the moon, but also to future missions that will reveal not only the solar system, but also provide interstellar travel.

Comments (0)
Search