"the third United States human spaceflight program carried out by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which succeeded in preparing and landing the first humans on the Moon"
A series of manned missions by NASA in the 1960s and 1970s that culminated in the first human landing on the moon with Apollo 11.
Cold War Space Race: The competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to be the first to achieve significant milestones in space exploration.
Sputnik 1 and 2: The first artificial satellites, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, that spurred the United States to accelerate their space program.
Mercury program: The first human spaceflight program of the United States, which tasked astronauts with suborbital and orbital flights that established the country's ability to put humans in space.
Gemini program: The second human spaceflight program of the United States, which aimed to develop techniques for orbital rendezvous and docking with other spacecraft.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): The U.S. government agency responsible for the development of civilian space programs and for conducting research in aeronautics and space science.
Apollo program: The U.S. human spaceflight program that aimed to land humans on the Moon and return them safely to Earth.
Apollo 1 fire: A tragic malfunction during a ground test that killed three astronauts and resulted in a two-year pause in the Apollo program.
Apollo 7: The first manned flight of the Apollo program, which tested the spacecraft and equipment in Earth orbit.
Apollo 8: The first manned mission to orbit the Moon, which paved the way for future lunar landings.
Apollo 11: The historic mission that landed humans on the Moon for the first time, with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin taking the first steps on the lunar surface.
Lunar landing sites: The six locations on the Moon where Apollo missions successfully landed, explored, and conducted scientific experiments.
Lunar Module: The spacecraft component that was designed to land on the Moon and return the astronauts to the Command Module in lunar orbit.
Command Module: The Apollo spacecraft component that housed the astronauts during launch, re-entry, and the return to Earth.
Saturn V rocket: The largest rocket ever flown, which was used to launch the Apollo spacecraft into orbit and propel it toward the Moon.
Space suits: The specialized clothing worn by astronauts in space that provided necessary life support and protection from extreme conditions.
Lunar surface experiments: The scientific experiments conducted by Apollo astronauts on the Moon's surface, including measuring seismic activity, collecting and analyzing rocks and soil samples, and testing the effects of the lunar environment on equipment and life support systems.
Astronaut training: The extensive training program that prepared Apollo astronauts for the demands of spaceflight, including simulations, physical conditioning, and specialized instruction in spacecraft systems and procedures.
Apollo missions after Apollo 11: The subsequent Apollo missions, including Apollo 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, that further explored the lunar surface and conducted additional scientific experiments.
Legacy of the Apollo program: The impact of the Apollo program on space exploration, science, and technology, including advances in spacecraft design, engineering, and materials science, as well as the inspiration and impact on education and culture.
Apollo-Saturn I: Unmanned test flights of Apollo lunar module (LM) launch escape system (LES) and command module (CM) heat protection system.
Apollo-Saturn IB: Unmanned suborbital and orbital test flights of the Apollo CSM (Command and Service Module).
Apollo 1: Tragically, three astronauts, Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, died during a ground test of the AS-204.
Apollo 7: This was the first manned Apollo mission, launched on October 11, 1968, with Wally Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham aboard.
Apollo 8: The first mission to the moon, which orbited the moon 10 times and provided the famous Earthrise photo.
Apollo 9: The first mission to test the Lunar Module in Earth orbit, with a crew consisting of James McDivitt, David Scott, and Rusty Schweickart.
Apollo 10: The dress rehearsal for the Moon landing, with the LM sent down to 8.4 nautical miles (15.6 km) of the lunar surface.
Apollo 11: The first landing on the Moon, with Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin becoming the first humans to set foot on the Lunar surface on July 20, 1969.
Apollo 12: Second landing on the Moon, with Pete Conrad and Alan Bean.
Apollo 13: A malfunction aborted the planned lunar landing, but the crew survived a dangerous journey back to Earth thanks to teamwork and creative problem-solving.
Apollo 14: The third successful Moon landing, with Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell, and Stuart Roosa.
Apollo 15: The first mission to use the lunar rover and returned 77 kg of lunar samples, with David R. Scott, Alfred M. Worden, and James B. Irwin.
Apollo 16: Fifth Moon landing with John W. Young, Thomas K. Mattingly II, and Charles M. Duke Jr.
Apollo 17: The final mission to the Moon, bringing Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt to the surface.
Apollo-Soyuz Test Project: The first joint U.S.-Soviet space venture, four Americans and two Soviets participated in this eight-day mission in 1975.
"It was first conceived in 1960 during President Dwight D. Eisenhower's administration"
"landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth"
"Apollo 11 mission [...] astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed their Apollo Lunar Module (LM) on July 20, 1969"
"twelve people walked on the Moon"
"Apollo ran from 1961 to 1972, with the first crewed flight in 1968"
"an Apollo 1 cabin fire killed the entire crew during a prelaunch test"
"nine follow-on landings with a plan for extended lunar geological and astrophysical exploration"
"Five subsequent Apollo missions also landed astronauts on the Moon"
"an oxygen tank explosion in transit to the Moon, crippling the CSM"
"Apollo used the Saturn family of rockets as launch vehicles"
"Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to orbit another celestial body, and Apollo 11 was the first crewed spacecraft to land humans on one"
"returned 842 pounds (382 kg) of lunar rocks and soil to Earth"
"greatly contributing to the understanding of the Moon's composition and geological history"
"laid the foundation for NASA's subsequent human spaceflight capability and funded construction of its Johnson Space Center and Kennedy Space Center"
"Apollo also spurred advances in many areas of technology incidental to rocketry and human spaceflight, including avionics, telecommunications, and computers."