Page 4 - The Appollo Story

.-------------t The Apollo Story

Key Events In The Apollo Story
1966 February: First launch of the Saturn IB (two stage) with an Apollo spacecraft.
March: First docking in space, made by Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and David R. Scott aboard
a Titan-boosted Gemini VIII.
June: Successful on first attempt, Surveyor I soft lands on the lunar surface and reports back on
soil bearing strength and surface temperatures.
August: First U.S. spacecraft to orbit the Moon, Lunar Orbiter I sends back Surveyor and Apollo
landing site photos.
1967 January: Flash fire kills Apollo 1 Astronauts Grissom, White, and Chaffee in command module
atop a Saturn I booster at Launch Complex 34.
November: First flight of the Saturn Vis a success; Apollo 4 placed in orbit.
1968 January: First flight test of the lunar module, in Earth orbit, in Apollo 5.
October: First manned Apollo flight, by Astronauts Schirra, Eisele, and Cunningham, in the Sat-
urn IB-boosted Apollo 7.
December: Astronauts Borman, Lovell, and Anders become first men to orbit the Moon, in the
Saturn V-boosted CSM of Apollo 8.
1969 March: First manned flight of the lunar module, in Earth orbit, by Astronauts McDivitt and
Schweickart with Astronaut Scott piloting CSM, in Apollo 9.
May: First lunar module orbit of the Moon, by Astronauts Stafford and Ceman with Astronaut
Young manning the orbiting command module, in Apollo 10.
July: Astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin become first men to land on the Moon; Astronaut Collins
pilots the command module orbiting the Moon, in Apollo 11.
November: Astronauts Conrad and Bean walk on the Moon, while Astronaut Gordon pilots com-
mand module, in Apollo 12.
1970 April: Ruptured oxygen tank aborts Apollo 13 mission. Astronauts Lovell, Swigert, and Haise re-
turn safely to Earth.
1971 January: Third successful manned lunar landing, Apollo 14, places Astronauts Shepard and
Mitchell on Moon, while Astronaut Roosa pilots CSM.
July: Lunar Roving Vehicle used for first time on Moon, by Astronauts Scott and Irwin, while As
tronaut Worden pilots the command module, in Apollo 15.
1972 April: Fifth successful lunar landing mission places Astronauts Young and Duke on Moon, while
Astronaut Mattingly pilots command module, in Apollo 16.
December: Apollo programs longest mission, Apollo 1 7. Astronauts Ceman and Schmitt land
on the Moon while Astronaut Evans pilots CSM.
1973-1975 End of the Apollo Program
Apollo I Saturn vehicles were also used for an Apollo Applications program which consisted of
three Skylab space station missions in 1973- 74, and a joint U.S.A - Soviet mission in 1975.