Studying the Moon (03:10)

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Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Mike Connors returned safely to Earth after landing on the Moon. The Apollo missions helped scientists discover how the Moon, our planet, and life emerged. Twelve astronauts walked on the Moon.

Space Race (02:56)

The N-1 launcher, developed by the Soviets, never succeeded in sending cosmonauts beyond the Earth's atmosphere. The Saturn V rocket propelled the Apollo 8 Mission into lunar orbit.

Apollo 11 Mission (08:52)

Armstrong, Aldrin, and Connors served as Mission Commander, lunar module pilot, and command module pilot respectively. Footage captured the terrain of the Moon as the lunar module descended. Armstrong was the first to step on the moon.

Sample Findings (01:48)

Experts learned the Earth and Moon shared a common history. An impact crater created the Mare Orientale. The Moon's surface was once molten lava.

Apollo 12 Mission (03:11)

The landing site was in the Ocean of Storms. Pete Conrad and Alan Bean obtained Surveyor 3's TV camera and other parts for analysis. NASA abandoned plans for a Gemini and Galileo mission after detecting streptococcus bacteria.

Moon Origination (04:21)

After postulating several theories, scientists realized that a protoplanet crashed into the Earth after studying rocks derived from the Apollo Missions. Magma hardened into a crust.

Apollo 14 and 15 (05:27)

Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell traveled to the Cone Crater to collect Moon rocks. During Apollo 15, astronauts brought electric drills for subterranean samples. David Scott and James Irwin completed 18 hours of moonwalking and driving in a lunar rover.

Apollo 16 (02:32)

John Young and Charles Duke touched down in the Lunar Highlands and found nothing of volcanic origin.

Apollo 17 (04:44)

Every ship since Apollo 15 contained lunar mapping cameras. Alfred Worden, Ken Mattingly, and Ronald Evans watched the Moon. Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt landed in the Taurus-Littrow region, discovered glass particles, and gathered core samples.

End of the Apollo Missions (04:41)

Richard Nixon's administration canceled the last three missions. NASA participated in Skylab and helped build the International Space Station. The Voyager robotic probes ventured into interstellar space.

Moon Tides (03:10)

Ocean tides were larger and more frequent until the Earth cooled. The Moon's gravity helped stabilize Earth's tilt. Clementine and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite detected water particles at the lunar poles.

Future Plans (04:14)

NASA only receives an eighth of the budget it did during the Space Race; returning to the Moon will be difficult. Private companies and entrepreneurs began investing in lunar exploration. A long-term governing body is necessary to allocate resources and mitigate conflict.

Credits: Apollo's New Moon (02:11)

Credits: Apollo's New Moon