This view from the Apollo 8, looking at the Earth from above the moon, is one of the most beautiful, and amazing pictures, I must say. This episode was all about the Apollo and Spacelab programs, read on to see what it’s all about~
The primary objective was to get man to the moon – from orbiting the moon, to making a lunar lander and learning how to use it, to finally setting foot on the lunar landscape. It all had to start with getting a rocket out of the Earth’s gravitational pull, and to do that, they created the Saturn V rocket. Remember when we all went to Kennedy Space Center and saw that GIANT rocket inside the building? It’s THAT one. From Apollo 11 to Apollo 17, astronauts (for example, the most well-known one of all, Neil Armstrong), astronauts were able to set their feet upon the moon’s surface, walk across it, and take samples of lunar rocks and soil to bring back to Earth for further research.
There was one exception – Apollo 13. This mission was almost a disaster; the electrical systems failed, and oxygen was leaking out of the ship. With 3 days to return back, and carbon dioxide (a buildup could create poisonous air) building up, it was unsure if they could make it back alive. With a makeshift filter, they were able to reduce the carbon levels, and made it back safely. As said on the show, first priority was bringing the crew back safe, not mission success.
The skylab project’s objective was to show astronauts could be left in space for extended periods of time, to do research and experiments in a space-like, weightless environment. It started out rough though, with Skylab 1 being non-functional after a shock to the system during launch. Afterwards, with skylab 2 and 3, the project allowed astronauts to survive and function in space, so extensive research and experiments could be done.
I don’t know, but it was a random though to think about that flag that was put on the moon on the first moonwalk. Is it still there? Is it still standing and in perfect condition? Who knows, hopefully I’ll get to see it someday, and look at the Earth from the Moon like the crew from Apollo 8 (and all the other crews) got to see.
