Apollo 11: Preliminary Science Report - Paperback

by National Aeronautics and Administration (Author)

Our first journey to the Moon ushered in a new era in which man will no longer be confined to his home planet. The concept of traveling across the vastness of space to new worlds has stirred the imagination of men everywhere. One-sixth of the Earth's population watched as the Apollo 11 astronauts walked and worked a quarter of a million miles away, The success of this mission has opened new fields of exploration and research- research which will lead to a greater understanding of our planet and provide a new insight into the origin and history of the solar system. The Apollo 11 mission was only a beginning, however. Subsequent missions will reflect more ambitious scientific objectives and will include more comprehensive observations and measurements at a variety of lunar sites. This document is a preliminary report of the initial scientific observations resulting from the Apollo 11 mission. We expect that further significant results will come from more detailed analysis of the returned samples of lunar material, and from additional study of the photographs and data obtained from the emplaced experiments. Beyond that, we look forward to increasing international participation in the exploration of the Moon and neighboring regions of our solar system. The Manned Space Flight Program dedicated to the exploration and use of space by man. In the immediate future, men will continue exploring the Moon, adding greatly to our knowledge of the Moon, the Earth, and the solar system. It is expected that in Earth orbital laboratories men will conduct experiments and make observations that are possible only in the space environment. In standing firmly behind the space science program, it has been necessary to provide means for man to live and work in "this new ocean." A transportation system has had to be provided with a navigation system of great precision. An extensive medical program has been necessary to provide data on man's reaction to the space environment. The Mercury, Gemini, and early Apollo missions have produced, step by step, the answers needed for the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission. The rapid progress of the program obscured its great problems. The success of the Apollo 11 mission was solidly based on excellent technology, sound decisions, and a test program that was carefully planned and executed. To this foundation was added the skill and bravery of the astronauts, backed up by a fully trained and highly motivated ground team. It must not be forgotten that the lunar mission was very complex from all points of view--planning, hardware, software, and operations. Of necessity, margins were small and even small deviations in performance or conduct of the mission could have jeopardized mission success. In parallel with the emphasis on engineering problems and their solution, the scientific part of the Apollo 11 mission was planned and executed with great care. The samples of lunar soil and rocks returned by the astronauts will add much detailed scientific information. The photographs and observations of the crew have already answered some questions man has asked for thousands of years. The emplaced experiments have yielded data unavailable until now. This report is preliminary and covers only the initial scientific results of the Apollo 11 mission. Much work remains for the large number of scientists involved to understand and interpret the facts that are only partly exposed today.