“We choose to go to the moon ...” President John F. Kennedy’s commitment to landing an astronaut “on the Moon and returning him back safely to the Earth” was particularly audacious considering when he fi rst voiced the challenge, only one American had been in space for a grand total of 15 minutes and 28 seconds.

Here is a look back at some of the milestones NASA and its astronauts reached on their way to the Moon.

Learn more by visiting the John F. Kennedy Presidential 2 Library & Museum at www.jfklibrary.org 3 Only in the Sixties The Sixties could be described in words Charles To put President Kennedy’s proclamation in pers- Sadly, Gordon Cooper’s Faith 7 mission was the last Dickens had written just over a century before the pective, it is useful to remember that he made the of NASA’s manned space fl ights to take place in decade began: “It was the best of times, it was the speech only 16 months after America’s fi rst manned President Kennedy’s lifetime. worst of times ... “ space flight and seven months after John Glenn became the fi rst American to orbit the Earth. NASA’s While John F. Kennedy would not live to see his It was a time of stark contrasts. On one hand, it was four manned fl ights had each lasted less than fi ve dream realized, his challenge stimulated the imagi- an era of enormous political and social unrest. On the hours. In fact, NASA had only been established four nations of people from every nation and motivated other, it offered unparalleled scientifi c advancement years earlier. a team of visionary scientists, technicians and and artistic creativity. astronauts to do the seemingly impossible.

The Sixties were Vietnam “It was the best of times, it was On the 21st of July, 2009 the world will comme- and protests against the morate the 40th anniversary of the culmination of war. But they were also the the worst of times ... “ President Kennedy’s expressed goal. The date has Beatles and Flower Power. particular poignancy for OMEGA because it was They were the assassinations of popular political In the fi rst manned space fl ight following President on the 21st of July in 1969 that the Moonwatch was leaders. But they were also movements in support Kennedy’s speech at Rice University, astronaut born. On that day, the Speedmaster became the civil and human rights. The Sixties have been Wally Schirra, recognizing the need for a chrono- fi rst and only wristwatch to be worn on the Moon. described as the end of innocence but also as the graph in space, wore his own OMEGA Speedmaster end of naïveté. on his Project Mercury Friendship 7 mission in While the Sixties were characterized by a number of “None of OMEGA’s milestones in the past October of 1962. dramatic historic events, the fi rst Moon landing has a 160 years can surpass the one reached in On September 12, 1962, a fi red-up President Kennedy unique place in the annals of technological achieve- July of 1969 when a man wearing a Speed- announced to an audience at Rice University that NASA’s launch of Faith 7 in May of 1963 was to be ment. The historian Arthur Schlesinger wrote, “The before the decade was fi nished, America was de- the fi nal Project Mercury fl ight. It was also the fi rst 20th Century will be remembered, when all else is master fi rst set foot on another world. For termined to land a man on the Moon and bring him after the OMEGA Speedmaster had been selected forgotten, as the century when man burst his terres- nearly half a century, our close association back safely to Earth. Given the technology of the for use on all of NASA’s Mercury space fl ights, start- trial bonds.” “And,” as OMEGA president Stephen with NASA has been a source of enormous day, it was an audacious challenge. And even now, ing a relationship which continues to this day. Urquhart has pointed out, “he did it wearing a pride and we are confi dent that our chron- it’s staggering to realize that less than seven years Speedmaster.” after that speech in Texas, the president’s startling ographs will be used by future generations goal would be met. of space explorers”. Stephen Urquhart

4 5 The Mercury Years 1961 1962 1963 May 5 20 February May 15 Alan Shepard became the fi rst American in space John Glenn became the fi rst American to orbit the Gordon Cooper was the fi rst American to spend with the launch of the Mercury Freedom 7 mission. His Earth on the Mercury Friendship 7 mission. The more than a day in space and the last to orbit the sub-orbital fl ight lasted 15 minutes and 28 seconds. duration of Glenn’s flight, which included three Earth solo. His fl ight lasted one day, ten hours, Earth orbits, was 4 hours, 55 minutes, 23 seconds. nineteen minutes and 49 seconds. He orbited the Earth 22 times. He wore an OMEGA Speedmaster May 25 chronograph. President John F. Kennedy, addressing a Joint 24 May Session of Congress, said, “First, I believe that this Mercury Aurora 7, piloted by Scott Carpenter, nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, orbited the Earth three times. The flight lasted 4 November 22 before this decade is out, of landing a man on the hours, 56 minutes and 16 seconds. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Moon and returning him back safely to the earth. He was 46 years old. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the September 12 In a speech at Rice University, President Kennedy long-range exploration of space; and none will be said, “No nation which expects to be the leader so diffi cult or expensive to accomplish.” of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space. (...) We choose to go to the Moon 1964 21 July in this decade and do the other things, not because The Mercury Liberty Bell 7 mission, piloted by Virgil they are easy, but because they are hard.” November “Gus” Grissom, was launched. The sub-orbital fl ight Seven years later, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin NASA begins the strenuous series of chronograph lasted 15 minutes and 37 seconds. would be the fi rst men to walk on the Moon; ten tests to determine whether any off-the-shelf years later, Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt watches could be qualifi ed for use on manned would be the last. space fl ights.

October 3 Wally Schirra’s Sigma 7 flight lasted 9 hours, 13 minutes, 11 seconds and included six Earth orbits. Strapped to the outside of his space suit was Schirra’s own OMEGA Speedmaster watch.

5/15/1963 - Mercury-Atlas 9 lifts off from Cape Canaveral with astronaut L. Gordon Cooper 6 aboard Faith 7 for the nation’s longest manned orbital fl ight. The Gemini Program 1965 March 1 December 4 – 18 The results of the rigorous chronograph tests are Gemini VII had the primary objective of determining announced: OMEGA is flight certified for all of whether humans could live in space for 14 days. NASA’s manned space fl ights . During their fl ight which lasted 13 days, 18 hours, 35 minutes and one second, astronauts Frank Borman and James Lovell also welcomed their colleagues March 23 Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford of Gemini VI- A The fi rst manned Gemini mission, Gemini III, was in the fi rst space rendezvous on the 15th of December launched with astronauts Virgil “Gus” Grissom and 1965. The two capsules orbited in tandem for over John Young aboard. In 4 hours, 52 minutes and fi ve hours at distances of 0.3 meters to 90 meters 31 seconds they orbited the Earth three times. (one to 300 feet).

June 3 – 7 On the Gemini IV mission, astronaut Ed White was the first American to perform a space walk. Photographs of the historic event clearly showed his OMEGA Speedmaster strapped to the sleeve of his spacesuit. James McDivitt was the pilot.

August 21 – 29 On Gemini V, Gordon Cooper and Pete Conrad were the fi rst Americans to spend a week in space. It was the fi rst mission to use fuel cells for electrical power. They evaluated a guidance and navigation system for use in future rendezvous missions. They completed 120 orbits of the Earth in 7 days, 22 hours, 55 minutes and 14 seconds.

12/15/1965 - Gemini 7 spacecraft during rendezvous 8 manuevers and station keeping with Gemini 6. 06/1965 - Ed White : First American Spacewalker. 9 The Apollo Program 1966 1967 March 16 – 17 June 3 – 6 January 27 On the Gemini VIII mission, Neil Armstrong and Dave Thomas Stafford’s and Eugene Cernan’s Gemini IX Three astronauts were killed by fi re in the module Scott accomplished the fi rst docking with another fl ight included two hours of EVA and 44 orbits in a during a test exercise. The mission, which had been space vehicle, an unmanned Agena satellite. period of just over three days. referred to as AS-204, was renamed Apollo 1 after the fi re. July 18 – 21 Gemini X saw the fi rst use of the Agena target vehicle’s propulsion systems. During the mission’s 43 orbits, 1968 Michael Collins had 49 minutes of EVA standing in the hatch and 30 minutes of EVA to retrieve an October 11 – 22 experiment from the Agena stage. Apollo 7, with astronauts Wally Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham, was the fi rst manned Apollo fl ight. It remained in Earth orbit and was September 12 – 15 open-ended, meaning that it could remain in space Gemini XI set a record altitude for the program: as long as supplies (including oxygen) would allow. 1,189.3 km (739.2 miles) after rendezvousing and docking with an Agena target. December 21 – December 27 November 11 – 15 Apollo 8 was a particularly ambitious mission – the The fi nal Gemini fl ight, Gemini XII, rendezvoused first with sufficient velocity to escape the Earth’s and docked manually with its target Agena satellite gravity. It included the first human lunar orbit. and kept station with it during Buzz Aldrin’s record- Astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William setting EVA of 5 hours and 30 minutes for a space Anders were the fi rst astronauts to witness an ear- walk and two stand-up exercises. thrise and the fi rst to see the dark side of the Moon with their own eyes.

12/1968 - Apollo 8 crew - From left to right : 10 03/1966 - The fi rst docking in space - Gemini VIII. James Lovell, William Anders and Frank Borman. 11 1969 March 3 – March 13 Apollo 9 was a ten-day manned Earth orbit, with two-man EVA. It was the fi rst manned fl ight of the Command/Service Module and the Lunar Module. The astronauts were Jim McDivitt, David Scott, and Russel Schweickart.

May 18 – May 26 Apollo 10 was the second mission to include manned lunar orbit, coming as close as 8.4 nautical miles (15.6 km) to the Moon’s surface. Thomas Stafford, Eugene Cernan and John Young successfully exe- cuted a dress rehearsal for the mission which would be launched just a few weeks after their return. It was the first mission to broadcast live color television from space.

July 16 – July 24 The most famous mission of all: Apollo 11 landed on the Moon and Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin ex- plored the direct vicinity of the landing site on foot as Michael Collins remained in orbit waiting for the Lunar Module to return to the Command Module. Buzz Aldrin’s Speedmaster chronograph is the fi rst watch to be worn on the Moon.

November 14 – November 24 The Apollo 12 mission was almost aborted in-fl ight after a lighting strike on takeoff caused telemetry loss. It continued, however, and the Lunar Module landed successfully within 200 meters of the Surveyor 3 probe, allowing the astronauts to bring back parts of the probe for examination.

12 21/07/1969 - Buzz Aldrin sets foot on the Moon for the fi rst time and deploys a number of experiments. 1970 1972 April 11 – April 17 April 16 – April 27 Dubbed a “successful failure”, Apollo 13 suffered Apollo 16, with astronauts John Young, Thomas an explosion in the service module during Earth – “Ken” Mattingly, and Charles Duke, was the only Moon transition causing the mission to be aborted. mission to target the lunar highlands. It featured a The crew took temporary refuge in the Lunar Module Lunar Rover and brought back 209 pounds (95 kg) and eventually returned to Earth with the command of lunar samples. module after a single pass around the Moon. The OMEGA Speedmaster was used for the precise timing of engine firings for which it was later awarded December 7 – December 19 Apollo 17 was the last manned landing on the “The Snoopy Award” by NASA’s astronauts. Moon. As Ronald Evans remained in the Command Capsule, Eugene Cernan and the only geologist to walk on the Moon, Harrison Schmitt, carried out extensive exploration and scientifi c testing. Cernan, the “last man on the Moon”, has said that he looks 1971 forward to a new generation of Moon walkers and that he would gladly give up the title he has held for January 31 – February 9 some 37 years. Apollo 14 landed successfully on the Moon. The fi rst color video images were sent from the Moon and the crew carried out the fi rst materials science experiments in space. The crew returned with more than 100 pounds (45 kg) of Moon rocks.

July 26 – August 7 Apollo 15 was distinguished by the fi rst use of the lunar rover to travel a total distance of 17.25 miles (27.76 km). There were also more extensive geology investigations than had previously been undertaken and the astronauts returned with 170 pounds (77 kg) of lunar material.

12/1972 - Astronaut Harrison Schmitt 14 standing next to boulder during third EVA. 15 12/1972 - This image was taken by the Apollo 17 astronauts (Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan). It illustrates a view of the rim of Shorty crater and the lunar roving vehicle against a backdrop of the mountain- like massifs that defi ne the Taurus-Littrow valley.

The end of the Apollo program The Apollo 17 mission was the last to land on the Moon but it wasn’t the end of the program. The three-man Apollo capsules were used for four Skylab missions between May and November of 1973.

In July of 1975, the Apollo name was revised for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, also known as Apollo 18, in which an Apollo space craft conducted a rendez- vous and docking exercises in space with the Soviet Union’s Soyuz 19. The astronauts and cosmonauts all wore their OMEGA Speedmaster Professional chronographs.

A total of twenty-four astronauts have traveled to the Moon, with twelve walking on its surface. Apollo 8 was a lunar-orbit-only mission; Apollo 10 included powered descent and then an abort- mode ascent of the Lunar Module, while Apollo 13, originally scheduled as a landing, ended up as a lunar fl y-by, by means of free return trajectory; thus, none of these missions made landings.

It was a time of remarkable adventure. Although human beings have not ventured from Earth’s orbit in 37 years, the International Space Station has demonstrated that our interest in exploring space has not disappeared.

16 17 1969 - Offi cial equipment certifi ed by NASA for extravehicular activity.

18 James H. Ragan NASA’s man behind the Moonwatch

When James H. Ragan retired from NASA in 1999, he closed the door on a You played a key role in the approval of the OMEGA Were any changes in the Speedmaster (related 36-year career in aerospace engineering which included the testing of Speedmaster for all of NASA’s manned space- either to comfort or engineering requirements) the astronaut chronographs used on NASA’s manned missions. These were, of fl ights. Could you comment on NASA’s long relation- mandated by NASA? course, the OMEGA Speedmasters. Mr. Ragan was also a Group Leader ship with OMEGA? No, NASA never mandated any changes to OMEGA. responsible for the testing and preparation of fl ight hardware for the Apollo OMEGA was acting initially as a contractor to NASA. However, the fi rst chronographs that NASA bought program and a senior aerospace engineer and system manager in support of NASA procured the chronographs directly from were model 6049 (USA designation). These were to Shuttle. In this interview he recalls the chronograph tests, refl ects on life at NASA OMEGA and performed all the qualifi cation testing be used for the Gemini program. I found during crew in the sixties and seventies, and thinks about the future of space exploration. and work required to insure that they were safe and usage for training and fl ight that it was very easy to would fulfi l the requirements of the astronauts. The bend or break the chronograph function buttons on long-term relationship that has existed over the the side. The case did not provide any protection years between NASA and OMEGA turned out for them. I asked OMEGA to consider redesigning to be fantastic. OMEGA was an ideal partner in the quest for space. “The long-term relationship that OMEGA was always ready to perform testing, has existed over the years provide maintenance on the astronaut chrono- between NASA and OMEGA graphs and suggest improvements. OMEGA turned out to be fantastic”. strived to provide NASA with the best chronographs the case to provide a little recess to better protect and insured that NASA got the most reliable and safe these buttons. OMEGA willingly redesigned the chronographs possible. They also developed chrono- case and this confi guration became the new version graphs for commercial sales which incorporated all of the chronograph. It has the exact same movement the requirements NASA had for its chronographs. In – just a different case. This model was designated terms of longevity, I believe that OMEGA has been 6126 (USA designation). The model 6049 was used the longest-serving single provider of hardware to throughout Gemini and I started using the model NASA. 6126 model for Apollo and beyond.

20 21 The OMEGA Speedmaster X-33 was created in Do you think that we will ever experience another such a way that it could be handled by astronauts era whose enthusiasm for space exploration will wearing their bulky gloves. Was it also possible match that which we had in the 1960s and 1970s? to manipulate the Speedmaster Professional with Yes, human beings are the only explorers on our gloves? planet. History has shown that it is mankind’s destiny Yes the crew was able to push the buttons but it was to explore new places and open new frontiers. We not easy. For EVA (suited) operations the crew usually continue to have that desire. It has to be a goal that started their chronograph when were ready to go has never been achieved before. It is paramount out and let them run without using the buttons again that it literally be beyond our current terrestrial ex- until they returned. perience.

Is there still important work to be done in the design There was a sort of “we-can-achieve-anything” of chronographs for manned space fl ight? mentality in those days, particularly in scientifi c, The Mercury, Gemini and Apollo years must have What do you miss most about working at NASA? It’s possible to imagine that exploration in deeper medical, and technological areas. Are we too jaded been particularly intense times for those of you I miss the camaraderie of being part of a highly skilled space might mandate some different prerequisites. and cynical now to return to that mindset? working at NASA. How would you switch off your team of individuals working toward a common goal In its history, NASA has always used commercially The world has changed since the 1960’s and 1970’s engineer/system manager brain and re-enter “the of exploring space. Being part of the team that available chronographs from OMEGA and that situ- but the desire to achieve has not. I think that the real world”? provided hardware and support for a journey that ation will continue in the future. “we-can-achieve-anything” mentality is still alive Most of the people who worked for NASA in the had never been made before has no equal that I and well. If a new national or international priority Mercury, Gemini and Apollo years were totally have found. NASA has announced its long-term intention to goal is set, the best of the best will again assemble consumed with the safety of the astronauts and to send a manned mission to Mars. When the fi rst to achieve this goal. It is passed time we return to providing the astronauts with the best possible ve- Could you share a couple of the highlights of your NASA astronaut sets foot on the Martian surface, this mindset. hicle and equipment in able to achieve our national long career? will he or she be wearing a Speedmaster? Will it goal of putting a man on the moon and returning As you can imagine, there were many, but I’ll name three: have to be adapted to any special needs generated him safely to earth within the decade of the 1960s. Playing a part of this new history-making frontier by the climate extremes on Mars? It was basically a 24/7/365 job. As an engineer it was one of the highlights of my career. It was truly a Yes, I believe there will always be a requirement for a was almost impossible to switch off NASA and your unique experience that only a few were afforded the personal chronograph on all future manned missions. projects. Failure was not an option; therefore, it was opportunity to experience. Additional thermal protection may be required. necessary to leave nothing to chance. I took very lit- Extensive testing will be required to verify how much tle leave and was away from home more than 50 per Providing hardware to and having a part of man’s protection will have to be provided. cent of the time. Many times at the Kennedy Space fi rst lunar landing and then fi ve additional successful Center it was necessary to work many long hours to landings and safe returns of the crew. meet the scheduled launch dates. Only after the Working as System Manager for Crew Accommo- start of the Shuttle program did it become possible dations for the Shuttle program was also particularly to re-enter the real world. gratifying.

22 23 Gerald D. Griffi n A conversation with NASA’s When President Kennedy announced the goal of To embark on this kind of exploration takes a con- legendary fl ight director landing an astronaut on the Moon and bringing fl uence of three factors: there has to be a perceived him safely home by the end of the sixties, were threat, and in those days we were actively involved Gerald D. Griffi n is the former Director of the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space you and your NASA colleagues already thinking in a space race with the Soviet Union. Center in Houston. His career in the United States space program began in 1960 about the possibility of a lunar mission or were you There has to be bold leadership, and President and included senior positions in government and industry. During NASA’s Apollo caught by surprise by the President’s challenge? Kennedy and the U. S. Congress provided that. And Program, he was a Flight Director in Mission Control and served in this capacity It was a surprise because it was such a bold move. there have to be resources. When those factors are in for all of the Apollo manned missions. He was Lead Flight Director for three To put it in perspective: I got out of college in 1956 sync – and by the way, this is not unique with me, the lunar landing missions: Apollo 11, 15 and 17. During the fl ight of Apollo 13, and my degree was in aero engineering – that was fi rst person I heard discuss this was Neil Armstrong – Mr. Griffi n was scheduled to lead the lunar landing team in Mission Control. aeronautical engineering. In those days it didn’t have anything can happen. When the landing was cancelled as a result of the oxygen tank explosion, he led “space” at the end of it. one of the teams of fl ight controllers who were responsible for the safe return of the astronauts. It became so big so We all kind of looked at each quickly. And nobody had even thought about it other and said, “We’re going very seriously until Sput- nik. All of a sudden there to the Moon? Well, okay, we’d was this thing in orbit. I mean, what’s an orbit? better get after it.” And so there were no space people to speak of in NASA describes Apollo 13 as a “successful failure”. 1960. Most of us were aviation types or electrical How would you characterize the Apollo 13 mission? engineers, mechanical engineers, all kinds of engineers What lessons did we learn from it? and scientists. But in the early going, space know- I can say now that although Apollo 13 missed the ledge was virtually non-existent. point of landing on the Moon, in a way, it’s a good thing it happened like it did. We could easily have lost But we thought we could do it. It’s just that every- those guys at the Moon and we could have lost them body I remember in the space business – contractors, on a later fl ight under a similar situation and never the work force, the government – all kind of looked known what caused it. It could have gone around the at each other and said, “We’re going to go to the back side of the Moon and had an explosion – maybe Moon? Well, okay, we’d better get after it”. So it worse than what we had; it’s possible that they never was a surprise but a surprise with a good solid basis would have come out of it from the back side so in a to build on and a lot of young people that set about way, maybe it was serendipity that it worked out the to make it happen. way it did. We got the spacecraft back home and we could see enough of the service module that we knew what happened and fi gured out why it happened and we’ll never do that again.

24 25 And it was what we were trained to do. When mis- I think that we did exactly what we needed to do in sions go well, your training is good and it’s important. Apollo. And I think we learned enough from it that But when I think back about Apollo 13, what it really we can take some much bigger steps than we’ve showed was that we were trained and disciplined taken since then. The Space Station is a good thing enough that we handled something we had never too. But it’s lower Earth orbit, it’s close to home, it envisioned. We had written a thing called Mission didn’t stretch the team nearly as much as we were Rules, and it said, “If this fails, this is what we’ll do.” stretched. The young people of today are every bit But we didn’t have a mission rule for this one, be- as good as we were, probably smarter! And they cause it was too big. It was something we had never could take us to another place very well. thought about. In addition to your long, much-documented career And yet the team was able to pull together and get as a fl ight director, you also served as Director of ‘em back. It was a way that I think we proved that we the Johnson Space Center. What was more satisfy- could handle just about anything thrown at us. ing for you: being directly involved in fl ight opera- Of course, if you do that, you will have some set- Is there a chance of that? Yeah, I think there is. Right tions or working in senior management? backs like the fi re which was no fun at all. Or like now, the whole economy is kind of on its rear end The other thing I would add is thank God for the LM, They were both satisfying and gratifying but I think Apollo 13, which started out no fun at all but prob- but I think it could get better and hopefully we’ll the lunar module! Because that little puppy got us my Apollo years were more fun. One reason is that ably turned out to be one of the better exhibitions of be ready, along with the Europeans and our other home, and it did things it was not designed to do. It I had this enormous responsibility in an operations what we could do when called on. friends. I really think it will be an international effort was a shame to have to throw it away and let it burn environment. We were focused on getting people the next time we go back to the Moon and then on up and not get home! Because it was an amazing to the Moon and getting them back safely. So at a Two different jobs and two different sets of challenges! to Mars or maybe one day to go to a distant star. little piece of machinery. All of us who were there very young age I had this tremendous responsibility. I But I have to say that if somebody asked me tomorrow thought, “What a neat guy we had riding with us could, almost with a wave of an arm, move a carrier which one would I rather do again if I could, I’d go In your days at NASA, could you switch the job off there called the lunar module.” from one ocean to another because we changed a back to that control center in a minute. when your shift was over? landing point. The combination of adrenalin, close It was hard to turn off. Let me tell you what the envi- What is the legacy of the space program through calls and excitement made it fun. What would have to happen to rekindle the plan- ronment was like. When I fi rst got out of college and the Apollo missions? As a Center Director you’re in charge not only of et’s enthusiasm for space exploration? entered the Air Force, which I had a commitment to I think what we had reached at the end is that we the control center but also the funding and people To rekindle this idea of exploration you have to do, and I spent four years on active duty in a fi ghter had taken the fi rst step to get off this planet. We did problems. I have to say it had its fun times because have the resources and then you’ve got to have squadron. In a fi ghter squadron, you had to be de- it in baby steps, from Mercury to Gemini to Apollo, it had some challenges but its nothing like lighting some reason to do it. I think right now the resources voted to it because you were doing dangerous and and we were learning all the way. We made some a fi re on a rocket and sending that guy into space are too thin for this kind of endeavor. risky things and you were fl ying with weapons and mistakes, but by and large we pulled it off. We lost at 17,000 miles an hour. There was just a thrill and But I think to ever get back to “this is something all kinds of things so you always had to be ready. the three astronauts who perished in the Apollo 1 fi re, a satisfaction in doing something extremely diffi cult we’ve got to do”, we’ve got to have the same things It was a way of life. You’re thrown together. You’re a tragedy which affected all of us but generally, we and doing it right. we had in Apollo: bold leadership, a threat, and together professionally. Your families are close. You moved slowly and steadily towards the goal. Apollo the resources. And I think if you can get those three work together and you play together. was a great fi rst step. It was not an end in itself. things then that will take us to the next step.

26 27 When I got to NASA, in the control center environ- So it was a fun time but it took a toll on families. As I ment, in Mission Ops, in Mission Control, there was say, we missed a lot of our kids’ growing up and there a very similar environment: high-risk, we had to be were certainly a lot of domestic splits and divorces careful, we worked hard, and we seldom were able and all kinds of things going on. But... I’ve been mar- to turn it off, especially during the Apollo years. ried 51 years now so I got a good one! It’s lasted.

Now after we had landed on the Moon three or four Congratulations! I think the families are among times, the last couple of missions were a little easier. the unsung heroes of the era. By that I mean, on Apollo 8 through probably 12, I couldn’t agree with you more. All of them really we were worried about getting them up there and bore the brunt of a lot of what we did. And they got getting them back more than anything. very little credit for it, of course.

Thirteen was a hiccup; 14 we did okay. With 15, Finally, what will be space exploration’s next frontier? 16 and 17, where we had the Rover, my own focus NASA’s working on a thing called Constellation, shifted – I got to know the geologists on the ground. which has a nice tie to OMEGA. And it’s to get us I went with other fl ight directors on fi eld trips with back to the Moon and onto Mars after that, using the astronauts when we went to geology training. essentially the same hardware. The challenge is We didn’t do that until Apollo 15. We thought, “Let’s going to be funding, and whether we can hold the get ‘em up there and let the scientists worry about resolve well enough together to get enough money recove-ring everything and let them work on that.” to make it happen. I don’t think there’s any doubt So our focus shifted a little toward the end. We had that we can make it happen. a better space craft, we had rovers and so forth and we could stay on the Moon a lot longer. And that Most of the fl ight hardware is derived from either the focus really did change. Shuttle or Apollo so there are no new things we’re trying to break through to make it happen. So I think But it never got out of the 24/7. Particularly during we have to take it step by step. And I think – I’ve the mission, as you know, you could look at that con- heard it said and I agree with it – that it’s probably trol room and there were a lot more people in that not as important “when” but rather “Keep going and control room than there were seats. You couldn’t stay make it happen as soon as you can.” away – you’d end up sitting on the steps or being anyplace you could get a headset so you could listen.

05/1969 - Overall view of operations in Mission Control Center, 28 on the fi rst day of the Apollo 10 lunar orbit mission. 29 In their own words An audience with the Apollo astronauts...

OMEGA is proud to present a fascinating insight into the world of space exploration as seen through the eyes of Tom Stafford, Buzz Aldrin, Charles Duke, Harrison Schmitt, and Eugene Cernan.

Discover the men behind the mission, the intensity of their training, the immense risk factor, their strength of character, ordinary men creating their own destiny and shaping the future for all mankind. Thomas Stafford Buzz Aldrin In his 27 years as an offi cer in the United States Air Force, Lieu- Colonel Buzz Aldrin was the Lunar Module pilot on Apollo 11, tenant General Thomas Stafford was a member of the crew on the fi rst lunar landing. He was, along with Mission Commander four historic NASA missions in space. In May of 1969 he was Neil Armstrong, the fi rst person to land on the Moon, and shortly the commander of Apollo X which orbited the moon. General afterward, became the second person to set foot on the Moon. Stafford logged his fourth space fl ight commanding the Apollo- Colonel Aldrin holds a doctorate in astronautics from the Massa- Soyuz Test Project, a joint space fl ight culminating in the historic chusetts Institute of Technology. He set a record for extra- fi rst meeting in space between American astronauts and Soviet vehicular spacewalking activity and proved that astronauts cosmonauts. could work outside the spacecraft.

On seeing the Moon in close up for the fi rst time On the magnitude of the achievement We had been briefed that we would not see the Moon until we There was a long period of time when it was a dread to consider got there, because the Moon was in eclipse from the Earth. And that people would be asking me for the rest of my life to talk about when we left the Earth and were on our way out there, the Earth the past! There are still parts of it that are diffi cult to communicate kept getting smaller and smaller. And we kept looking, thinking with real honesty, and those are the feelings and emotions. And “Where is the Moon?” So we called back, “Guys, we’ll take your it’s not as if we don’t have feelings and emotions; we were just word it’s out there but we haven’t seen it yet!” suppressing those in favor of the job, and concentrating on what was coming next. Finally, when we were 40 to 50 thousand miles out we could see just a little eclipse of it, for a while. And then later the Sun went Remembering the day of the launch down and it was just a black place in the sky. All the stars were We suited up, marched out, got in the van and waved to around us. And then the Earth went down, Earth disappeared! people. And then we went up the elevator. My crewmates From left to right : Gerald D. Griffi n - Lieutenant General Thomas P. Stafford - Dr. Harrison Schmitt - Colonel Buzz So there we were in blackness. And suddenly – we’re upside went in (to the capsule) and I stood out there for maybe Aldrin - Brigadier General Charles Duke - James H. Ragan - Captain Eugene Cernan down going backwards – and suddenly about one minute before five, ten minutes – it seemed like quite a while – all by myself, the time to turn on the engine, the Moon just appeared right looking out and seeing the sun come up and the waves come underneath us. It was an unforgettable experience. in, and the frost come off the rocket. And I consciously said to myself, “I want to remember this moment.”

30 31 Charles Duke Harrison Schmitt Eugene Cernan In 1969, Charles Duke was a member of the astronaut support Dr. Harrison Schmitt has a particularly diverse professional back- Captain Eugene “Gene” Cernan spent 20 years as a Naval crew for Apollo 10 and he served as CAPCOM for Apollo 11, ground, having served as a geologist, pilot, astronaut, business- aviator, including 13 years with the National Aeronautics and the fi rst mission to land on the Moon. General Duke served as man, writer and United States Senator. He served a Mission Space Administration (NASA). He left his mark on history with Apollo 16’s Lunar Module pilot in 1972. On that mission, he and Scientist in support of the Apollo 11 mission. After training as three historic missions in space as the pilot of Gemini IX, the Lunar John Young landed at the Descartes Highlands and conducted back-up Lunar Module pilot for Apollo 15, Dr. Schmitt fl ew in Module pilot of Apollo X, and the commander of Apollo XVII. three EVAs, making Duke the tenth person to walk on the Moon. space as Lunar Module pilot for Apollo 17 – the last Apollo He fl ew to the moon not once, but twice, and also holds the mission to the Moon. He was the only scientist and the last of distinction of being the second American to walk in space and On being selected to be one of the Apollo astronauts twelve men to step onto the Moon. the last man to have left his footprints on the lunar surface. It was a great surprise actually! The competition was very keen. And that I was selected to be an Apollo astronaut was very On the lunar topography On the responsibility of commanding Apollo 17 special in my life, a great honor. But even more was the opportunity Even though I was working at a field job, admittedly in a I asked for that responsibility. I had a chance to perhaps fl y earlier to be selected and actually land on the Moon as one of the 12 very unusual site on the Moon, I recognized that I was in this than that on a fl ight to the Moon as lunar module pilot, as I did – it was truly remarkable. deep mountain valley, deepter than the Grand Canyon of in Apollo 10. So I turned down an earlier chance to walk on the the Colorado in the United States. The mountains on either side Moon because I wanted to command a fl ight. It was probably On the moment before lift-off were over 2,000 meters high. The valley was quite narrow: only the biggest risk I ever took in the space program. There were no You’re sitting on a Saturn V rocket, the biggest rocket ever seven kilometers wide at its narrowest point. And it was just a guarantees that it would happen – maybe or maybe not. But it’s launched. And your focus is on the procedures. And you’re ready magnifi cent place to be. Brilliantly illuminated by a Sun as bright what I wanted and it’s how things worked out. to go. You’ve trained. You don’t want a delay, you don’t want an as any desert Sun that I could imagine and grew up with. abort. So your focus is: “Keep going! Keep counting! Let’s go! I’m Why did I want that? Why did I take that risk? I like to be in control ready.” The hardest thing to get used to is the blackness of the sky. On of my own destiny. I wanted a challenge. I just wanted to be Earth, of course, if you have a brilliant Sun, you have a blue sky. responsible for the success – or if it were to be, the failure – of a On the lunar landscape On the Moon, it’s black. mission to the Moon. And being the fi nal mission to the Moon Awesome beauty. I thought the Moon was the most beautiful was even more of a responsibility, more of a burden on my shoulders, desert I’d ever seen. Grey in color, very sharp contrast between the On how his life changed after the Apollo missions because of all missions, being the last mission – I couldn’t allow lunar-grey horizon and the blackness of space. Very bright! And It mainly changed because people were interested in having me it to be anything but a success. A failure? You know, failure was you could look up into space and it felt like you could touch the talk about my adventures! And it didn’t change, I don’t think, any not an option on Apollo 13. Let me tell you, it was not an option velvetiness of space. basic personality traits, belief systems, or anything like that; on Apollo 17 either! but suddenly people were interested in hearing about that On Earth as it appears from the Moon adventure and participating in it vicariously in that way. I describe the Earth as the jewel that was just suspended in the blackness of space. And it’s breathtaking! 32 33 11/12/1966 - Buzz Aldrin performs extravehicular activity (EVA) during the second day of the four day mission in space of the Gemini 12 spacecraft. Aldrin 34 is positioned next to the Agena work station. OMEGA celebrates the fi rst moon landing with 2 limited edition watches

The fi rst manned lunar landing on the 20th of July, 1969 was one of the greatest, most dramatic scien- tifi c achievements in human history. Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon’s surface at 02:56 GMT on the 21st of July. Nineteen minutes later he was joined by Buzz Aldrin, who was wearing his OMEGA Speedmaster and a legend was born. An interesting footnote: the electronic timing system on the Lunar Module was not functioning correctly so Armstrong had left his watch in the Lunar Module as a reliable backup.

Two OMEGA Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Apollo 11 “40th Anniversary” Limited Edition watches have been released to celebrate the adventure: one in stainless steel (7,969 pieces); the other in platinum and 18 Ct yellow gold (69 pieces).

“To the best of my knowledge, the Speedmaster is the only piece of hardware which was used from the very beginning without any modifi cation”. James H. Ragan

36 37 The stainless steel Limited Edition

The distinctive timepieces are powered by OMEGA’s calibre 1861, which shares its lineage with the calibre 321 used in the original Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch.The stainless steel casebody is delivered with a stainless steel bracelet which has been up- graded to include OMEGA’s patented screw and pin system.

The black dial also recalls that of the Moonwatch with some key differences. The small seconds counter (sub-dial) is a medallion which features an adap- tation of Apollo 11’s famous mission patch: an eagle descends to the lunar surface with an olive branch representing peace in its claws. In the distance, far above the horizon, the earth is visible. The patch, interestingly, was designed by Michael Collins who remained in the Apollo 11 capsule as Command Module Pilot while his colleagues Armstrong and Aldrin were in the Lunar Module and on the moon.

The watch’s hour, minute and the red-tipped chrono- graph seconds hands are coated with Super-Lumi- Nova. The minute and hour chronograph counter hands are white and there is a brushed, rhodium- plated small seconds hand in attractive relief to the slightly recessed medallion on the counter.

38 39 One small step

Below the words “OMEGA SPEEDMASTER The OMEGA Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch PROFESSIONAL” on the dial, the legend 02:56 Apollo 11 “40th Anniversary” Limited Edition is de- GMT – the exact time that Neil Armstrong made his livered in a black presentation box that also includes “one small step” onto the moon – is displayed in red. a 42 mm sterling silver medal (the same diameter as the watch) featuring an engraving of the mis- The 40th Anniversary Limited Edition’s dial is protected sion patch on one side with the words “APOLLO by Hesalite, the same robust, shatter-proof acrylic crystal 11, 40th ANNIVERSARY”. On the reverse side, the found on the original Moonwatch. Hesalite was medal is engraved, “THE EAGLE HAS LANDED”; ideally suited for use in space – there was no chance “LAUNCHED JULY 16 1969”; “LANDED JULY 20, that it could break apart and send potentially dan- 1969”; and “RETURNED, JULY 24, 1969” along with gerous fragments into the low-gravity environment. OMEGA’s name and logo. A small, distinctive OMEGA logo has been etched evocatively inside the Hesalite crystal. Also in the presentation box is a certificate of authenticity and an envelope containing a black The Apollo 11 “Eagle” mission patch is stamped on polishing cloth with information commemorating the the caseback along with the words, “THE FIRST historic space fl ight. WATCH WORN ON THE MOON”, the limited edition number (0000/7969), and “JULY 21, 1969”, the date Armstrong and Aldrin fi rst stepped onto the moon’s surface at 02:56, the time which is printed on the dial.

“I also believe that when the first astronaut sets foot on the Martian soil the chronograph that will be worn will be an OMEGA.“ James Ragan

40 The platinum Limited Edition A very limited release with unlimited legacy

A platinum version of the OMEGA Speedmaster The platinum version of the Speedmaster Professional Professional Moonwatch Apollo 11 “40th Moonwatch Apollo 11 “40th Anniversary” features Anniversary” watch is also being released in an a box-form scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with edition limited to 69 pieces. The casebody and anti-refl ective treatment on both sides and the screw and pin bracelet are made of platinum and OMEGA calibre 1861 movement. the medallion on the small seconds counter is made of 18 Ct yellow gold as is the small seconds hand. The hour and minute hands as well as the 30 minute 69 pieces A subtle reminder on the small medallion on the dial and 12 hour counter hands are made of platinum. indicates just how special this watch is: the limited edition number (00/69) is engraved at the base of This elegant version of the watch is also delivered the small mission patch on the dial. with a 42 mm 24 Ct yellow gold medal, in a limited

and numbered edition, with the mission patch en- The platinum Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch graved on one side along with the words “APOLLO Apollo 11 “40th Anniversary” Limited Edition is 11 40TH ANNIVERSARY”. The reverse side features delivered in a black presentation box. The limited the engraved legend: “THE EAGLE HAS LANDED”; edition number (00/69) is displayed on the top cover “LAUNCHED JULY 16 1969”; “LANDED JULY 20, of the box along with the Apollo 11 mission patch. 1969”; and “RETURNED, JULY 24, 1969” along with The steel feet are engraved with “1969”, the year the OMEGA’s name and logo. Apollo 11 mission took place and “2009”, the year the world commemorated its 40th anniversary and The caseback features the mission patch in the year the watch was produced. The box also 18 Ct gold with the words “APOLLO 11 40TH includes a certifi cate of authenticity. ANNIVERSARY”. Around the platinum outer ring of the caseback appear the words, “THE FIRST WATCH WORN ON THE MOON”, “PT950” – a reference to the watch’s platinum content, and “JULY 21, 1969”, the date that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface.

42 43 All photographs courtesy of NASA from nasaimages.org from NASA of courtesy All photographs

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