BUSINESS | POLITICS | PERSPECTIVE JULY 16. 2019

SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION Apollo 11 at 50 SN APOLLO 11 AT 50 SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION

NEWS IN THIS ISSUE

5 NASA shakes up exploration team Experts cite benefits, challenges The next space age 7 BY ARTHUR C. CLARKE of further space exploration 8 Senators working on “bold” new Apollo 11 memories ‘seared in my mind’ NASA authorization bill BY DORIS ELIN SALAZAR 9 “Apollonauts” reflect on lunar The Eagle has crashed: The top secret UPWARD landing and return to the moon programand Apollo disasters 11 NASA contractors support BY DWAYNE DAY Artemis cost estimate 12 Apollo 11 memories ‘seared in What Will Be Different Next Time my mind’ BY TOM ZELIBOR 20 Intrepid Museum honors Apollo Making the moon and Mars possible software engineer Margaret Ham- BY ROBERT ZUBRIN ilton Time to go back to the moon, 21 Apollo 11 anniversary coins take ‘small step’ to space and back to truly stay BY RAND SIMBERG 22 HBO relaunches ‘From the Earth to the Moon’ with new HD Apollo is a lesson in leadership that continues visual effects to inspire and educate REVIEWS BY DICK RICHARDSON 38 Chasing the Moon: : The People, The Apollo program and the Chinese treasure the Politics, and the Promise That Launched America into the Space fleets Age BY GARY OLESON 39 One Giant Leap: : The Impossible Reflections on the U.S. space program a Mission That Flew Us to the Moon half-century after Apollo 11 40 The Moon: A History for the Future BY HARRY AUGENSEN

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2 | SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION has tobemade on aredesign critical time,when adecision 3 |S how we can explore the solar mission, which demonstrates for therecent Clementine of-the-art hardware developed them. should make the best use of in orbit, andtheUnited States good second-hand bargains really look like. — thinkaspacestation should what I—andStanley Kubrick ment on this:everyone knows am toobiasedtomake ajudg fusion programs. But perhaps I and, any moment now, thehot Superconducting Super Collider the bullet and send it to join the of thespacestation —or tobite capitated NASA at acritical time. which it later apologized, de in adisgraceful actof folly for Department of Justice which, Congress, nottomention the should really beblamedon for many of NASA’s problems and does seematrifleharsh, has sofarbeencontemplated, U.S.-Russian cooperation than a somewhat greater degree of who tried toescape.” of Cossacks,andshootanyone Headquarters with aregiment said, “then surround NASA over toGoddard andJPL,” he “Turn all theexistingprograms Sates moving againinspace. me how hewould gettheUnited Twenty-five yearsafter Apollo11,ArthurC.Clarke outlinedfor The next space age Commentary |Arthur C.Clarke elevators. an explorationvisionmarked by reusablelaunchvehiclesandspace SN The sameapplies tothestate- This, I suppose, is another Such ascenario would require Meanwhile, there are some S N SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 APOLLO 11AT 50 was notCarl)told tronomer (no,it well-known as ome years ago, a The piecethat followsfirstappeared inourJuly18-24, 1994issue. - - - system cheaply andexamine and landvertically canlift that avehicle built totake off my engineeringfriends doubt Clipper flights, though some of fascinated by the recent Delta hardware at every takeoff. Iam millions of dollars’ worth of are now, iftheythrew away an even worse messthan they ones. Theairlineswould be in delivery i.e.,fully reusable on reliable andcost-effective space operations must depend needed. mischief — until they are really employed Star Warriors out of and at thesametimekeep un not-invented-here syndrome, I hope that NASA canavoid the Pluto early in the next century. It isalso obvious that all future - space exploration inaJuly1994op-edfor Sir ArthurC.Clarke, shownaboveina1965photograph,outlinedvisionfor SpaceNews. SpaceNews

THE ARTHUR C. CLARKE FOUNDATION 4 |S a costabout 90percent recoverable on (about $100 of electricity per passenger, geostationary orbit for essentially zero cost spectacular of engineeringachievements. him might one day make possiblethis most never knewthat thematerial namedafter recording of “Fountains.” What apity he from Sri Lanka,for thesleeve-notes of my sketch of the space elevator, stretching up Bucky Fuller, along-time friend, drew a “This iswhat it may leadto.” Fountains of Paradise” andexplained, his colleagues displayed a copy of “The conference from orbit, Jeff Hoffman and experiment in August 1992. During a press it aplug when theyconducted thetether as one application. specifically mentioned thespaceelevator terial, he claimed, that can ever exist — he buckminsterfullerene — the strongest ma the discovery of thenanotubevariety of University’s Richard Smalley announced material with which tobuild it. WhenRice be taken seriously now that we have the The firstisthespaceelevator, which must rockets’ replacement on thefarhorizon. live tosee.There are already two hints of a date which millions already born will much of afuture, at leastbeyond 2100, interested inrockets. Theydo nothave to themoon andonto Mars. now. Andthenit will betimetogo back pure jetstage.We shall see,adecade from airbreathers, perhaps piggyback with a of human-rated vehicles will bepartial well asthepilot.” they could never carryapassenger,as air flight wastotally impossible: “Anyway, on his celebrated proof that heavier-than- defense aftertheWrights hadcastdoubt be correct, but Irecall Simon Newcomb’s “It is also obvious that all i.e., fully reusable ones.” i.e., fullyreusableones.” and cost-effective delivery must dependonreliable future space operations Although the elevator could get us to My guess isthat thenextgeneration And here isanothereerie coincidence. The crew of thespaceshuttle also gave But Imust confess that Iamno longer worthwhile payloads toorbit. Theymay N SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 - physicist anddissident] Andrei Sakharov’s based on some ideas of [Soviet nuclear However, recent theoretical studies — Until now, this hasbeenpure fantasy. noise, dangerandhorrendous expense. least thesolarsystem,without therocket’s us togo racinground theuniverse, or at of amythical spacedrive that would allow ence-fiction writers have long dreamed to fight theEarth’s gravitational field. and mostof it neednolonger bewasted as propellant could also beliftedtoorbit could certainly do thejob—andcheaply, method of propulsion thereafter. Rockets the way back)we would still needsome believe we will ever travel fasterthanlight. hard look at theseequations. (no one over 25needapply) totake along, would getmy best,brightest andyoungest which Isometimes wake up screaming —I If Iwasheadof NASA —anightmare from digging tunnels do things getout of hand. icists costspeanuts. Only when theystart care andfeeding of mathematical phys a complete mystery. possible over gravity andinertia,hitherto — hint that some control may indeed be But there may besomething better.Sci Move over, Simon Newcomb. But then,Iamanotorious conservative. Warp 5anyone? Sorry —Ijustdo not This isavery long shotindeed, but the S N - - anniversary of theApollo11moonlanding. anniversary a spaceexploration visionontheeveof the25th prototype were onClarke’s mindwhenheoutlined success of theDC-X reusable launchvehicle Fountainsof Paradise”andtherecent novel “The Futurist BuckminsterFuller, topleft,Clarke’s 1979

WIKEPEDIA/ARTHUR C. CLARKE/MCDONNELL DOUGLASS N 5 |S and Bill Hill, deputy associate man exploration andoperations, associate administrator for hu reassigned Gerstenmaier, the after Bridenstine said he had Station by theendof thisyear. nauts totheInternational Space panies will beabletolaunch astro whether commercial crew com 12, Bridenstine also questioned Post “Newsmakers” program July Washington ers from to themoon. deadline for returning humans programs andstill meeta2024 with theagency’s key exploration address costandschedule issues maier, because time was limited to spaceflight head,Bill Gersten Trump administration’s 2024deadline forreturningtothemoon Bridenstine says leadership changeslinkedtoNASA’s urgency tomeet NASA shakes upexploration team exploration programstoaddresscostandscheduleissuesinorderkeep a2024 humanlunarlandingontrack. heneededtomovequickly tochangeleadershipofNASA’sNASA Administrator JimBridenstinesaidinaJuly12interview In aninterview with report The interview cametwo days N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION SN JEFF FOUST SpaceNews APOLLO 11AT 50 agency’s human he reassigned the Jim Bridenstine said ASA Administrator for for C-SPAN and The The ’s ’s - - - - - NASA for 42years, andwe love is agreat patriot. He hasserved 2011. “He isagreat American. He established that directorate in ration andoperations since NASA administrator for human explo in 1977andhadbeenassociate enmaier, who started at NASA make thischangeat thistime.” important tomake thisdecision, he said.“Ijustthought it was Operations Mission Directorate,” of theHuman Exploration and to have newleadership at the top and Ibelieved it wasimportant doing thingsinadifferent way, in going fast,we’re interested in the administration isinterested in human spaceflight where the spaceindustry. held in high regard throughout ularly sinceGerstenmaier was took many by surprise,partic ” positions. Theannouncement systems development, to “special administrator for exploration Bridenstine praisedGerst “We’re moving toanewera - - - deputy associate administrator and Orion and theotheranew like the Space Launch System one for exploration systems would then hire two deputies, the job on permanently, who search” tofindsomeone totake plans toundertake a“nationwide stine saidinaJuly 11memohe astronaut Ken Bowersox. Briden interim basisishisdeputy, former on all of ourdecisions.” “We need to move out quickly needs tohappen now,” he said. going tohave newleadership, it a lot of timetowaste.If we’re moon by 2024. “We don’t have goal of landinghumans on the created by theadministration’s because of theschedule pressures the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, now, on theeve of celebrations of reassign Gerstenmaier andHill was “entirely my decision.” that reassigning Gerstenmaier him,” hesaid.Bridenstine added Replacing Gerstenmaier on an Replacing Gerstenmaier on an Bridenstine said he decided to - in cost and schedule issues with in costandschedule issues with to make key decisions on reining team inthemission directorate will beup tothat newleadership them execute tothosebaselines.” costs, andthenultimately have their own baseline schedules and the programs andcome up with will belooking for themtolook at in thedirectorate, hesaid.“We individuals tocreate that top team” way andlunarlanders. responsible for efforts like Gate billions inadditional funding to make thecasetoCongress for comes astheagencyistrying NASA’s exploration programs The shakeup in leadership in PAYING FORARTEMIS cost andschedule,” hesaid. and No. 2,we are committed to sure, No. 1,ourastronauts are safe, to do isthequestion.” much of agreen rundo we need test would take place,“but how expected that some form of the done.” He added, though that he nation of what testsneedstobe we’ll letthemmake thedetermi the program,” hesaid.“Ultimately place andthenletthemlook at sure we getthosetop people in to thegreen run.“Iwant tomake has notdecided about any changes Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel. Congress aswell asNASA’s own criticism from some members of minutes. That proposal has faced that NASA could shorten or even Bridesntine tosuggest inMarch development of that core stageled core stageof theSLS. Delays inthe those programs, inparticular the Stennis Space Center for eight be fired on a test stand at the stage, where its four engineswill skip a“green run” testof thecore Bridenstine suggested that it Bridenstine suggested that it “We’re looking for three total “The key is this: we want to make “The key is this: we want to make Bridenstine saidthat theagency - -

C-SPANNASA/Aubrey Gemignani 6 |S appropriators marked up their bill. leased thesameweek asHouse the budget amendment was re action wasnotsurprising, since Bridenstine saidthat theHouse’s agency programs, like science. increasing spending for other not include that funding, instead priations bill passedinJune did Artemis in2020.AHouse appro $1.6 billion down payment for cost of theprogram. NASA alone would pay for the he said,which hesaidassumed when I gave that original range,” come inwell under the$20billion NASA, it drives down ourcosts.” they have customers that are not customers that are notNASA. If money. Why? Because theywant “They want toinvest theirown want tocontribute tothis,” hesaid. is that there are otherpeople that those costs.“What we’re learning partnerships could helpreduce international andcommercial billion costestimate, but suggested efforts related toArtemis. on lunarlanders, SLSandother agency in fiscal year 2020 to work an additional $1.6billion for the a budget amendment, seeking administration intheform of He cited thesupport from the It’s largely parochial,” he said. not Republican or Democrat. for sure, but it’s notpartisan:it’s by 2024. of landinghumans on themoon projections to achieve the goal the agency’s previous budget would cost$20–30 billion above Bridenstine estimated that it an interview with administrator for human exploration administrator forhumanexploration and operations, testifying at a House at aHouse and operations, testifying The lackof House funding, NASA hasyet tosecure that He acknowledged the $20–30 “The challenge ispolitical, “It’s very realistic that it could hearing July10. Hourslater, NASA Bill Gerstenmaier, NASAassociate for the Artemis program. In for the Artemis program. In N another top exploration systems another topexploration systems SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION SN official were being reassigned. official werebeingreassigned. Administrator Jim Bridenstine Administrator JimBridenstine announced Gerstenmaier and announced Gerstenmaierand APOLLO 11AT 50 CNN in June, inJune, - - developing vehicles designed where BoeingandSpaceX are its commercial crew program, Another key issue for NASA is COMMERCIAL CREWDELAYS kind of anomaly.” NASA canmove forward insome said, “we needtolook at how through an“anomaly” totheCR. less they’re formally authorized ability to start new programs un previous fiscal year, restrict the fund agencies at levels of the Continuing resolutions, which case throughout recent history. resolution (CR),ashasbeenthe likely tostarton acontinuing is that the2020fiscal year is can beachieved.” just begun.I’mconfident that it committee. “Theprocess hasonly their differing bills inaconference the House andSenate reconcile for Artemiscanberetained when and that theadditional funding act on thebudget amendment, the time.” challenge istheyjustdidn’t have very supportive,” hesaid.“The of theaislethat are, infact,very, talked topeople on bothsides a lackof support for Artemis.“I’ve he argued, wasnotevidence of “If that happens,” Bridenstine He saidhehopes theSenate will One area of concern, though, One area of concern, though, - go forward with what that launch want tomake sure that, before I flights could launch thisyear. “I it wasstill possiblecrewed test he saidintheinterview, noting make thesemissions areality,” to do that thisyear.” American rockets. We’re going to spacefrom American soil on to returning American astronauts ment for a very long period of time ment. It demonstrates a commit in March. of its Crew Dragon spacecraft SpaceX’s uncrewed test flight ence here, when he mentioned the Future Space 2019 confer said two days earlier, speakingat confident than what Bridenstine this point.” said. “Ihonestly don’t know at that flight complete thisyear,” he whether or notwe’re going toget of theyear, ashadbeenplanned. carry astronauts before theend companies may notbeready to hinted intheinterview that the extensive delays, and Bridenstine companies, though, have suffered Russian Soyuz spacecraft.Both Station, endingreliance on the from theInternational Space to carryNASA astronauts toand “We are moving rapidly to “That’s amonumental achieve That comment wasfarless “I don’t want to comment on - - - need tomake it ago,” he said. mitted to commercial crew. We schedule issues. “We are com as it deals with overall costand Operations Mission Directorate the Human Exploration and task for thenewleadership of stine suggested, will beanother mercial crew testflights, Briden public assoon aspossible.” as much information out tothe do apress conference andget couple of hours,we’re going to of another mishap. “Within a communications in theevent process isnow in place for again.” the accident. “That can’t happen from SpaceX immediately after there was“nocommunication” from measwell,” hesaid,noting differently inthefuture. vowed that theprocess will work that incident, andBridenstine in theongoing investigation into criticism for thelackof openness company andtheagencyfaced an in-flight abort test.Boththe in April during preparations for that Crew Dragon spacecraft be safe.” that thesevehicles are going to date will bethat we know for sure Bridenstine said that a new Bridenstine saidthat anew SpaceX suffered theloss of Updating schedules for com “That criticism largely comes S N - - -

NASA/Aubrey Gemignani 7 |S sustainable human presence on themoon lunar surfaceby 2024andtoestablisha Where We’re Going.” Exploration Plans:Where We’ve Beenand of future missions at thehearing,“NASA program and the benefits and challenges industry leaders who discussed the Apollo grounded,” headded. U.S. spaceexploration program “will be on thegoal.” Without greater unity, the segments are philosophically divided a very capable workforce. But eachof the mission, top level leadership inplaceand “We have anagencychartedtodo the transportation subcommittee hearing. 9 at aSenate Commerce science and to provide theresources,” KranzsaidJuly strongly supportive of spaceandwilling ators July 9. Apollo flight director GeneKranztoldSen sured thesuccess of theApollo program, lacks thefocus andprioritization that as of furtherspaceexploration Experts citebenefits, challenges T Kranz wasone of theNASA veterans and “We have anadministration that is NASA planstoreturn astronauts tothe N SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 DEBRA WERNER space exploration. However, it workforce it needsfor further vanced technology andcapable he United States hasthead - - - sector,” Dittmar said. fort andfor thegrowing entrepreneurial foundation bothfor today’s national ef program are evident to all, and form the adjusted dollars invested in theApollo the benefits of tentimesthat amount in political challenge, it isworth notingthat and CEO. for DeepSpace Exploration president that, saidMaryLynne Dittmar, Coalition year above current fundinglevels after an additional $4billion to$6billion per billion in additional funding in 2020 and achieve thosegoals, NASA will need$1.6 by 2028 through the Artemis program. To much to inspire the next generation to thriving, visible Artemisprogram will do degrees inSTEMareas,” Darden said.“A decline inthenumber of students getting aeronautical engineer. NASA mathematician, data analyst and neering andmath, saidDarden, aretired seek careers inscience, technology, engi ilarly, Artemiscould prompt students to education director, told the panel. Sim Center strategic communications and Darden, former NASA LangleyResearch its impact on theU.S. workforce, Christine One of important benefit of Apollo was “While fundingincreases are always a “Sadly, afterApollo ended, there was a Commerce CommitteeinWashington. Apollo flight director Gene Kranz Apollo flightdirector GeneKranz testified July 9 before the Senate testified July9before theSenate - - - space exploration andthedevelopment of spire and achieve – in short, to lead human and long-term commitment toaspire, in assurance regarding ournational intentions space-based economy with security and that provides other nations and a nascent space depends upon creating afoundation the Soviets, United States leadership in ramifications aswell. missions will have important geopolitical pursue STEMcareers.” programs but the most esoteric technical for results, noteffort on all developmental told the committee. “And NASA must pay essentially all theoperational needs,” he affordable andbasic capabilities tomeet entrepreneurs toinnovate andcreate outcome-based requirements and allow Station, Stallmer said. deliver cargo totheInternational Space program, apublic-private partnership to Commercial Orbital Transportation Services with industry through programs like the be purchased commercially or developed necessary for Marsmissions should either and mostelements of thearchitecture ational elements of future lunarmissions on theinnovation of commercial firms. those of theApollo eraby relying more U.S. spaceactivities could diverge from Federation president, suggested future and asamessagetotheglobal community.” against economic downturn, policy shifts national assetssustainedasaguarantee tary capabilities, theseare long lead-time said. “Similar tothedevelopment of mili will rest for theforeseeable future,” Dittmar goals inhuman deep spaceexploration form “the foundation upon which national vehicle andExploration Ground Systems between nations.” remains astrategic, competitive domain rest assured that someone elsewill. Space space,” Dittmar said.“If we do notdo this, Dittmar saidfuture spaceexploration “NASA should specify clear, high-level, Eric Stallmer, Commercial Spaceflight “No longer inaracetothemoon with Infrastructure in low Earth orbit, oper The Space Launch System, Orion crew - - -

SENATE COMMERCE VIDEO STILL 8 |S to return humans to the moon administration’s current efforts suggested it would support the when it would beintroduced, but what thebill would contain, or the world inexploring space.” so that America continues tolead and mannedspaceexploration bold, visionary agenda for NASA act tohelpcontinue tolay out a yet anotherNASA authorization ing with committee leadership “on stating that waswhy hewaswork sequential thanthelast,” hesaid, potential tobeeven more con for human exploration of Mars. build upon a2017bill that called bill, yet tobeintroduced, would said a new NASA authorization programs, Sen.Ted Cruz(R-Texas) ture of NASA’s human spaceflight subcommittee on thepastandfu Commerce Committee’s space a July 9hearingof theSenate spaceflight program. future of the agency’s human authorization bill todirect the leagues on a“bold”newNASA next50 “The NASA authorization bill Senators new working on“bold” T than thelast.” consequential be evenmore potential to years have the In his opening statement at In hisopening statement at Cruz didn’t go into details about Cruz didn’t go into details about “The next50years have the N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION SN JEFF FOUST APOLLO 11AT 50 working with col committee says he’s Senate’s spacesub he chairmanof the - - - - - a 24-gigahertz band of spectrum a 24-gigahertz bandof spectrum in Congress have about theuseof resolve concerns sheandothers thorization might beusedto cific measures shewasseeking. but didn’t elaborate on what spe NASA on thecommercial side,” “continued harmonization with bill authorizes. Shealso called for funding” for spaceactivities the priority she had for the bill is “robust here July 10,Cantwell saidone Future Space 2019 conference of the full committee, on the bill. ranking memberrespectively twell (D-Wash.), thechair and Wicker (R-Miss.) andMariaCan (D-Ariz.), aswell asSens.Roger member, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema with thesubcommittee’s ranking space industry thriving.” vision that seesthecommercial need aboldvision,” hesaid.“A commercial spaceactivities. “We missions toMars, but also support by 2024asasteptoward human the agency’s human spaceflight activities. humanspaceflightactivities. the agency’s U.S. Sen.Ted Cruz(R-Texas) saidhe’sworkingwithcolleaguesinbothpartiesonaNASAauthorization actintendedtoguide She also said the NASA au In aluncheon speechat the Cruz saidhewasworking - - - follow recommendations issued lunar activities tomake licensees agency that licenses commercial reported thebill on avoice vote. sites. The committee favorably and otherhistoric lunarlanding legal protections for the Apollo 11 Space Act,” intended toprovide to Protect Human Heritage in a bill called the“OneSmall Step mittee favorably reported S.1694, bill. The Senate Commerce Com forward on another space-related she said. the bestforecasting information,” allows them and NOAA to have is nottogive away spectrumthat trying tohelpNASA with, which jeopardize weather forecasting. band, which theyargued could spheric water vapor inanearby satellite measurements of atmo could create interference with that bandfor terrestrial 5Gservices NOAA have warnedthat using for 5Gservices. BothNASA and The bill requires any federal The Senate, meanwhile, moved The Senate, meanwhile, moved “We have achallenge that we’re - - the joint statement. are safeguarded,” added Cruzin these important parts of history efforts toreturn tothemoon, ensure that, aswe ramp up our monsense bill without delay to to take up and pass this com bill with Cruz,saidinastatement. (D-Mich.), who co-sponsored the on themoon,” Sen.Gary Peters ties look toestablishapresence as more public andprivate enti protecting thesesites –particularly we must do everything we canto of thisgiant leap for humankind, As we mark the50thanniversary generations iftheywere on Earth. would bepreserved for future the typesof historic placesthat amount for such fines. but doesn’t give aspecific dollar ees that violate thoseguidelines, assess penalties againstlicens It also allows thoseagencies to any updates tothoseguidelines. ervation of landing sites, as well as by NASA in2011regarding pres “The Apollo landingsites are “I urge my Senate colleagues S N - - - -

NASA/BILLNASA/Aubrey INGALLS Gemignani 9 |S lunar surface. moon and tosixsuccessful landingson the to develop asystemthat guided Apollo tothe nologies from that era,like integrated circuits, Engineers took advantage of emerging tech on both the command andlunarmodules. portable digital real-time computers, used Apollo GuidanceComputer, one of thefirst oratory hadaNASA contract todevelop the landing andreturn tothemoon “Apollonauts” reflect onlunar NASA should return tothemoon. and half acentury later have advice for how T model of the moon at Draper Labs to mark the 50th anniversary ofApollo11. model ofthemoonat DraperLabstomarkthe50thanniversary Five ofthe“Apollonauts” whodevelopedtheApolloGuidanceComputer—DanLickly, JimKerner, PeterKachmar, PeterVolante andHughBlair-Smith —posewitha The facility, now known as Draper Laboratory In the 1960s, the MIT Instrumentation Lab N SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 the mission could beasuccess, 11 lunar landing had little doubt computers that enabledtheApollo he engineers who developed the JEFF FOUST - - Apollo 11with a“Hack theMoon” exhibition nization, ismarking the50thanniversary of and spunout afterApollo asanonprofit orga porting work on theTrident missile’s guidance engineer who still works at Draper today sup to do it,” recalled Peter Kachmar,arendezvous don’t thinkanybody thought we weren’t going never doubted theywould besuccessful. size, thoseinvolved intheprogram saidthey with the added constraints of schedule and pressed thelimits of technology of theera, the computer. — discussedtheirexperiences developing gineers —dubbed “Apollonauts” by Draper headquarters here July 9, several of the en- Guidance Computer. At a media event at its recalling its role indeveloping theApollo “The landingwaskindof anail-biter, but I While theApollo GuidanceComputer - - management at MIT andNASA about the the computer to crash. She then advised her while inthemiddle of themission caused commands tostartapre-launch program with amodel of thecomputer. Inputting thing her young daughter discovered playing the computer. led theteamthat developed thesoftware for caused errors,” saidMargaret Hamilton, who rolled mission phases in and out, but they or 72 kilobytes, of memory. “That’s why we time, thecomputer hadonly 36,000 words, was without problems. While advanced for its velopment of thecomputer andits software going tobesuccessful.” at the lab, we can do. I had always felt it was system. “Whatever we setourmindstodo One such example, sherecalled, wassome That confidence, though, didn’t meande- -

DRAPER SN APOLLO 11 AT 50

“The landing was kind of a nail-biter, but I don’t think anybody thought we weren’t going to do it.”

problem, and suggested a software fix to prevent it from happening. They rejected her suggestion. “We just can’t do it,” she said they told her. The astronauts, they reassured her, “are too well-trained. It’s not going to happen.” It, in fact, did happen on Apollo 8, resetting the navigation system. Afterwards, she said management agreed to the software change to prevent that from happening again. The limited capacity of the computer also led to major cuts in the software. Jim Kerner, a lunar module software engineer, said that at one point the software exceeded 150 per- cent of the available storage. On a day dubbed “Black Friday” NASA management directed major cuts to the software in order to fit into available storage. “Up until that point we all had the idea that Buzz Aldrin exits the Lunar Module “Eagle” and begins to descend the steps of the Lunar Module ladder as he prepares to walk on the moon. the software would be self-contained and fly the mission without the help of the ground,” he said. “They chopped out a lot of the capability that was dear to hearts. Now the ground was what Blair-Smith called a “weird situation” not have been possible to do Apollo without preeminent, and we couldn’t fly the mission with the power supplies on the spacecraft, the modern digital computer.” without the ground.” meant that the radar was taking up computer Computer systems have advanced remark- Perhaps the best known issue with the cycles, triggering the alarm. “Buzz gets a lot of ably in the half-century since Apollo, but the computer system was the program alarms blame” for that, unfairly, he said. “Everything engineers who worked on the Apollo Guidance during the lunar module’s descent on Apollo he had done was perfectly rational and very Computer still had advice for NASA as it re- 11. That was triggered by a rendezvous ra- well founded on the events of Apollo 10.” turns to the moon with Artemis. One example dar that was on during the lander’s descent, The engineers worked directly with a number of that advice is centralizing development. something the engineers said hadn’t been of astronauts on the computer system. Dan “One of the most important features of the anticipated during development and testing Lickly, a software engineer on the system, way the program was set up was that it was of the computer. singled out Neil Armstrong as someone par- all here in one building,” Blair-Smith said. If Hugh Blair-Smith, who worked on the ticularly interested in the computer. “We were someone ran into problems, “he didn’t send computer’s hardware and software, said that giving a lecture to a group of astronauts that off an interdepartmental memo, he trots down Buzz Aldrin had decided to leave the rendez- was supposed to take one hour, and it took an two doors and asks me.” vous radar on during descent, even though hour and a half because Neil would just not Hamilton said that she’s still seeing the use it wasn’t needed. That decision was based stop asking questions,” he said. “We had no of the “traditional lifecycle” approach to soft- on the experience with Apollo 10, when the trouble communicating, because it was one ware engineering used in Apollo, which can lunar module briefly lost attitude control as it geek to another. We got along fine.” be time-consuming and expensive. She called prepared to return to the command module. Without the Apollo Guidance Computer, for the use of alternative approaches that avoid “He became doubly aware of the possibil- engineers said the Apollo landings would those problems. “It’s maybe going to happen, ity that they’d have to abort and start using not have been possible. “There wouldn’t but it’s still going to take time,” she said. the rendezvous radar quickly,” he said. “He have been a mission,” said Peter Volante, a “The most important thing is to understand made sure in Apollo 11 that the rendezvous software engineer. He recalled comments exactly what miracles in project management radar was as ready for instantaneous use as made by Chris Kraft at a symposium 10 were developed and worked,” Blair-Smith said. it could possibly be.” years ago about Apollo. “Among the things “We had plenty to complain about at the time, The fact that the radar was on, as well as he said in his talk that day was that it would but it really was amazing.” SN NASA 10 | SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION 11 |S Americans,” Hickam said. put money inthepockets of all to boost our economy and thus the moon should begathered for itself, hesaid.“Theriches on eventually will more thanpay know that lunarexploration lunar missions, theyshould pay the up-front cost of future cally.” If U.S. taxpayers agree to economically and philosophi to theAmerican people both lunar program “must make sense program, Hickam saidNASA’s sential elements of theArtemis evidence of life,” Hickam said. moon andinthere may be find alot of water ice on the idence of life. “We’re going to there,” includingpossibleev wealth and discover all that is “set up shop to utilize its mineral should return tothe moon and exploration. TheUnited States to reducing thecostof space States take another approach author, suggested the United engineer and“Rocket Boys” Stallmer said. Federal Acquisition Regulations, typical contracts awarded under agement andbureaucracy” of pay for the“costly microman the spaceagencywill nolonger partnerships and competition, own risk.” to put up private capital at their to commercial partners willing funded Space Act Agreements multiple, competitively chosen possible NASA should award “A thriving, STEM careers.” ation topursue the nextgener- much toinspire program willdo visible Artemis While heapplauds thees Homer Hickam, former NASA If NASA adopts thismodel of challenges. Whenever N SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50

S N - - - - Module developed for Apollo cost program, estimated that theLunar the historical costsof the Apollo The PlanetarySociety, examining lander capability.” want tothinkabout developing a that’s probably about right ifyou president-day dollars, hesaid.“So Apollo era,wasabout $30billion” in lunar lander, ifyou go backtothe tine estimated was needed. “The that additional fundingBridens- said, would likely require mostof the lunarlander,” hesaid. not beeninthebudget sofarwas projections. “One element that has already included inthoseearlier Orion and the lunar Gateway, are including theSpace Launch System, many major elements of Artemis, at Aerojet Rocketdyne, notedthat strategy andbusinessdevelopment appeared tobereasonable. said that overall cost estimate now calls theArtemisprogram in various aspectsof what NASA with several companies involved portation Association, executives organized by the Space Trans media inquiries about it. that costestimate or answered provided additional details about was developed. NASA has not cost estimate covered or how it He didn’t elaborate on what that existing NASA budget projections. over thenextfive years on top of that spendingwould take place June 13interview with CNN, saying stine gave that cost estimate in a billion for theagency. an additional $20 billion to $30 the moon by 2024will require NASA that landinghumans on a recent estimate by theheadof exploration programagree with Companies involved inNASA’s Artemis costestimate NASA contractors support A recent study publishedby Development of thelander, he Frank Slazer, vice president for At a panel discussion June 20 NASA Administrator Jim Briden JEFF FOUST - - the company was finalizing a get tohere,” hesaid,adding ger andprobably costmore to development, soit took uslon- funding phasingprofile through der much flatter funding profiles. Orion have insteadoperated un- and thenfalls, although SLSand have afundingprofile that rises Development programs usually EM-2 andnow called Artemis-2. the Orion, formerly known as Martin for thesecond flight of mission director at Lockheed important,” said Tony Antonelli, five years. “Thephasingof thisis of how it will bespread out over for Artemis, there’s the question total amount of fundingneeded the initial 2024landing. “minimal” Gateway for supporting the decision todevelop only a the Gateway program, reflecting several hundred million dollars from not yet taken up by Congress, cut amendment, released May 13but and science missions. That budget going toSLS,spacetechnology lunar lander work, with therest that, $1billion wasearmarked for for Artemisfor fiscal year 2020.Of $1.6 billion inadditional funding 2019 dollars. about $23.4 billion todevelop in “We didn’t follow the optimum Others notedthat, besides the So far,NASA hadrequested only on schedule,” hesaid. which will landfolks on themoon, keep the third mission of Orion, mission. “We’re well on ourway to Orion spacecraft for the Artemis-3 needed for production of the already received long-lead items Artemis-1, hesaid. driving towards a2020launch” of and undergoing testing.“We’re still the enginesection now complete ress on theSLScore stage,with company wasmakinggood prog programs at Boeing,saidthat the lunar surface. would board alander togo tothe the Gateway, from which they as theone carryingastronauts to 2024 that NASA currently foresees including the Artemis-3 mission in That could affect later launches, push thelaunch toJune 2021. that date, which ifrealized would as 12months of schedule riskto the report saidthere isasmuch is scheduled for June 2020but Artemis-1, are likely. That launch lays in the first SLS/Orion launch, report that warnedadditional de Government Accountability Office this production phase.” we’re here now, sowe cangetto for future Orion spacecraft.“But production contract with NASA Antonelli said Lockheed has Antonelli saidLockheed has Bill Beckman, director of NASA The panelcameaday aftera S N - -

NASA 12 |S a lot of national excitement. experience that andalso it would generate be a great opportunity for our country to on themoon because Ithinkthat would but it needstobewith thefirstwoman moon?” And Isay, yes, infour or five years, asked alot now, “Should we go backtothe story of theMercury 13inmy book. I’m are abundant. in thenewspaceera,women astronauts we’re sitting under aspaceshuttle and by 1983,you have Sally Ride, andnow to putting thefirstwoman inspace.But got theopportunity. TheSoviets beat us to that eraof gender bias,women never bestowed on themdecades later.] But due nauts andtheMercury 13nickname was never formally acceptedthemasastro and were ready to go into space. [NASA trained andpassedall theendurance tests, 13, who went out toNew Mexico and women astronauts known as the Mercury is that it’s all American men. One of thestories about going tothemoon in theprocessofresearchingbook? What’s somethingthat youdiscovered unfold on histelevision. and staying up late towatch themission few personal anecdotes about beingaboy both ahistorian’s perspective aswell asa this June 14 interview, Brinkley offered shot journeyisweeks away, andduring (Harper, 2019). F. Kennedy andtheGreat Space Race” latest book, “American Moonshot: John chat about theApollo 11mission andhis down with reporter Doris ElinSalazar to University professor Douglas Brinkley sat mind’ Apollo 11memories‘seared inmy Q&A withpresidential historianDouglasBrinkley B I wanted tomake sure that Itoldthe But there wasawomen’s pilots core: 13 The 50thanniversary of thefirstmoon SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION DORIS ELINSALAZAR APOLLO 11AT 50 presidential historian andRice Sea, AirandSpace Museum, prise within New York’s Intrepid eneath theSpace Shuttle Enter - - - space asthenewocean. that speech waspublic discovery, science, choose togo tothemoon.” The point of ber 12, 1962, gave the famous speech, “we that’s where John F. Kennedy on Septem Well, I’ll tell you, Iteachat Rice University; people acrosstheworld. think thisstoryalso reaches alotof spacecraft theselongdistances,but I the Americanability tobeablesend to the moon. We talk about NASA and international scopeofsendingpeople I’m wonderingifyouthinkabout the Neil Armstrongphotographedhisshadowonthemoonafter walkingaway fromthelunarlander. - the Korean War, and we get mired into proxy to not go to war. We had fought the United States andtheSoviet Union. and thenabout thecompetition between I write about what happened inGermany the pioneer inearly space exploration. So World War II, and it was Germany that was sky andbeyond. That didn’t happen until jectiles 62 miles (100 kilometers) up into the [broke] theshackles of Earth, putting pro more about thebeginning; how humans Going to the moon became sort of a I wanted toreally write [inthisbook] -

NASA 13 |S What wastheconnectionbetween John contracts andsubcontracts. these companies togetU.S. government But there isafierce competition between know who thewinnersandlosers are. ple tryingtogo into spacetoday, we don’t Ford Motors survived. Soof all thesepeo automobile. Ninety-nine are defunct. Only 100 auto companies tryingtopremiere the beginning of the20thcentury, there were Ford andFord Motors. Random House, 2004),all about Henry called “Wheels to the World” (Penguin on Henry Ford andtheautomobile world, It’s anexciting field. Ionce wrote abook that may affectthefuture ofspaceflight? private astronauts. How doyouthink up theInternational Space Station to NASA announcedthat it will beopening to getinto i about two countries who hadthemoney But back intheearly days, it wasmore knows. But it’s definitely global inscope. may go into space or Marstogether. Who people thinktheUnited States andJapan the United States might compete. Some might happen down theline,Chinaand doesn’t have arivalry aspecttoit. That American astronauts into space.So it Station. big thingbecametheInternational Space field. That’s why afterthe moonshot, the Japan, andso it’s really aninternational gram, Russia, Brazil, the European Union, ipating in space. China has a robust pro to themoon, many countries are partic are memorials toRussian cosmonauts. where Neil Armstrong’s bootprints are, in the space program. So on the moon commemorating theRussians that died astronauts left on themoon medallions were thefirston acelestial body. But, our because Neil Armstrong andtheAmericans something that’s celebrated intheU.S., The factthat theUnited States didit is gangbusters totrybethefirstthere. two geopolitical adversaries. sented asafriendly competition between At the World’s Fair in St. Louis at the Today, Russian rockets are sending Now, ever sincetheUnited States went Both theUnited States andRussia went the Vietnam War. But spacewaspre SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 - - - - U.S. presidents only have somuch band that madethat possible? What wasit about that administration F. Kennedy andtheApollo mission? space with Sputnik. Andthey put thefirst the Soviet Union put thefirstsatellite into schools anduniversities. And thenalso, engineering andmath] research at public what we call STEM[science, technology, of teachingmath andscience. States waswoefully ignorant inthefield 1950s, hehadcomplained that theUnited was good because asaU.S. senator inthe Kennedy picked space.Kennedy’s timing thing that they care deeply about. John F. or two issues, which they turn into some width, andthey often gettopick one issue components of the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package on the surface of the moon. components oftheEarlyApolloScientificExperimentsPackageonsurfacemoon. In thisimagetaken duringtheApollo11mission,astronautBuzzAldrinmovestowardapositiontodeploytwo So Kennedy wasan early promoter of - - the Trump administration ismaking ing important, and,B.prioritize it. Now would first,A.have topick spaceas be all thetime.Sofor afuture president, they ators asJohn F. Kennedy. He isstill quoted very few presidents that are asgood asor collective, American endeavor. There are on Capitol Hill andturnedit into agreat, He gave great speechesandfundraised puter technology andnewinnovations. and Kennedy’s a beneficiary of new com president, NASA’s only acouple years old, In 1960,Kennedy iselected.Sowhen he’s late 1950s.NASA wasn’t created until 1958. innovated by Texas Instruments inthe the computer chip of today wasreally creature into [orbit] with Laika.And yet What hedidquite well wassell space. - - -

NASA 14 |S may betraveling thisentire solarsystem It’s anexceedingly exciting area. world, are engaged in space exploration. versities all over thecountry, all over the field of endeavor andpeople from uni on themoon, but spaceisavery robust they were] watching Neil Armstrong walk that everybody’s glued totheirT.V., [as exploration. It may not be to the point even grown, ispublic interest inspace moon. Things have changed since then. a ColdWar battle towho’s thefirstto easily transferable to take that energy into on big projects inWorld War II.Soit was private sector, working incollaboration very tied tothefederal government and The United States’ economy hadbeen ended when Kennedy ran for President. know, it’s only 15years afterWorld War II the World War IIhangover effect; you Well, inthe1960s, we were still having from today? What makesthe1960seradifferent [collective] public support. political climate. Soit’s hard togalvanize lot of debt andwe’re inakindof strange things. No funds,you can’t. the money. If you have funds,you can do about where you’re going to appropriate national priority list.Anything inlife is can put themtothefront of avery heavy that develops apassion for themandwho oceans —are really viablefor apresident think bothof thosefields —spaceand mapping of theoceansandlike. SoI both explore spaceanddo oceanography, empirical data, andKennedy wanted to experts, trustingscientists, believing in nected. It’s about believing inscientific climate data. Imean,soit’s all intercon planet Earth.NASA today isgiving usour Earthshot: that we needtowork on saving some people feel it’s really atimefor an and we have oceansthat are dying. And help. We’re dealing with climate change, oritize it. Right now theEarthneedssome Today, it’s athird of 1percent. annual budget went into spacefor NASA. effect of themid-1960s, 4.4 percent of our and Mars.But [because of] theKennedy From athousand-year perspective, we Yet what’s consistent and,Ithink,has Space isvery expensive; you have topri And right now, theUnited States hasa rumbles about going tothemoon SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 - - - pretty exciting. was eight andahalf years old, soit was the road from where Neil Armstrong. I planet, Ihappened tobeliving right down was from. Sowhen you look at thewhole Wapakaneta, Ohio, where Neil Armstrong was about 80miles (129km)or sofrom was living inPerrysburg, Ohio. Andit I waseight anda half years oldandI about thefeeling? ing? Could youmaybe sharealittle bit have memoriesoftheApollo 11land Do you,oranybody inyourfamily, Armstrong togo up there. the scientific community that allowed puter specialists, astrophysicists; it was was really the rocket engineers,com our representative human toleave Earth. just because he’s thefirst,but [he]became will know thenameNeil Armstrong. Not congresspersons from today. But people nobody’s going to remember senators or politicians alive today won’t beknown; Maybe a thousand years from now, most scope of human history, isalarge event. and go somewhere else.Andthat, in the were able to leave the shackles of Earth push was we did it, and finally humans and Apollo 11 and Kennedy’s Apollo But what’s important about Armstrong in ways we can’t even imaginetoday. lunar surface. A colorfulhigh-resolutionmosaicofthefullmoonrevealsslightdifferencesinchemicalcomposition And it’s abig accomplishment, but it - - This story originally appeared on Space.com. Space.com. on appeared originally story This and aimfor thefuture. but also look at themoon andthestars, 11 will make people appreciate thepast, spectacular. room inthemiddle of rural Ohio ispretty ages from themoon live into your living the United States isdoing television im no television …inthe1930s.Thefactthat them, it wassowild. They were born with for my mother andfather’s generation, to that grainy black-and-white footage. And different programming from it andseeall and stay up at weird newhourstowatch I got to sleep in my sleeping bag by the TV few iconic moments. gets shown over and over againfrom a it gets warpedover time because [footage] 11 that are seared inmy mind.Obviously memories of that 8-day mission of Apollo we went tothe moon. Andsoit’s those how excited shewasthat we didit, [that] remember my mother,who’s now dead, [because of] my own excitement, but I it. Andsoit wasagreat memory notjust and atelescope, andwe were pulled into orize-your-planets andstar-galaxy guides in [toit]. We hadspacepostersandmem high schoolteacherssotheywere really Yes, oh my god! My mom anddadwere So youknewthat at 8andahalf yearsold? Hopefully, the 50thanniversary of Apollo But for meit was,like, anevent because S N - -

MIGUEL CLARO 15 |S robotic missions that would characterize So, NASA undertook aseries of precursor much data on thelunarterrainaspossible. tested andfinicky vehicle, theyneeded as that theastronauts would beflying anun the qualities of thesurface.Considering Module, theywere primarily guessing about in finepowder that could swallow aLunar gestions that themoon might becovered Although mostscientists dismissedsug relatively little about thelunarsurface. gineers were concerned that they knew Apollo lunarlandingprogram, NASA en During the early planning phases of the INSURANCE POLICY two agencies argued about its continuation. diate requirement for it disappeared, the community nervous, andonce theimme project made some intheU.S. intelligence preparation for thelunarlandings.But the graph themoon invery high resolution in to look down from lunarorbit andphoto program. The goal of UPWARD was in fact collaborated on theclassified UPWARD the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) NASA and a secretive organization known as summer 1967. by thetimetheycanceledprogram in the hardware toaccomplish themission happened, but NASA had nearly finished scene investigation. Ofcourse,that never image thecrashsite, asort of secret crash top-secret reconnaissance satellite, to a high-powered camera,derived from a such a situation, NASA might have to send telemetry about what hadgone wrong. In on thesurfacewithout leaving sufficient strong andBuzzAldrin aboard could crash Apollo disasters The topsecret UPWARD program and The Eaglehascrashed D Declassified documents indicate that N SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 Lunar Module with Neil Arm the possibility that the Apollo 11 the moon, NASA considered uring theheight of theraceto DWAYNE DAY ------the size of surface features, thesmoothness the lunarsurface,providing vital data on conducting lunarlandings, andactually Orbiter toprovide thedata necessary for to cooperate on abackup plantoLunar and theNRO hadasecondagreement 2010 thegovernment revealed that NASA ment between NASA and theNRO. But in satellite technology because of anagree benefited from accesstoclassified spy landing sites. Orbiter program to photograph potential in support of Apollo, andstartedtheLunar toward measuringsurfacecharacteristics from theSurveyor program anddirected it terrain. NASA stripped much of the science of terrain,andespecially theslope of the The Lunar Mapping and Survey SystemwouldhavephotographedtheMoonat highresolution. The LunarMappingandSurvey Lunar Orbiter, which began in 1962, - had first entered service in summer 1963 had firstentered service insummer1963 GAMBIT-1 reconnaissance camera, which the problem quickly decided upon the be useful for Apollo. The people studying which existing NRO camera systems might Defense tocover contractor studies regarding transferred $800,000totheDepartment of was still inits infancy. In May 1964NASA on LMSSinApril 1964, when Lunar Orbiter Reconnaissance Office signed anagreement and Survey System.) NASA andtheNational times also known asthe Apollo Mapping (often without the ampersand, and some nar Mapping and Survey System, or LM&SS erated by Apollo astronauts inlunarorbit. Lunar Orbiter, thishardware would beop started construction of hardware. Unlike The backup project wasknown as theLu - - -

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achieving high-resolution from low Earth orbit. GAMBIT-1 also had the designation KH-7. At the moon, the camera could be used at 30 nautical miles (56 kilometers) altitude to provide high-resolution images of the ground, or from 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) altitude to provide broader area coverage. The new program was given the classified code name UPWARD, which never appeared in NASA documents. The initial plan called for mounting the large GAMBIT-1 optics system in Scientific In- strument Module (SIM) bay No. 1 of the Apollo Service Module. Contractors would build four test units and two flight units for $36 million. But after conducting a detailed study, the NRO decided to abandon plans to try to modify the camera system for the SIM bay and instead chose to use the camera inside GAMBIT’s Artist concept from a 1968 encyclopedia showing the LMSS photographing the Moon. The existence of the LMSS was Orbiting Control Vehicle (OCV), unclassified, although details were secret. Despite this, the LMSS program was overlooked by most histories of the a cylinder 18 feet (5.5 meters) Apollo program. long and 5 feet (1.5 meters) in diameter. The GAMBIT-1 was, at the reach into the OCV, and detach won the contract to adapt the designations for the different time, the most powerful camera the film takeup reel—sealed to camera system for Apollo use. steps in the program, an Earth system ever carried into space. It prevent accidental exposure— Lockheed was responsible for orbit test would have essentially had a 44-inch (112-centimeter) and pull it back into the Com- the film takeup system inside been the equivalent of an Apollo primary mirror and a 77-inch mand Module, all without ever the Satellite Recovery Vehicle, D class mission. It is difficult to (196-centimeter) focal length. leaving their spacecraft. After and this would have required speculate which Apollo mission The new plan was to carry the they resealed the hatch and modification so that it could number or crew would have OCV with its powerful camera repressurized the Command be handled by an astronaut. flown this mission in late 1967. system along with the Apollo Module, they could detach the By the fall of 1965, the system At least one of the missions command and service modules OCV and head home. design was finalized. Lockheed would be conducted in Earth atop a Saturn V rocket, with The GAMBIT-1 camera was would also provide the shell orbit to test the equipment. the OCV in the compartment manufactured by Kodak. Lock- that encased the camera sys- But after that mission, the next reserved for the Lunar Module. heed built the Satellite Recovery tem, based upon the shell that one would involve launching a The Apollo CSM would detach Vehicle, which was not needed the company was producing Saturn V to the moon. from the stack, turn around 180 for the UPWARD mission. It also for the upgraded GAMBIT-3 degrees, dock with the OCV, and built the workhorse Agena upper reconnaissance satellite. Thus, LUNAR ORBITER TAKES pull it free. Instead of a Satellite stage that placed the GAMBIT-1 the GAMBIT-1 optical system FLIGHT Recovery Vehicle at the front of in orbit and also was not needed. would be mounted within a As work was progressing on the spacecraft, there would be a The OCV provided guidance GAMBIT-3 shell. these top-secret spacecraft for docking adapter, and inside the and stabilization for the GAM- Lockheed’s contract required Apollo, NASA began launching unpressurized spacecraft fore- BIT-1 and was manufactured by that it deliver the first UPWARD the Lunar Orbiter missions. Lunar body would be the film takeup General Electric. But the LMSS unit in July 1967, with a flight Orbiter I launched in August 1966, reel. After the reconnaissance would stay attached to the Apollo test in low Earth orbit in Decem- followed by Lunar Orbiter II in mission was over, Apollo astro- spacecraft and did not require ber. Although it was not until November 1966. Both missions nauts could then depressurize the OCV’s services. 1967 that the Apollo program were successful, and a NASA the capsule, open the hatch, In June 1965, Lockheed developed the Apollo A thru J official concluded that these

16 | SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION 17 |S agreed, with several persons arguing that landing sites. But noteverybody inNASA satellite reconnaissance, andwould have acknowledgement even of theexistenceof officials were uncomfortable with any public the camerasystem.Intelligence community procedures for revealing theexistenceof NASA officials had draftedacover story and addition to theLMSShardware, NRO and top-secret reconnaissance program. In embarrassing questions about the nation’s powerful optics system,raisingpotentially revealing theexistenceof theLMSSandits that it still would have required publicly the problem with Seamans’ proposal was landing. For theintelligence community, for anApollo mission aftertheinitial lunar tific exploration of themoon, presumably option of converting the LMSS to scien to theclassified reconnaissance program. Earth and attracted agreat deal of attention unclassified high-resolution imagesof the have resulted intheproduction of possibly particularly problematic because it would Earth orbit testingoption would have been continuation with testinginEarthorbit. The tinuation without testinginEarthorbit, and discussed three options: cancellation, con DoD andintelligence community officials the imagery returned by Lunar Orbiter. review of basingthelandingdecision on mans hadalso ordered acomprehensive program with DoD and NRO officials. Sea of theLunar Mapping andSurvey System Reconnaissance Office, discussedthefuture primary point of contact with theNational trator Robert Seamans,who hadbeenthe considered vital tonational security. surrounded theiractivities, which they who wanted topreserve thesecrecy that the secretive reconnaissance community, at themoon or inEarthorbit, andthosein the civilian spaceagencycould use,either NASA who saw LMSSasapowerful toolthat future. It also exposedariftbetween thoseat were overseeing theLMSStoconsider its provided apause that allowed thosewho and determined how torecover from it, this schedule. As NASA investigated thefire a major setbacktotheprogram andthe terrain at thepotential landingsites. provided sufficient data on the slope of the the Lunar Orbiter photographs hadnot Seamans also proposed anadditional By April 1967, NASA Associate Adminis In January 1967,theApollo 1fire dealt missions had“certified” several Apollo N SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 - - - - Apollo site certification capability intheevent the words of one NASA official “a backup The original justification for LMSSwas,in VANISHING REQUIREMENT ment for thesecret UPWARD program pictures, furtherundercutting therequire IV hadflown inMay. Bothreturned useful flown inFebruary 1967,andLunar Orbiter not vital tothesuccess of Apollo. information on satellite camerasthat was been completely opposed torevealing any actually landed on themoon, theywould it. Onereason wasthat until astronauts had and proposed several reasons for keeping officials were reluctant to give up the system requirement for thecamerasystem.Apollo there were internal memosabout thefuture about endingtheLMSS,andby late June sites. There wasdiscussion within NASA successful, would certifyfour more landing Lunar Module, and the last Lunar Orbiter, if certified asacceptablelanding sites for the could accomplish othermissions. for thisrole. Some at NASA believed that it But by spring 1967it wasnolonger required of Surveyor or Lunar Orbiter inadequacies.” an Apollospacecraft. GAMBIT-1 camerasystem andtheGAMBIT-3 controlvehicle.ItwouldhavebeencarriedaroundtheMoonby System,undertheclassifiedcodenameUPWARD,The LunarMappingandSurvey wasderivedfromthe By June 1967,four locations hadbeen . In themeantime, Lunar Orbiter IIIhad - pecially for thefirstlandingmission. lunar surfaceinevent of anaccident, es way of photographing equipment on the that it might beuseful tohave alow-cost what todo with it. hardware stored until NASA could decide gram should beterminated andtheLMSS mans therefore determined that thepro considerably later thananaccident. Sea it would require aseparate Saturn Vflight required flexibility” for this mission because concluded that theLMSS “did nothave the lunar surface.” But inlate July, Seamans survey accidents that might occuron the quick-reaction photographic capability to had suggested anotherusefor theLMSS:“a By thistimethoseworking on theprogram PHOTOGRAPHING ACRASHSITE that betterphotography might berequired. for later intheApollo program, meaning considering more challenging landing sites smooth—locations. However, NASA was sites were all inrelatively easy—flat and be required. In addition, theearly landing site. Themore powerful LMSSmight still data wascompared totheactual landing not know how good theLunar Orbiter The discussion also convinced Seamans - - -

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He wrote “ideally, the CSM should be able to obtain meaningful information about any LM accident before returning to earth. While the possibility of an incident in which photography would be the only data available for analysis is considered very remote, I feel it would be worthwhile to have a simple high-quality CSM pho- tographic system available before the first lunar landing.” If a Lunar Module crashed, it would be the responsibility of the sur- viving astronaut, the Command Module pilot, to photograph the accident site from orbit before heading home, all by himself. In July 1967, Seamans sent a memo to NASA’s Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight indicating that NASA could not justify continuing the LMSS. He also asked for an assessment of photographic reconnaissance systems that could perform the landing site analysis mission. These in- cluded handheld cameras in the Command Module, Service Module-mounted camera systems then in the planning stages, and Block I and Block II LMSS systems. Seamans asked for a rapid assessment of these ca- pabilities and the requirement. Seamans added that he would also like to discuss “the possible uses, for other mis- sions than lunar mapping and survey, of the two sets of LMSS equipments about to be delivered, so that we can achieve maxi- mum benefit from our investment to date.” This opened a whole new can of worms for the National Reconnaissance Office. The Director of the NRO, Alexander Flax, was not happy with the idea of NASA continu- Notional illustration from a 1968 encyclopedia showing the LMSS ing the LMSS if it was no longer needed to support Apollo. equipment for free, and at some point NASA There was an additional problem: Kodak PRESERVING UPWARD probably either transferred the remaining was discontinuing the GAMBIT-1 camera Seamans ordered that the classified hard- LMSS hardware to the NRO, or ordered it system in favor of the much more powerful ware produced for the Lunar Mapping and destroyed. Even if it was transferred to the GAMBIT-3, also designated the KH-8. The Survey System be placed in storage awaiting NRO it may have been later destroyed as first GAMBIT-3 had flown in July 1966. further decision on what to do with it. This surplus. However, two film takeup canis- The last GAMBIT-1 launched in June 1967 consisted of four units in various stages ters, which would have been retrieved by and the NRO was no longer paying for it. of development, including two that were the astronauts with the exposed film inside With the GAMBIT-1 retired, any work on nearly complete. Apparently, somebody at and returned to Earth, were apparently camera systems derived from GAMBIT-1, JPL later again proposed that the camera preserved and still exist. Although they are like that used for the LMSS, would have had system be carried on lunar landing mis- not currently on public display anywhere, to bill all the costs, including overhead, to sions, but the system was simply too big they would be good additions to a museum the LMSS program, meaning NASA’s costs and heavy to be carried with any mission able to properly place them in context, would rise substantially. On July 25, 1967, that included a Lunar Module. like the Kansas Cosmosphere. This article Seamans informed senior NASA officials What happened to the stored hardware contains the first ever published photos of that he planned on canceling LMSS. But remains unclear. The hardware was clas- this hardware. he waited until after the successful launch sified. At least initially it would have been NASA also considered using the LMSS as of Lunar Orbiter V in August 1967 before stored by the contractor—either Lockheed part of a space station in Earth orbit. Some informing the NRO of his decision. or Kodak. But contractors do not store unclassified NASA documents included

18 | SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION 19 |S reached [email protected]. was involved intheUPWARD/LMSS program. He can be Dwayne Day isinterested inhearingfrom anybody who in thedarkness. may still bemore secrets of Apollo lurking story of Apollo isfarfrom complete. There that 50years afterthemoon landing, the after theprogram existed. apparently unaware of LMSS for decades program. But other space historians were because it wasanaccurate description of the entry obtainedtheinformation from NASA, planned orbit. Obviously, whoever wrote the although thismay nothave beentheactual showing the spacecraft in a lunar polar orbit, was accompanied by two illustrations, one devices are being developed.” Theentry by anastronaut andadded that “four LM&SS film would be exposed andthenretrieved camera.” Thebook stated that 75poundsof camera incombination with astellar index camera andamoderate-resolution mapping would consist of a“high resolution survey Adapter inplaceof theLunar Module and LMSS would becarried intheSaturn Launch 1968. Theencyclopedia entry notedthe and Beyond Encyclopedia, publishedin mention of it isvery obscure: intheAbove program. Theonly known contemporary hundreds of popular books about theApollo not mentioned inofficial histories or the to publicize the project during Apollo. It is gram wasnotclassified. NASA didnothing ment, but theexistenceof theLMSSpro along with technical details of theequip space station. sion andmade it harder toattach tothe obscure theCommand Module pilot’s vi have beenunimportant, but thetrusswould orbit operations themasspenalty would would leave thetrussattached. For Earth the large cameraout of thetruss,or ifthey had notdecided ifit waspossibletopull inside the Saturn, at the time engineers would have been required tocarry the LMSS structure. Although some kindof structure Adapter. Other illustrations show no truss would holdit inside theSaturn Launch depict it inside alarge trussstructure that the spacestation. Acouple of illustrations port andthenmaneuvered into placeon be connected totheApollo CSMdocking was depicted asalarge cylinder that would although nodescription of it. TheLMSS the Lunar Mapping andSurvey System, The code nameUPWARD wasclassified, What theUPWARD/LMSS story tell usis simple linedrawings of theexterior of N SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 S N - - - canisters wouldhavebeenrecoveredbyanApolloastronautat theendofphotographymission. Newly declassifiedphotosoftheonlyremaininghardwarefromUPWARD program.Thesefilmtakeup

NRO 20 |S lifetime, to make every kindof ers, we hadtheopportunity of a awards ceremony. “As develop her acceptancespeechat the mission,” Hamilton saidduring as theevents surrounding the itself wasat leastasexciting it herself. not yet exist;Hamilton coined term software engineeringdid the field was so young that the When shebeganhercareer, module of theApollo 11mission. mand module and the landing computers on boththecom programmers who ranthe Achievement Award. with theinstitution’s Lifetime engineer Margaret Hamilton May 23 by honoring software software engineerMargaret Hamilton Intrepid Museumhonors Apollo T May 23, 2019. Margaret Hamilton acceptedanaward at theIntrepidMuseuminNewYork on “The software experience Hamilton ledtheteamof MEGHAN BARTELS N SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 of Apollo events kicked off asummer in New York City he Intrepid Museum - - error humanly possible.” did it have tobeultrareliable, it time,” Hamilton said.“Not only stake. It hadtowork. Thefirst the software needed tobe. conscious of how well-tuned the project, theywere always colleagues were working on be clear.As Hamilton andher before Apollo 11launched, to astronauts were about toland expected happened. Just asthe sudden, something totally un great detail,” she said. “All of a was reporting themission in going perfectly; Walter Cronkite touch down. “Everything was Buzz Aldrin were preparing to sion, justasNeil Armstrong and a key turningpoint of themis never solved before.” solved [that programmers had] real time.Problems hadtobe an error andrecover from it in would needtobeabledetect “Astronauts’ lives were at All thoseerrors were made But Hamilton also recounted - - software torunon themoon.” “Our software becamethefirst on themoon,” Hamilton said. became thefirsthumans towalk safely. “The Apollo 11astronauts astronauts fixed it andlanded switch that was misaligned; the them there wasanemergency.” priority alarm displays towarn displays and replaced them with the astronauts’ normal mission priority displays interrupted on themoon, thesoftware’s that everybody could hear and sounds throughout the building with sirenlike andfoghornlike computer would tell on you if your program crashed,the said. “Themachinewashuge; cantankerous computer, she detect enemy planes. which helpedmilitary personnel Environment (SAGE) project, MIT’s Semi-Automatic Ground software engineeringwork on weather. Shealso touched on her programs tobetterpredict the science work by developing how shebeganhercomputer the Apollo effort, including from hercareer before joining ilton also shared memories debt of gratitude.” colleagues owe you a personal said. “Iandall of my astronaut the privilege tofly on twice,” he the space shuttles, which Ihad mately toareusable spacecraft, continue its work that ledulti the award, notedduring his who presented Hamilton with astronaut Mike Massimino, computer science, former NASA for more thanjustthefield of the United States wasableto pioneers like Margaret that of developments like thisand introduction. “It isbecause That moment was pivotal The alert was triggered by a That program ran on a notably That program ranon anotably During her remarks, Ham - - caused it.” together with theperson who era totake apicture of thebug was. We usedaPolaroid cam to find out who the guilty one eryone would come running could see,” Hamilton said.“Ev flashing lights that everyone This story originally appeared on Space. permission. on with Used appeared com. originally story This how to exist without them.” Hamilton said.“Theytoldus we hadnot thought of asking,” holding answers toquestions what to do and where to go, each tinued. “Theerrors showed us pathways were crucial, shecon things we did.” have beenabletolearnthe without which we would not responsibility intheirmaking, opportunity of having hadsome also totheerrors Ihave hadthe those Ihave learnedfrom, but of thecredit goes notonly to no preconceived notions. Much the benefit of beginning with people,” Hamilton said.“Ihad right opportunities and the right place at theright timewith the was because Iwasintheright have experienced, much of it her remarks. program, shementioned during her experience with theApollo That work builds directly on addressing them after they arise. before theyoccur,rather than new systemthat prevents errors software engineer,pursuinga “Astronauts’ lives first time.” had towork.The were atstake. It Those glitches andmistaken “Whatever success Imay Hamilton is still an active S N - - -

ERIKA KAPIN PHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE INTREPID MUSEUM 21 |S are only thesecond coins intheU.S. Mint’s mission inJuly 1969.Thecommemoratives achieved theworld’s firstmoon landing Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins mark thehalf-century sinceastronauts Neil dares todream.” of NASA, ournation andevery human who tive coin celebrating theaccomplishment by theU.S. Mint issuingthiscommemora July 1969lunarlanding.“We are honored humankind,” Koch said, referencing the accomplished this 50 years ago for all of that united andinspired theworld. NASA steps onto the moon and made a giant leap for theMint. one of thetwo coins inavideo recorded back on aSpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft. domed, half dollar coins traveled toorbit and International Space Station for 28 days. The United States Mint were flown on board the the Earthmany timesover. ‘small step’ to spaceandback Apollo 11anniversary coinstake A “Fifty years ago, we took ourfirstsmall NASA astronaut Christina Koch displayed Two commemorative coins from the Gold, silver andcladcoins were struck to SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION ROBERT Z.PEARLMAN APOLLO 11AT 50 trip around the curvature of landing recently completed a anniversary of the firstmoon curved tribute tothe50th - Gemini andApollo. led up tothefirstmoon landing:Mercury, NASA human spaceflight programs that design also features thenamesof thethree Aldrin’s bootprint inthelunarsoil. The curving inward totheengraved imageof moon’s surface. the American flag and Armstrong on the visor, showing thelunarmodule “Eagle,” based on aniconic photograph of Aldrin’s astronaut’s helmetandfeature adesign vex, resembling the outward curve of an ence education: theAstronauts Memorial to preserve spacehistory andpromote sci three space-related organizations that work Apollo 1150thAnniversary coins benefit stations that supported the Apollo 11mission. issue coin sets recognizing the tracking nered with Australia’s andSpain’s mints to 750,000. Since then,theU.S. Mint haspart finishes, with limited editions of 50,000 to denominations, inproof anduncirculated for sale inhalf dollar, dollar andfive dollar all,” Koch said. coins, theyare made for all andavailable to history tobecurved. The obverse, or head’s side, isconcave, The coins’ reverse, or tail’s side, is con Proceeds from the U.S. Mint’s sale of the In January, theU.S. Mint released thecoins “As with all U.S. Mint commemorative - - - she said. work andsacrifice that moves usall forward,” on ourjourneyasareminder of all thehard giant leap onto Mars, the coins will go along presence on themoon andmake that next I hope when we are building asustainable here, to the International Space Station, and first launch for theApollo 11coins. International Space Station will bejustthe announced on Twitter. tion,” theNational AirandSpace Museum our upcoming Destination Moon exhibi will bedisplayed by theU.S. Mint. mission. Now backon Earth,one of thecoins returned June 3aboard SpaceX’s CRS-17 were launched to the station May 4 and the two coins that were flown into space. Space Station at NASA Headquarters, with Sam Scimemi, director for the International trical engineering and physics, provided she was anundergraduate studying elec which awarded Koch ascholarship when uled toopen in2022. Museum’s “Destination Moon” gallery, sched Foundation and the National Air and Space Foundation, the Astronaut Scholarship board theInternational SpaceStation inMay2019. commemorative coinon Apollo 1150thAnniversary NASA astronaut ChristinaKoch displaysaU.S. Mint “These coins have made the small step Koch saidthat shehopes thetrip tothe The second coin “will go on display in The proof-quality, cladhalf dollar coins The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, S N - - -

NASA/U.S. MINT 22 |S years of theU.S. spaceprogram through thesixmissions that “Apollo 13,” HBO’s “From theEarthto theMoon” follows theearly Michael Bostick, thesameteambehind1995feature film and replacing the previous CGeffects.” look at the“decision-making process and work put into updating the Remastering” featurette, which provides abehind-the-scenes on July 16,with remixed audio inDolby ATMOS andan“Inside — HBO2will airamarathon of thecomplete series. Then, on July 20—the50thanniversary of thefirstmoon landing available to watch on HBO Go, HBO Now and HBO On Demand. erence models from NASA,” HBOannouncedJune 25. brand-new CG[computer graphic] effects that are basedon ref episodes have been digitally remastered to be in high definition. that chronicled NASA’s Apollo moon missions. All 12hourlong the Moon’withnew HDvisualeffects HBO relaunches ‘From theEarthto H digitally remastered for the 50th anniversary ofthefirstmoonlandinginJuly. digitally remasteredforthe50thanniversary Ted ColeportrayApollo14 crewmates AlanShepardandEdMitchell inHBO’s“From Levine(right)andGary theEarthtoMoon.”The12-partminiserieshasbeen Starting July 15, all 12digitally remastered episodes will be Co-produced by Tom Hanks, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and HBO isalso releasing “From theEarthtoMoon” on Blu-ray “To celebrate the[Apollo 11]anniversary, beenreplaced with SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 an encore of its Emmy-winning 1998miniseries first lunarlandinginJuly, thenetwork ispresenting to theMoon. ”To celebrate the50thanniversary of the BO isonce againlaunching its viewers “From theEarth - S tronauts.” Apollo 15moonwalker David Scottserved asconsultant. 1994 book, “A Manon theMoon: TheVoyages of theApollo As Graham Yost, Frank Marshall andthelate Al Reinert. Pollak, Stephen Root, Alan Ruck, Peter ScolariandRita Wilson. Franken, Tony Goldwyn, Mark Harmon, ElizabethPerkins, Kevin Bryan Cranston, Tim Daly, Cary Elwes, Sally Field, Dave Foley, Al tures acrew of well-known actors, includingAdam Baldwin, Command Center (Mercury Mission Control),” saidHBO. building, astronaut corridors, NASA medical offices andMercury space program, includingthelaunch pads,thevehicle assembly at theKennedy Space Center that were actually used during the than 100otherlocations. Canaveral andEdwards AirForce BaseinCalifornia, among more Florida, andwasfilmed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at Cape took over two soundstagesat Disney-MGM Studios inOrlando, landed 12Americans on themoon. N “NASA allowed production accesstomany areas andbuildings With abudget of $65million, “From theEarthtoMoon” “From theEarth totheMoon” wasbased on Andrew Chaikin’s The miniseries’ directors andwriters included David Frankel, Each episode begins with an introduction by Hanks and fea

— Robert Z. Pearlman Z. Robert — - -

ANTHONY NESTE/HBO 23 |S Michael Collins madehistory on July 20,1969. This Space Foundation infographic summarizes someof thedifferences. We’re still waiting for flying cars and colonies onthemoon,buta lot haschanged inthe50 years since Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and 2019 THEN &NOW 1969vs. SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50

SPACE FOUNDATION 24 |S 24 images on theTV screen inmy parent’s achievable—it istransformational. to work on a common goal, it isnotonly clearly that when people come together summer of inspiration. Apollo 11expressed was ateenagerinDayton, Ohio, Irecall a things will bedifferent. 21st century technology, but this time, we’re going backwith all thewonders of Buzz Aldrin took theirfirst“small steps,” Half acentury after Neil Armstrong and astronauts on thelunarsurfaceby 2024. What WillBeDifferent Next Time Commentary |Tom Zelibor A Final systemscheckout forNASA’s LunarModule(LM-5) areconductedintheOpenBayAreaofMannedSpacecraft Operations Building. In watching thefuzzy, blackandwhite Thinking backtoJuly 1969when I SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 aggressive timeline for placing Artemis program, which setsan In May, NASA announcedthe merica isreturning tothemoon. astronauts that traveled tospacelooked flected intheadventure. Growing up, the sity is more thanoverdue, andit isone astronauts. That commitment to diver can woman will beamong the Artemis has already committed that anAmeri program cando something Apollo didnot. did. Andthat iswhere thenewArtemis reflected inspaceexploration theway I sent themthere were Caucasian andmale. the moon andmany of thepeople who borhood. That is,thefirstastronauts on and somany other fathers inmy neigh guided those missions looked like my dad like me, and the people who powered and living room, it waseasytoseemyself re NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine With that, noteveryone saw themselves - - - - ment andcommercial providers that can array of domestic, international, govern lunar trek will also have amuch wider ing thefirstmiles of thismarathon. This and technology demonstrations are defin proposed step-by-step support missions The Lunar Gateway, along with all of the this methodical mindsetcoming together. generations before. marathon, and not the singular sprint of time going tothemoon will beagroup of today’s breakthrough technology, this this modern moon program. Even with all another reason toinsiston inclusivity in and collaboration thanApollo. But there is be aneven greater source of inspiration example of how thismoon program can We’re already seeingthefirststeps of - -

NASA KENENDY SPACE CENTER SN APOLLO 11 AT 50

A NASA artist’s concept of a lunar ascent vehicle for the U.S. space agency’s Artemis effort to return astronauts to the moon by 2024, make every stride along the way possible. thousands of minds, millions of hours of what a wider and more collaborative effort While some may question and deservedly work, and billions of dollars in investment. across countries and companies as vested challenge having such a distributed net- Artemis will require even more of the partners can yield. work of contributors, the dividends of job same, but it will distribute those burdens There is no doubt that Apollo was an creation, technology transfer, expanded and opportunities among a far larger and unparalleled success, but that urgent sprint entrepreneurship, international partner- more capable pool of talent than anything to the moon did not nurture the intellectual ships, shared research and development, Apollo ever possessed or imagined. and technical roots needed to convert lunar and more create wider opportunity than When you structure complex endeavors landings into a sustainable presence. To- any other effort on the planet. in this way, it creates broad ownership and day’s more multidimensional effort—with Want proof? deeper commitment to the larger vision more diverse people, providers, companies, Fifty years ago, there were two nations and mission. Success in space requires countries and approaches—can create a competing in space for the first landing all of the available and assembled talents real, enduring human presence beyond on the moon. While doing that, both we can muster and creates a broader and Earth while improving lives back on it. countries were pioneering technologies diverse group of full-fledged shareholders. We proved that with Apollo and continue to give themselves whatever strategic and When those shareholders see themselves to demonstrate it today on the International competitive advantages they could. reflected in a program like Artemis, own- Space Station. In the coming years, we will Fifty years later there are 75 nations ership takes hold with stronger, deeper showcase those benefits again when we with spacecraft in continual operations and more endurable roots. go back to the moon while pursuing our above us that connect every continent, Those roots not only strengthen our ultimate objective – putting humans on infrastructure and piece of our national reach for exploration “out there,” but nourish Mars and beyond. and international security, and economy. life and create impact here on Earth where Neil and Buzz’s small steps and giant You don’t have to be a military tactician the rewards and return on investments leaps of 50 years ago certainly opened to know that higher ground always gives are needed most. Today, any visit to our the door for humanity beyond Earth, but greater opportunity. grocery stores or doctors’ offices; or use it is Artemis that will afford us an even For as much as the 50th anniversary of of our computers and communications more rewarding journey for generations Apollo celebrations will focus on the men devices, was touched by Apollo. to come. SN that went to space, every member of those We should never forget that the re- legendary crews would tell you, no one warding dividend of 50 years ago was cut Tom Zelibor is chief executive officer of the Space Foundation reaches space alone. Apollo demanded by two competing giants. Just imagine in Colorado Springs, Colorado. NASA ILLUSTRATION

25 | SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION 26 |S (and how we can stay next timewe go) Why we’re notonthemoonnow different reasons. goal is“to stay,” inactuality, they have private sector. And while both say their groups leadingtheway –NASA andthe moon (again). This time we have two from Earth? of uswould besomewhere out there, far knows where we’d be today and how many Solar System tothepeople of Earth.Who of that heroic effort hadbeentoopen the some degree, imagine if,instead,thegoal course of history. Andwhile it didbothto a historic moment, nottochangethe goal of theApollo program wasto create taking thosesmall stepsisbecause the and Marstoday tocelebrate Neil and Buzz We won! And…we’re done. for all tosee.We won! We won! Look at us! that amazingpropaganda shoton theTV to thepeople, no;thegoal wasjusttoget opening the moon or the Solar System NASA achieved its goal –but it wasn’t to themoon. Andit did.It’s that simple. government wanted tobeat theRussians the freedom totravel. Andhedid.TheU.S. businessman who wanted to give people people could fly. And they did. Ford was a neers who wanted to open the sky so the charge, andtheirgoal. alone any of us. world andnoone flying tothemoon, let ernment employees orbiting around this years afterApollo, we’ve got afew gov the world were driving theirown cars.50 Ford’s firstModel T, regular people around around the world. 50 years after Henry Brothers, anyone could buy a ticket to fly and footage? 50years aftertheWright we have toshow for it flags,footprints greatest feat in human history, why is all on themoon. Why? Having achieved the Commentary |Rick Tumlinson A The reason there isno one on themoon The Wright Brothers were citizen engi Why? Two simple reasons: Who’s in Word isthat we are going backtothe SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 notice we aren’t celebrating it walk on themoon, you might versary of thefirsthumans to s we celebrate the 50th anni - - - practice its Marsexploration skills on a supporters would also like theagencyto the upcoming 2020election. Some NASA be thispresident’s second termifhewins which happens tobetheendof what might back to the moon. Thus the 2024 deadline, administration wants tosay theytook us manently are driven by basic economics of us working toopen thefrontier per to themoon by 2024.Meanwhile, those NASA’s marching orders are togetback and build communities. to harvest resources, develop industries to practice exploration, but tolearnhow as myself seethemoon notjustasaplace to go on toMars,Bezosandotherssuch flag isnotrelevant. While Musk also wants while the timeframematters, planting a and neweconomic opportunities. Thus, System, thereby developing newmarkets, wants toexpandhumanity into theSolar planetary surfaceclose tohome. Buzz Aldrin inside the Lunar Module. Buzz AldrininsidetheLunarModule. NASA isgoing because thecurrent Whatever the political motivations, The private sector isgoing because it - a long-term, economically viable planto of one administration. Rather it must be be asprint toplant theflaginname do thesethings: Solar System exploration we must first human community, while supporting establishes asustainableandgrowing quickly, efficiently, andinaway that both is betterthanlater. efficiently aspossible,soreturning sooner and market forces tomove asquickly and New WorldsInstitute. fitters, andfounder of theEarthLightFoundation and Foundation, Deep Space Industries and Orbital Out Rick Tumlinson istheco-founder of theSpace Frontier We Stay. time toreturn tothemoon, andthistime, we once didbut can’t do anymore. It’s legacy thangiving heramemory of what System she chooses. This is a far better to live there or anyplace elseintheSolar her andthechildren of Earthtobeable chance togo there herself.In fact,Iwant the firsttime.Iwant my child tohave the and industrial development. efficient, long-term, masstransportation own money andexpertiseinto reuseable, companies who are also investing their sectors –toinvest inandsupport the transportation should beasit isinother growth. The role of the government in support small businessesandeconomic budget toward theproven programs that shot rockets andfocus even more of its billions intaxpayer fundson archaic one- tainably, NASA will have tostop wasting the goal. If we are to move quickly yet sus work totheprivate sector. scientific exploration andleave industrial should support advanced research and does what best.NASA andits partners and settlement of spaceby thepeople. lay thefoundation for thedevelopment n n I was a child when we went to the moon n n We canall win.To return tothemoon

Break up the work based on who Agree on theendgoal. Thiscannot Put themoney where it supports S N - -

NASA 27 |S declared that Americans should never return tive, by administrator Bolden, who openly were laid down before Trump’s lunar initia fact, however, NASA’s plansfor theGateway is anecessity toenablelunarmissions. In calls the“Gateway.” It claimsthat thisfacility orbiting space station, which it ironically by 2033.But NASA wants tobuild alunar nauts tothemoon by 2024 and then Mars Trump has declared he wants to send astro congressional sticker shock. Bush’s Space Exploration Initiative died of within areasonable schedule andbudget, no prospects for attaining meaningful goals design wasout of thequestion. Leftwith the even more convoluted Mars mission use thespacestation for on-orbit assembly, sible by therequirement toexpandandthen man on themoon?” put amanon themoon, why can’t we put a heads theirandwonder, “If we could ranks at that timecould only scratch their of theApollo program who still filled NASA’s so costly andcomplex that many veterans vastly expanded spacestation. Theplanwas massive spaceships assembledon-orbit at a proposed tosendcrews tothemoon using its plantoallegedly accomplish hisgoal, it 90 Day Report tothepresident laying out Freedom asits nextmajor project, soinits time wasinterested inselling Space Station on toMars. decade, thistimeto stay, andthenpush returning tothemoon by theendof the United States would now setits sights on their great feat, he was declaring that the Collins anddeclared that inthetradition of Neil Armstrong, BuzzAldrin, andMichael National AirandSpace Museum flanked by possible Making themoonandMars Commentary |Robert Zubrin O History isnow repeating itself. President With the return to the moon made impos The project went nowhere. NASA at that SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 versary of theApollo 11moon n July 20,1989,the20thanni Bush got up on the steps of the Bush got up on thesteps of the landing, President George H.W. - - - - overdue Space Launch System (SLS)heavy Orion capsule is so heavy that even the long your program until you do my program.” the samethingit saidtoBush:“You can’t do to themoon. lunar orbit, ascould thealready operational tons. SoSLScould readily deliver it tolow Orion, has actually flown, only weighs 10 found tobeimpossible. a plausible rationale for Orion flights was of anasteroid into lunarorbit toprovide previous fancythat it could dragafragment – togive Orion aplacetofly toafterNASA’s real reason why the Gateway was invented can fly to–thus theGateway. Thisisthe So ahalfway houseisneeded that Orion orbit with enough propellant to fly home. lift boostercannotdeliver it tolow lunar Museum inWashington. Space Exploration Initiative duringaJuly20, 1989, speechonthestepsofNational AirandSpaace U.S. PresidentGeorgeH.W. oftheApollovisionbyannouncing his Bushmarked the20thanniversary Of course,there are excuses. The26-ton In otherwords, NASA issaying toTrump But theSpaceX Dragon, which, unlike opponent of human missions to the moon, missions toMars. out inspace. capability to take on new challenges further lunar exploration, but free up ourheavy lift would notonly allow farmore extensive more efficient moon base operation, which derived from lunarice toimplement amuch make useof hydrogen/oxygen propellant the surface, rather than in orbit, we can is actually disablingit. ing themoon by 2024,theGateway project necessary if you want to land on the moon.) funds tobuild alunarlander (which really is could beeliminated, thereby freeing up the much asanSLS.In either casetheGateway Falcon Heavy, which costsabout 1/10thas As noted, administrator Bolden was an As noted,administrator Bolden wasan This bringsustothesubjectof human Furthermore, ifwe develop facilities on So rather than enabling the goal of reach -

THE WHITE HOUSE SN APOLLO 11 AT 50

U.S. President George H.W. Bush (second from left) with Vice President Dan Quayle (left) and astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington on the 20th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. so he could not justify the Gateway with that rationalization. Instead, he argued (as he had previously done on the equally-nonsensical asteroid redirect mission,) that it was nec- essary to enable human missions to Mars. Acting consistently with this conceit, NASA created a putative design for a human Mars mission that would utilize the Gateway to support the operations of an interplanetary spaceship it called the Deep Space Transport (DST). This system would use immense solar xenon propellant, which is not obtainable the creation of a virtual reality simulacrum electric propulsion (EP) ion drive system to from the moon, as opposed to the oxygen/ to allow thousands of people on Earth to travel from the Gateway to Mars and back, hydrogen propellant used by a chemical explore alongside the rovers, (“Hey rover, with one-way trip times of 300 days. This rocket which conceivably could be. So the this rock looks interesting. I think it could contrasts poorly with what chemical rock- choice of using the unnecessary, slow, be a fossil. Come here and brush off the dust ets can already do, as demonstrated by the so we can have a better look.”) testing out costly, complex and mission-bloating DST Spirit, Opportunity and Insight missions, methods of Earth-Mars combined opera- for Mars missions completely negates any which reached Mars in 180 days starting tions in advance of their use in support of hope that the lunar base could ever play a from low Earth orbit (LEO. If it had to start astronauts. Such missions would produce useful role in support the human exploration from LEO, the Deep Space Transport would an immense scientific return, while taking of the Red Planet. take 600 days to reach Mars. The Gateway down the key tall pole blocking the way to But NASA needs the DST to justify to was therefore justified by baselining the human Mars exploration. Gateway, because the Gateway is necessary Engineering is the art of making the wrong propulsion technology, which while to enable the DST. It may be nuts, but that’s impossible possible. Bureaucracy is the bad using the Gateway, would be even more their story and they’re sticking with it. art of making the possible impossible. By catastrophic without it.) There is a clear alternative to such log- choosing bureaucracy over engineering, Furthermore, if a spacecraft were at the rolling, which is the Mars Direct plan, or NASA’s planners are defeating the goal of Gateway, it could get to Mars using chem- plans like it , which use the upper stage of reaching the moon in five years and trans- ical propulsion using less propellant than a heavy lift rocket – such as Falcon Heavy, forming human Mars exploration from a EP, despite EP’s much-touted higher ex- Starship or SLS – throw necessary payloads mission into a vision. haust velocity, because the trajectories the on direct trajectories to Mars, with return The question is fundamentally this; two systems would take are different, with methane/oxygen propellant produced in Will NASA have a purpose-driven plan or a amount of pushing an electric propulsion advance of the crew’s arrival from Martian vendor-driven plan? A purpose-driven plan spacecraft needs to reach Mars from the water and CO2. spends money to do things. A vendor-driven plan does things in order to spend money. Gateway being 10 times that required by a We don’t need fantastical science fiction If we allow NASA’s human spaceflight pro- chemical rocket (a velocity change of 7 km/s spaceships based at a lunar orbiting space station to enable human Mars exploration. gram to remain in its vendor-driven mode, vs 0.7 km/s.) But in addition the EP spaceship What we do need is a heavy lander, with a not only will we not reach Mars by 2033, it needs to carry a huge 500 kilowatt electrical payload capacity in the 20 ton range. With a is questionable we will even return to the power system to drive its engines, while the proper upper stage, SLS could throw around moon by that time. But if we insist that our chemical rocket propelled vessel only needs 40 tons on trans-Mars injection, as could space program be purpose-driven, we can 10 kilowatts for life support. So if it ever actu- SpaceX’s planned Starship system. This is reach the moon by 2024 and Mars before ally implemented the futuristic DST, NASA enough to deliver a 20-ton payload capacity the end of the decade. would create a system which would get lander to Mars. The human Mars exploration Such is the choice before us. SN astronauts to Mars in twice the time, with program could then begin by exercising twice the hardware mass, twice the propellant such a system to deliver platoons of rovers, Robert Zubrin, an aerospace engineer, is the founder of the mass, a much higher development cost, and armed with diverse instruments and tools Mars Society and the president of Pioneer Astronautics. His a much more complex mission plan than to thoroughly explore regions of interest, latest book, “The Case for Space: How the Revolution in demonstrate in-situ resource utilization could be achieved using currently available Spaceflight Opens Up a Future of Limitless Possibility,” was systems, and ultimately prepare a base. recently published by Prometheus Books. off-the-shelf chemical rockets. The rover platoon could also photograph As if that weren’t enough, the DST uses their region in high definition, allowing THE WHITE HOUSE

28 | SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION 29 |S with a crew and a lander, and land the latter relatively easy, even then:Launch arocket of Apollo wasnottheformer, but thelatter. him safely toEarth.” The greatest challenge to themoon within adecade, and“return time, aboldnational goal: To sendaman President Kennedy declared what was, at the thinking going backtoApollo. accomplishment, he is hampered by tired under which hemust plansuch atechnical the political andbudgetary constraints perhaps insurmountable ones. Ignoring Jim Bridenstine faces several challenges, to trulystay Time togobackthemoon, Commentary |Rand Simberg of-the-decade goal for landing a man on the moon. Credit: of-the-decade goalforlandingamanonthemoon.Credit: More thanayearbeforeJohnF. Kennedy’s landmarkmoonspeechat RiceUniversity, the35thpresidentstoodbeforeU.S. CongressonMay25, 1961, and setanend- Simply gettingsomeone tothemoon was Fifty-eight years ago, almost tothe day, I SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 of office, NASA Administrator moon within his planned term desire toreturn Americans tothe n responding tothepresident’s a much smaller rocket thantheSaturn V. on thelunarsurface.It could bedone with back from themoon. the huge Saturn Vlauncher, isall that came its precious human cargo that sat on top of single flight from Florida. Thecapsule with way there and back, had to be launched in a and the propellant needed to get it all the space assembly, all this additional hardware, Because we had too little experience with capsule for recovery into theatmosphere. were deployed: Alunarascent stage,anda surface. As it turnedout, two more vehicles atmosphere andrecovery on theplanet’s would have tobecapable of entry into the all the way back to Earth, and that vehicle bit, andthenadditional propellant togetit would berequired tofirstgetbackinto or But in order toreturn, another vehicle - science we got from thesixlunarmissions mediately, the2024mission getsmuch at leastinitially? suppose we eliminate the latter requirement, moon, andreturn them safely toEarth.But Apollo: Sendaman(andwoman) tothe we seemtobeattempting tosimply repeat thrive on themoon. understanding theability of humanity to including humans, knowledge critical to spring of even rodents, let alone primates, ability to conceive and gestate healthy off term effects of partial gravity, includingthe we continue to have no data on the long- durations on thelunarsurface.In particular, was limited by thenecessarily short mission While Kennedy’s goal wasachieved, the If we don’t needtobringthembackim- In the planning of the return to the moon, -

ROBERT KNUDSEN VIA JFK PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM SN APOLLO 11 AT 50

For decades, with each failed programmatic attempt at a lunar return, the ostensible goal has been to “return to the moon, this time to stay.” Yet somehow, rather than being bold, the plans always start with a repeat of what we did in the 1960s.

simpler, and affordable: Build a habitat capable of being resupplied, and land it on the moon. Then, after verifying that it’s functional, send its first crew. We know how to build space habitats from ISS experience, and lunar habitats are easier, because they have some gravity to work with. All the nec- essary major hardware that would be new is a lander. A few weeks in Washington, Jeff Bezos, richest man in the world and founder of the space company Blue Origin, unveiled a mock-up of one they plan to build. There is no reason to think that, given adequate funding (and it would surely be much less than one developed by NASA under a tra- ditional cost-plus contract), it couldn’t be ready and tested in four years (and would be required even with a planned return, though the requirements might be different). With no immediate need for lunar ascent, the mission could be done with existing A Saturn V rocket carrying Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins lifts off July 16, 1969. launchers, such as the Falcon Heavy. When would the crew return? Whenever with regular crew rotations once a round- NASA astronaut office, willing to accept that we have developed the means for them to do trip system has been developed over the risk? If so, perhaps we haven’t been doing a so, an activity that could be done in parallel, next couple of years. And each base could good job of selecting astronauts, but I don’t but without the 2024 urgency. grow as well with the delivery of additional believe that is the case. In the meantime, over months, or perhaps habitats, allowing volume for experiments in For decades, with each failed programmatic a year or three, they will be able to engage lunar agriculture and perhaps aquaculture. attempt at a lunar return, from President in long-term exploration of the moon and Is the plan risky? Of course it is. If there George H. W. Bush’s Space Exploration Ini- research into the effects of partial gravity, was a medical, or other emergency, there tiative, to his son’s Vision for Space Explora- perhaps taking some rats along to attempt would be no immediate way to evacuate tion, the ostensible goal has been to “return breeding. the crew. But for decades, we have accepted to the moon, this time to stay.” Yet somehow, If they had the capability to do EVA (some- this risk at Amundsen/Scott Station, with no rather than being bold, the plans always start thing necessary for proper exploration in ability to evacuate researchers through the with a repeat of what we did in the 1960s. any event), resupplying them indefinitely austral winter. It is now the 21stcentury. The best way to would be straightforward, with occasional No frontier is opened without risk, and the assure that when we go “back to the moon, deliveries of food, water, clothing, and lithium space frontier is the harshest one humanity this time to stay,” is to stay. Let us get on hydroxide to scrub the habitat atmosphere, has ever faced. But with the acceptance of with it. SN just as we do with the CRS deliveries to ISS. It risk can come great reward, and the reward would be the very definition of “sustainable.” here is serious lunar research, within half a Rand Simberg is the author of “Safe Is Not an Option: In fact, the marginal cost of such a mission decade, far beyond the limited expeditions of Overcoming the Futile Obsession with ‘Getting Everyone might be sufficiently low as to allow multiple half a century ago. Does anyone doubt that Back Alive’ That Is Killing Our Expansion into Space.”

habitats and crews in different locations, there are researchers, within or outside of the NASA

30 | SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION 31 |S Space Center andSpace Center Houston to over 100 Fortune 500companies toJohnson workshops have taken senior managers from by my company, andnow anewbook. Our an immersive leadership seminarcreated behind Apollo have been the cornerstone of six years, thesagaof thepeople and challenges compelling asany great novel or Greek myth. tyred President’s boldpromise, isastory as tragedies that were overcome tofulfill amar the-scenes, theunprecedented crisisand heroes intheheadlines andthosebehind- leadership it took tomake that feat possible. Commentary |Dick Richardson continues toinspirecontinues andeducate Apollo isalessoninleadership that 50th anniversary ofApollo8onDec.11,2018. 50th anniversary priortotheSmithsonianNationalThe Washington AirandSpaceMuseum’sSpiritofApolloeventcommemorating the National Cathedral isseenlitupwithspaceimagery J We learnthrough storytelling. For thepast The story of the Apollo program, the many SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 landing by Apollo 11, andthe greatest achievements, themoon niversary of one of mankind’s uly 20,2019marks the50than - - times of crisis, all by modeling the work of the seem to be leader in one thing – producing seem to be leader inone thing –producing the Earth. In these early days, America does Yuri Gagarin becomes thefirst mantoorbit living thing,thedog Laika,andyet againwhen outpaced againwhen theylaunch thefirst by theSoviet’s Sputnik satellite. Then we’re decided underdog. We are beat into space today’s popular TEDtalks. ethos andpower. It serves asthetemplate for the vision isthemodel of brevity, simplicity, 1962 speechat Rice University which laidout plan to reach themoon within 10 years. His a President who announcedanaudacious its many leader/heroes, John FKennedy, remarkable people behindApollo’s success. learn how to inspire, lead and recalibrate in learn how toinspire, leadandrecalibrate in When the story opens, America is the When thestory opens, America isthe The Apollo story dawns with thefirstof peaceful spaceexploration andthen to from enemy combatant to proponent of leader. He usedthepress toreposition himself also afascinating example of themedia-savvy rocket propulsion program. Von Braun was Huntsville teaminrighting America’s ailing That group would form thenucleus of the of hisfellow Germanscientists toAmerica. to secure safe passage for himself and 100 reading thetealeaves asWWIIwound down leadership inmany ways. First, it wasby adaptable Wernher von Braun. Glenn and the deeply intriguing and ever Midwestern family man/astronaut John successes andheroes, like thecharismatic, shortly aftertakeoff! live television footage of rockets exploding In short order, America would have its Von Braun proved a far-seeing model of

NASA 32 |S 32 ganizations that brought opportunities to university institutions. a hostof government, military nonprofit and Grumman, Northrup, Boeing,etc.,aswell as would’ve beennowhere without thework of the public andprivate sectors, a mission that off, it wasamodel of collaboration between noteworthy as an example of integration. First best-selling book andaward-winning movie. the crew. That story also launched botha ingenuity of Gene Kranzsaved theday, and calm of Glynn Lunney andteamwork-driven failure came with Apollo 13. The remarkable “wicked leadership” that pulled success out of non-landing Apollo 8on Christmas1968. He got America “firsttothemoon” with the to accommodate thedelayed Lunar Lander. Apollo program by adapting the missions success of thethenheavily questioned Low ensured thecontinuance andultimate program wastwo years behindschedule. Because of the Apollo 1 fire, the whole space are often mastersat adapting andreframing. 40 of which dealt with thefire. Great leaders improvements inthecapsule design, only the cause of thefire. He instituted over 400 the Apollo capsule. But, he did more thanfix took ademotion tochampion the redesign other model leader/hero, George Low. Low Here, our seminar attendees encounter an took the lives of the three Apollo 1 astronauts. One of the first was the devastatingly fire that change are examples. the DeepWater Horizon oil spill or climate and factors hence unfaced. Challenges like unprecedented. Often involving many levels so you know what todo. Wicked Problems are seen theproblem (or something like it) before, past experiences tohelpfindsolutions. You’ve moon landingin1973by Rittel andWebber. Problems, aphrasecoined shortly afterthe lesson inhandling Tame versus Wicked pathways when problems arose. ensured hissuccess by anticipating alternative ical, societal and economic trends. This technical expertise to understand the polit He could scantheenvironment beyond his also broad in his thinking across many fields. in histechnical field (thestemof theT),but T-shaped Management style.He wasdeep example for today’s techleaders through his Apollo programs. Von Braun canserve asan guru behind NASA’s Mercury, Gemini and NASA was also one of the first large or From the leadership standpoint, Apollo is also Perhaps Apollo’s greatest example of With Tame Problems, you candraw upon NASA facedaseries of wicked problems. Apollo also serves asamodel leadership the ubiquitously publicized technical the ubiquitously publicized technical SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 - - - of society, toachieve greatness. from all over theworld, from every corner of thebestinAmerica, welcoming talent landing. Thisintegration wasanexample Control teamduring theApollo 11moon by 24beingtheaverage ageof theMission in the hands of young talent, as evidenced also valued and placed huge responsibility Hidden Figures. Like today’s tech giants, NASA maticians chronicled inthe book andfilm, the four African-American women mathe Braun andhisteamminorities, such as before. Thisincluded foreigners like Von people who maybe hadn’t enjoyed them America on the moon. A good business leader America on themoon. Agood businessleader and collaboration for seven years. Theyput all of NASA’s major decisions by consensus COO Robert Seamans. These three men ran scale organizational expertise, former RCA savvy predecessor Hugh Dryden and, for large Triad teamincluded himself, his more tech- Triad,” athree-person governing body. The perceived knowledge gap by creating “The the ego-free Webb compensated for hisown had nochoice but toacceptLBJ’s dictum, of hard technical knowledge. But, when he job of Chief Administrator, due tohislack to leadNASA andtried toturndown the finance expert.He doubted hisown ability in theApollo story isJim Webb. Webb wasa cathedral duringaJuly21,1974 ceremony. Buzz Aldrin,andMichaelCollinsdelivered to the the moonthat Apollo11astronautsNeilArmstrong, Cathedral in Washington includes a 7-gram piece of The so-calledspacewindow”at theNational One of the most important model leaders One of themostimportant model leaders - improve their leadership skills. a passenger,toabsorb lessons designed to acle of theHudson” plane,on which Iwas and Normandy andtheU.S. Airways’ “Mir to sites, like the battlefields of Gettysburg ences that take senior businessexecutives company offers unique, immersive experi years, as founder of Experience to Lead. Our then at TheConference Board and,for six ership, firstat companies like IBMandITT, teaching senior executives lessons of lead across thecountry. the infrastructure of educational institutions These grants andcontracts served tofund ments at institutions like MITandPurdue. He required that theyhire research depart contracts tosupport American education. the private companies heprovided large dollar invested. Webb didthisby insisting also works tosqueeze extravalue out of every Publishing). Lead and author of Apollo Leadership Lessons (Authority Dick Richardson isthefounder andCEO of Experience to achievement. greatest technological andcollaborative reach what still stands,50years on, asour in many corners of NASA, helpedmankind tised –alook at how leaders, on all levels and sights for Executives,” isjustwhat isadver Leadership Lessons: Powerful BusinessIn and more, into book form. My book, “Apollo more, henceourdecision toput thestory, sorbing thisstory, businessleaders asked for national focus tospace exploration. and shakers, ones who canhelpreturn our business world’s most influential movers the great successes of Apollo, tosome of the as way, ourprogram hasserved tohighlight ethical code from promoting itself insuch by children. encourages thestudy of science andmath that bothpreserves important artifactsand Space Center Houston, the adjacent museum attendees totheJohnson Space Center and the program, which laststhree days andtakes strumental insupporting usaswe developed our Gettysburg workshops. Gray became in Gray, who, by chance, hadattended one of they directed ustoone of their own, Matthew story of leadership. mandy programs with anothercompelling to expandbeyond ourGettysburg andNor about by serendipity, when we were looking Our Apollo Leadership Program came For 30years, Ihave devoted my life to Even afterthree days inworkshops ab As NASA isafederal agencyprohibited by When we approached NASA with the idea, S N ------

NASA 33 |S nation dominating humanity’s future. A space exploration could leadtosome other States’ failure tocontinue Apollo-style world. Theargument isthat theUnited the way for Europeans todominate the then theyended theirprogram andcleared years before theEuropeans got there, but crossed theIndian Oceanmore than60 as acautionary tale. Great Chinesefleets Chinese treasure fleetsof theearly 1400s of theApollo program, some have used the humanity’s future inspace. of its human spaceflight programs and can do right now toassure thefuture most important thing the United States development of spaceis,therefore, the space expansion. Supporting economic Chinese treasure fleets The Apolloprogram andthe H Commentary |GaryOleson ostensibly programs of exploration. Both programs ventured far beyond the prior range of their sponsors, and both programs were fabulously expensive. ostensibly programsofexploration. Bothprogramsventuredfarbeyondthepriorrangeoftheirsponsors,andbothwerefabulouslyexpensive. YongleThe ApolloprogramandthevoyagesofChinesetreasurefleetsfundedbyMingdynasty’s Emperorhadmuchincommon.Bothprogramswere During thedecades sincethecancellation SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 there will benoendtoour industries succeed and grow, new commercial space istory tells usthat ifour

China’s Mingdynasty wanted toexpand Early in his reign, the Yongle Emperor of BUYING PRESTIGE suggests adifferent outcome. closer examination of thecomparison culture, wealth, technology, andmilitary to establishthesuperiority of Chinese of seven voyages between 1405and1433 cross theIndian Ocean. first large-scale, official expeditions to Persian Gulf, thetreasure fleetswere the in small ships hadventured as far as the many countries. While Chinesetraders 1407, bringing gifts and emissaries from of theIndian peninsula andreturned in Ocean. Theyreached thewestern coast the EastChinaSeaandacross theIndian treasure fleet on an expedition through Admiral Zheng He in 1405 to lead a huge Chinese influence intheworld. He appointed The Mingtreasure fleetsmade atotal from Chinesemythology. cause theyresembled apropitious creature example, giraffes were specially prized be counterbalance their vast expenditure. For more symbolic than practical and did not dors and tribute, although thetribute was they visited. Theyreturned with ambassa awe andgive totherulers of thecountries and took treasure with them to inspire but because theywere lavishly expensive not because they brought treasure back, largest wooden ships ever built. The largest of thevessels were among the ships with nearly 28,000crew members. the firstvoyage ashaving more than250 the east coastof Africa. Accounts credit reaching the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and voyages eventually ventured beyond India, and around theIndian Ocean.TheMing power over abroad swath of Southeast Asia The treasure fleets were supported by The Ming fleets were called treasure fleets - -

WIKICOMMONS SN APOLLO 11 AT 50

The lesson to be learned from the shared fate of the Chinese treasure fleets and the Apollo program is that expensive programs supported only by a political mandate are not sustainable.

the expansionist eunuch faction of the Ming court and opposed by conservative Confucian scholar-bureaucrats. When the Confucian faction gained ascendancy, they ended the voyages, banned construction of large oceangoing ships, and eventually scrapped the remaining vessels. The Ming voyages were followed two generations later by European voyages of exploration and trade that proved more sustainable. While government invest- ment in technology and military power supported both maritime programs, the European enterprises were organized as public-private partnerships. They focused more on establishing persistent trading relationships based on a profitable return A full-size replica of a medium-sized treasure boat of the Adm. Zheng He fleet at the Treasure Boat Shipyard on investment. site in Nanjing, China. The Europeans reached India and its spices in 1498, while establishing profit- landing on the moon in July 1969. the dominance of their cultures. In each able trade all along the route. They then NASA’s budget was declining even be- case, the political mandate was satisfied continued to China. Unlike the Chinese, fore the moon landing, and the agency’s quickly. And in each case, the combination they built a string of trading posts, forts, popularity began dropping immediately of great expense, a satisfied mandate, and a and factories that supported a permanent afterward. The decline was accelerated change in government ended the program presence. The effects of that presence by President Richard Nixon, who was without a comparable successor. Neither continue to this day. not fond of Kennedy’s program. NASA’s program survived outside the unique po- Five-and-a-half centuries after the Chi- budget dropped quickly to 1 percent of litical conditions that created them. nese treasure fleets, U.S. President John the federal budget and has since drifted The lesson to be learned from the shared F. Kennedy used NASA’s Apollo program downward to its current half percent. The fate of the Chinese treasure fleets and the as a response to a string of Soviet space last three Apollo missions were canceled Apollo program is that expensive programs accomplishments that included launching after the giant Saturn V boosters for them supported only by a political mandate are the first artificial satellite and putting the had already been built. One booster was not sustainable. Any government explo- first man in orbit. Surpassing the Soviet repurposed to launch the Skylab orbital ration program viewed as expensive and Union in space became an American po- workshop, and the other two were put not resulting in production of new wealth litical imperative. At the peak of the Apollo on display as museum exhibits, a step up will always be one adverse political turn program, NASA commanded 4 percent of from scrapping them. away from termination. the federal budget and 1 percent of the The Apollo program and the voyages of The European (and later American) entire U.S. economy. the Chinese treasure fleets had much in strategy of exploration and economic de- While the goal of the Apollo program common. Both programs were ostensibly velopment via public-private partnerships was a manned moon landing, its central programs of exploration. Both programs has proven far more sustainable over the purpose was to establish American tech- ventured far beyond the prior range of last six centuries. Producing a positive nological superiority and national prestige. their sponsors, and both programs were return on investment each step of the The United States took the lead when the fabulously expensive. way guaranteed not only continuance, Apollo 8 mission orbited the moon in De- The most important similarity between but expansion. SN cember 1968. The purpose of the Apollo the voyages, however, was in their pur- program was accomplished when the pose. They were both organized in re- Gary Oleson is a senior engineer at SAIC and a member of

Apollo 11 mission captivated the world by sponse to a political mandate to establish the board of directors of the Space Frontier Foundation.. WIKICOMMONS

34 | SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION 35 |S that typeof job.But Ineeded toearnthe unavoidable consequence of working in lungs full of factory smoke anddust, the stained with industrial chemicals andmy dingy asacoal miner,my clothes often dustry. In theevening Iusually camehome springs primarily for theautomotive in department of afactory that produced summer of 1969, Iworked intheshipping Inspiration andEducation. to thelunarsurfacein1969. to watch in awe as Neil Armstrong descended 20th century would have lived long enough college-bound 18year-olds at theturnof the than seven decades later. Surely anumber of Apollo 11astronauts landed on themoon less surface, wasconsidered pure fantasy. Yet, the alone through space and reaching the lunar ing even short distancesthrough theair,let at Kitty Hawk. Thenotion of machinesfly brothers flewtheirfirstexperimental airplane Moon” in1901,two years before theWright published his novel “The First Men in the believe it.” exclaimed, “Idon’t believe it andwill never us andwasborn inEasternEurope in1890, my maternal grandmother who lived with one giant leap for mankind.” Nevertheless, we were witnessing “one small step for man, the moon’s surfacefor the first time. Indeed, of thelunarlander andclimbeddown onto television asNeil Armstrong steppedout family watching on ourblackandwhite Daylight Time, I was back home with my that evening, justbefore midnight Central the afternoon of July 20,1969.Much later cated on afarminnorthern Illinois. It was on television at my bestfriend’s houselo 18-year oldfollowing the entire spectacle a half-century after Apollo11 Reflections ontheU.S.spaceprogram Commentary |Harry Augensen A To put things into perspective, H.G. Wells SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 s the Apollo 11 Landing Module surface, I was a college-bound surface, Iwasacollege-bound Aldrin descended tothelunar carrying Neil Armstrong andBuzz During that - - - doubtless countless otherteenagers)to that I had just witnessed inspired me (and Earth vehicles, thehistorical achievement other automobile partstobeinstalled in back inthefactory packingspringsand Although early thenextmorning, Iwas extra money for helpwith college expenses. to embark on their career paths inscience. inspirational for two young people starting of thisachievement, it nevertheless was needed tobeconvinced of thesignificance the U.S. government. While neither of us by acareer in research on polymers for Ph.D., inhiscasechemistry, followed best friend wasalso destined toobtaina pursue acareer asacollege professor. My would obtainaPh.D. inastronomy and physics andmathematics. Eventually I preparing for college, tomajor inboth career inastronomy by thistime,andwas become scientists. Space Center. Command ModulepilotMichaelCollinspracticesintheCMsimulator onJune19, 1969, at Kennedy I hadalready determined topursue a that theSoviets might have similar plans. Year (1957-1958), notseriously considering rocket during the International Geophysical the U.S. launch asatellite usingaVanguard Eisenhower hadalready planned tohave capable of doing tous. afraid of what theRussian satellite might be few adults (includingmy grandmother) were like this before, and many children and even a generation that noone haddone anything to bed.It should beemphasized totoday’s that theysaw it one evening afterIhadgone it. I recall my parents telling me one morning the sky at night if we knew where to look for told ourclassthat we could see“thisthing”in achieved orbit about the Earth. My teacher the Russians announcedthat Sputnik had October 1957theworld wasshocked when getting up andrunninginthelate 1950s.In elementary school when the space race was The Space Race Begins. In themid-1950s, President Dwight I was just starting I was just starting

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The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module is shown being readied for moving to the Vehicle Assembly Building for mating to the Saturn V rocket in preparation for its July 16, 1969 launch.

When the news of Sputnik 1’s successful launch was announced, the reaction from our political leaders was one of deep concern that the Soviets had taken the early lead in the space race. To be sure, we were not going to allow them to hold on to it. In November 1958, a little over a year after Sputnik and at the president’s direction, NASA was founded to begin the American venture into space. The Mercury program was established that same year, and in 1961 Alan Shepard became the first American astronaut to go into space. John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth a year later in 1962, but Yuri stadium would be too small to see. Surface missions accomplished the most important Gagarin had already circled the Earth for the temperatures were measured using infrared objective of collecting nearly one-half ton of Soviets in April 1961. It was clear that the U.S. detectors, and crude chemical compositions rock samples to return to Earth for analysis; was falling behind in the space race. were deduced using spectroscopy. The field these samples allowed scientists to under- of lunar geology was still in its infancy, and stand the Moon and its history. In addition, We Choose to Go To the moon. In May 1961, lunar chemistry and lunar physics did not detailed photographic analyses of the lunar President John F. Kennedy gave a speech to yet exist. But that was all about to change. surface were conducted from orbit. The the nation stating that the U.S. should have Apollo 11 mission conveyed an excitement as its goal sending a man to the moon and The Russians Strike (Literally) First. The that we had taken “one giant leap” forward returning him safely to Earth, to be achieved Russians (the former Soviet Union, or U.S.S.R.) in our exploration of the universe. It was a by the end of the decade. The public was not were first to send unmanned spacecraft to the watershed moment, demonstrating conclu- yet convinced that JFK’s proposed initiative moon. Luna 2 was first, crashing on the lunar sively that humans could leave Earth, travel was worth the cost, and so in September 1962 surface in 1959, while that same year Luna to other bodies in space, and return to Earth. he gave a second speech at Rice University 3 returned photos from the moon’s far side. in Houston to argue forcefully for this bold In 1966, Luna 9 landed on the lunar surface Apollo Ends. The last human walked on venture. Initially, Kennedy was not certain and transmitted pictures. But the U.S. was the surface of the moon in December 1972 that the high price tag of such a monumen- not to be outdone. In that same year 1966, during the Apollo 17 mission, over three years tal project would be worth the effort, but the the U.S. launched five Lunar Orbiters which after the Apollo 11 landing. In July 1975, an great strides being made by the Soviets soon mapped entire lunar surface in detail. A total Apollo Command/Service Module docked convinced him that inaction would mean of five Lunar Surveyors landed, conducted with a Soviet Soyuz capsule, with astronaut second place in space. experiments and took detailed pictures. The and cosmonaut greeting each other with a To ensure that young school children like information gained paved the way for the historic handshake as a symbol of friendship myself were kept informed of the historic first Apollo landing three years later. between the two rival superpowers. Shortly effort that our nation was undertaking, black thereafter, however, funding for Apollo was and white TVs with typical American brand The Apollo Program. The Apollo program cut off due to rising economic pressures, and names such as Zenith or Admiral and topped is responsible for most of what we know loss of interest by the public. Eventually, the with rabbit-ear antennas were wheeled into about the Moon today. It consisted of nine giant Apollo rockets were put on display on our classrooms. My classmates and I were manned spacecraft that traveled to the the lawns of NASA in Florida and Texas for able to watch in real time the various mission Moon between 1968 and 1972. A total of 12 the public to appreciate the historical sig- launches from Cape Canaveral in Florida. astronauts reached the lunar surface over nificance of the Apollo program. The cost six landings. The first three landings were of the entire Apollo program was about $25 What Was Known About the Moon Prior on flat plains (geologically safe), while for billion (over $100 billion in today’s economy). to 1957. Prior to the space age, the best reso- the last three landings more geologically Mariners to the Planets. Not getting nearly lution that the largest Earth-based telescopes challenging sites were selected. In fact, a the same level of publicity while running could achieve was only about one-half mile, geologist, Harrison Schmidt, was among the essentially concurrently with the Apollo

so that even objects the size of a football crew for the final Apollo landing. The Apollo Program (and costing much less) was the WIKICOMMONS

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Mariner Program, which was conducted Station, as it is now designated, will be de- that humans can journey through space jointly by NASA and the Jet Propulsion Lab- signed to provide an orbiting base around the away from their home planet and safely land oratory (JPL) in Pasadena. From 1962 to 1973, moon from which astronauts could descend on another world. It expanded our horizons a series of robotic interplanetary probes were to the lunar surface, or as a starting point to and opened the possibility of constructing a launched to investigate the terrestrial plan- go farther into space. permanent or semi-permanent lunar base ets Mercury, Venus and Mars. The Mariner which could serve as a springboard for future program boasted the first planetary flyby The Artemis Program. NASA’s successor manned flights to Mars and possibly other (Mariner 2, Venus), the first successful Mars to the Apollo Program will be the Artemis solar system bodies. The water ice believed flyby (Mariner 4), the first U.S. planetary orbiter Program, a crewed spaceflight program to be present in craters near the moon’s (Mariner 9, Mars), and the first employment of with domestic and international partners. north and south poles could be a significant the fuel-saving gravity assist (or “slingshot”) The goal will be to land the next humans boon to supporting a human presence on method (Mariner 10, Venus). The total cost on the lunar surface by 2024, as a first step the lunar surface. of the Mariner program was approximately toward a longer-term goal of establishing a Supplement: NASA’s Budget. The NASA $550 million, a small fraction of the $25 billion sustained American presence on the moon, budget as a percent of the total U.S. spending for the entire Apollo program. with the ultimate goal of sending humans has been relatively small compared with, for to Mars. The Artemis Program will use the instance, defense, and moreover has been Robotic Probes Continue to Deliver. Fol- Orion vehicle, a planned spacecraft to take decreasing since the 1960s. During the early lowing Mariner, NASA planned and launched astronauts into space beyond Earth orbit, with years of the space program 1959-69, the end a plethora of successful (and a few unsuc- crewed missions starting in the 2020s. Orion of which was capped by Apollo 11, the budget cessful) robotic probes that have expanded is similar in shape to the Apollo spacecraft, varied somewhere between 2 percent and 4 our knowledge of the solar system bodies. but much larger and more advanced. Orion percent, with an average of around 2.5 per- The seven of the 10 Mariner spacecraft that will be designed to carry up to six astronauts cent. This dropped during the 1980s to about were successful served as the starting point to the moon or Mars. The proposed cost for 1 percent, and has been steadily decreasing for many subsequent NASA/JPL space probe the 2020 fiscal year would be around $23 since the 1990s to the current value of around programs in the 1970s, including the Voyager billion, but this would need to be formally 0.5 percent of the total budget of $4.4 trillion probes to Jupiter and the outer planets and approved by Congress. for fiscal year 2019. The U.S. government the Viking orbiters around Mars. In the 1980s, has allocated a grand total of $0.60 trillion Mariner-based spacecraft included the Ma- Epilogue. We went to the moon for reasons for NASA over its 60 year existence. When gellan orbiter around Venus and the Galileo relating more to the international politics of adjusted for inflation, this translates to $22 probe which gave the first close-up images the day than to the quest for scientific knowl- billion per year. of an asteroid (Gaspra) and also explored edge. That said, the science that was learned Whatever the budget constraints, an Jupiter’s atmosphere. And in the 1990s, the from the Apollo landings was unparalleled, enormous amount of space science has been Cassini–Huygens Mission, which also in- and probably wouldn’t have happened at all accomplished over the past six decades with volved the European Space Agency and the (at least not during the 1960s) without the not only robotic spacecraft, but also with Italian Space Agency, explored Saturn from urgency of beating the Russians. As with orbiting satellites, both with and without orbit and also landed a robotic probe on the any bold endeavor, Apollo proved to be a crews, including Skylab, the International surface of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, both costly one in terms of human lives, as was Space Station (ISS), the Hubble Space Tele- firsts. Most recently, in 2015, New Horizons evidenced by the tragic loss of three Amer- scope, and the Cosmic Background Explorer became the first spacecraft to reach Pluto, ican astronauts in the Apollo 1 fire in 1967 (COBE) satellite, to name just a few. Some of and took amazingly detailed pictures of (and likely many more Soviet cosmonauts the more recent ventures are joint missions Pluto and its satellite Charon. New Horizons who were competing with Apollo). But it also with other nations, and some not involving continued its outward journey and in 2019 brought unintended rewards. The various the U.S. In addition, private companies such sent back images of Ultima Thule, a bizarre compact electronic devices in use today as SpaceX are now also launching satellites trans-Neptunian object located in the dis- (e.g., smartphones, laptop computers) can be for communications and scientific purposes, tant Kuiper Belt. traced back to the need for miniaturization and it is expected that space travel will be a of computers and electronics on board the multibillion-dollar tourist industry for the Return to the moon. Over the decades since various Apollo and later spacecraft. affluent. How things have changed since Apollo, NASA has considered returning to the Was it all worth it? Absolutely. Future his- Neil Armstrong first planted his foot on lunar moon, but with changing administrations torians will no doubt look back at the Apollo soil half a century ago! SN in Washington come changing priorities. Program as a necessary early step in the human The most recent directive is to construct a venture to the planets in our solar system and, Harry Augensen is the director of the Widener Observatory Moon-orbiting space station to be completed ultimately, to planets orbiting distant stars. in Chester, Pennsylvania. as early as 2024. The Lunar Gateway Space Above all, the Apollo Mission demonstrated

37 | SN SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION is airingathree-night, six-hourdocumentary, startingJuly 9, earlier thisyear that will beon CNNJuly 20.PBS,meanwhile, such asaversion of theApollo 11film that appeared intheaters 38 |S sions that we cantravel totheMoon!” Scheer,who joined NASA congressman described him asa“crackpot with mental delu had abidtogetgovernment jobderailed inthe1940swhen a Lasser, whose career wasprimarily spent inorganized labor and book hegot asateentitled “TheConquest of Space” by David Clarke, for example, hadhisinterest inspaceflight startedby a largely been described as a political and technical achievement. book does helpestablishthehuman dimension of what has who have read theirfairshare of Apollo histories. However, the the program or thepeople involved, at leastfor thosepeople to work inMission Control during Apollo. affairs headJulian Scheer,andPoppy Northcutt, thefirstwoman some way: science fiction author Arthur C.Clarke, NASA public figures who were either involved inApollo or influenced it in devotes attention to some of the lesser known, more tangential James Webb totheApollo 11astronauts. However, thebook also program, from Wernher von Braun and NASA administrator some attention, asyou would expect,on key individuals inthe possible, thisisanengagingbook. “ChasingtheMoon” focuses the samples theyreturned enabled,thisisnotthebook for you. or the Lunar Module, or the science that the lunar landings and a detailed technical analysis of thedevelopment of theSaturn V and policy versus science andtechnology. If you’re looking for assessment of thebook’s contents, which focus on personalities itics, andthepromise” of going tothemoon. That isanaccurate much of that history already. does soinaway that should beinteresting tothosewho know That book treads familiar ground inits overview of Apollo, but served asaconsulting producer andresearcher for theseries. the Moon,” by filmmaker Robert Stone andAlan Andres, who Moon” that examinestheevents that ledup toApollo 11. as partof its American Experience series called “Chasingthe US$32.00 ISBN 978-1-5247-9812-3 hardcover, 384pp.,illus. Ballatine, 2019 by Robert Stone and Alan Andres That LaunchedAmericaintotheSpaceAge Chasing theMoon:ThePeople,Politics,andPromise Review: ChasingtheMoon A The book’s subtitle notesits emphasis on “thepeople, thepol Accompanying that series isabook, also called “Chasing The book doesn’t offer much intheway of revelations about If, though, you’re curious about thepeople who made Apollo SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 programming isscheduled for thecoming weeks, the act.Anumber of documentaries andotherspecial their crescendo thismonth, television isgettinginto s the50th anniversary celebrations of Apollo 11 reach JEFF FOUST - - primarily on thebig names andthebig rockets. focused other histories, includingthosepublishedthisyear, that the documentary that it supports —auseful counterpart tothe who made it possible. That makes this book — and, presumably, and spacecraft,or themissions theyflew, but rather thepeople sis there, aswith otheraspects of thebook, isnottherockets those that cameaftertheApollo 1disaster in1967.Theempha and thepolitical debates about theracetomoon, including issues andcontroversies aswell, such asvon Braun’s Nazi ties has asecond career asachildren’s book author. Kennedy Space Center theday before Apollo 11’s liftoff; healso a demonstration by civil rights activists outside thegates of the rights movement, helpedadministrator Thomas Paine defuse after working as a newspaper reporter who covered thecivil The book, of course,touches upon thebigger, betterknown S N -

BALLANTINE/PBS 39 |S of course,have notbeensecret for decades), thedevelopment of the made by President Kennedy of hisdiscussions about Apollo (which, book: afterthose chapters, Fishman thengo tothe“secret” tapes interesting chapters inthebook. But there’s noflow to much of the of theApollo computers andsoftware; theseare among the most even without that early raceto themoon. but it’s clearthat thetechnology would have developed anyway Apollo? Ofcourse.” NASA should still getcredit for its role, hesays, discussion: “Would we have hadmicrochips andlaptops without Fishman undermines hisown argument justafew pagesinto this roles intheriseof integrated circuits, with Minuteman coming first.) book “A History of Modern Computing,” bothprograms played key lating demand for integrated circuits; asPaul Ceruzzinotedinhis role theAirForce’s Minuteman missile program played instimu spend much of thebook fleshingit out. (It ignores, for example, the usefulness” ingeneral. also, hesays, “changed ourperception of technology’s appeal and ing theircost,thus stimulating otherapplications for them.NASA development of such chips, improving theirquality anddecreas integrated circuits needed for Apollo’s computers supported early in theSpace Age; it ushered intheDigital Age.” NASA’s demand for now,” heargues early inthebook. “The racetotheMoon didn’t usher edged, thenit wasafailure. “Thesuccess isthevery agewe live in settlement of thesolarsystem,author CharlesFishman acknowl the definition of long-term success or Apollo, with mixed results. the solarsystem.Anewbook, “OneGiant Leap,” tries torecalibrate War-fueled race, it wasafailure toexpandhumanity’s presence into failures todo so.While Apollo might have beenasuccess inaCold it, ifnotexpandon it, andalso decades of hand-wringing about the the Moon before the 50th anniversary of Apollo 17 in December 2022. and private efforts, it’s highly unlikely there will beany humans on the moon. Even with theacceleration of NASA’s Artemisprogram, the 50th anniversary of the landing of the last humans—to date—on mans on themoon, inthree andahalf years we will commemorate that while we will celebrate this summer the landing of the first hu cookies. But in the back of minds of many, though, is the realization US$29.99 ISBN 978-1-5011-0629-3 hardcover, 480pp.,illus. Simon &Schuster, 2019 by Charles Fishman the Moon One GiantLeap:TheImpossibleMissionThat FlewUsto Review: OneGiantLeap T A couple of chapters inthebook do explore thedevelopment That isaninteresting argument tomake, but Fishman doesn’t The end of Apollo started decades of efforts to try to at least duplicate If Apollo was supposed tobethestartof human exploration and SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 well asproduct tie-ins on everything from beertoOreo about themission andevents around thecountry, as of theApollo 11landing,includingtheseries of books his summerisone of celebration of the50thanniversary JEFF FOUST - - - - very different from Apollo. a long-term future, on themoon, Mars,or elsewhere, it will look initiatives have demonstrated. If human spaceflight does have as little senseastryingtoduplicate it, asdecades’ worth of failed supported by ColdWar geopolitics. Trying toredefine it makes accomplishments aswell asskilled management, stimulated and a tremendous programmatic success thanks to both technological Apollo, asthis book attempts to do, let’s accept Apollo for what it was: space, thenandnow, isbroad but notdeep. dramatically for thelandingsafterApollo 11.Thepublic’s interest in never strong until Apollo 11itself, andtelevision audiences dropped knowledges elsewhere in the book, public support for Apollo was the romance andadventure of ourown spacetravel.” Yet, asheac of money. “We love space,” hesaid.“We are not, in fact, bored by the book, that it helpedbegin the“Digital Age” andwasn’t awaste chapter of thebook. It isabit defensive, arguing, ashedidearlier in of Apollo, but rather ahodgepodge of topics about theprogram. same length.It’s certainly notadetailed or chronological account lected aflagtofly on thelander; thoselasttwo chapters are about the lunar module, andtheprocess by which NASA decided toandse Fishman returns to that reconsideration of Apollo in the final Rather thanattempting toredefine themeaningof success for S N - -

SIMON & SCHUSTER with thosetopics. so inaway that will bethought-provoking even for those familiar that examinesall thoseaspectsof themoon, andmore, anddoes 40 |S future inspacemay support areturn tothemoon. of Elon Musk andJeff Bezos,whose broader visions of humanity’s book), aswell aswhat Chinamay do. He also examines thevisions timetable for ahuman return to2024wastoolate tomake it into the the administration’s announcement inMarch that accelerated the moon. This includes some references to NASA’s plans (although same way again. Tank Engine”)guarantees you will notlook at that spacecraftthe stubby-circular facelike that of asomewhat satanic Thomas the his description of theshape of thelunarmodule’s ascent stage(“a his observations and perspectives on theprogram. If nothing else, a high-level overview that will offer little newtoreaders otherthan Morton devotes justone chapter of eight totheprogram, andthat is anniversary of Apollo 11,very little of thebook isabout Apollo itself. beginning, enlightened. writer guidingthereader along apath that bringsthem backtothe the page it flows smoothly from one section to the next, a curious inhabited exoplanets. That path might soundconvoluted, but on spectra of theEarthshinetoknow what tolook for astheyseek returning tothosemodern-day telescopes, which were taking vations of themoon recorded by theApollo 8astronauts, finally moon, thentoradarandradio bouncesoff themoon andobser goes through Galileo’s observations of Earthshineon thecrescent with early 21stcentury observatories looking at themoon but then an adventure inandof itself. Thefirstchapter, “Reflections,” starts terms of ahuman return andeven settlement. But eachchapter is and finishingwith anexamination what thefuture might holdin early understanding of the moon, then its initial exploration in Apollo, a staffwriter at wide-ranging, andasentertaining, as“TheMoon” by Oliver Morton, ancillary aspects. vate sector—and othersfocus on thestudy of theMoon or other of lunarexploration—by NASA, otherspaceagencies, or thepri US$28.00 ISBN 978-1-5417-7432-2 hardcover, 352pp.,illus. The Economist, 2019 by Oliver Morton fortheFuture The Moon:AHistory Review: TheMoon In thesechapters, Morton soundslike someone who wants to While thepublication of “TheMoon” coincides with the50th The book chapters are vaguely chronological, startingwith our Later chapters examinetheprospects for ahuman return tothe It’s unlikely, though, that any of thisnewcrop of books will beas I SN N SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION APOLLO 11AT 50 a half-century ago. Some do look aheadat thefuture visiting theApollo program andtheracetoMoon being publishedare mostly backwards-looking, re n thissummerof themoon, themajority of thebooks The Economist The JEFF FOUST . Thebook isacollection of essays - - - another. at leasthope—it isapartof humanity’s future, inone manneror still inspirational for many, includingMorton, who still believe—or slightly retro one.” Although it may be retro, it’s clear the Moon is it,” hewrites. “Now it seems,at best,afuture among others—anda science fiction used it, that waswhat the Apollo programme made might reach, functioned asanimageof thefuture; that washow was atimewhen theMoon, standingfor all things that rockets after an examination of the moon’s place in science fiction. “There the moon inourfuture, ismade clearinapassage late inthebook, ton says one “should notdiscount thepossibility of prickishness.”) any admiration of hisachievements. (Bezosgetsoff easier, but Mor side at some point. Yet, hewrites, Musk “isalso aprick” that qualifies for lunarmissions should theSpace Launch System go by theway that thecompany’s future Starship could “mop up NASA contracts” successful spacecraftdevelopment programme sinceApollo,” and does notuncritically idolize them.Musk, henotes,“hasledthemost transporting water from Earth. those vehicles could undermine that market for lunar ice by simply low-cost accesstospaceusingvehicles like SpaceX’s Starship; yet, But, he notes, the business case for such a facility likely relies on ice, transporting it back to Earth orbit where it could be sold as fuel. amines the possibility of establishing a base on the moon to mine accepts thisisnotaspreordained asit sounds.For example, heex tains significant doubts. He often refers tothisas“theReturn,” but believe humans will return to,andstay on, themoon, but who re And, while heacknowledges theadvances of the private sector, he That ambivalence about ourfuture on themoon, andtherole of S N

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THE ECONOMIST