Shooting for the Moon The Space Race

Shooting for the Moon

The Space Race

Power point created by Robert L. MartinezPrimary Content Source: All the People by Joy HakimImages as cited.

It was an outrageous idea, to expect It was an outrageous idea, to expect to leave the earth’s atmosphere and to leave the earth’s atmosphere and

make it to the moon, especially in make it to the moon, especially in the same century that people had the same century that people had

first learned to fly.first learned to fly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/staalen/2425958499/

We might not have tried it at all if it We might not have tried it at all if it hadn’t been for Russia. When the hadn’t been for Russia. When the

Russians sent a satellite into space, Russians sent a satellite into space, called called SputnikSputnik, we couldn’t believe , we couldn’t believe

it.it.

http://www.imagine101.com/Sputnik.jpg

We Americans had the idea that we We Americans had the idea that we were better than others. It was a were better than others. It was a kind of national arrogance. We kind of national arrogance. We

aren’t better or smarter than other aren’t better or smarter than other people.people.

http://pro.corbis.com/search/Enlargement.aspx?mediauid=014FB86A-6F62-4B88-A4BE-B47B6E0F9F8A

Russia’s Russia’s SputnikSputnik got us energized. got us energized. We didn’t want our communist foes We didn’t want our communist foes

to take over space.to take over space.

Soviet control roomhttp://www1.umn.edu/scitech/web-docs/assign/space/vostok_control.html

Then, in April 1961, the Russians Then, in April 1961, the Russians sent a man rocketing into space. His sent a man rocketing into space. His name was name was Yuri GagarinYuri Gagarin..

http://www.mandvice.com/mnt/w0301/d09/s21/b0275776/www/mandvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/YuriGagarin.jpg

The United States had a space The United States had a space agency, agency, NASANASA , but we were behind , but we were behind the Russians, and we couldn’t stand the Russians, and we couldn’t stand

the idea.the idea.

Photograph provided by Robert L. Martinez

Coach Martinez

Photographed by Robert L. Martinez

Vehicle Assembly Building,Kennedy Space Center, Florida

President President John F. KennedyJohn F. Kennedy made a made a speech announcing our intention to speech announcing our intention to put a man on the moon “before the put a man on the moon “before the

decade is out.” We were off on a decade is out.” We were off on a space race.space race.

http://www.daviddarling.info/images/Kennedy.jpg

This moon trip became the will of a This moon trip became the will of a nation. It took the talent of nation. It took the talent of

thousands of brains, it took the thousands of brains, it took the lives of some astronauts (who were lives of some astronauts (who were

killed in explosive misfires).killed in explosive misfires).

http://www.datamanos2.com/apollo1/apollo1module1.jpg

Astronauts White, Grissom, and Chaffee

The first step toward the moon The first step toward the moon was flight into space. was flight into space. Alan B. Alan B. ShepardShepard was squeezed into a was squeezed into a

spacesuit in a space capsule just spacesuit in a space capsule just big enough to hold him.big enough to hold him.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stunned/2892935183/

Texan Alan Shepard

http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/webpics/Alan_Shepard.jpg

This was the This was the Mercury projectMercury project, named , named for the swift messenger of the ancient for the swift messenger of the ancient

Roman gods. (The space craft was Roman gods. (The space craft was named named Freedom 7Freedom 7).).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stunned/2893773574/

The first American manned flight The first American manned flight into space lasted 15 minutes.into space lasted 15 minutes.

http://www.spacetoday.org/images/History/Freedom7SuborbitalNASA.jpg

The The MercuryMercury flights, there were 6 of flights, there were 6 of them, were an important first step. them, were an important first step. One Mercury flight lasted 34 hours.One Mercury flight lasted 34 hours.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9805197@N07/750560138/ http://www.fiftiesweb.com/pop/mercury-astronauts.jpg

7 Original Mercury Astronauts

Next came the Next came the GeminiGemini program, program, named for twin stars. They were named for twin stars. They were two-manned flights intended to test two-manned flights intended to test docking techniques.docking techniques.

http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/history/gemini/geminimain.jpg

GeminiGemini connected with a target connected with a target vehicle, named vehicle, named AgenaAgena. The . The

spacecraft touched noses and spacecraft touched noses and clamped themselves together in clamped themselves together in

space.space.

http://www.friends-partners.org/partners/mwade/graphics/g/gemini6b.jpg

The Gemini astronauts walked The Gemini astronauts walked outside the capsule in space suits, outside the capsule in space suits, into outer space, but with a cord into outer space, but with a cord that firmly tied them to their ship.that firmly tied them to their ship.


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http://www.ssoar.org/research/space-suits/history/gemini-spacewalk.jpg

On the morning of July 16,1969, five On the morning of July 16,1969, five months before President Kennedy’s months before President Kennedy’s deadline of the end of the decade, deadline of the end of the decade, the sun was bright and the skies the sun was bright and the skies were clear at Cape Canaveral on were clear at Cape Canaveral on Florida’s east coast.Florida’s east coast.

http://www.sierratel.com/patplc/Apollo7.htm

Some 8,000 people were packed Some 8,000 people were packed into a special viewing area; others into a special viewing area; others jammed nearby roads and beaches jammed nearby roads and beaches to view the launching of to view the launching of Apollo 11Apollo 11..

http://www.batsinthebelfry.com/rover/rover_images/ap15_launch_McMillan.jpg

Nearby, three men sat strapped Nearby, three men sat strapped elbow to elbow inside a narrow elbow to elbow inside a narrow

capsule on top of a Saturn rocket capsule on top of a Saturn rocket that stood as tall as a 30-story that stood as tall as a 30-story

building.building.

http://www.staynehoff.net/8-mission-boarding.jpg

Photograph taken by Robert L. Martinez

Neil ArmstrongNeil Armstrong, a civilian pilot, was , a civilian pilot, was in the left seat. Some said he was in the left seat. Some said he was

the nation’s best jet test pilot.the nation’s best jet test pilot.

http://history.nasa.gov/ap11ann/kippsphotos/5528.jpg

Edwin AldrinEdwin Aldrin sat in the middle. sat in the middle. Everyone called him by his school Everyone called him by his school

nickname, Buzz. Some of his nickname, Buzz. Some of his scientific ideas had gone into this scientific ideas had gone into this

mission.mission.


Michael CollinsMichael Collins, another air force , another air force officer and test pilot, was to pilot officer and test pilot, was to pilot the command ship, which would the command ship, which would

orbit the moon while the other two orbit the moon while the other two men descended to the lunar surface men descended to the lunar surface

in the landing vehicle.in the landing vehicle.

http://www.daviddarling.info/images/Collins_Michael.jpg


The rocket, named The rocket, named Saturn VSaturn V, , belched fire and its own billowing belched fire and its own billowing

clouds, lifted off, and seemed to rise clouds, lifted off, and seemed to rise slowly.slowly.


But that was just an illusion, after But that was just an illusion, after two and a half minutes Saturn V was two and a half minutes Saturn V was

41 miles above Earth. It was 41 miles above Earth. It was traveling at 5,400 mph when its first traveling at 5,400 mph when its first

stage fell away.stage fell away.


Mission Control, Kennedy Space Center, Florida


http://www.flightsimulationforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1196

The next stage took the astronauts The next stage took the astronauts 110 miles above Earth, carrying 110 miles above Earth, carrying them at 14,000 mph, and was them at 14,000 mph, and was jettisoned (dropped away).jettisoned (dropped away).


The third stage got them to 17,000 The third stage got them to 17,000 mph. they were now weightless and mph. they were now weightless and

orbiting the earth. It was only 17 orbiting the earth. It was only 17 minutes after liftoff.minutes after liftoff.


After they had circled the globe After they had circled the globe twice, the third-stage engine fired twice, the third-stage engine fired the ship away from Earth’s orbit. It the ship away from Earth’s orbit. It would take three days to get to the would take three days to get to the

moon.moon.











Television took us into space and Television took us into space and then put us on the rocky, craggy, then put us on the rocky, craggy, pockmarked moon. When the two pockmarked moon. When the two men stepped out of the landing men stepped out of the landing

vehicle, we were there.vehicle, we were there.

http://history.nasa.gov/ap11ann/kippsphotos/5869.jpg http://www.funnytheworld.com/2004/Sep/Alice9.jpg

It was an American spaceship, but it It was an American spaceship, but it was a world event.was a world event.



Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon’s crunchy soil and said, “moon’s crunchy soil and said, “One One small step for man, one giant leap small step for man, one giant leap

for mankindfor mankind.” It was an .” It was an understatement.understatement.



The view from the moon was of one The view from the moon was of one Earth, it was not one of small, Earth, it was not one of small,

separate nations.separate nations.

http://www.msdmv.k12.in.us/farmersville/msdmv/msdmv/Earth%20View%20From%20Moon.jpg

Photograph provided by Robert L. Martinez

Austin Renee Martinezchecking out the Lunar Rover.

Life sized mock-up of Space ShuttleKennedy Space Center, Florida 1996.

Coach Martinez

Space Shuttle on Launching Pad, Summer 2007


Coach Martinez

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Shooting for the Moon The Space Race