Which Apollo mission was the first trip outside Earth's gravity?

evil44

Okay, so the answer I think you're looking for is Apollo 8. Apollo 7 just did Earth orbits. Apollo 8 actually orbited the moon. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo.html Jun 15 11, 1:41 PM

Watchkeeper

None of them. You can't get outside the Earth's gravity. Newton's famous equation F = Mm/d^2 shows that when d (distance) has any finite value there is a corresponding finite value of the gravitational force. Admittedly, the force becomes zero at infinity but no-one's going there and in any case you've reached the limit of the Earth's gravity, not gone outside it. There comes a point on a trip to the Moon where the Moon's gravitational attraction becomes equal to that of the Earth, but the Earth's gravity doesn't suddenly stop. http://www.thelivingmoon.com/47john_lear/02files/Neutral_Point.html Look at it the other way. Coming back from the Moon to the Earth the Moon's gravity is still effective when you get here - it causes the tides. Jun 15 11, 8:17 PM