Special Sub-Topic: Apollo 11 Click Here To Play: Apollo 11

From which pad did Apollo 11 launch?

Pad 39A. Apollo 11 launched at 9:32am EDT on July 16, 1969 from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, with Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin.

Which of the following was the original backup crew for Apollo 11?

Lovell, Anders and Haise. After Bill Anders left NASA to become Executive Secretary for the National Aeronautics and Space Council, Ken Mattingly replaced him on the backup crew that eventually became prime crew for Apollo 13.

Apollo 11 was one of two Apollo missions flown with an all-experienced crew.

t. Apollo 10 and Apollo 11 were the only two Apollo missions flown with all-experienced crewmen. The next time an all-experienced crew flew was STS-26 in 1988.

Which of the following was not part of Apollo 11's Early Apollo Scientific Experiment Package (EASEP)?

Active Seismic Experiment. Flown on Apollo 11 only, EASEP contained an abbreviated package of experiments and was powered by solar energy. It returned data for 71 days.

Armstrong and Aldrin received a 1202 and 1201 program alarm during their descent to the moon. Who was the flight controller who recognized that the program alarms the crew was receiving were simply computer overload and they could safely continue?

Steve Bales. Receiving the program alarms during the powered descent brought up an abort situation. The burden of making that go-no go decision fell on 26-year old Steve Bales who was "Guido" at the time. For his decision which saved the landing, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom along with Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins.

Who was the CapCom for the LM launch from the moon?

Ron Evans. Ron Evans later flew on Apollo 17 as the Command Module Pilot. Charlie Duke was the landing CapCom, Bruce McCandless was the EVA CapCom and Owen Garriott was the Post-EVA CapCom.

During rendezvous and docking of the command module and Eagle after the lunar landing, the LM platform reached gimbal lock.

t. In the process of maneuvering to docking attitude, the LM platform did inadvertently reach gimbal lock causing the LM to tumble briefly. Armstrong and Aldrin used the abort guidance system for attitude control, and they quickly recovered. Put simply, when gimbal lock occurs, the spacecraft doesn't know where it is in space.

How many of Apollo 11's crewmembers were in the Air Force?

2. Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin were both in the Air Force, and Neil Armstrong was a civilian.

At splashdown, Columbia was in an apex-down flotation attitude.

t. Also known as 'Stable 2', Apollo 11 landed upside down but soon righted itself with inflatable air bags. Columbia splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969. The recovery ship was the USS Hornet.

Which Apollo 11 crewmember wrote "Carrying the Fire"?

Michael Collins. Michael Collins has written "Carrying the Fire" and "Liftoff", as well as a children's book. Buzz Aldrin has also written several books including "Return to Earth".