Special Sub-Topic: The Moon: So Close, Yet So Far Click Here To Play: The Moon: So Close, Yet So Far

December 21, 1968 marked the first time in history that mankind attempted to send men into lunar orbit. On Christmas Eve, the crew of Apollo 8 became the first men to view an earthrise over the lunar horizon. The three crewmembers were later named Time Magazine's Men of the Year. Apollo 8 marked the only space flight for which astronaut?

Bill Anders. Bill Anders later served as the first chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commision, and later became the United States Ambassador to Norway. Apollo 8 also marked the first time the Saturn V rocket was used for a manned mission. This was considered the most risky of all Apollo missions, but it was a complete success.

Which Apollo 8 astronaut(s) flew on Gemini 7, which for five years held the record for longest space flight in history, at 14 days?

Both Jim Lovell and Frank Borman. Near the end of their two weeks in orbit on Gemini 7, Lovell and Borman rendezvoused with the Gemini 6A spacecraft, flown by Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford.

Apollo 10 was the second lunar mission. The three crew carried out a very important mission, which was to survey the Moon for future landing sites for Apollo 11, as well prove the Lunar Module would fly in lunar orbit and re-dock with the Command Module. Two of the three crewmembers walked on the Moon in future missions. Which Apollo 10 astronaut did NOT?

Thomas Stafford. John Young was the Commander of Apollo 16, and later flew on the maiden voyage of the Space Shuttle. He is the only astronaut to fly four different types of spacecraft: Gemini, Apollo Command Module, Apollo Lunar Module, and the Shuttle. Gene Cernan was the commander of Apollo 17, and is known for being the last man to set foot on the Moon. Though Thomas Stafford never walked on the Moon, he later flew on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first cooperative flight between the Americans and the Soviets. At almost 24,800 mph, Apollo 10 holds the record for the fastest speed ever attained by man.

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first two men to set foot on the Moon. Who was the equally important crewmember of Apollo 11, but had to stay in orbit while the Eagle had landed?

Michael Collins. Aside from being the Command Module Pilot for Apollo 11, Collins flew on Gemini 10 with John Young, and served as CapCom in Mission Control for Apollo 8. McDivitt, Scott, and Schweickart comprised the Apollo 9 crew. Apollo 9 was the first flight of the Lunar Module. That was one of two Apollo flights that was not intended to fly beyond Earth orbit.

While Al Bean and Pete Conrad were roaming around the Moon during Apollo 12, this man was busy flying the Command Module, mapping potential landing sites for future missions. He was slated to walk on the Moon for Apollo 18, but the mission was cancelled for budgetary reasons.

Dick Gordon. Gordon and Conrad also flew together on Gemini 11. Schirra, Eisele and Cunningham comprised the crew of Apollo 7, the first successful manned mission of the Apollo Program.

Though Apollo 13 did not land or even orbit the Moon, the three men onboard performed a gravitational slingshot which sent them around the far side of the Moon, heading back to Earth. For which astronaut(s) was Apollo 13 their only spaceflight?

Both Jack Swigert and Fred Haise. For Commander Jim Lovell, Apollo 13 was his second trip to the Moon, Apollo 8 being the first. He did not get the opportunity to walk on the Moon either time. The two other men to accomplish this feat, John Young and Gene Cernan, both walked on the Moon in later missions.

This Apollo 14 astronaut had the bird's eye view of the most far out round of golf in history.

Stuart Roosa. Stuart Roosa was scheduled to command Apollo 20, but the mission was later cancelled, ending his chances of walking on the Moon. The Apollo 14 Commander, Alan Shepard, made a six-iron out of a tool intended to gather lunar rocks, and hit two golf balls in gravity 1/6 that of Earth's. Shepard reportedly sliced his first shot. Mitchell was a firm believer in UFOs and paranormal activity. Joe Engel was Ed Mitchell's backup, and first flew on the second Space Shuttle mission.

While his companions were joy-riding around the Moon with the new Lunar Rover, this Apollo 15 astronaut made history by launching the first sub-satellite into lunar orbit, and also performing the first EVA from a Command Module while on the return trip to Earth.

Al Worden. Apollo 15 was the only space flight for Al Worden.

He was the Command Module Pilot for Apollo 16. Even though he never walked on the Moon, he had the opportunity to fly one of the first Space Shuttle missions. Originally slated to fly on Apollo 13, this astronaut never did get the measles from his Apollo 16 crewmate.

Ken Mattingly. Ken Mattingly was taken off the Apollo 13 mission because his future crewmate, Charlie Duke, had the measles, which Mattingly had never been exposed to. Apollo 16 was the first space flight for Mattingly, but not his last. He later commanded two Space Shuttle flights, STS-4 in 1982 and STS-51C in 1985.

During the final lunar mission, this Apollo 17 astronaut broke and still holds the record for longest time spent in lunar orbit, just over 6 days.

Ron Evans. Apollo 17 was the only space flight for Ron Evans. Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt was the first scientist to become an astronaut, and Commander Gene Cernan was the last man to set foot on the Moon. Shannon Lucid holds the record for the most time spent in space by a woman, but began her career with the Shuttle Program.