Fifty one years have passed since humans set foot on the moon. The United States of America made history on July 20, 1969 as the first country to land humans on the moon.
The 'Apollo 11' mission can be called a unique milestone in world history that is not limited to America. What actually happened there? Why is it so important?
Why did America want to go to the moon?
After Soviet Russia launched its first satellite, Sputnik, a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union developed over space travel.
In 1961, John F. Kennedy became the President of the United States and many Americans at that time believed that he would lose the race to become a technological superpower with his Cold War rival.
Taking a giant step, the Soviet Union made history in the same year (1961) as the first country to launch a manned spacecraft into space.
There, the United States would be the first to launch a manned space mission, and President Kennedy made his famous landing in 1962, announcing, "We have chosen to go to the moon."
Seeds planted on the moon sprout
'Liquid Ice' on Moon's Surface
While the space race between the two countries continued, the Soviet Union successfully landed an unmanned spacecraft on the moon in 1965.
How did the United States plan its mission?
The United States space agency, NASA, devoted huge resources to its mission known as the 'Apollo' program.
400,000 (four hundred thousand) people have been served for that program and 2,500 million US dollars have been spent for that.
Three astronauts were selected for the Apollo 11 mission. Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins are the three astronauts.
The powerful 'Saturn V' rocket carried the Apollo mothership and the lunar lander to the Moon.
Before going to the moon, the plan was to first launch the necessary hardware into Earth orbit.
Colony plans on the moon
Aldrin and Armstrong were carried to the surface of the Moon by the Lunar lander while Collins remained aboard the mothership.
Did something go wrong?
Apollo 1 was the first manned spacecraft to test orbit. It was supposed to be launched in 1967.
But during the daily tests, a fire broke out inside the mothership, killing three astronauts.
With that, manned space travel was suspended for several months.
During the 'Apollo 11' mission there were also communication problems with the control room. A computer had sounded an alarm signal that had not been heard before by the astronauts.
Also, the Lunar spacecraft had reached a different location beyond the first planned region.
walking on the moon
Despite some problems, Neil Armstrong made history as the first man to set foot on the moon on May 20, nearly 110 hours after leaving Earth. Buzz Aldrin joined him 20 minutes later.
"That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind," Armstrong's words were broadcast on television.
They spent more than two hours outside the lunar rover, where surface rock samples and photographs were taken. They also arranged for several scientific researches.
After completing the moon exploration, the two successfully landed on the mother ship.
The three astronauts returned to Earth and landed in the Pacific Ocean on July 24.
An estimated 650 million people worldwide watched the landing on the moon. The victory helped the United States to demonstrate its power in front of the world community.
At the end of a tumultuous decade, it also led to a rise in American nationalism.
In the 1960s, President Kennedy was assassinated and there were racial riots in many major cities, as well as an uneasy atmosphere regarding the military intervention in Vietnam.
How can you tell if you have set foot on the moon?
By the end of 1972, six US missions had set foot on the moon. But some argue that the moon landings were just a show.
NASA has had a lunar rover since 2009. It sent back photographs showing signs of lunar exploration by the Apollo mission, such as footprints and wheel tracks.
And rocks brought from the surface of the moon provide geological evidence for it.
What is the point of going to the moon?
The United States of America is the only country to have landed humans on the surface of the moon.
However, Russia, China, the European Space Agency, Israel and India have sent spacecraft to orbit or land on the moon.
If a country is able to send a spacecraft or humans to the moon, it is a sign of technological prowess that entitles it to membership in a limited elite society.
And there are also more practical reasons behind it, such as the desire to exploit the moon's resources.
Ice found at the Moon's poles contains hydrogen and oxygen, which can be used as fuel for rockets, making it easier for spacecraft to go deeper into space.
There is also concern about the mining of gold, platinum and rare metals on the moon. Raising such resources a
#blurt #blurtstory #geekpranee #died #moon #srilanka #story #caught