The Utilities Of Apollo 11

The Utilities Of Apollo 11The Apollo 11 relegating vie an important role in the shaping of science and technology and it stands as a testament to mankinds readiness to achieve greatness in spite of seemingly overwhelming challenges and obstacles. The Apollo 11 moon landing was a signifi give the bouncet fount that showed what humanity could fulfil. The winner of Apollo 11 came at a time when the Statesn confederation was in crisis. Some people argue that this operation of landing on the moon was mainly to position the Russians to it in the stead race and how the achievement was born out of hatred and distrust. This is non necessarily consecutive, a growing fear of ad effectiveing to a world in which United States technology and leaders was perceived as second best. This fear helped to fuel this great achievement. The Apollo 11 mission had a profound invasion in the furtherance of science and technology and the evolution of post geographic expedition. Its clear that Ap ollo 11 was the cr declare of American blank berth technology and is a major accomplishment in the muniment of post exploration.The Apollo redact was a serial ma terra firma of missions designed to land a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth. Although earlier Apollo missions did achieve almost success the gallant achievement of a manned landing on the moon was Apollo 11. The next timeline for Apollo 11 was taken from the NASA Goddard quadruplet Flight Center courtesy of Dr. David R. Williams The liftoff of Apollo 11 happened on the morning of July 16, 1969. Apollo 11 was manned by a 3 man crew composing of Neil Armstrong, Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin and Michael Collins. On July 20, 1969 after a trip of four days Apollo 11 arrived at the moon. At 418pm EDT the lunar module containing Neil Armstrong and Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin stirred down on the moon. Aldrin in communications to Earth stated the eagle has landed (Aldrin, 1969). At 1056pm EDT Neil Armstrong emerged from the lunar module and became the first human to set foot on the moon. Armstrong summed it up by adage Thats peerless small step for man, oneness giant leap for mankind (Armstrong, 1969). On July 21, 1969 Apollo 11 dead soul from the moon after spending 22 hours there. On July 24, 1969 Apollo 11 splashed down returning the three astronauts safely to Earth. (Williams, 2005). Millions of people around the world watched this historic event happen on live telecasting and listened to it via radio broadcasts. With the success of Apollo 11 Kennedys great vision became a reality and it was giant step in progress for humankind.The Apollo 11 mission has directly affected society with the notion of length exploration and it had a profound effect on the future of space exploration. It all started on May 25, 1961 during the height of the space race, President John F. Kennedys bold dictation to coitus on urgent special needs was one that captivated the nation and set the events that followed i n motionFirst, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, out front this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him back safely to the earth. No single space project in this period will be more than impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space and none will be so severe or expensive to accomplish (Kennedy, 1961).This saving do by Kennedy in 1961 was the stuff of legends and ignited the ambitiousness of space exploration. Kennedy would further elaborate on this and offered the reason and explanation for such an undertaking during a speech he made at Rice University about the nations space effort on September 12, 1962We tell apart to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not beca wont they atomic number 18 easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge i s one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too (Kennedy, 1962).This speech spoke to the hearts of the American people and was one of the finest speeches made by Kennedy to rally the resist of the American public in favor of space exploration. Both of these speeches were a great boost to the American space weapons platform and the push for space exploration. At the time of these speeches NASA, the field of study Aeronautics and Space Administration had not located a man in orbit around the Earth, let alone the moon. Nonetheless NASA engineers and scientists rose to challenge. The onetime(prenominal) successes of the Mercury and Gemini programs guided by Kennedys grand vision helped to develop the missions for the Apollo program and in the last-ditch goal of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely back to Earth. maculation the Apollo program was during the nipping fight with its governmen tal and rhetoric fears and concerns it was also a push to explore space and how that success was vital for America. The May 25, 1961 Kennedy speech was reinforced by the October 13, 1961 speech at the American garden rocket Society by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson. Johnson statedIf I could get one message to you it would be this The future of this country and the welfare of the free world depend upon our success in space. There is no room in this country for any but a fully cooperative, urgently motivated all-out effort toward space leadership. No one person, no one company, no one Government agency, has a monopoly on the competence, the missions, or the requirements for the space program. It is and it must continue to be national job (Johnson, 1961).This speech by Johnson clearly expressed the outlook the United States had on space exploration and it would do whatever it took to be successful and how important that success was. All three of these speeches helped the development of Americas space program and space exploration in general. The first two speeches made by Kennedy were to inspire the American public on this grand enterprise and how the exploration of space was necessary for America. The speech by Johnson was aimed at how important success was in this endeavor for America and how American leadership in space was necessary for the future of America.The Apollo program and some noticeably Apollo 11 is a reenforcement testament to the triumph of human engine room in overcoming enormous challenges in spite of overwhelming odds. When Kennedy made the bold statement of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth in 1961 none of the technology and hardware or the work force needed to achieve this goal existed. An expression in the July 2009 identification number of mechanised plan, Burton Dicht stated In all, more than 400,000 engineers, scientists, and technicians working for more than 20,000 companies and universities contribut ed to Apollos Success (Dicht, 29). This massive collaborative undertaking was unheard of at the time and showed what can be accomplished by working together. The Apollo 11 mission united the people working on it with a common goal and belief that America would achieve it first. During the 1960s engineers and scientists were in great lead to overcome the vast engineering difficulties in the race to get into space. An article in the September 2005 issue of Mechanical Engineering, John Varrasi says At no other time were engineers prouder of their work, contributions, and professional and civic responsibilities. Each accompanying space mission was an achievement for engineering, for the nation, and for mankind (Varrasi, 46). The 1960s were the glory days for engineering with almost unbounded recourses and funding all geared toward the exploration of space. In numerous a(prenominal) ways the engineers and scientists were heroes in their own dependable for making the success of Apol lo 11 a reality. With the limited computer power at the time some things could not be done by computer and had to be done by other means. incision Smith in the July 2009 issue of Engineering Technology talks with Buzz Aldrin about the Apollo program, he quotes Aldrin as saying, We chose to use humans to aid things like re-entry, final closure breaking and docking maneuvers. We made use of humans, rather than try to automate everything and I think we made refreshful decisions when exploring how to do these things (Aldrin, 77). This was a wise decision as the computing power at the time was still in its intimacy and wasnt efficient in doing certain mechanical calculations or to make the needed corrective changes that arose in solving them. Apollo 11 was a great collaborative feat of human engineering and coordination and the success of Apollo 11 proved that American scientific and technological power would remain supreme in the area of space exploration.Public reporting of the Am erican space program through the press and television provided a great boost of support and enthusiasm that helped to retain national interest in the space program. Michael Beschloss in the book Spaceflight and the apologue of Presidential Leadership writes, public interest in space science, rocket technology, and detailed knowledge regarding space exploration had exploded. This, captured the American imagination, made them strongly support the space program because it promised the chance to establish American superiority in space (Beschloss 63). All of this led to strengthen the influence the space program had on the American people and helped to combat the fears the public had that America would lose the resulting space race. The space race has been called many of things and some would dismiss it as commonplace of the Cold War era, in all reality it was just a heated rivalry between two opposing nations that played on semipolitical fears. Space and ultimately the moon was the ba ttleground for this rivalry as each side strove to achieve superiority. For America the political goal was to prove to the world that American technology and leadership were superior. An article in the July 2009 issue of Engineering Technology, Piers Bizony writes Neither Russia nor America at the time would ease up reached for space, let alone the moon, if that prize hadnt beguiled the many millions of ordinary people they were trying to impress with their propaganda campaigns (Bizony, 22). While this is one view of how the space program was seen it is true to a sense the growing fear of adjusting to a world in which American technology and leadership came to be thought of as second best was seen as a real threat. If the Soviet articulation could solidify its superiority in outer space, it would strengthen its influence and hold on the people of the world. This would have profound diplomatic and commercial consequences for America and the American way of life (Oberg, 2009). This never happened, Apollo 11 succeeded in its mission of putting American astronauts on the moon and by doing so also succeeded in its purpose. winning the race to the moon gave the American people a great sense of confidence and pride not to mention a sense of direction that America would lead the world in the exploration of space. This success of Apollo 11 came at a time when American society was in crisis and that success helped to sustain the nation through the turbulent years of internal turmoil that followed. Mark Albrecht, former Executive Security of the National Space Council in his book, Falling keystone to Earth comments on Apollo 11, he writes, It was an achievement that won the discernment of nations and fueled innovation (Albrecht, 58). He further elaborates on this in a 2011 Washington Times article he statedSince 1960, Americas space program has been the crown jewel and Exhibit A of American exceptionalism. It has been a symbol of our spirit, ingenuity and technolog ical prowess. It has fueled and sustained an economic expansion unparalleled in history and has powered the most awesome and unrivaled global military capability since the Roman Empire (Albrecht, 2011).The statement made by Albrecht clearly expresses how important the space program was during the 1960s and how its success changed the future of America and humanity forever.While many have identified the moon landing as the crowning achievement of civilization, it is also a great technological feat and as such has had an impact on gloss. In the book Societal Impact of Spaceflight, Andrew Chaikin wrote the cultural impact of Apollo has been multifaceted. It was an event of international importance and yet it stirred countless lives on an intensely personal level (Chaikin, 53). This touching of lives caused by Apollo was a turning sharpen in the history of space exploration. It helped to boost commercial and economic growth. It helped to further education in the advancement of scienc e, math and engineering. It also changed or altered worldwide views of how we see ourselves and how we perceive our place in the universe. For some of the American public the moon landing was a contradiction. Darren Jorgensen, Discipline Chair of Visual Arts for the coach of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts of the University of Australia wrote an article in the 2009 issue of Sociological Review, he wrote Rather than an epic victory for the American way of life, the broadcast represented the kinds of disorientation and self-doubt that this society was experiencing during the 1960s (Jorgensen, 178). These feelings of monomania and self-doubt by the public were not surprising, at the time of the moon landing America was in turmoil and many questioned or opposed Apollo saying the cost for it could be better spent elsewhere and was out of tune with the urgent needs of Earth (Chaikin, Societal Impact of Spaceflight, 56). Apollo was a unique take aim in American history it undou btedly had a profound effect on culture that pushed into the political and social aspects as well. The political and technological circumstances of the 1960s and the national priority of space exploration were all key elements in the success of putting an American man on the moon. This kind of culture shaping event would probably not be seen again as the next decade had its own problems to deal with, least of all the Vietnam War and the priorities shifted as the time changed. John Logsdon, former director of the space policy institute and current member of the NASA Advisory council wrote in his book John F. Kennedy and the Race to the Moon, he wrote In undertaking the lunar landing program, John Kennedy linked the politics of the moment with the dreams of centuries and the aspirations of the nation (Logsdon, 4). The Apollo project was the means for America to achieve its prestige in the space race and in the Cold War and its effect would be long lasting on culture and humanity. The Apollo mission unfired the American public in a way that gave them something they could be proud of. It was a great voyage of discovery and with coverage of the event provided by television, it gave the public the chance to follow along with and in a sense partake in the event. At the time nothing of the sort had ever been done, the implications and the outcome of the event had a huge impact and changed the culture of America and the world.The Apollo 11 moon landing was a groundbreaking event that changed the world. It is a living testament to mankinds ability to achieve greatness in spite of enormous odds and challenges. It showed what America could accomplish when united and working towards a common goal. While it was a race for superiority in the resulting space race, it also played a key role in the shaping of science and technology. The Apollo 11 mission proved Americas capability to advance science and technology. The nation was left in awe by the achievements made by the aero space industry during the 1960s and ultimately the moon landing. Apollo brought about technological advances in computer circuitry and engineering along with numerous innovations that have improved our understanding of space and that has affected modern society immensely. Apollo 11 and the moon landing event was a vast and cultural shaping force that undeniably invigorate how science and the future evolve.Works CitiedAlbrecht, M. (2011). Americas space rash is crashing. Washington Times. July 6, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2012, from http//www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/6/americas-space-program-is-crashing/Albrecht, M. (2011). Falling Back to Earth A First Hand Account of the Great Space Race and the End of the Cold War. San Mateo, CA New Media Books.Beschloss, M. (1997). Spaceflight and the Myth of Presidential Leadership. Urbana University of Illinois Press.Bizony, P. (2009, July). The great uncertainty of Apollo. Engineering Technology, 4(12). 20-23. Retrieved October 5, 2012, from Academic research double-dyed(a) database. (doi10.1049/et.2009.1201).Dicht, B. (2009). The most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.. Mechanical Engineering, 131(7), 28-35. Retrieved October 6, 2012, from Academic Search Complete database.Dick, S. and Launius, R., ed. (2007). Societal Impact of Spaceflight. Washington, DC National Aeronautics and Space Administration.Johnson, L. B. aeronautic and Astronautical Events of October-December 1961. Report to the Committee on Science and Aeronautics. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved on October 7, 2012, from http//www.hq.nasa.gov/ subprogram/pao/History/Timeline/1961-4.html.Jorgensen, D. (2009). Middle America, the moon, the sublime and the uncanny. Sociological Review, 57. 178-189. Retrieved October 6, 2012, from Academic Search Complete database. (doi 10.1111/j.1467-954X.2009.01824.x)Kennedy, J. F. Special Message to the Congress on Urgent National Needs, May 2 5, 1961. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. Retrieved on October 7, 2012, from http//www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pelvic inflammatory disease=8151.Kennedy, J. F. Address at Rice University on the Nations Space Effort, September 12, 1962. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Retrieved on October 7, 2012, from http//www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Ready-Reference/JFK-Speeches/Address-at-Rice- University-on-the-Nations-Space-Effort-September-12-1962.aspx.Logsdon, J. M. (2010). John f. Kennedy and the race to the moon. New York Palgrave Macmillan.Oberg, James. (2009). The secret formula for going to the moon. NBC News website. July 14, 2009. Retrieved October 6, 2012, from h ttp//www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5380736/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/secret- formula-going-moon/Smith, N. and Schuster, A. (2009, July). Out of this world. Engineering Technology, 4(12). 20-23. Retrieved October 5, 2012, from Academic Search Complete database. (doi1 0.1049/et.2009.1201).Varrasi, J. (2005). Reach for the Sky. Mechanical Engineering, 127(9), 44-46. Retrieved from academic Search Complete database.Williams, D. (2005). 25th anniversary of Apollo 11 1969 1994. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. May 24, 2005. Retrieved October 7, 2012, from http//nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo11.html.