The Apollo program, 101
The Apollo program was an American space initiative in the 1960s and early 1970s to land humans on the moon, the first successful attempt in history. Named after the Greek god associated with the sun, the program cost over $200B in today’s dollars, launched 11 crewed missions, and saw 12 American astronauts walk on the moon (see numbers).
Launched July 16, 1969, the crew of Apollo 11—Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins—landed on the moon’s Sea of Tranquility July 20 (using a guidance system with less computing power than a modern smartphone).
Roughly 650 million people watched as the pair stepped out on the moon as Armstrong famously declared: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Watch it here.
Numerous everyday technologies originated or advanced in the program, including cordless tools, scratch-resistant lenses, freeze-dried foods, and early medical scans. Memory foam, created for aircraft crash protection, is now used in bedding and protective gear. Culturally, the program inspired a surge in interest in science and engineering.
