Why did NASA call it Apollo?

Abe Silverstein, Director of Space Flight Development, proposed the name “Apollo” because it was the name of a god in ancient Greek mythology with attractive connotations and the precedent for naming manned spaceflight projects for mythological gods and heroes had been set with Mercury.

What was the nickname for Apollo 11’s LM?

Eagle
The Apollo 11 Lunar Module (LM) “Eagle” was the first crewed vehicle to land on the Moon. It carried two astronauts, Commander Neil A. Armstrong and LM pilot Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., the first men to walk on the Moon.

What was the name of the first mission to go to the Moon?

Apollo 11 mission
The first moon landing occurred on July 20, 1969, on the Apollo 11 mission. The crew of Apollo 11 was Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin.

What planet is associated with Apollo?

Mercury
The ancient Babylonians called the planet Napu, after a god in their mythology. The ancient Greeks actually thought that Mercury was two planets, and they called it Apollo when it was visible in the morning sky, and Hermes when it was seen after sunset.

What happened to the Aquarius LEM?

The Lunar Module Aquarius was jettisoned just before reentry. Usually, the lunar module was jettisoned in lunar orbit, but during Apollo 13, the crew had to discard the spacecraft right before entry.

How did NASA pronounce Gemini?

Regardless of what the dictionary says, the Federal space agency’s official pronunciation for its new man-in-space program, Gemini, is “Jiminy,” as in “Jiminy Cricket.”

Why was the planet named Mercury?

Mercury is one of the five classical planets visible with the naked eye and is named after the swift-footed Roman messenger god. It is not known exactly when the planet was first discovered – although it was first observed through telescopes in the seventeenth century by astronomers Galileo Galilei and Thomas Harriot.

What company makes the control system for the Mercury spacecraft?

Reaction control system for the Mercury spacecraft. AiResearch Manufacturing Division of the Garrett Corporation, Los Angeles, California – Environmental control system for the Mercury spacecraft. The Perkin-Elmer Corporation, Norwalk, Connecticut – Periscope for the Mercury spacecraft.

How many times has NASA modified the Mercury spacecraft design?

The Mercury spacecraft design was modified three times by NASA between 1958 and 1959. After bidding by potential contractors had been completed, NASA selected the design submitted as “C” in November 1958. After it failed a test flight in July 1959, a final configuration, “D”, emerged.

What was the purpose of the Mercury space capsule?

The Mercury space capsule was produced by McDonnell Aircraft, and carried supplies of water, food and oxygen for about one day in a pressurized cabin.

What did NASA learn from the Gemini program?

Upon completion of the Gemini program, NASA learned how to fly, live and work in space for the durations of around two weeks that were necessary to send men to the moon and back [source: Garber and Launius ]. Apollo’s primary mission was to land men on the moon, explore it and return them safely to Earth.