To the Moon and Back chapter sampler

To the Moon and Back

Moon&Back 4pp SD 04/04 10/5/04 10:53 AM Page 8

[ 12 ] dreamt of using their rocket designs to build spacecraft for space exploration, not war. Now others were following this dream too. before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth.’ This was the birth of the Apollo project, named after Apollo, the ancient Greek god of the Moon, as well as of Learning, Science and Youth. Yes, President Kennedy wanted to beat the Russians. Yes, the space program that finally took a man to the Moon was based on war technology — and part of a war-like build-up. But it was not just about beating the Russians. (Later President Kennedy would suggest to the Russians that the two nations collaborate in space research and exploration — a mission on behalf of all peoples of the world.) It was an expression of humanity’s passion to understand the universe — and to travel further and further into outer space. At the beginning of the 1960s, however, it still looked like an impossible dream. THE GERMAN ROCKETS OF WORLD WAR II The rocket engineering that finally took astronauts to the Moon probably began with the German V2 rockets of World War II. These giant, long- range missiles ran on liquid fuel and were designed to fly long distances before they fell to the cities below and destroyed, on impact, all things about b ating he Russians. (Lat r President Kennedy would suggest to the Russians that the tw nations collaborate i sp ce research and xpl ration — a mission on behalf of all peoples of the world.) It was an expres ion of humanity’s passion to understand he univer e — and to travel fur her and further into outer space. At the b ginning f the 1960s, h wever, it still looked like an impossib e dream. THE GERMAN ROCKETS OF WORLD WAR II The ocke engine ring th t f nally took astronauts to the Moon probably began with the German V2 rockets of World War II. These giant, long-range missiles ran on liquid fuel and were designed to fly long distances before they fell to the cit es below and destroyed, on impact, ll things ar u d them. The rockets ere t brainchild of Wernher von Braun and his team. At the e d of the war vo Braun and other German engineers emigrat d to the United Sta es, while oth rs went to work in t Soviet Uni n. Although the German rockets were made to destroy English cities, von Braun and his team To t h e Mo o n a n d Ba c k