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Apollo 18

Apollo 18 was a planned but canceled crewed lunar mission in NASA's Apollo program, intended to achieve the seventh human landing on the Moon as part of the agency's effort to explore and scientifically investigate the lunar surface.^[1] The mission, designated as a "J-type" flight, would have featured an extended three-day stay on the surface, utilizing the Lunar Roving Vehicle for traverses up to 20 kilometers to collect geological samples from a scientifically significant site, building on the successes of Apollos 15 through 17.^[2] Originally scheduled for launch in late 1973 aboard the Saturn V rocket SA-513, Apollo 18's prime crew consisted of Commander Richard F. Gordon Jr., who had previously flown on Gemini 11 and Apollo 12; Command Module Pilot Vance D. Brand, a rookie astronaut; and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison H. "Jack" Schmitt, a geologist who ultimately flew on Apollo 17 after the later missions' cancellation.^[3] One of the proposed landing sites was the Marius Hills region in Oceanus Procellarum, a volcanic dome field selected for its potential to yield insights into the Moon's igneous history and mantle composition through sample collection from lava flows and central peaks.^[4] However, on September 2, 1970, NASA announced the cancellation of Apollos 18 and 19—following Apollo 20's earlier axing in January 1970—due to severe budget cuts imposed by Congress and the Nixon administration, which prioritized the Skylab orbital workshop and emerging Space Shuttle program over additional lunar landings.^[1] This decision reduced NASA's workforce and redirected resources, ending crewed lunar exploration with Apollo 17 in December 1972, though the Saturn V intended for Apollo 18 was repurposed to launch Skylab in 1973.^[5] The designation "Apollo 18" later gained cultural prominence through a 2011 found-footage horror film of the same name, which fictionalizes a secret post-Apollo 17 mission encountering extraterrestrial life on the Moon, despite NASA's clarification that no such flight occurred and all lunar missions concluded with Apollo 17.^[6] The movie, directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego, drew from conspiracy theories but was marketed as "recovered footage," sparking public interest and misconceptions about the program's history.^[6]

Background

Origins in the Apollo Program

The Apollo program was initiated in response to President John F. Kennedy's address to a joint session of Congress on May 25, 1961, in which he committed the United States to achieving the goal of landing a human on the Moon and returning them safely to Earth before the end of the decade.^[7] This ambitious objective, driven by the Cold War space race with the Soviet Union, marked the formal inception of Project Apollo under NASA's administration, building on prior Mercury and Gemini programs to develop the necessary technology for lunar exploration.^[7] The program's early successes culminated in six crewed lunar landings between 1969 and 1972, demonstrating the feasibility of sustained human missions to the Moon and laying the groundwork for potential extensions. Apollo 11 achieved the first landing on July 20, 1969, followed by Apollo 12 on November 19, 1969; Apollo 14 on February 5, 1971; Apollo 15 on July 30, 1971; Apollo 16 on April 20, 1972; and Apollo 17 on December 11, 1972.^[8] These missions not only fulfilled Kennedy's vision but also gathered extensive scientific data, prompting NASA to consider further flights to enhance lunar research.^[8] Following the triumph of Apollo 11, NASA in 1969 outlined plans to expand the program to a total of 10 lunar landings, incorporating Apollos 18 through 20 to maximize scientific yields from the Moon's surface.^[1] In July 1969, amid ongoing production of Saturn V launch vehicles and lunar modules, NASA decided to schedule Apollo 18 for a late 1971 launch, integrating it with the existing hardware pipeline that included multiple Saturn Vs under construction and advanced lunar module variants designed for extended surface operations.^[1] This extension reflected confidence in the program's maturing infrastructure, with Saturn V production at Boeing and North American Aviation supporting up to 15 vehicles, and lunar module development at Grumman progressing toward missions with longer stays and greater payload capacity.^[1]

Extension Beyond Initial Landings

Following the success of Apollo 11 in July 1969, which fulfilled President John F. Kennedy's geopolitical mandate to land humans on the Moon ahead of the Soviet Union, NASA shifted its emphasis toward scientific exploration and long-term lunar research. This transition was outlined in the Space Task Group report submitted to President Nixon on September 15, 1969, which advocated for continued Apollo missions to expand knowledge of the Moon's geology, resources, and environment rather than solely demonstrative achievements. NASA proposed extending the program with additional missions in 1969–1970 planning documents, aiming to leverage existing hardware for deeper scientific returns while preparing for post-Apollo initiatives like orbital stations and eventual Mars exploration.^[9] The planned objectives for Apollos 18–20 centered on advancing lunar science through enhanced sample collection, detailed geological surveys, and demonstrations of extended extravehicular activities (EVAs). These missions were designed to return substantially larger quantities of lunar materials than earlier missions—to analyze diverse rock types and soils for insights into the Moon's formation and volcanic history.^[10] Geological surveys would involve traversing broader areas with improved tools and mobility aids, such as the Lunar Roving Vehicle, to map formations and conduct in-situ experiments that built on prior findings. Extended EVAs, building on those of Apollo 17 (up to 7.5 hours each and totaling over 22 hours), would test human endurance and equipment reliability for future prolonged stays, enabling more comprehensive data gathering on lunar processes.^[10] Data from the Lunar Orbiter and Surveyor programs played a crucial role in justifying these additional landings by revealing the Moon's varied terrains and the limitations of early mission sites. The five successful Surveyor landers (1966–1968) provided direct surface data from mare plains and one highland crater, confirming soil mechanics suitable for Apollo but highlighting the need to explore contrasting regions like rugged highlands and rilles for a fuller geological picture. Complementing this, the five Lunar Orbiter spacecraft (1966–1967) imaged over 99% of the lunar surface at resolutions down to 1 meter, identifying potential sites in diverse areas such as the Hadley Rille and Descartes Highlands that promised richer scientific yields unavailable from equatorial mare-focused early landings. These robotic precursors demonstrated that multiple human missions were essential to sample and survey underrepresented terrains, informing NASA's push for Apollos 18–20.^[11]^[12]^[13] In 1969, Congress provided political and financial support for three additional missions beyond the initial six landings, approving NASA's fiscal year 1970 budget that funded the construction and launches of the necessary Saturn V rockets, bringing the total planned launches to 10. This authorization, part of the NASA Authorization Act signed into law, allocated approximately $1.691 billion specifically for Apollo activities, reflecting bipartisan recognition of the program's scientific value amid waning Cold War urgency. The Apollo 13 incident in April 1970 later indirectly influenced funding deliberations by underscoring mission risks, though the 1969 approvals had already secured the extended framework.^[14]^[9]

Mission Planning

Objectives and Timeline

Apollo 18 was planned as an extended J-type lunar landing mission, with primary objectives centered on scientific exploration of the lunar surface, including deployment of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) to monitor geophysical phenomena and collection of approximately 100 kg of lunar samples from volcanic regions to analyze the Moon's geological history.^[15] The mission would have emphasized rille exploration, particularly at initial proposed sites like Schroter's Valley, a prominent sinuous rille associated with ancient volcanic activity, using the Lunar Roving Vehicle to traverse up to 20 km and investigate features like the Cobra Head vent and pyroclastic deposits.^[15] Three extravehicular activities (EVAs) were scheduled, totaling approximately 22 hours, to facilitate detailed geological sampling and experiment setup during a 3-day surface stay.^[16] The mission timeline evolved due to hardware development delays, mission spacing for safety, and budgetary constraints within the Apollo program. Initially targeted for early 1972, it was later rescheduled to mid-1973 to allow adequate preparation of the Saturn V launch vehicle and spacecraft components before the September 1970 cancellation.^[15] The overall mission duration was set at 12–14 days, encompassing translunar injection, lunar orbit operations with scientific instrument module deployments, and return to Earth.^[16] As the first of three additional planned J-type missions to follow the completion of Apollos 15–17, Apollo 18 aimed to maximize the scientific yield from the remaining Apollo hardware inventory, building on lessons from prior extended landings to enhance understanding of lunar volcanism and surface processes.^[15] Landing site options, such as the final proposed Marius Hills or earlier alternatives like Schroter's Valley and Gassendi crater, were evaluated for their access to diverse volcanic terrains.^[15]

Landing Site Selection

The selection of the Apollo 18 landing site was overseen by NASA's Apollo Site Selection Board in collaboration with the Group for Lunar Exploration Planning (GLEP), a subgroup involving the Lunar Science Working Group, which evaluated candidate locations using photographic data from the Lunar Orbiter missions. Key criteria included scientific value—such as opportunities for geological sampling and studying lunar processes like volcanism and impact cratering—alongside safety factors like terrain flatness and boulder distribution, and operational aspects including favorable solar illumination angles to ensure visibility and thermal control during morning-hour landings.^[17] In July 1969, Schröter's Valley, a prominent sinuous rille on the Aristarchus Plateau, was designated as an initial candidate landing site for Apollo 18, selected for its potential to yield samples of relatively fresh volcanic materials and insights into lunar lava channel formation. Located at coordinates 26.2°N 53.0°W, the feature extends approximately 160 km in length and was prioritized for its representation of late-stage lunar volcanism, as evidenced by its meandering channel morphology suggestive of fluid flow.^[18]^[19] By 1970, following program cuts, the focus shifted to the Marius Hills region in Oceanus Procellarum as the primary proposed site, certified as operationally viable based on enhanced Lunar Orbiter imagery, despite identified hazards such as scattered boulders and irregular slopes, with a safe landing ellipse identified to mitigate risks.^[19] Alternative sites were assessed during planning, including Gassendi crater for its position at the mare-highland boundary, offering studies of transitional geology, and Copernicus crater, evaluated for sampling deep crustal materials exposed by impact processes.^[17]

Crew Assignments

The proposed prime crew for Apollo 18 followed NASA's established rotation policy, positioning the backup team from Apollo 15 to serve as the primary astronauts for the subsequent mission. Commander Richard F. Gordon Jr., a veteran Navy test pilot selected as an astronaut in 1963, had previously commanded the Gemini 11 mission in 1966 and served as Command Module Pilot on Apollo 12 in 1969, accumulating over 680 hours of spaceflight experience focused on rendezvous and orbital operations.^[20] Command Module Pilot Vance D. Brand, selected in NASA's fifth astronaut group in 1966, was an aeronautical engineer and test pilot with extensive experience in high-performance aircraft but had not yet flown in space at the time of the assignment.^[21] Lunar Module Pilot Harrison H. Schmitt, the only geologist among NASA's astronauts and selected in 1965 as part of the first scientist-astronaut group, held a PhD in geology from Harvard University and had contributed to lunar science training for prior Apollo crews through his role at the U.S. Geological Survey's Astrogeology Center.^[22] The backup crew for Apollo 18 was not fully finalized due to ongoing program uncertainties, though it initially included elements overlapping with prior rotations, such as Schmitt in a support role before his elevation to the prime Apollo 17 assignment.^[23] This partial assignment reflected NASA's flexible crew planning amid budgetary reviews, with potential candidates drawn from experienced pilots like Fred Haise but without a locked-in team by mid-1970. Crew training emphasized geological proficiency to maximize scientific returns from the proposed landing site, ultimately the Marius Hills region with its volcanic domes, selected for its potential to reveal volcanic history.^[3] The team participated in intensive field exercises simulating lunar terrain, including trips to Idaho's Craters of the Moon in 1969 and volcanic sites in Hawaii, where Schmitt's expertise guided sample collection techniques and in-situ analysis to prepare for extraterrestrial rock identification and documentation.^[24] These simulations honed the crew's ability to traverse rugged analogs while operating tools for geological sampling, prioritizing Schmitt's role in interpreting lunar stratigraphy during extravehicular activities. Significant changes occurred in 1970 as NASA restructured the program to emphasize scientific objectives amid funding constraints. Schmitt was reassigned from the Apollo 18 prime crew to Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 17 in August 1970, replacing Joe Engle to ensure a dedicated scientist on the final lunar landing and enhancing overall mission geology focus.^[23] With this shift, no final crew was locked in for Apollo 18 before its cancellation on September 2, 1970, leaving Gordon and Brand without a confirmed flight assignment at that stage.^[3]

Spacecraft and Hardware

The Saturn V launch vehicle, designated SA-513, was designated for the Apollo 18 mission, featuring the S-IC-13 first stage prepared specifically for this flight.^[25] The rocket's three stages included the S-IC (built by Boeing), S-II (built by North American Aviation), and S-IVB third stage (built by Douglas Aircraft Company), with the S-IVB configured to perform the translunar injection burn after achieving Earth parking orbit.^[26]^[27] This configuration enabled the stacked spacecraft to escape Earth's gravity and head toward the Moon, drawing on the proven reliability of the Saturn V, which had a 100% success rate in its operational flights.^[26] The Command and Service Module (CSM-115) was a Block II variant, incorporating refinements such as an enhanced ablative heat shield for reentry and a Scientific Instrument Module (SIM) bay in the service module to house cameras and sensors for lunar orbital photography and data collection.^[28] The CSM's total mass was approximately 28,800 kg, supporting a crew of three for the round-trip journey while providing propulsion, life support, and power via fuel cells.^[26] The Lunar Module (LM-13), manufactured by Grumman Aerospace Corporation, featured an extended descent stage to accommodate increased payload capacity, including the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) for surface mobility and the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) for automated scientific measurements.^[26] This design evolution from earlier LMs allowed for longer surface stays and greater scientific return, with the ascent stage enabling rendezvous and docking with the CSM in lunar orbit.^[29] Key planned experiments focused on solar and cosmic phenomena, including the solar wind composition experiment, which involved deploying aluminum foil sheets on the lunar surface to capture and analyze solar wind particles for isotopic studies.^[30] Additionally, a cosmic ray detector was slated for deployment to record high-energy particle fluxes, contributing to understanding radiation environments beyond Earth's magnetosphere.^[30] According to NASA's 1969 budget and program reports, the hardware for extended lunar missions like Apollo 18 was encompassed within the overall Apollo program allocation of approximately $25.4 billion through fiscal year 1973, with annual manned spaceflight expenditures reaching $2.6 billion in 1969 alone.^[31]^[26]

Cancellation

Budgetary and Political Pressures

Following the near-disaster of Apollo 13 in April 1970, Congress subjected NASA's budget to heightened scrutiny amid broader fiscal constraints, leading to substantial reductions in funding for the Apollo program. NASA's overall budget was cut from approximately $3.75 billion in fiscal year 1970 to $3.31 billion in fiscal year 1971, reflecting congressional efforts to curb federal spending on space exploration. These cuts directly impacted the planned extended lunar missions, as lawmakers prioritized reallocating resources away from what was perceived as a maturing program with diminishing political returns.^[32] The escalating costs of the Vietnam War, coupled with an economic recession that began in late 1969, further diverted federal funds from NASA, while the Nixon administration emphasized social programs such as welfare expansion and environmental initiatives over ambitious space endeavors. The war alone consumed approximately $83 billion in 1970, straining the national economy and prompting the administration to view continued lunar missions as fiscally unsustainable amid competing domestic priorities.^[33] This shift in emphasis exacerbated NASA's funding challenges, forcing agency leaders to justify each additional Apollo flight against mounting external pressures. The cuts were enacted through the Independent Offices and Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 1971, which reduced NASA's funding for the fiscal year. Internally, NASA grappled with strategic debates outlined in the September 1969 Space Task Group report, which advocated for a pivot toward reusable space transportation systems like an early space shuttle concept rather than prolonging lunar landings. Chaired by Vice President Spiro Agnew, the report recommended a balanced post-Apollo program focused on Earth orbital operations and cost-effective technologies to sustain long-term exploration, influencing Nixon's eventual endorsement of shuttle development in 1972 at the expense of further Moon missions. These recommendations highlighted internal recognition that lunar extensions could not compete with emerging priorities for reusable hardware and orbital infrastructure.^[34] The cancellation of Apollo 20 on January 4, 1970, marked the initial concession to these pressures, repurposing its Saturn V rocket for the Skylab space station and establishing a precedent for trimming the program. This decision paved the way for the subsequent axing of Apollos 18 and 19 later that year, yielding significant cost savings by avoiding operational and support expenses. Hardware prepared for these flights, including command and lunar modules, was largely redirected to other uses, underscoring the budgetary trade-offs that reshaped NASA's trajectory.^[1]

Official Announcement and Timeline Changes

On September 2, 1970, NASA Administrator Thomas O. Paine announced the cancellation of Apollo missions 18 and 19 during a press conference in Washington, D.C., attributing the decision to congressional reductions in NASA's fiscal year 1971 budget appropriations. This move reduced the number of planned lunar landings from seven to five, with Apollo 17 designated as the final mission, reflecting a strategic pivot to balance ongoing Apollo operations with emerging priorities like the Skylab orbital workshop.^[1] In response to the cancellations, NASA accelerated the timelines for the remaining flights to optimize resources and hardware availability. Apollo 15 was rescheduled for July 1971, Apollo 16 for April 1972, and Apollo 17 for December 1972, shortening intervals between launches from the previously planned nine months to approximately six to eight months.^[35] This compression allowed the agency to prioritize Skylab, slated for launch in 1973 using the Saturn V designated SA-515, which had been earmarked for Apollo 19, thereby repurposing Apollo-era infrastructure for post-lunar programs without additional funding. The announcement elicited strong backlash from the scientific community and Congress. Lunar scientists, organized under groups like the Lunar Science Working Panel, protested the cuts in letters and testimonies to Capitol Hill starting in mid-September 1970, emphasizing that the lost missions would forfeit critical opportunities for geological sampling and extended lunar surface exploration.^[36] In the fall of 1970, the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences held hearings to scrutinize the budgetary trade-offs, with witnesses debating the merits of continued lunar science against reallocations to Earth-orbit projects like Skylab. Immediate operational adjustments followed swiftly. In October 1970, NASA revealed crew reassignments for astronauts originally slated for the canceled missions; for example, Fred W. Haise, previously part of the Apollo 15 backup crew as lunar module pilot, was reassigned as backup commander for Apollo 16, while Gerald P. Carr and William R. Pogue, part of the Apollo 16 backup team, were redirected to command and pilot the third Skylab crew alongside Edward G. Gibson.^[35] Concurrently, the decision confirmed the termination of Saturn V production after SA-515, halting further assembly at a projected cost savings amid the fiscal constraints.^[37]

Legacy and Aftermath

Repurposing of Hardware

Following the cancellation of Apollo 18, the Saturn V launch vehicle with serial number SA-513, which had been designated for that mission, was redirected to support NASA's transition to orbital laboratory operations. This rocket successfully launched the Skylab space station into Earth orbit on May 14, 1973, from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A, marking the final flight of a Saturn V. The vehicle's first and second stages operated without significant modifications from their Apollo-era configuration, while the third stage (S-IVB) was adapted to house the Skylab workshop, eliminating the need for an additional payload fairing or translunar injection burn.^[38] The Command and Service Module (CSM) intended for Apollo 18, designated CSM-116, underwent refurbishment and was reassigned to Skylab 2, the first crewed mission to the space station, launched on May 25, 1973. The Lunar Module (LM) planned for Apollo 18, designated LM-13, was partially completed before cancellation and is preserved on display at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York.^[39] Additional hardware assets from Apollo 18 preparations, including spare parts from the planned fourth Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV-4), contributed to testing and reliability enhancements for the LRVs used on Apollos 15, 16, and 17. Similarly, components from the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) designed for later missions supported deployments on Apollos 15, 16, and 17, enabling geophysical data collection from sites including Hadley Rille, Descartes Highlands, and Taurus-Littrow until 1977.^[40]

Impact on Subsequent NASA Programs

The cancellation of Apollo 18 facilitated the acceleration of NASA's Skylab program, America's first space station, by repurposing existing Apollo hardware and redirecting resources that would have supported additional lunar missions. Launched in 1973, Skylab orbited Earth until 1979 and hosted three crews totaling 24 weeks of human occupancy, conducting experiments in microgravity, solar physics, and Earth observation that advanced understanding of long-duration spaceflight.^[41]^[42] The mission's designated crew members pursued distinct paths within and beyond NASA following the cancellation. Commander Richard F. Gordon retired from NASA and the U.S. Navy in January 1972, transitioning to roles in aerospace consulting and professional sports management. Command Module Pilot Vance D. Brand served as backup commander for Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 before flying as command module pilot on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975 and commanding three Space Shuttle missions—STS-5 in 1982, STS-41-B in 1984, and STS-35 in 1990—accumulating over 746 hours in space. Lunar Module Pilot Harrison H. Schmitt, originally slated for Apollo 18, was reassigned to Apollo 17, where his geological expertise shaped sample collection and analysis during the final lunar landing in December 1972; he resigned from NASA in 1975 and served as a U.S. Senator from New Mexico from 1977 to 1983.^[43]^[42]^[44]^[45]^[3] Some geological objectives from planned extended missions, such as sampling volcanic features and mantle materials, were partially addressed on Apollo 17 through Schmitt's reassignment, ensuring that scientific priorities for lunar surface exploration were not entirely lost despite the budget-driven cuts. The 243 pounds (110 kg) of lunar samples returned by Apollo 17 underwent ongoing analysis in NASA's Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility and collaborating institutions, yielding insights into the Moon's formation, volcanic history, and resource potential that continue to inform planetary science decades later.^[3]^[46] In the long term, the cancellation of Apollo 18 and subsequent missions redirected NASA's focus toward reusable spacecraft and orbital infrastructure, paving the way for the Space Shuttle program's development in the 1970s, which conducted 135 missions from 1981 to 2011 and supported satellite deployments, space station construction, and microgravity research. This shift echoed in contemporary efforts, as the Artemis program's emphasis on sustainable lunar return—as of November 2025, with Artemis II scheduled for September 2026—draws from Apollo's unfulfilled extension goals, prioritizing international collaboration, scientific stations, and preparation for Mars exploration, including reevaluation of sites like Marius Hills.^[1]^[47]^[48]

Scientific and Cultural References

The planned landing site for Apollo 18, Schröter's Valley—a prominent sinuous rille in the Imbrium basin—held significant geological interest due to its potential to reveal insights into ancient lunar volcanism and lava channel formation, as proposed in 1970 site selection documents by NASA's Lunar Exploration Planning Group.^[49] High-resolution imagery from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), operational since 2009, has since captured detailed views of the valley, confirming its complex topography and basaltic features that aligned with the original scientific rationales for exploration, including opportunities to sample ejecta from nearby Aristarchus crater.^[50] These modern observations, with resolutions down to 0.5 meters per pixel, have validated the site's viability for human missions by demonstrating safe traverse paths and resource potential, informing contemporary lunar exploration strategies. In popular culture, Apollo 18 has been fictionalized most notably in the 2011 horror film Apollo 18, directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego, which depicts a clandestine NASA mission encountering extraterrestrial creatures on the Moon, presented as "recovered" found footage to heighten its pseudodocumentary style.^[6] The movie's marketing fueled conspiracy theories suggesting secret missions beyond Apollo 17, prompting NASA to issue statements clarifying that no such operations occurred and emphasizing the program's official end due to budgetary constraints rather than hidden discoveries.^[6] NASA's deputy associate administrator for communications, Bob Jacobs, explicitly described the film as entertainment, noting that while public-domain Apollo footage was licensed, the narrative was entirely invented, with LRO images further debunking hoax claims by verifying the known landing sites.^[51] References to Apollo 18 appear in nonfiction works reflecting on the Apollo era's conclusion, such as Eugene Cernan's 1999 autobiography The Last Man on the Moon, where the author, who commanded Apollo 17, discusses the cancellation's personal and programmatic impact amid shifting national priorities.^[52] In alternate history media, the Apple TV+ series For All Mankind (2019–present) reimagines Apollo 18 as a successful 1973 mission crewed by astronauts Gordo Stevens, Danielle Poole, and Vance Brand, extending the space race in a timeline where the Soviet Union first landed on the Moon.^[53] This portrayal underscores themes of prolonged international competition and technological perseverance, contrasting with historical reality while drawing on authentic Apollo hardware designs.^[54] NASA's 2011 responses to the film's release reiterated that Apollo 18, along with 19 and 20, was canceled in September 1970 solely due to federal budget reductions under President Nixon, with funds redirected toward the Space Shuttle program, as detailed in contemporaneous Space Task Group reports.^[9] These official clarifications have consistently emphasized fiscal and political factors over any covert rationale, countering persistent myths amplified by media depictions.^[6]

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[PDF] NASA's Understanding of Risk in Apollo and Shuttle
If the biggest risk is too difficult and expensive to reduce, a smaller risk might be reduced more cheaply, and the overall risk reduced at less cost. Different ...
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50 Years Ago: Launch of Skylab 4, The Final Mission to Skylab - NASA
Nov 16, 2023 · For the backup crew, NASA designated Vance D. Brand, William B. Lenoir, and Don L. Lind, who also served as the backup crew for Skylab 3. Brand ...<|separator|>
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[PDF] FACT SHEET - NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Richard F. Gordon, Jr., Captain, USN (Ret.), retired from the Navy and NASA Jan. 1, 1972; Executive Vice President, New Orleans Saints, professional football ...
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Former Astronaut Vance D. Brand - NASA
Vance D. Brand. Vance Brand was the command module pilot for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975 and the commander of three shuttle missions.
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Former Astronaut Harrison Schmitt - NASA
Schmitt is the first scientist and twelfth and last person to step on the Moon. Quick Facts Elected to the Senate in 1976, Schmitt served for six years.
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NASA's Apollo Samples Yield New Information about the Moon
Jan 22, 2025 · NASA's Apollo missions brought astronauts to the surface of the Moon on six occasions where they collected 2,196 samples and brought back a ...
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Apollo legacy helps inspire Artemis program
Jul 19, 2023 · Artemis III, scheduled for 2025 or later, will return astronauts to the moon's surface, as will Artemis IV and V. All should happen this ...
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Scientific Rationale Summaries for Apollo Candidate Lunar ...
A summary of the scientific rationale for each Apollo landing site listed by the Group for Lunar Exploration Planning on February 7, 1970 is presented.
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[PDF] Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Science Targeting Meeting
Apr 7, 2009 · the Moon at Apollo sites 12, 14, 15 and 16 as shown by the open ... At center right is Schröter's Valley, a rille that is about 160 km long, up to ...
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'Apollo 18' Offers Conspiracy Theory, to NASA's Surprise - NBC News
Sep 2, 2011 · The film, purporting to be produced from footage kept secret by NASA and leaked to the media, chronicles a NASA mission to the moon that went awry.
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The Last Man on the Moon? — The Story of Eugene Cernan in Two ...
Jun 21, 2017 · Cernan died in January of this year. The material for this post, including both quotes is drawn from his memoir, The Last Man on the Moon, ...
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Apollo 18 | For All Mankind Wiki - Fandom
Apollo 18W in the OTL was planned to land at Copernicus CraterW but was canceled after the Apollo 13 accidentW. Vance BrandW served as command module pilot in ...
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For All Mankind (TV Series 2019– ) - IMDb
Rating 8.1/10 (82,475) In an alternative version of 1969, the Soviet Union beats the United States to the Moon, and the space race continues on for decades with still grander ...News · For All Mankind · Episode list · Full cast & crew