Apollo spacecraft feasibility study

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/apollo-spacecraft-feasibility-study

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the mission architectures considered?Direct ascent, Earth orbit rendezvous, lunar orbit rendezvous
2. What is the related scientific disciplines?Aerospace engineering, orbital mechanics, astronautical sciences, systems engineering
3. Why did scientists do the feasibility study for the Moon mission?Scientists wanted to know if the United States could build the technology needed for a crewed lunar landing and to show that it was realistic and important for the Space Race.
4. How did the study help NASA plan the Apollo program?The study gave NASA the data and ideas to design the rockets, command module, lunar module, and mission steps needed for Apollo.

Trans-lunar Injection: The maneuver to propel a spacecraft from Earth orbit onto a trajectory towards the Moon.
Mission Architecture: The overall plan and configuration of spacecraft and operations for a space mission.
Command and Service Module (CSM): The primary spacecraft components used for transit to and from the Moon in the Apollo program.
Lunar Module (LM): The specialized vehicle designed for landing on the Moon and ascending back to lunar orbit.