Category Archives: space exploration

Apollo 14 astronauts land within a mile of target after a ‘terrific flight’ to the Moon 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 9 1971)


Video: 'Apollo 14 CBS' (72 videos; Apollo 14 splashdowns on video #50 at 10:17)

(Tuesday, February 9, 1971, 4:05 p.m. EST/21:05:00 UTC) — The Apollo 14 astronauts rode their spaceship to a safe, successful and precise splashdown in the Pacific Ocean today, marking the end of the nation’s 24th manned space flight, the sixth mission to the moon and the third to have landed men who explored that desolate world some 238,000 miles from the earth.
Continue reading Apollo 14 astronauts land within a mile of target after a ‘terrific flight’ to the Moon 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 9 1971)

‘We’re here’: Two Apollo 14 astronauts walk and work for hours on Moon’s surface 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 5 1971)


Video: 'Apollo 14 CBS' (72 videos; Shepard's first step on the lunar surface on video #12 at 4:30)

(Friday, February 5, 1971, 9:57 a.m. EST/14:57 Coordinated Universal Time) — Two Apollo 14 astronauts walked the gentle slopes of Fra Mauro today, setting up instruments, collecting rocks and probing subsurface reaches in search of clues to the Moon’s earliest history.
Continue reading ‘We’re here’: Two Apollo 14 astronauts walk and work for hours on Moon’s surface 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 5 1971)

Apollo 13 astronauts land gently on target, unharmed by four-day ordeal 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 17 1970)


Video: 'Apollo 13 Re-entry (1970)'

(Friday, April 17, 1970, 1:07:41 p.m. EST) — The three Apollo 13 astronauts splashed down gently today in the Pacific, ending a four-day fight for survival. Continue reading Apollo 13 astronauts land gently on target, unharmed by four-day ordeal 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 17 1970)

‘Okay, Houston, we’ve had a problem here’: Power failure imperils Apollo 13 astronauts 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 13 1970)


Video: 'As it Happened - Apollo 13 "Houston We've Had A Problem"' (explosion occurs at 2:56)

(Monday, April 13, 1970, 10:08 p.m. EST/03:08 UTC on Apr. 14) — An oxygen tank in the command module (CM) of Apollo 13, speeding towards the Moon for man’s third attempt to walk on another world, exploded tonight. Continue reading ‘Okay, Houston, we’ve had a problem here’: Power failure imperils Apollo 13 astronauts 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 13 1970)

Apollo 12’s crew splashes down in Pacific, ending 10-day trip to Moon 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 24 1969)


Video: '(13) Apollo 12 (CBS,NBC & ABC NEWS)' (Nov. 24, 1969, begins on 16th of 26 videos)

(Monday, November 24, 1969, 20:58:24 Coordinated Universal Time) — The Apollo 12 crew, which included the third and fourth humans (Charles “Pete” Conrad and Alan L. Bean) ever to walk on the Moon and Command Module Pilot Richard F. Gordon, splashed down in the South Pacific Ocean this afternoon approximately 500 nautical miles east of American Samoa. Continue reading Apollo 12’s crew splashes down in Pacific, ending 10-day trip to Moon 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 24 1969)

Apollo 12 astronauts begin mankind’s second moonwalk 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 19 1969)


Video: 'Apollo 12 - Moonwalking (Full Mission 17)' (Conrad's first steps on Moon at 15:25)

(Wednesday, November 19, 1969, 6:44:22 a.m. EST/Monday, July 21, 1969, 11:44:22 UTC Coordinated Universal Time) — A third person from Earth set foot on the Moon today as American astronaut Charles “Pete” Conrad, commander of the Apollo 12 manned mission, climbed down the lunar module’s ladder and said, “Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that’s a long one for me.” Continue reading Apollo 12 astronauts begin mankind’s second moonwalk 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 19 1969)

Apollo 12 blasts off in second attempt to land humans on Moon 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 14 1969)


Video: 'Apollo 12 Launch on TV with Jack King: "The Kennedy Launch Control communication", November 14, 1969' (launch at 21:55)

(Friday, November 14, 1969, 11:22:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time/16:22:00 Coordinated Universal Time)Apollo 12, carrying astronauts Pete Conrad, Richard Gordon and Alan Bean, blasted off from Cape Kennedy in Florida today in man’s second attempt to walk on another world — the Moon. Continue reading Apollo 12 blasts off in second attempt to land humans on Moon 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 14 1969)

First humans to walk on Moon return safely to Earth 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 24 1969)


Video: 'NBC News Coverage of Apollo 11' (July 24, 1969, begins at 4:01 on 18th of 24 videos)

(Sunday, July 20, 1969, 16:50:35 Coordinated Universal Time) — The Apollo 11 crew, which included the first two humans ever to walk on the Moon, splashed down in the South Pacific Ocean this morning at a point 235 miles south of Johnston Atoll, and was recovered (at 17:29 UTC) by the aircraft carrier USS Hornet. Continue reading First humans to walk on Moon return safely to Earth 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 24 1969)

‘That’s one small step…’: First human beings walk on another world 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 20 1969)


Video: 'Relive Apollo 11 in Real Time!'

(Sunday, July 20, 1969, 10:56:15 Eastern Daylight Time/Monday, July 21, 1969, 02:56:15 Coordinated Universal Time) — A person from Earth set foot on the Moon for the first time in history tonight as American astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander of the Apollo 11 manned mission, climbed down the lunar module’s ladder and said, “That’s one small step for a man.. one giant leap for mankind.” Continue reading ‘That’s one small step…’: First human beings walk on another world 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 20 1969)

‘The Eagle has landed’: First human beings land on another world 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 20 1969)


Video: 'Relive Apollo 11 in Real Time!'

(Sunday, July 20, 1969, 20:17:40 Coordinated Universal Time) — American astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first human beings to land on another world today as Armstrong piloted the descent of the Apollo 11 lunar module, nicknamed “Eagle,” onto the surface of the Moon. Continue reading ‘The Eagle has landed’: First human beings land on another world 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 20 1969)