All Stories

93% of televisions in the United States tuned in to see Neil Armstrong walk on the Moon. Can you believe 7% were watching something else? At 11pm on a Sunday?? But as much as we love it now, Apollo 11’s contemporary acclaim wasn’t exactly universal. Many people, all over America, had reservations about spending billions of dollars on space exploration instead of solving problems here on Earth. And some Americans had their eyes on a very different, much more important prize. The rise of Apollo coincided with the peak of the Civil Rights Movement (which technically ended with the signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1968—but we all know the struggle and the movement didn’t end there). In this episode, Emily, Matt, and Nick explore the intersection of these two moments in American history, discuss the protests, activists, and anthems of the time, and talk to Sylvia Drew Ivie about the issues then and how we’re still working to turn it all around.

The Apollo missions contributed more than putting humans on the Moon, it also produced a lot of new scientific data and discoveries which expanded our knowledge of both the Moon itself and our Solar System. Here are ten of our top Apollo discoveries.

During the Apollo missions, astronauts didn't just travel to the Moon—they conducted experiments, both on the surface of the Moon and while in orbit.

The image of the space–suited Apollo 11 astronaut standing and facing the camera became an iconic symbol of American accomplishment and was reproduced in books, films, television, and items of popular culture.  

Between 1969 and 1972, twelve astronauts successfully landed on the Moon and returned to Earth, bringing back with them lunar samples and scientific data, and, perhaps most importantly, a new understanding of what it meant to be human. But what did they leave behind?

Can you eat in space? What do you eat in space? These might seem like ridiculous questions now—after all, who hasn’t sampled astronaut ice cream—but they were very real concerns at the advent of the space program. 

President Kennedy's decision to land men on the Moon before 1970 required the quickest, most efficient method possible. Three landing schemes were proposed. 

President Kennedy's decision to land men on the Moon before 1970 required the quickest, most efficient method possible. At the center of the United States success was an integral component of landing men on the Moon: the Moon rocket.  

The diaries of rocket engineer Vasily Mishin shed some light on why the United States was able to catch up to the Soviet Union's early lead in space.

We’re hard at work on Season 5 (launching this September!) but before then, we’re giving you a second bite at a topic we spent a long time thinking about this year: what’s in a name? Earlier this season we explored how planetary bodies and their geological features get named. We also recorded an explainer on how NASA names their spacecraft, but we just didn’t have time for it in the original episode. So, what do Snoopy, Spider, and Gumdrop have in common? Find out in this bonus episode!