Zoom Zoom Zoom

Can you really go zoom zoom zoom to the moon? It has been done, and maybe you will have a chance to travel to the moon in your lifetime!

In 1961, the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. set a goal to put a man on the moon and return him safely; the President proposed the United States accomplish this by the end of the decade.

There were intermediate programs leading up to the trips to the moon. The development of rockets was handled by NASA. the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which is in charge of space exploration.

As no person had ever traveled to space before, the mission was designed in steps: the Mercury program, which proved one man, in a small 'space-safe' enclosure (a capsule) could be launched from Earth into space, travel around the Earth in a circular orbit, and return safely. The second phase was called "Gemini", as Gemini is a word that means "two" or "twins", and that portion of the program created larger capsules, longer voyages, and two man crews. As the U. S. geared up to reach for going to the moon and return, the program named changed to Apollo, and they made larger capsules, big enough for a three man crew.

In July 1969, the 11th Apollo launch, with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins,went for the moon, with a spacecraft that separated once in the moon's orbit. Armstrong and Aldrin traveled to the moon's surface, while Collins remained in the orbiter. Armstrong stepped out on to the moon's surface, and became the first person from Earth ever to travel to the moon. The world got to watch the miracle on their home television sets.

So one day, yes, you might go zoom zoom zoom to the moon!