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25 Years of Progress, Episode 6: Around The Moon

283 views · Published 26 December 2013 · 27:54 · Indexed 21 October 2026

Channel: A/V Geeks 16mm Films · 2013 · Education

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This film segment covers NASA's civilian efforts in air and space during 1967 and 1968. The year 1967 began tragically with the Apollo 1 fire that killed three astronauts, leading to a redesign of the spacecraft. Despite this setback, 1967 saw successful unmanned missions, including three Surveyor landings on the Moon, providing crucial data for future human landings, and three Lunar Orbiters mapping the lunar surface. Unmanned explorers like the Biosatellite and OGO satellites studied life in space and Earth's environment, while orbiting solar observatories monitored the Sun. Applications Technology Satellites (ATS) tested advanced communication and weather forecasting systems, and Mariner 5 successfully flew by Venus. In aeronautics, research continued on supersonic aircraft like the XB-70 and X-15, with the latter setting a speed record despite a fatal crash. Lifting bodies were tested for potential spacecraft re-entry, and efforts were made to reduce jet aircraft noise. 1968 marked a significant success with the first manned orbit of the Moon by Apollo 8, following other Apollo missions that tested the lunar module and the Saturn V rocket. Surveyor 7 concluded the Surveyor program, further confirming the feasibility of lunar landings. JPL continued planetary studies with Mars in focus, and interplanetary Pioneer spacecraft studied the Sun. The Radio Astronomy Explorer and Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) provided new insights into space. Aeronautics research progressed with lifting bodies, the X-15 program concluded, and studies on supersonic aircraft and VTOL planes continued. Efforts to combat jet noise and improve runway safety persisted, alongside tests of a nuclear rocket reactor.

Keywords: NASA, Apollo, Surveyor, Lunar Orbiter, X-15, XB-70, Mariner, Biosatellite, OGO, ATS, VTOL, Jet Noise, Saturn V, Apollo 1, Apollo 8, Moon Landing, Space Race, Aeronautics, Space Exploration.

25 Years of Progress, Episode 6: Around The Moon

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