Apollo Missions

ABOVE: Apollo 11 camera on display at the Armstrong Air & Space Museum in Ohio

APOLLO 11 CAMERAS

For camera buffs, you might want to know that the still cameras used on the historic Apollo 11 mission were 3 modified Hasselblad 500ELs.

Two of the 500ELs were identical to the ones carried on the Apollo-8, 9 and 10. Each had its own Zeiss Planar f-2.8/80 mm lens. A Zeiss Sonnar f-5.6/250 mm telephoto lens was also carried. One of the conventional 500ELs, along with the telephoto lens and two extra magazines, was in the Apollo-11 Command Module throughout the flight. The other conventional 500EL, and two extra magazines as well, were placed in the lunar module. Also in the lunar module - and making its first journey in space - was a Hasselblad 500EL Data Camera, which was the one to be used on the moon's surface.

You'll notice that on the lunar surface images there are a series of crosses ("+") permanently marked on the images. These images were made with the Data Camera.

The Data Camera was an especially outfitted Hasselblad 500EL that was fitted with a Reseau plate. The Reseau plate was made of glass and fitted to the back of the camera body, extremely close to the film plane. The plate was engraved with a number of crosses to form a grid. The intersections were 10 mm apart and accurately calibrated to a tolerance of 0.002 mm. Except for the larger central cross, each of the four arms on a cross was 1 mm long and 0.02 mm wide. The crosses are recorded on every exposed frame and provided a means of determining angular distances between objects in the field-of-view.

The film used on Apollo-11 was the same type carried on the other flights - a Kodak special thin-based and thin emulsion double-perforated 70 mm film - which permitted 160 pictures using color film, or 200 images on black/white film.

Color film was used primarily on images taken outside of the Lunar Module while on the surface. Black and white images were taken inside the Lunar Module, images taken through the window of the Lunar Module.

 

Apollo 11

Apollo 11 was the culmination of the goal President Kennedy had challenged back in 1961. On July 16, 1969, the achievement of that goal was about to be realized when the Saturn V rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center. On board was Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.

Above Photos: Neil Armstrong (left) and Buzz Aldrin inside the Lunar Module immediately after their first walk on the Lunar surface. Helmets have been removed, but they still have on their suits.

On July 20, 1969 that goal was achieved after a harrowing descent to the lunar surface. When Buzz Aldrin radioed back to first words ever broadcast from the lunar surface "Contact light!" there was just 25 seconds of fuel remaining.

NASA PHOTO: One of the most reproduced images of all the photos taken during the Apollo program shows not only Buzz Aldrin reading the checklist sewn on the wrist cover of his glove, but in Buzz's face shield is also the photographer, Neil Armstrong and the Lunar Module. At the top of the visor reflection is a faint, but distinct reflection. Studies of the geometry are still be analyzed, but as of this writing, it is believed that the image is a reflection of Earth!

NASA Photo: One of Neil Armstrong's first images taken from outside of the Lunar Module on the Moon's surface. The white bag is called a jettison bag and contains any materials the astronauts do not intent to return to the Command Module after leaving the surface. In future missions, the jettison bag will be used for astronauts returning from Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA) to remove their support suits and contain the fine lunar dust that becomes attached.

NASA PHOTO: Astronaut and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin is pictured during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity on the moon. He had just deployed the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package. In the foreground is the Passive Seismic Experiment Package; beyond it is the Laser Ranging Retro-Reflector (LR-3). In the left background is the black and white lunar surface television camera and in the far right background is the Lunar Module "Eagle." Mission commander Neil Armstrong took this photograph with the 70mm lunar surface camera.

NASA PHOTO: Lunar Module returning to the Command / Service Module

Apollo 11 recovery. Three astronauts have been transferred to the lift raft and have already isolation suits to prevent any possibility of returning any unknown pathogens from the moon. The men would remain in quarantine for almost 3 weeks before being allowed back into the general population.

NASA Photo: President Nixon onboard the USS Hornet and welcome the returning astronauts who have been placed inside the restricted access quarantine trailer.

NASA PHOTO: Neil Armstrong (left), Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin.

APOLLO 11 SUMMARY

July 16, 1969 / Launch Complex 39-A

Crew:

Neil A. Armstrong, Commander
Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., Lunar Module Pilot
Michael Collins, Command Module Pilot

Payload:

CSM-107 (Columbia) and LM-5 (Eagle)