EP21: Rocketing to the Moon, The Dawn of Space Exploration

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What if one moment in history could fuel a lifelong passion for space and technology? For me, that moment was watching space shuttle launches as a kid in Florida. In this episode of Tech Travels, we’re rewinding to the dawn of the US space program in the 1950s—a time when the impossible was about to become reality.

Join us as we uncover how post-WWII innovations and the tensions of the Cold War sparked a race to the stars. We’ll explore the crucial role of Operation Paperclip in bringing visionary scientists like Wernher von Braun to America, where they laid the groundwork for the Redstone rocket and Alan Shepard’s daring journey into space.

The Space Race wasn’t just a battle of technology; it was a cultural revolution. We’ll dive into the Mercury program, the challenges of building spacecraft with 1950s and 60s technology, and how this era inspired groundbreaking works like Star Trek and 2001: A Space Odyssey. This was a time when anything seemed possible, and the dream of space exploration captured the world’s imagination.

Experience the thrilling moments of Apollo 11 as we take you through the towering Saturn V rocket’s launch, Neil Armstrong’s historic first steps, and the cutting-edge technology like the Apollo Guidance Computer that made it all possible. It’s a story of human ingenuity, perseverance, and the unyielding desire to explore the unknown.

As we reflect on the legacy of the moon landing, we’ll also set the stage for what comes next: the era of satellites and the birth of our interconnected world. So, stay curious, and join us on this epic journey through the history of space exploration!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to Tech Travels hosted by the seasoned
tech enthusiast and industryexpert, steve Woodard.
With over 25 years ofexperience and a track record of
collaborating with thebrightest minds in technology,
steve is your seasoned guidethrough the ever-evolving world
of innovation.
Join us as we embark on aninsightful journey, exploring

(00:27):
the past, present and future oftech under Steve's expert
guidance.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hello and welcome back to Tech Troubles.
I'm especially excited abouttoday's episode because we're
kicking off the first part of athree-part series that dives
deep into a topic that hasfascinated me since my childhood
, growing up in Florida in the1980s.
Watching the space shuttleslaunching from the space pad,
feeling that to ground trembleand then seeing the shuttles

(00:54):
ascend into the sky reallysparked a lifelong interest in
both space and technology andreally my curiosity for
exploration really possible.
And recently, with all the buzzthat's happening around with
SpaceX and Blue Origin and alsothe resurgence of space
exploration, I thought it wouldbe the perfect time to revisit

(01:15):
the origins of this fascinationaround the space race.
But this isn't just a singleepisode.
It really is going to be ajourney through time.
But this isn't just a singleepisode, it really is going to
be a journey through time.
In this series we're going tocover three key periods in the
history of the space explorationprogram.
So in part one today's episode,we're going to explore the very
beginnings of the space program, starting up in the 1950s that

(01:39):
led up to the monumental moonlanding in 1969.
In part two we're going to diveinto the age of launching
satellites into space, and thatreally started a curiosity
around what made them work.
We're going to look at howsystems such as communication,
weather forecasting, wererevolutionized during this time,

(01:59):
and then also the globalpositioning of these systems.
And then finally, in our thirdpart, we're going to cover the
dawn of the modern space shuttleera, from its inception in the
late 1970s all the way throughto the early 2000s, and then
this will basically wind downwith the shuttle program ending
in the mid-2000s.
So in this first episode we'regoing to dive deep into the

(02:22):
technological marvels andengineering feats that really
defined the early days of thespace program, showing how these
advancements weren't reallyjust about reaching the moon but
how they were about shaping thefuture.
And we'll also, of course, aspart of my favorites, we'll also
touch on pop culture, historyand how it's basically how it

(02:42):
mirrored this journey duringthis time and and how it
inspired generations to dreambig.
So as we look at the firstsegment, we look at the pioneers
of the flight, of thefoundations of the US space
program.
As we embark on the journey,it's really kind of important
for us to understand the historyof the US space program and how
it really was essential to layin the groundwork for what we

(03:05):
immediately saw after World WarII.
The advancements in rocketryand aviation during the war
really set the stage for thespace race that would unfold in
the following decades.
However, the journey to thestars was also really deeply
intertwined with a certain typeof political climate at the time
.
It was marked by intenserivalry, secrecy and pervasive

(03:29):
fear of the unknown.
So in the aftermath of World WarII, as the Cold War was
beginning to take shape, theUnited States initiated
Operation Paperclip.
This was the convert program,designed to bring over 1600
German scientists, engineers andtechnicians to America.
Now, many of these individualshad been involved in the Nazi

(03:52):
rocket program, including thedevelopment of the V2 rocket,
which was the world's firstlong-range ballistic guided
missile.
And among these prominentscientists was a person named
Wner von Braun, a visionary whohad long dreamed of space
exploration.
Now, once they relocated to theUnited States, von Braun and

(04:12):
his team were instrumental inadvancing America's early rocket
programs.
Now they worked in the RedstoneArsenal in Huntsville, alabama,
and the recruitment of thesescientists really was a
political sensitive issue.
Many of them did have directties to the Nazi regime, and
their involvement in wartimeatrocities was also downplayed

(04:35):
or relatively just kept secret,although the US government did,
of course, face a decline.
On one hand, they needed theexpertise of the individuals to
compete with the Soviet Union.
On the other hand, they had tomanage the moral and ethical
implications of employing formerNazis.
Despite these challenges, theexperts brought on by Wernher

(04:58):
von Braun and his team werecrucial in the development of
the Redstone rocket.
This was a direct descendant ofthe V-2 rocket which was used
during World War II, and itwould play a pivotal role in the
US's space program.
Before NASA was even a concept,the US Army, under the guidance

(05:18):
of Wernher von Braun, wasalready making strides in
certain types of rocketdevelopment.
Now the Redstone rocket becamethe basis for America's first
successful satellite launch andit was used in several early
space missions.
So if you think about AlanShepard, he was one of the first
Americans in space, and thisperiod has really kind of marked

(05:41):
the beginning of the concertedeffort to understand and harness
rocket technology and how itreally set the future for
achievements in spaceexploration.
Now, during this time, there wasa lot of undercurrent of fear
and uncertainty among theAmerican public.
The idea of going to space wasboth thrilling and a very

(06:02):
terrifying idea.
Space was the great unknown andmany people were concerned
about the potential dangers,both physical and political, of
venturing into this new frontier.
The fear of Soviet dominationin space also added into this
anxiety, as people worried aboutthe implications of space-based

(06:23):
weapons or even masssurveillance.
Now, just kind of taking a stepback for a second here, I could
think of this and look at itfrom this perspective is I can
only imagine what it must havefelt like to really live during
this time with a world that wason the brink of a new era and
exploration and conflict.
Growing up in Florida in the1980s, I often heard stories

(06:44):
from older generations aboutthese early days of the program
and I think that there wasdefinitely a mix of excitement
and both fear and excitementaround the possibilities of
space exploration, but also whatit could have mean for you know
, things like global security,and I think the reminder was
that the space race wasn't justabout technology, it was really

(07:04):
about, you know that, the heartsand minds of the people in both
America and around the world.
Now also, as I think, asAmerica even pushed and moved
closer into the idea of spaceexploration, you start to see a
group of pioneers reallystarting to kind of emerge, and
each of them were contributingin their own unique way to the

(07:25):
advancement of rocket scienceand spaceflight as well.
And these individuals reallyweren't just pushing the
boundaries of technology.
I think that they were reallypushing and challenging the very
limits of human capability andimagination.
So one of them, for example, iswhat I had already mentioned
was in front Von Braun, right,he was the visionary rocket

(07:47):
scientist and his influence wascritical in shaping America's
space program.
You know, long before theexploration was even feasible,
von Braun was advocating for thedevelopment of large rockets
that were capable of reachingthe moon, and his leadership at
the Marshall Space FlightCentral was really instrumental
in the creation of the Saturn Vrocket.

(08:09):
This was a powerful launchvehicle that could really carry
astronauts to the moon, and theyalso used this during the
Apollo missions.
Now, von Braun's ability totranslate visionary ideas into
everyday practical engineeringmade him a key figure in
America's space efforts.
Now, along with this, you haveanother person by the name of

(08:29):
Robert Goddard.
Now he's the father of modernrocketry.
See, before von Braun worked inthe US, robert Goddard was
already laying the groundworkfor theoretical groundwork with
modern rocketry, so he was oftencalled, well, the father of
modern rocketry, uh goddard, inthe early 20th century really
really started to dive into alot of research on into the

(08:51):
concept around liquid fueledrockets.
Now, this faced a lot ofskepticism and they basically
gave him almost no funding atall.
However, with his innovations,he was really the first one to
successfully launch aliquid-fueled rocket in 1926.
And this was really crucialbecause it showed that the

(09:12):
technology could be used in aspace race.
Now it was Goddard's work thatreally provided the foundation
upon which later advancementswere built, including the
rockets that would eventuallytake humans into space.
So as the world entered 1950s,the Cold War rivalry between the
United States and the SovietUnion really began to take on

(09:34):
new dimensions, and on Octoberthe 4th 1957, the Soviet Union
launched Sputnik 1, the world'sfirst artificial satellite.
The beeping signal from Sputnikthat transmitted back to Earth
was a clear indication that theSoviets had taken a significant
leap in the space race, and thislaunch sent shockwaves

(09:56):
throughout the United States,not just as a technological
achievement but also as apolitical statement suggesting
that the Soviets might havegained the critical advantage of
critical missile technology.
Now, in response to this, inresponse to Sputnik, president
Dwight D Eisenhower really movedquickly to consolidate
America's space efforts.

(10:17):
So on July 19th 1958, he signedthe National Aeronautics and
Space Act, which was officiallyknown as NASA, and this new
agency was really really taskedwith catching up to and
eventually surpassing the Sovietspace achievements.
So the creation of NASA reallymarked the beginning of a new

(10:37):
era in US science and technologywhere space exploration became
a national priority.
So NASA's mission was veryclear, was very clear To land or
to lead the country in spaceexploration, pushed the
boundaries of human knowledgeand ensured that the US would
not fall behind in the spacerace.
Now, during this time theAmerican public was also gripped

(11:00):
with fear and anxiety.
The idea of space explorationwas incredibly exciting but
again it really raised fearsabout the potential conflict in
space and there were alsoconcerns around the
militarization of space andpossibly that the Soviets could
have more of a strategicadvantage.
And these fears were continuedto be exacerbated by the secrecy

(11:21):
around the space program forboth nations, which really just
continued to add to a sense ofreally a lot of uncertainty.
With NASA's establishment theUS space program really started
to gain some new momentum.
So they established ProjectMercury, which was NASA's first
human or first major human spaceflight program and it was

(11:43):
really tasked with a monumentalgoal.
It was really intended to provethat humans could survive in
space.
Now, project Mercury'sobjectives were pretty
straightforward, but yet theywere very ambitious To launch a
manned spacecraft into orbit thestudy, you know, really to
study the ability of humans andhow they function in space and

(12:06):
then also, at the same time, toensure the safe return of both
the astronaut and the spacecraft.
Now, I think these goals werevery critical in the first steps
, as it looks more and more likethis is becoming a very
ambitious plan, and I think thattheir ultimate mission was
thinking well, we can do this inspace, but the ultimate mission
would be is to land a person onthe moon.

(12:27):
However, the program did facenumerous technical challenges,
and this included things such asdesigning heat shields that
could really withstand re-entryand really creating a life
support system that was capableof sustaining astronauts in the
vacuum of space.
Despite the relatively simplegoals I don't think they're very

(12:47):
simple, but the technicalhurdles were extremely immense
and overcoming them reallyrequired an unprecedented amount
of innovation and engineeringexpertise.
Now, the first major success ofProject Mercury came on May 5,
1961, when Alan Shepard becamethe first American to travel

(13:15):
into space on board what theycalled the flight Freedom 7.
Shepard's suborbital flightlasted only 15 minutes but it
was monumental because it reallydemonstrated America's
capability of human in spaceflight.
And Shepard, who was also anaval aviator, also a test pilot
, he became a national hero.
He symbolized that the US isresolved to complete and compete
in the space race.
He returned to Earth as anational icon and his mission

(13:40):
was a significant step towardsthe complex space missions that
lie ahead.
But also during this time therewas a sense of excitement and
intrepidation amongst theAmerican public Now the American
public.
They watched these earlymissions, they watched them with
bated breath and the successfulflight of both Shepard and

(14:02):
Glenn.
They were not just technicalachievements, they were really
national victories that helped,you know, to restore American
confidence in the face of theSoviet space successes.
And I think that you know, torestore American confidence in
the face of the Soviet spacesuccesses.
And I think that you know thesemissions really proved that
America really could competewith the Soviet Union in space
and it laid a foundation foreven more ambitious goals that

(14:26):
would really follow and thatincluded things like the Apollo
program.
But just looking back at ProjectMercury just a little bit more
and diving into the technology.
It's really important tohighlight the significance of
really what this really meantfrom a technological achievement
.
Particularly in spacecraftdesign and material science.

(14:48):
Engineers really worked todevelop a reliable heat shield
that would protect thespacecraft from during re-entry
and then, using those materialsthat they basically would burn
away or help dissipate heat.
Also, life support systems werealso refined that would enable
astronauts to survive in theharsh conditions and elements of

(15:11):
space.
Now, these innovations theywould also be used in future
missions and that experiencegained from the project.
You know, project Mercury laidthe groundwork again for more
complex missions to come,including things like Gemini and
Apollo programs.
And these are what, basically,what really led to even more
technological breakthroughs thatproved human spaceflight was

(15:34):
also possible and also set thestage for America's eventual
triumph in the space race.
Now, with every technicalachievement there's also a
technical challenge,specifically within Project
Mercury, so let me dive intothat a little bit more.
So when Project Mercury began,there was virtually no

(15:57):
experience in manned spaceflight.
Everything had to be designed,basically from a spacecraft to
understanding the physical andphysiological effects of space
and how it was going to affectthe human body.
And then we also had tounderstand you know what was
that really going to mean interms of kind of humans
basically venturing intouncharted territory.
So both engineers andscientists were virtually

(16:20):
working from scratch.
They had no relying, they onlyreally had theoretical knowledge
and a very, very limited amountof you know knowledge and a
very, very limited amount ofexperimental data.
Now, this really led to a lackof established procedures, and
when they started doing testing,that meant that everything had
to be created, tested and thenrefined in real time and then

(16:46):
had to do this time and time andtime again, and this was part
of the you know, the trial anderror process, and that's this
is what really led to it beingvery time consuming.
And, of course, it definitelywas fraught with lots of risk,
and each failure that theylooked at and evaluated had to
be basically had to be looked atfrom the potential to set the

(17:07):
program back significantly.
So any mishap, any program thatfailed, any part of the program
that failed, that basically setthem back to zero.
Now, also, if you look at someof the limitations, you look at
some of the materials, and oneof the most critical challenges
was developing materials thatreally could withstand extreme
conditions in space.
So if we look at things likere-entry into Earth's atmosphere

(17:31):
, at the time the materials wasnot as advanced as degrees
Fahrenheit and they had tobasically burn away gradually

(17:53):
and they had to dissipate heat,and for this it was really a
cause for concern because we hadto create something that was
both lightweight and capable ofstanding such extreme conditions
, and that was basicallysignificant.
It was a huge engineering featand it required extensive amount
of research and testing.
Now, also during this time, theUnited States faced a shortage

(18:17):
of engineers with a necessaryexpertise in rocketry and
spacecraft design.
So many of the engineers whowere working on Project Mercury
were all new to the field ofaerospace engineering.
Working on Project Mercury wereall new to the field of
aerospace engineering.
They really kind of had to kindof come from an academic

(18:38):
background and then they had toquickly transition from one
industry or the next or having,you know, recently just
completed their education andtheir degree and then
immediately moving right intothe field.
And this rapid pace ofinnovation and development
really required us to really,you know, keep up with the
Soviet Union space achievements,because these engineers had to
learn and adapt very, veryquickly and the procedure that

(19:01):
not only just the pressure alonefor them to succeed with
limited resources and withlimited knowledge really created
a high-stress environment whereinnovation was crucial but
failure could not be afforded.
Now, the technology of the 1950sand 1960s was fairly primitive

(19:21):
by today's standards.
So if we look at just thecomputer, the computer, for
example, really just had a veryrudimentary and really just, you
know, they were very primitivein the sense they were massive
and they were far less powerfulthan even today's modern
smartphones.
Now, this was very limiting inthe sense of they had very

(19:44):
limited computational power.
That, basically, would make thedesigns and simulations of
spacecrafts even more difficult.
So it required a lot of peopleto do a lot of manual
calculations and physicalprototypes on paper.
We look at the communicationsystems, life support systems
and guidance systems these allreally had to be designed with

(20:05):
these limitations in mind.
So every component had to bedesigned to be reliable, with
built-in redundancies to accountfor potential failures.
And this was particularlychallenging given the size and
weight of the constraints of theactual spacecraft itself.
So for every pound of weightthat was added to the complexity

(20:26):
and the cost of the mission, ithad to be offset somehow.
Okay.
So that's a lot of pressure onyoung folks coming out of
college, just kind of comingright into this new field, new
venture for the first time.
But if you think about it, thepressure of the Cold War, the
political context of the ColdWar, really really, really did
add an additional layer ofimmense pressure to the Mercury

(20:47):
program.
And the United States wasreally determined to catch up
and really surpass the Mercuryprogram.
And the United States wasreally determined to catch up
and really surpass the SovietUnion.
And the urgency forced the teamto push boundaries whenever
technically possible withinextremely tight deadlines.
There was also a need forsecrecy and, due to military
implications of space technology, it was also creating of it was

(21:08):
.
It was creating a variousenvironment where the ability to
share information andcollaborate more broadly was
strictly prohibited.
This meant that engineers andscientists working on these
projects had to solve problemswithin isolation without broader
input from the wider scientificcommunity.
Now, amidst the Cold Warrivalry, not just the technical

(21:30):
challenges but the drive tooutpace the Soviet Union also
became a geopolitical struggle.
Not just a geopolitical one,but also a cultural one.
Space Race wasn't just aboutrockets and astronauts and it
was really about capturing thehearts and minds of people all
over the world.
The fear of failing or fallingbehind, really kind of combined
with the thrill of pushing humanboundaries, resonated deeply

(21:54):
with the public and I believethat this era really is what
really kind of spurred theexploration of this permanent
every aspect of society.
It influenced how peoplethought about the future and
really what their place was inthe universe and what their
place was and even in theireveryday lives.
And as you look at the culturalimpact of the space race, I

(22:15):
think it's clear to say thatthis was a period that was
wasn't just a technicalrevolution, it was a cultural
phenomenon and it really shapedthe imagination and the way we
looked at the future.
So if you look at things suchas the cultural impact, you know
things that were very popularand can it's very popular in
culture at that time.
You know the Cold War reallyfueled the tensions of the space

(22:38):
race, that the competitionbetween the United States and
the Soviet Union and I thinkthat sense of wonder and fear
and hope was also kind of a wayfor us to invoke certain things
within popular culture, soinfluencing things from

(22:59):
television to music, to toys, tomusic and television and even
everyday conversations.
So if we look at, you know,movies and television, the space
race really kind of inspired awhole new wave of science
fiction.
That I think really reflectedour science, our society's
fascination with spaceexploration.
So perfect example a call uponat the end is the tv show like

(23:21):
star trek back in 1966.
It really offered a hopefulvision of the future where space
exploration was just simplypart of everyday life, of the
future, where space explorationwas just simply part of everyday
life and it portrayed space asthe final frontier where
humanity could explore newworlds and encounter new
civilizations.
And this optimistic kind of,this optimistic outlook really

(23:42):
resonated deeply with a lot ofviewers during a time when the
real world space program wasjust unfolding.
Star Trek didn't really just itwasn't just entertaining, it
also really kind of inspiredcountless young people to pursue
careers in science andengineering and it really
contributed to a lot ofadvancements in space
exploration.

(24:03):
Now, in contrast to that, yousay well, what about Stanley
Kubrick's 2001, a Space Odyssey?
Well, I think that movie reallytook on a more philosophical
and visually stunning approachto space exploration.
The film's portrayal of spacereally wasn't just.
It wasn't not just realistic,but it was also very

(24:23):
thought-provoking.
It explored humanity'sevolution and our place in the
cosmos.
And I think what StanleyKubrick did really really well
his meticulous attention todetail and the film's
groundbreaking special effects Ithink it's at a new standard
for how science fiction cinemamovies really started to kind of
you know, kind of fuel thepublic's fascination with space

(24:47):
itself.
The space race also reallyinspired you know a lot of
different music and you knowmusic at the time.
I remember growing up as a kid.
I remember loving David Bowie'sSpace Odyssey.
That was back in 1969.
But that was something thatcaptured the sense and wonder
and isolation associated withspace travel and released just

(25:07):
days it was released just daysbefore the Apollo 11 mission.
I think the song kind of becamean anthem for that particular
era and I think it encapsulatedboth the excitement and the
existential question that spaceexploration raised.
And then the combination ofpopular music with space themes

(25:27):
really kind of helped embody thespace race into the cultural
consciousness and I think, if Icould, I think it made a shared
experience across a wide rangeof different segments of society
.
The day of the launch, july 16th1969.
The morning of July 16th 1969began with a very early day for

(25:49):
the Apollo 11 crew.
The crew consisted of NeilArmstrong, buzz Aldrin and
Michael Collins.
As the world awaited anxiously,the astronauts started their
day at a very early 4.15 am witha breakfast of steak, eggs,
toast and coffee and, of course,orange juice, a high-protein
meal that was chosen not justfirst, first, uh, for its

(26:12):
nutritional value, but also aspart of nasa's tradition that
goes all the way back to alanshepherd's first suborbital
flight, and the calm routine ofthis breakfast stood in stark to
the contrast to the monumentaltask ahead, which was humanity's
first attempt to land on themoon.
Now the astronauts, while theywere preparing their tensions,

(26:35):
the tensions mounted on thelaunch pad.
The Saturn V rocket, thoughmeticulously tested, had never
really carried such asignificant cargo before,
especially human cargo.
So engineers and technicianswere, you know, acutely aware
that any single error could turninto a historic disaster.

(26:55):
So the memory of the unmannedApollo 6 test, which experienced
issues incurring things likedangerous vibrations that really
threatened the rocket'sstructural integrity, was really
fresh in everyone's mind.
Now these problems had beenaddressed and the weight and

(27:15):
responsibility and the pressureto succeed was absolutely
intense.
So I want to talk about thetechnical aspects of the rocket
itself, and this is somethingthat I have always found so very
, very interesting is justtalking a little bit about the
Saturn V rocket.

(27:35):
It was absolutely a behemoth.
It was massive and fueling itreally required it to be.
It was a massive operation justto fuel it required it to be.
It was a massive operation justto fuel it.
So just a couple of specs arethat it carried over 950,000
gallons of fuel and liquidoxygen.
Now the first stage alone heldabout 203,000 gallons, and this

(27:58):
was in a form of what theycalled refined refined form of
kerosene and an additional318,000 gallons of liquid oxygen
.
Now, filling the tanks was ameticulous and very
time-consuming process and to dothis it really took several
hours to be able to load therocket with all of its fuel and

(28:21):
full components, just to be ableto get the fuel ready.
And the process had to becarefully managed to ensure that
the correct temperatures andspecifically the pressures were
maintained, because liquidoxygen had to be kept at
extremely low temperatures inorder for it to retain in liquid
form.
So when the rockets were fullyfueled, the thrusters are ready

(28:45):
to burn.
So the Saturn itself it wasequipped with five F1 engines
and they ignited anapproximately 8.9 seconds before
liftoff, and this was theperiod at which the engines were
checked for stability andperformance, while the rockets
were basically remained secureand they were held down by the

(29:07):
launch pad clamps.
So these few seconds reallyallowed the engineers to ensure
that all five engines werefunctioning correctly before
they committed to the finallaunch.
And then this is what reallybuilt up Then, when these stars,
when this was sort of happened,is that then the thrust would
build up rapidly and then, oncethe engines reached full power,

(29:29):
the holdout arms were thenreleased and then the rocket was
able to lift off the pad itself.
Now, the sound and the noise ofthe saturn 5 rocket was
incredible.
At full thrust, the soundlevels reached around 204
decibels at the launch pad, andjust to put this in perspective,
is 204 decibels is severaltimes louder than a jet engine

(29:54):
takeoff, which is around only140 decibels.
The sound was so intense thatit could cause physical
vibrations felt miles away, andeven NASA had to create
specialized flame trenches andwater suppression systems to
help manage the acoustic energyproduced by the launch of the
rocket.
Now, this, of course, wasincredible to see.

(30:15):
The public reaction to this wasone of absolute awe and
amazement the sheer power of therocket, the intense sound and
the visible shock wavesimpressed everyone who witnessed
it there at Cape Canaveral.
It was so loud and so it was soimmense that the ground shook
cars miles away and the war wasfelt into the chest of

(30:38):
spectators who were watching itfrom 1.6 miles away.
And those who watched thelaunch in person described it as
a life-changing experience, onethat was both humbling and
exhilarating.
Now, that was just for peoplewho were just there at Cape
Canaveral the day of the launch,the global audience and the
world that was watching ontelevision the launch of the

(31:00):
Apollo 11 on July 16th 1969, itreally was a global event.
An estimated 25 million peoplein the United States alone
watched the launch on televisionAround the world.
It was estimated that more than600 million people tuned in to
watch the event unfolding,making it one of the most

(31:20):
watched broadcasts in history ofall time, and this was
incredible because this was asense of global unity,
collectiveness and excitementthat was really appealing to
people from all walks of lifethat they were coming together
to really witness thisextraordinary human achievement.
The launch began July 16th of1969 at 9.32 am Eastern Standard

(31:45):
Time, once the spacecraft wasfully engaged and it was already
on its way.
It was leaving Earth.
It left the Earth's orbit inabout 2.5 hours after it began
the initial launch and thatentered its trajectory towards
the moon.
Now the time it takes to reachthe moon.
The journey from the Earth tothe moon took about 76 hours,

(32:09):
with Apollo 11 reaching lunarorbit July 19, 1969, at around
1.28 pm Eastern Standard Time.
Now, neil Armstrong was chosento be the first man to walk on
the moon for several compellingreasons.
One of the things I've alwayswondered about this was why Neil

(32:34):
Armstrong and not the others?
Well, first of all, armstrongwas renowned for his very calm,
very stoic and very composeddemeanor.
Very stoic and very composeddemeanor.
He had the essential trait foran astronaut facing the
unprecedented challenges ofspace exploration.
He had an extensive backgroundas a test pilot, with over 2,500

(32:56):
hours of flying time, and thatreally provided him with
critical experience in handlinghigh-stress situations, and he
was also able to make splitsecond decisions and maintain
composure under extreme pressure.
Now, this experience was trulyinvaluable because, essentially,
considering the unchartedterritory, what lied ahead and

(33:17):
that the lunar land hadpresented, I couldn't imagine it
being given to anybody else.
He truly was an American hero.
But his ability to remain calmAlso, if you recall a little bit
before, was the Gemini 8mission in 1966.
He was able to maintain his cooland collected manner during a

(33:39):
demonstration that successfullybegan in a nearby dangerous
in-space emergency.
What happened was that thespacecraft began to spin
uncontrollably and Armstrong'squick thinking and precise
actions really saved the missionand the lives of the crew.
Now this incident reallysolidified his reputation as

(34:02):
somebody who could be trustedwith the most critical and most
dangerous tasks.
Moreover, neil Armstrong wasknown for his apolitical nature
and unwavering focus at themission at hand, qualities that
really made him the idealrepresentative for this task,

(34:23):
given its significant event.
This task, given itssignificant event.
Now, unlike some of his otherpeers, neil Armstrong was really
seen as modest and reserved,that he really had the qualities
NASA was looking for.
He also helped.
A desire to kind of helpproject an image of calm
professionalism and also hishumanity and preference for

(34:44):
letting his actions speak forthemselves really made it a very
relatable and respected figure,both within NASA as well as the
public at large.
Now talking a little bit moreabout the Gemini rocket now into
space.
So now we're into space and nowwe're starting to slowly

(35:04):
approach the moon.
We now have to consider thelunar orbit or the lunar module
design.
The decision to have Armstrongstepped out really kind of was
first influenced by number onewas by the design of the lunar
module.
The lunar module had a hatchthat opened towards the right
side of the spacecraft modulehad a hatch that opened towards

(35:28):
the right side of the spacecraftand with Armstrong seated on
the left side as the commander,it was simply more practical for
him to exit first.
The logistical detail reallycombined with his role as
mission commander and it reallyjust kind of just felt natural,
because of the way that he waspositioned in the spacecraft,
for him to lead the way.

(35:48):
So, as the sun rose overKennedy Space Center in 1969,
the fully astronauts weretransported to the launch pad
where they began their ascentinto space and into the moon and

(36:09):
into the moon.
Now, if we continue on with thelunar, the moon landing, the
challenges again, we're going tostart facing a whole new set of
challenges because, first ofall, we've now left the earth,
um, now we've got to get thismooning, this moon landing, kind
of we got to stick it right, um, the the challenges that they
really faced was is wastransitioning into really how
the moon landing and how crucialit was to recognize this

(36:31):
monumental achievement.
That took many, many years ofinnovation and determination and
really the ability to overcomechallenges that at the time
really seemed insurmountableChallenges that at the time
really seemed insurmountable.
Nasa had to pioneer all newtechnology and everything had to

(36:52):
be new.
Everything had to be designedspecifically for this mission.
It also had to be able to solvefor unpredictable problems that
make the mission very possible.
Things come up and you need tobe able to have a computer
system that's reliable and canbasically counteract whatever's
happening at the time, and oneof the most pressing challenges
was the navigation system andthe guidance of the spacecraft

(37:15):
on its journey to the moon.
So navigating over a quarter ofa million miles in space with
pinpoint accuracy was no smallfeat.
Actually, it sounds prettycrazy, but NASA knew that every
single minor error incalculation could result in
missing the moon entirely or,worse, it could have simply just

(37:37):
crashed into the surface of themoon.
So NASA did something veryinteresting.
Nasa developed what they calledthe Apollo Guidance Computer,
or AGC.
At the time it was one of themost advanced computers ever
built, and the reason why wasbecause the Apollo Guidance
Computer was designed to reallyperform calculations and complex

(38:01):
calculations in real time.
So this really ensured that thespacecraft could stay on course
throughout the length of itsjourney.
Now, this was especiallychallenging given the fact that
the technology available in the1960s was very limited.
So they had to work with whatthey had to work with.
So engineers had to work tobuild a very, very small

(38:24):
computer that was not onlycapable of handling certain
computations and they had to beright but it was also small
enough and light enough to behoused with inside the
spacecraft itself.
So you think of having to buildalmost kind of like a small
little mini tablet that had tobe fitted inside the aircraft
that could perform real worldand real time scenarios in real

(38:46):
time.
But the key here is, I think,that NASA knew that there were
going to be certain items thatare going to be required.
They needed precise navigationand guidance systems because
evidently early on with earliermissions and simulations, the
earlier Gemini missions, theyreally tested various aspects of
space travel and it reallyrevealed to NASA the importance

(39:07):
of specifically accuratenavigation, especially during
critical phases such as a lunarorbit insertion and landing,
intensive simulations andrehearsals where they
highlighted certain potentialrisks and underscored their need
for them to be 100% reliable,100% real time, and they had to

(39:32):
be in basically real timecomputing systems.
But like anything else, ofcourse, developing this was not
without its hurdles.
Developing this Apollo guidancecomputer.
One of the initial problems wasthe limitation of computing
power.
Just at the time was just notavailable.
The ACG was required to executethousands of operations per

(39:56):
second while maintainingmultiple tasks, all within the
constraints of a very compact,low power device.
So, additionally, the softwarehad to be created, where the
software had to be incrediblyreliable, so if there were any
failures it could not jeopardizethe entire mission.
So engineers really faceddifficulties in every aspect.

(40:18):
They had to create a systemthat would continuously operate
in the harshest of environments.
Space and the communicationdelays between Earth and where
they were basically orbitingaround the moon made real-time
remote connections very, veryimpossible.
One of the other significantchallenges was the development

(40:40):
of the lunar landing radar.
This was another componentwhere it was really essential
for the lunar module's descentonto the moon's surface, and
this was a radar system that hadto provide accurate altitude
and velocity information in realtime.
So this allowed the astronautsto be able to kind of with a
joystick, be able to makeadjustments during the landing.

(41:01):
Now these early tests reallyrevealed issues with radar's
performance in the vacuum ofspace and on the moon's surface,
and we have to remember thatthe moon's surface is very dusty
and this could also, basicallythis could vary and it could
also provide some reflectivityand it could interfere with some
of the radar's readings.

(41:21):
So NASA had to come up withsomething very quick.
They had to redefine and reallyrecreate the radar's readings.
So NASA had to come up withsomething very quick.
They had to redefine and reallyrecreate the radar system that
it would integrate with insidethe guidance computer to make
sure that it had a safe landing,even if, in fact, if there was
debris in the way.
So, throughout the rigoroustesting and the iterative
improvements and the dedicationof thousands of engineers at

(41:44):
NASA, they overcame thesechallenges and, of course, the
result was a guidance systemthat not only guided Apollo 11
to the moon, but it also enabledthe safe landing of the lunar
module over into the area ofwhat they call the Sea of
Tranquility.
That was the really cool part.
But one thing I really want totouch on is the communication,

(42:05):
the communication from Earthback to the moon where they were
able to communicate with theastronauts.
So it was a known fact that,going into this, they had to
ensure that reliablecommunication between Earth and
the spacecraft was absolutelycritical.
But there's a vast distancebetween, you know, the Earth and
the moon.
So the distance meant thatsignals would take about 1.3

(42:27):
seconds to travel each way, andNASA needed to maintain a
consistent connection to monitorthe spacecraft system and
provide overall guidance if needbe.
So, with inside thecommunication system, they
basically use a communicationsystem that was more along the
lines of an S-based system.
So what this really means isthe primary communication

(42:49):
between the spacecraft and theEarth was conducted using an
S-band transponder, and thisreally operated at around 2.28
gigahertz.
Now, the range on the S-band isone that has a very long range
capability, and this is reallyessential for deep space
communication, and it reallyallowed the aircraft to

(43:10):
communicate over the vastdistance of the Earth, or
distance from the Earth to themoon, which was approximately
238,000 miles away.
That's pretty far, but here'sthe interesting thing and this
is one of the things that Ilearned, you know, when I was in
college taking engineering wasthe power of the actual
communication system, thetransmitter for the S band

(43:34):
system was only 20 Watts andthis was a very, very low power.
So even with low power, thesignal still could reach earth,
uh, but the earth had to have agigantic antenna and it had to
be able to be able to read thatantenna so the spacecraft would
be able to, would be able tosubmit highly sensitive, you

(43:55):
know, receivers uh, you know,and the receivers at the ground
stations would be able to pickthis up.
So this, this, this is reallyinteresting because, if you
think of it, 20 Watts is not alot of power and, really going
to kind of put this intoperspective, 20 watts is about
the same amount of power that'sused by some modern LED light
bulbs today.
So think about that.

(44:16):
So such low power may seem veryinefficient for deep space
communication, especiallycompared to modern, you know
modern devices.
So one modern device you couldprobably think of is, you know,
a Wi-Fi router at home.
Many Wi-Fi routers at home, youknow.
They have power levels between,you know, 100 and 500
milliwatts, and that's far belowthe 20 watt power of the Apollo

(44:39):
S band system.
And these routers are reallydesigned for, you know, much
shorter distances, usuallywithin the side of a home or
office, you think about a cellphone, and a cell phone really
just kind of operates.
Still the power levels arearound I think that's around
almost about 2, around 0.6 toabout 3 watts per communication

(45:01):
or for communication within celltowers, which are really only
just a few miles away.
It's been pretty incredible andit's, you know, really kind of
thinking about this.
You know, in 1969, thecommunication technology really
in the Apollo mission wasincredibly advanced and this was
really really advanced for itstime, though it may seem
privative by today's standards.

(45:21):
The fact that a 20 watt signalwas sufficient to transmit data,
voice communication and even alive television stream from the
moon to the earth reallyhighlighted the ingenuity of
NASA engineers.
And, of course, they had toovercome significant challenges
such as signal degradation overvast distances and, of course,

(45:43):
that need for real timecommunication when the
astronauts were on the lunarsurface.
So, thinking about it, you know, today's communication has
advanced dramatically and wehave satellites, we have fiber
optics, we've got globalnetworks and we can transmit
vast amounts of data, you know,instantaneously across the globe
.
However, you know, the Apollomissions communications system,

(46:08):
I think, really laid thegroundwork for these modern
advancements and I think this isreally kind of showing you
what's possible with carefulplanning, engineering and deep
understanding of the physics ofradio waves.
So when we think about this,know, this was definitely, um,

(46:29):
you know, a team of engineersand scientists and astronauts
that really basically reallypushed human ingenuity and
teamwork to the cutting edge.
The technology was cutting edge.
It was the human element thattruly made the moon landing
possible.
The teamwork between nasengineers, scientists,
astronauts and it was reallyessential in overcoming all of

(46:49):
these challenges to complete asingle mission.
So engineers at MIT, nasa'sJohnson Space Center,
contractors like that workedwith IBM, worked tirelessly to
develop, test and refine systemsover and over and over again,
leading up to the days of theactual Saturn V launch.
Even the astronauts themselvesthey were not just pilots, they

(47:11):
were really just trained in theoperations of spacecraft systems
, emergency procedures and evenscientific experiments.
But the key thing is, theirability to remain calm and
focused in these high-stresssituations was critical, even
during those moments where thelunar modules descent, where
neil armstrong had to manuallynavigate the module in order to

(47:34):
avoid basically a boulder thatwas uh kind of right around the
surface of the moon, so he hadto almost kind of kind of wing
it, to be able to get the lunarmodule to really kind of work,
to land where he wanted to land.
Um, you know, you think aboutthe, the lunar module itself,
the lunar module to really kindof work, to land where he wanted
to land.
You know, you think about thelunar module itself.

(47:54):
The lunar module really was,you know, designed by, you know,
grumman Aircraft, and this, ofcourse, was another piece of,
you know, technologicalachievement, because this is
really what made the moonlanding possible.
The lunar module was the firstspacecraft designed specifically
for space operations, even withno function within Earth's
atmosphere.
It had basically two stages Onefor the descending of the lunar

(48:14):
module to the moon surface andthe other one for ascending back
into lunar orbit.
And the really cool thing aboutwhat makes the lunar module is
its super lightweightconstruction, and this was
really designed to be as lightas possible.
So they use very thin, very,very thin walls and a structure
that balance strength and weight.

(48:35):
And this was very, verycritical for conserving things
like fuel and in serving andensuring that, you know, the
module could take off from themoon's surface.
And then, of course, there wasthe landing gear module itself.
So the, the landing gear had toabsorb the impact of landing on
an uneven surface while beinglight enough not to burden the
spacecraft.

(48:55):
So the engineers really had todesign, you know, legs that
could really extend and compressto manage that landing.
So they also had to have thingslike redundant systems, and
there were multiple backupsystems with inside the lunar
module to make sure that therewere redundancies in place that
even in the event of a failure,the whole mission could

(49:16):
basically still be carried out.
Today, you know, you think aboutopening doors, you know what
this possible, what this, whatthis did for futures iterations,
is I.
The technologies reallydeveloped during the Apollo
program laid the groundwork forfuture missions and the Apollo
guidance computer, the ACG.
This was the pioneering fieldof its time, especially using

(49:38):
integrated circuits, and itreally was a precursor to the
modern-day microprocessor.
And that part would then laterrevolutionize computing industry
.
And this leap in computing madeit possible to develop more
advanced spacecraft, moreadvanced satellites and more
advanced space probes that couldgo farther and farther into the
space.
And NASA's subsequent missions,such as the Space Shuttle

(50:00):
Program, the Mars rovers theyall directly benefited from the
innovations and lessons learnedduring the Apollo mission.
But I also think that there'salso a huge influence of you
know, what the computer andelectronics industry had seen is
, you know, with the developmentof the Apollo guidance computer

(50:21):
, it really helped drive theadvancements in the field of
computer science, and what thatwas is the need for small,
reliable and efficient computingpower.
That really pushed theboundaries of what was possible
at the time, leading tominiaturization of electronics.
They didn't have to be big,gigantic computers that filled a
room.
They could be small, miniatureand very, very small.

(50:44):
They could be very, verylightweight.
And this miniaturization notonly benefited future space
missions, but it also had alasting impact on the consumer
electronics industry.
And just the same way thattechnology enabled a spacecraft
to navigate to the moon wouldeventually lead to the
development of personalcomputers, smartphones and a

(51:05):
host of other devices that weare to see here in normal life
as well too.
So if you, if I want to roundout the segment and really kind
of drive this home, here is, Ithink, probably one of the most
you know significant legacies ofthe moon landing in the way
it's inspired, it's reallyinspired generation of

(51:25):
scientists, engineers andentrepreneurs.
I think this sense ofpossibility came from seeing
what humans could do, where theycould walk on the moon, and it
encouraged countless ofindividuals to pursue careers in
science and technology,engineering and aeronautics, and
it really led to innovationsthat we really see today.
So we look at fields such asrobotics, renewable energy and

(51:52):
biotechnology, and I think theseadvancements that made the moon
landing possible have aprofound and lasting impact, not
just in space exploration butin our everyday lives.
I think the Apollo programreally wasn't about just
reaching the moon.
It was really more intendedaround pushing the boundaries of
the human capability to set thestage for a technical
revolution that really hasshaped our modern world today.

(52:13):
So, from the computers we useto satellites that connect our
global communication systems,the legacy these achievements
continue to influence the way wework, we live and explore the
universe is profound.
And if I, you know, take aminute to just reflect on the
journey that led first humans,you know, to step on the moon,

(52:35):
I'm really just struck by thesheer audacity of what was
accomplished.
The moon landing was a triumphof human ingenuity,
determination and relentlesspursuit of knowledge, and it
reminds me of the rightcombination of the vision, the
technology and teamwork that wecan still achieve, what we can

(52:56):
still achieve once we seem likeit can be possible, and I think
this legacy is not just achapter in history, but I think
it's also a reminder of ourpotential and our ability to
explore and innovate, to knowthat knows no bounds.
All right, so that was segmentone.
In our next episode, part twoof our series, we're going to

(53:17):
dive more into the era oflaunching satellites into space,
a period that revolutionizedcommunication, weather
forecasting and globalpositioning systems, and this
was a time when spaceexploration began to directly
influence and enhance Earth onlife, and this is where we
really start to see it settingthe stage and setting the

(53:39):
foundation for the connected wayin the way that we live in the
world today.
So again, if you enjoyed thisepisode, please click the thumbs
up, please click the subscribebutton.
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Join us next time as wecontinue to explore the cutting
edge of technology.
Until then, stay curious, stayinformed and, most of all, happy
travels.