It's been 40 years since the first moon landing—the same gap separating Apollo 1 from Lindbergh's 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic.
About Lindbergh's feat, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote: "For a moment people set down their glasses in country clubs and speakeasies and thought of their old best dreams." That was pretty much the same effect that Apollo had on the post-World War 2 generation. And for people born after 1969, the fascination continues undiminished, as evidenced by the steady stream of Apollo books and movies still coming out at regular five-year intervals.
Fitzgerald also wrote, "There are no second acts in American lives." Hard to imagine that's true—not with something as open-ended as space exploration. But Apollo was a tough act to follow, and still is, 40 years later.
To mark this anniversary of the first moon landing, we'll be offering photo essays, interviews, and articles examining Apollo from a variety of perspectives, along with a selection of readings from previous coverage in Air & Space. We'll keep adding to the section as we near the July 20 anniversary, so check back.
Apollo’s Army
It took 400,000 people, working under extreme pressure, to reach the moon in 1969. Like any army, they suffered casualties.
Voices from the Moon
What it was like, in the astronauts’ own words. Excerpts from a new book by Andrew Chaikin.
“Amiable Strangers”
Three distinct personalities, one goal: reach the moon.
The Fourth Crewmember
Armed with their checklists, the Apollo astronauts literally read themselves to the moon.
The Artist and the Astronauts
As the first lunar explorers prepared to launch, artist Paul Calle was in the room, quietly sketching away.
Unchanged
The myth of the spiritual spaceman.
The Best of Bean
A collection of otherworldly paintings goes on display at the National Air and Space Museum.
From the A&S Archive
Finding Apollo
Forty years later, we’re about to see what the moonwalkers left behind.
"We Called It 'The Bug'"
The Apollo Lunar Module wasn't pretty. But it got the job done.
In the Museum: The Rock
The lunar Touchrock is one of the most popular objects in the National Air and Space Museum.
To Boldly Go
Sending Apollo 8 to the moon was a risky mix of cold war politics, bravery, and the faith of one man, George Low, in his engineers.
Before the Fire
Veteran space reporter Jay Barbree recalls Apollo's darkest day.
Shooting the Moon
How a clever camera and its irascible inventor captured the lunar surface—but not the hearts of Apollo astronauts.
The Other Moon Landings
The Soviets lost the moon race but won a dram of glory with the first robotic craft to roam another world.
Son of Apollo
The next lunar lander will be a giant leap ahead of the first.
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Blogs
Download Now
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Download our 20th Anniversary issuePublished in July 1989, this 15-megabyte PDF includes articles on the Saturn V rocket, public and media reaction to the moon landings, how the landing sites were chosen, Apollo's legacy and more. |
Air & Space Videos
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“A Very Unusual Machine”Former astronaut Fred Haise talks about the Lunar Module, the world's first moonship. |
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The First Lunar LandingOne of history's great voyages, captured on 16mm film. |
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Armstrong’s Close CallA fiery bailout while training to land on the moon. |
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The Human PriceApollo veteran Lynn Radcliffe recalls the constant stress and long hours. |
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Ranger 9’s Last MomentsA lunar kamikaze’s final plunge, caught on video in 1965 |
SmithsonianStore.com
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Apollo 11: 40th AnniversarySee all the products for the Apollo 11 40th Anniversary |
