articles/space/patches/00apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_00apollo.jpgApollo Program SealApollo Program Seal articles/space/patches/01apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_01apollo.jpgApollo 1The Apollo 1 crew was killed in a fire on the launchpad during a pre-flight test. articles/space/patches/07apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_07apollo.jpgApollo 7Apollo 7 was the first to launch with the newly re-designed command module. They conducted tests in earth orbit. articles/space/patches/08apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_08apollo.jpgApollo 8Apollo 8 was the first to launch with the Saturn V booster rocket and the first to leave earth orbit and orbit the moon. This mission flew without a lunar lander. articles/space/patches/09apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_09apollo.jpgApollo 9Apollo 9 was the first to launch with and fly a lunar module. Although they were the second to launch with a Saturn V booster rocket, they did not leave earth orbit. Full tests were conducted on the lunar module including firing its descent and ascent engines, and rendezvous and docking with the command module. articles/space/patches/10apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_10apollo.jpgApollo 10Almost universally, the Apollo 10 mission is described as the dress rehearsal for the lunar landings to follow. The mission flew to lunar orbit, and while there, went through all the detachment, rendezvous, and docking operations required for a lunar landing. articles/space/patches/11apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_11apollo.jpgApollo 11Naturally, the 11th is the most well-known of all the Apollo missions. What is less known, is how close the crew came to disaster on landing. They barely had any fuel left when they touched down in the Sea of Tranquility on the lunar surface. The planned landing site was missed, and the lunar lander Eagle narrowly avoided falling into a deep crater and a field of boulders the size of houses. All this, while the landing guidance computer was overloading and sounding an alarm indicating that the crew should abort the landing attempt. But we all know the happy ending to this story. The Eagle landed safely and man first set foot on the moon. articles/space/patches/12apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_12apollo.jpgApollo 12The second Apollo mission to land on the moon was launched four months after Apollo 11. Pete Conrad and Alan Bean performed just over one day and seven hours of lunar surface activity in the Ocean of Storms. One of their objectives was to visit the Surveyor 3 probe to remove parts for analysis. articles/space/patches/13apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_13apollo.jpgApollo 13Called the most successful failure in NASA history, the Apollo 13 mission suffered a devastating explosion in the service module while outbound to the moon. The real success of this near tragedy was in the professionalism of the NASA flight controllers and the crew in bringing home the astronauts alive in spite of the very high probability of total disaster. articles/space/patches/14apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_14apollo.jpgApollo 14The third Apollo mission to land on the Moon landed in the Fra Mauro Highlands (originally the target of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission.) During the two lunar EVA's over 100 pounds of moon rocks were collected and several surface experiments, including seismic studies, were carried out. Commander Alan Shepard famously hit two golf balls on the lunar surface with a make-shift club he had brought from Earth. articles/space/patches/15apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_15apollo.jpgApollo 15The fourth Apollo mission to land on the Moon was the first of longer duration stays on the Moon with a greater focus on science than had been possible on previous missions. It was also the first mission where the Lunar rover was used. NASA called it the most successful manned flight ever achieved. articles/space/patches/16apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_16apollo.jpgApollo 16The fifth Apollo mission to the Moon landed in the Descartes Highlands and included a Lunar Rover. En route to the moon, the Apollo 16 astronauts took several photos of Earth, one of which showed North America in the background. articles/space/patches/17apollo.jpgarticles/space/patches/th_17apollo.jpgApollo 17The sixth and final lunar landing mission of the Apollo program broke several records set by previous flights, including longest manned lunar landing flight, longest total lunar surface extravehicular activities, largest lunar sample return, and longest time in lunar orbit.