The Journey Out

The words

1. Bacon Squares

   Bacon squares were among Apollo 11’s packaged foods. Some dishes came as compressed cubes ready to eat, while others were dehydrated and mixed with water.

   Did you know?

   Apollo 11’s astronauts were allowed a stainless steel spoon for eating. Their menu also included brownies and butterscotch pudding alongside packaged savory foods.

   National Archives: Apollo 11’s menu (opens a new tab)

2. Barbecue Roll

   The spacecraft slowly rotated so solar heating was shared around its exterior. This passive thermal control, nicknamed the barbecue roll, helped manage temperature extremes during the coast.

   NASA: Apollo 11’s outward coast (opens a new tab)

3. Cue Cards

   During a television broadcast, Charlie Duke in Mission Control jokingly asked whether Aldrin was holding cue cards for Collins. Collins replied that they were not competing with professionals.

   NASA commentary, PDF pp. 122, 131 · NASA: Apollo 11’s radio commentary (opens a new tab)

4. Czar

   During the outward coast, Houston relayed a news report that Pravda called Armstrong the “Czar of the Ship.” The crew adopted the nickname in later radio banter.

   Did you know?

   A later radio message explained that the “Czar” was brushing his teeth. Houston played along with the nickname before returning to spacecraft business.

   NASA commentary, PDF pp. 227, 232 · NASA: Apollo 11’s radio commentary (opens a new tab)

5. Earthshine

   Sunlight reflected from Earth onto the Moon.

   Approaching lunar orbit, the crew watched Earthshine illuminate parts of the Moon that lay in darkness. Reflected light revealed the surface beyond the directly sunlit areas.

   NASA: Apollo 11’s outward coast (opens a new tab) · NASA: Earth’s reflected light (opens a new tab)

6. Extraction

   After docking, Columbia drew Eagle out of the adapter that held it on the third stage. The two spacecraft could then travel together toward the Moon.

   NASA: Apollo 11’s mission overview (opens a new tab) · NASA report: navigation on the way out (opens a new tab)

7. Free Return

   A free-return trajectory was designed to swing around the Moon and back toward Earth without entering lunar orbit. Apollo 11 still used navigation checks and small course maneuvers.

   NASA: Apollo 11’s mission overview (opens a new tab) · NASA report: navigation on the way out (opens a new tab)

8. Halfway

   About midway in distance between Earth and Moon, Apollo 11 was still coasting outward. This milestone came well before the crew entered lunar orbit or prepared to land.

   Did you know?

   Backup commander Jim Lovell radioed a playful check on Armstrong. Armstrong told him he had lost his chance to take the flight, and Lovell conceded.

   NASA: Apollo 11’s outward coast (opens a new tab)

9. Light Flashes

   On Apollo 11’s return coast, Aldrin and Armstrong reported faint flashes in a dark cabin. NASA later studied whether cosmic rays interacting with the visual system caused them.

   Biomedical Results of Apollo, pp. 355, 365 · NASA: studying the astronauts’ flashes (opens a new tab)

10. Luna Fifteen

    Luna 15 entered lunar orbit on July 17, 1969, before Apollo 11 arrived. The Soviet probe aimed to return samples, but crashed during its landing attempt on July 21.

    Siddiqi, Beyond Earth, pp. 90–91 · Siddiqi, Beyond Earth: Luna 15 (opens a new tab)

11. Midcourse

    Only one of Apollo 11’s planned midcourse corrections was needed on the outward coast. A small engine maneuver refined the path before the spacecraft entered lunar orbit.

    NASA: Apollo 11’s outward coast (opens a new tab)

12. Solar Orbit

    After releasing Columbia and Eagle, Apollo 11’s spent S-IVB stage was sent onto a path that led to solar orbit. It no longer traveled with the crew.

    NSSDCA: Apollo 11’s mission profile (opens a new tab)

13. Star Sighting

    The crew used a sextant to measure angles between stars and Earth’s horizon. These observations checked navigation during the coast; a smaller Earth later made the work easier.

    NASA mission report, p. 16 · NASA report: navigation on the way out (opens a new tab)

14. Translunar

    Traveling from Earth toward the Moon.

    The S-IVB third stage restarted while Apollo 11 was in Earth orbit. Its translunar injection burn sent the crew onto a path toward the Moon.

    NASA: Apollo 11’s mission overview (opens a new tab)

15. Transposition

    Columbia turned around after separating from the third stage. That maneuver lined up its docking equipment with Eagle, ready to join the spacecraft and free the lander.

    NASA: Apollo 11’s mission overview (opens a new tab)