Apollo 10 facts for kids

Apollo 10 logo

Apollo 10 was an important space mission by NASA's Apollo program. It was like a dress rehearsal for the first time humans would land on the Moon. This mission was the fourth time astronauts went into space as part of the Apollo program. Its main goal was to practice everything needed for a Moon landing, but without actually touching down.

The Mission's Purpose

Apollo 10 was launched on May 18, 1969. It was a crucial step before the Apollo 11 mission, which would land on the Moon. The astronauts on Apollo 10 practiced all the steps of a Moon landing. They flew their spacecraft around the Moon, just like Apollo 11 would. They even separated a special part of their spacecraft, called the Lunar Module, and flew it very close to the Moon's surface.

Who Were the Astronauts?

The three brave astronauts on Apollo 10 were Tom Stafford, John W. Young, and Eugene Cernan.

• Tom Stafford was the mission commander.
• John Young was the command module pilot.
• Eugene Cernan was the lunar module pilot.

Flying Close to the Moon

After reaching the Moon, Tom Stafford and Eugene Cernan climbed into the Lunar Module. This part of the spacecraft was named Snoopy. John Young stayed in the main spacecraft, called the Command Module, which was named Charlie Brown. Stafford and Cernan flew Snoopy down to just 14.5 kilometers (about 9 miles) above the Moon's surface. This was incredibly close, allowing them to scout the landing site for Apollo 11.

A Record-Breaking Journey

During their trip, the Apollo 10 crew traveled farther from Earth than any human had ever been before. They went around the far side of the Moon, which is the side we never see from Earth. This part of their journey set a new record for human space travel. After completing their practice run, the astronauts returned safely to Earth.

Images for kids

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  En route to launch, Stafford touches a "Snoopy" doll

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  Apollo 10 space-flown silver Robbins medallion

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  Stafford (right) and Cernan in the lunar module simulator, April 1969

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  Launch of Apollo 10 on May 18, 1969

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  Lunar orbit profile of the Apollo 10 mission, as artist-depicted in the NASA press kit for the mission

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  Photograph of ALS-2 taken by Apollo 10

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  LM Snoopy containing Stafford and Cernan, as inspected by Young after separation from Charlie Brown

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  Post-splashdown crew recovery operations in the Pacific Ocean

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  Command module at London's Science Museum (May 2009)

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  The S-IC first stage in the VAB

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  Apollo 10 during rollout

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  The crew poses with their launch vehicle; left to right, Cernan, Young, Stafford.

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  Crew boarding the command module before launch

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  Apollo 10 view of Earthrise

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  CSM Charlie Brown

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  Lunar module about to dock with the command module

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  Necho crater on the far side of the Moon

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  High-albedo swirls within unnamed crater east of Firsov

See also

In Spanish: Apolo 10 para niños