Countdown to Apollo 11

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APOLLO 1

January 27, 1967: Tragedy and disaster on the launch pad three weeks before the first Apollo space mission. During a practice countdown a fire broke out in the space capsule and the pure oxygen environment became an inferno within seconds. Astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee all died. Major design changes followed and the entire space program was delayed for many months.

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APOLLO 7

In a completely redesigned rocket, the Saturn IB, the United States returned to space on October 11, 1968. Apollo 7 spent more time in space than all the Soviet space flights combined up to that time, and the mission featured the first live TV from a manned spacecraft. The crew, Walter Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham, orbited Earth 163 times in just under 11 days. They all got colds.

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APOLLO 8

The first manned flight of the massive Saturn V, and the first manned orbit of the moon, in a mission with many memorable moments at a memorable time – it took place over Christmas 1968. The crew were Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders. "Earthrise," a photo taken of Earth as they orbited the moon, is one of the most iconic images in history. During lunar orbit they looked for safe landing sites.

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APOLLO 9

Launched on March 3, 1969, this shakedown mission never left Earth's orbit. James McDivitt, David Scott, and Russell Schweickart were tasked with testing the first crewed lunar module and docking procedures. All went relatively smoothly and they returned to Earth after 10 days.

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APOLLO 10

Everything but the moon landing itself. This was the final dress rehearsal, just two months before Apollo 11. The lunar module – the spacecraft designed to land on the moon – separated to overfly the landing site in the Sea of Tranquillity as low as 47,000ft. The lunar module was crewed by Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan, while John Young watched from the command ship. The LM, or "lem" as the astronauts called it, then docked once more with the main spacecraft and they returned to Earth, having broadcast 19 colour television transmissions and becoming the first men to shave in space.