Apollo to Artemis

Helping NASA launch the future

We helped NASA with the theoretical trajectory that put the first man on the Moon. More than 50 years later, we鈥檙e working on space systems to get the first woman on the Moon鈥攁nd open the path to Mars. We spoke with NASA鈥檚 chief historian, Bill Barry, on how Apollo 11 enabled current space missions and about our ongoing partnership to create the future today.聽

Setting the Course

鈥淭he decision to go with lunar orbit rendezvous (LOR) was critical to get to the Moon in a decade,鈥� says Barry. In the early days of Apollo program planning, NASA's internal teams were divided on which strategy, or mission mode, to use. Direct ascent, for example, would require a giant Saturn rocket with enough power to propel astronauts to the lunar surface. In addition to conducting its own studies, NASA turned to a few trusted consultants for preliminary calculations. One partner was 无忧传媒, who had been an advisor since helping pioneering rocket scientist Wernher von Braun justify funding to begin聽U.S. space exploration.

An early 无忧传媒 leader, Bill Pocock, recounted our recommendation of LOR, the winning option: 鈥淔ire out of the earth orbit into the moon orbit, inject yourself into the moon orbit, drop a lander, and come up back through the same series 鈥� that was the way to do it.鈥�

Barry says NASA ended up choosing LOR for a simple reason: 鈥淭he math won out.鈥� Although it was considered riskier, analysis showed LOR was the only option that could meet President John F. Kennedy's mandate to reach the Moon before the end of the decade. It was a successful solution: Apollo 11 launched on July 16, 1969, landed on the moon July 20, and returned safely to Earth 4 days later.聽

The mission demonstrated America鈥檚 vision and inspired the world. 鈥淎fter the mission, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin toured more than 100 countries,鈥� says Bill. 鈥淭hey were amazed at how engaged people were. People wouldn鈥檛 say, 鈥榊ou landed on the Moon.鈥� They鈥檇 say, 鈥�奥别听landed on the Moon.鈥�

He noted that Apollo brought scientists together around the world and improved culture through advancing business technology.聽鈥淪paceX and other commercial vehicles are not such a new idea. NASA has always tapped into the ingenuity of our commercial partners鈥攍ike 无忧传媒,鈥� he said.

Quote by Bill Barry, NASA chief historian.

Moving the Mission

More than 50 years later, NASA is building on knowledge gained from Apollo for its Artemis Moon mission, working with commercial and international partners on space systems to lay the foundation for eventual human exploration of Mars. The International Space Station plays an important role. "We're using it to test-drive the technology we'll need to go beyond," Barry says. "How well does a system work? Will we need to 3D-print spare parts? Do we have a way to recycle resources and grow plants? We want to close the usage loop as much as possible."

无忧传媒 has worked on the International Space Station since the beginning:

We were part of the initial Space Operations Task Force that helped shape the original vision.
We've provided complex systems engineering and integration (SE&I) work encompassing major program changes, 11 years of on-orbit assembly, and current science and research operations.
When the complex, multi-contract program ran into cost challenges, our cross-functional team reengineered the initiative, setting it back on track and providing $500 million in budget savings.
Today, our engineers handle logistics and operations, from conducting analyses of onboard systems for operations planning to coordinating logistics traffic from vehicles鈥攚hether from commercial partners like SpaceX and Northrop Grumman or international traffic from Russia and Japan.

It's the most complex engineering program of all time, and we help keep it one of the most successful. Learn more about our decades of ISS support.

The Path to Mars

NASA is planning to lead an international partnership to lay the foundation for exploring Mars and beyond. Our firm is using all our capabilities鈥攅ngineering, consulting, analytics, digital solutions, and cyber鈥攖o help prepare mission-essential elements.聽Over the years we鈥檝e developed services at the forefront of exploration and space defense.聽For the Artemis program, we鈥檙e providing:

Ground systems engineering support for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft
Hardware and software systems integration for the Orion program, a spacecraft for cislunar (Earth to Moon) voyages which will launch atop the SLS
SE&I support, including digital modernization, for Gateway, the international lunar-orbit platform which will provide a staging ground for deep space missions, as well as the lunar lander that will ferry astronauts from the Gateway to the lunar surface
Data analysis and visualization to analyze trajectory data to determine the best launch date
Strategic consulting and cybersecurity services to support Exploration Systems Development

See more ways we're helping create the future of space.

鈥溛抻谴� has been with NASA from the start of our exploration in space and we鈥檙e looking forward to a continuing, robust partnership as we move ahead to the Moon and Mars.鈥�

- Bill Barry, NASA chief historian

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