Modern Marvels - Apollo 11

Today on Far Future Horizons we highlight the greatest scientific and technological achievement in living memory – Apollo 11 and the first manned Moon landing.

Modern Marvels - Apollo 11 chronicles the trials and tribulations of the Apollo program and its ascent to glory as the Apollo 11 crew touched down on the Moon's surface.

With insightful narration, interviews with Astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Flight Director Gene Kranz, NASA experts, scientists and engineers, the program winds through the evolution of the space program from President Kennedy’s famous congressional address to the stories of personal sacrifice necessary for Apollo’s success.

James May on the Moon

Today on Far Future Horizons we follow British journalist James May (of Top Gear fame) as he commemorates the fortieth anniversary of the Apollo moon landings. 


 In this documentary feature May interviews Apollo moonwalkers Harrison Schmitt, Alan Bean, and Charlie Duke, before he himself experiences the trill weightlessness and G-forces similar to that of a Saturn V rocket launch.

From the Earth to the Moon - "We Have Cleared the Tower"

Today on Far Future Horizons we present the third episode of the acclaimed twelve-part HBO television miniseries From the Earth to the Moon - "We Have Cleared the Tower".

From the Earth to the Moon - Apollo One

We dedicate today’s Blog posting to the memories of the crew of Apollo One: Edward White, Command Pilot

Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Commander

Roger Chaffee, Pilot

Today on Far future Horizons we present the second episode of the acclaimed twelve-part HBO television miniseries “From the Earth to the Moon- Apollo One.

The second instalment of the series portrays the tragedy of the Apollo 1 fire from the perspective of its subsequent investigation by NASA and the US Congress. Its effects on key individuals are shown, including Harrison Storms of North American Aviation, Joseph Shea of NASA, astronaut Frank Borman charged with supporting NASA's investigation, and the widows of Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee.

From the Earth to the Moon - "Can We Do This?"

Today on Far Future Horizons we present the first episode of the acclaimed twelve-part HBO television miniseries “From the Earth to the Moon- Can we do this?”


“From the Earth to the Moon” is a twelve-part HBO television miniseries (1998) co-produced by Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Tom Hanks, and Michael Bostick detailing the landmark Apollo expeditions to the Moon during the 1960s and early 1970s. Largely based on Andrew Chaikin's book, A Man on the Moon, the series is known for its accurate telling of the story of Apollo and outstanding special effects.

The Lunar Rover

Apollo 15 Astronaut James Irwin with the Lunar Rover

Today on Far Future Horizons we present the final installment of the highly acclaimed documentary series “Moon Machines” which focuses on the design and development of the novel Lunar Roving vehicle carried to the Moon on the Apollo J-class missions commencing with the Apollo 15 mission.

The Apollo Space Suit

This fabulous photograph shows Neil Armstrong’s face through his space suit visor as he walks across the lunar surface. The image was captured in video footage by the movie camera mounted on the Eagle lunar lander. The image was retrieved by Spacecraft Films, an Ohio-based specialist in historical space footage, and was included in the newly published book, Voices from the Moon, by author Andrew Chaikin. Copyright NASA and Andrew Chaikin.

Today on Far Future Horizons we present the fifth and penultimate episode of the highly acclaimed documentary series Moon Machines.

The fifth installment of Moon Machines focuses on the teams that created the remarkable Apollo pressure suit.

The Apollo Lunar Lander

Apollo 12 Lunar Module on the Surface of the Moon

Today on Far Future Horizons we present the fourth episode of the highly acclaimed documentary series Moon Machines.

The fourth instalment of Moon Machines features the Grumman Corporation’s project to build humankind's only true spacecraft - the Lunar Module.

Moon Machines is a Science Channel documentary miniseries of six episodes documenting the engineering challenges of the Apollo Program to land a man on the Moon. It covers everything from the iconic Saturn V to the Command Module, the Lunar Module, the Space Suits, the Guidance and Control Computer, and the Lunar Rover. It was created by the team who made In the “Shadow of the Moon” in association with NASA to commemorate the agency’s fiftieth anniversary in 2008.

Copyright Science Channel

The Apollo Guidance Computer

Neil Armstrong in Apollo Simulator Using the Apollo computer display and keyboard (DSKY) user interface unit

Today on Far Future Horizons we present the third episode of “Moon Machines” which concerns MIT's work on the development of the Apollo Guidance Computer.

Apollo computer display and keyboard (DSKY) user interface unit

Moon Machines is a Science Channel documentary miniseries of six episodes documenting the engineering challenges of the Apollo Program to land a man on the Moon. It covers everything from the iconic Saturn V to the Command Module, the Lunar Module, the Space Suits, the Guidance and Control Computer, and the Lunar Rover. It was created by the team who made In the “Shadow of the Moon” in association with NASA to commemorate the agency’s fiftieth anniversary in 2008.

Copyright Science Channel

The Apollo Command Module

Today on Far Future Horizons we present the second episode of “Moon Machines” which concerns the construction of the Apollo Command and Service Modules in the wake of the Apollo 1 fire.

Moon Machines is a Science Channel documentary miniseries of six episodes documenting the engineering challenges of the Apollo Program to land a man on the Moon. It covers everything from the iconic Saturn V to the Command Module, the Lunar Module, the Space Suits, the Guidance and Control Computer, and the Lunar Rover. It was created by the team who made In the “Shadow of the Moon” in association with NASA to commemorate the agency’s fiftieth anniversary in 2008.

Copyright Science Channel

The Mighty Saturn V Rocket

Today on Far Future Horizons in order to commemorate the forty-fifth anniversary of the greatest scientific and technological achievement in living memory, the Apollo 11 Moon landing, we are presenting the first episode of the highly acclaimed documentary series “Moon Machines” which documents the creation of the iconic Saturn V rocket.

Moon Machines is a Science Channel documentary miniseries of six episodes documenting the engineering challenges of the Apollo Program to land a man on the Moon. It covers everything from the iconic Saturn V to the Command Module, the Lunar Module, the Space Suits, the Guidance and Control Computer, and the Lunar Rover. It was created by the team who made In the “Shadow of the Moon” in association with NASA to commemorate the agency’s fiftieth anniversary in 2008.

A comparison of the U.S. Saturn V rocket with the Soviet N1/L3. The N1/L3 height is not shown quite in scale to the Saturn V

A Voyage to Mars as Envisioned by Stephen Baxter

Stephen Baxter’s alternate-history novel “Voyage” envisions a possible manned mission to Mars employing Apollo–Skylab technology. Written back in 1996 Voyage is a wonderful novel outlining in detail a possible Post-Apollo Space Program that could have place people on Mars as early as 1986.

Baxter’s novel is epic in scope and spans a period of time from 1963 to 1986 interweaving real history with his alternate timeline. In this alternate history John F. Kennedy survives the assassin’s bullet in 1963 (although Jackie was killed) and steps down from office. Vice president Lyndon B. Johnson serves out the rest of Kennedy’s term of office and wins the 1964 presidential election and remains in office until 1968. On the day of the Apollo 11 Moon landing former president Kennedy sets into motion a series of events that will culminate with humans setting foot on Mars on March 28th, 1986.

Voyage is a thoroughly enjoyable novel and a very realistic depiction of a doable but very risky Mars mission scenario utilizing Apollo technology to its limits.