Features | American Experience | Official Site

Race to the Moon | Article

Mission Control, Houston

NASA had always been managed from Langley Field near Washington, D.C. But the moon landing President John Kennedy envisioned required a huge expansion that was not possible at Langley.

Race to the Moon | Article

The Trench: The People at Mission Control

While the three astronauts of Apollo 8 rocketed to the moon, hundreds of workers made sure they arrived at their destination and returned safely.

Race to the Moon | Article

NASA Wives and Families

The women who married fighter pilots or test pilots understood that their lives could be shattered in an instant.

Race to the Moon | Article

A Bold Course of Action

The decision to send a manned mission to orbit the moon in 1968 was a risky plan.

Race to the Moon | Article

Telecasts from Apollo 8

The broadcasts from Apollo 8 invited huge television audiences onboard the spacecraft.

Race to the Moon | Article

The Crew of Apollo 8

They were not reckless, but understood the risks involved in their profession and worked to minimize those risks to an acceptable standard.

Race to the Moon | Article

Astronaut Families

All three crew members had wives and children who experienced the race to the moon from the inside.

Race to the Moon | Article

Apollo 8 Insider Stories

The Apollo 8 astronauts were heroes, but they were also human. They shared jokes and fun, moments of weakness, and the challenges of survival.

Race to the Moon | Timeline

The Space Race

Key events that shaped almost two decades of a race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

Race to the Moon | Article

The Soviet Lunar Program & the Space Race

The Space Race was a technological battle fought by Soviet and American scientists and engineers, and by Soviet cosmonauts and American astronauts.

Race to the Moon | Article

Space Race Diary

Red Air Force General Nikolai Kaminin was one of many players in the Soviet space program. His candid diary describes Soviet triumphs, setbacks, and reactions to the American program.

Jesse James | Article

Guerrilla Tactics

In September 1864, Jesse James rode into the small Missouri town of Centralia. There, 16-year-old James took part in one of the worst atrocities of the Civil War.