Movie Sneak Preview: In the Shadow of the Moon

Using the words of the astronauts themselves and archival footage that hasn't been seen in decades, "In the Shadow of the Moon" takes the audience back to the time when America was shooting for the Moon. Co-producer Christopher Riley worked with the archived footage and, when combined with interviews with the surviving members of the Apollo missions, this film offers an insider's perspective of the space program.

Apollo Built on the Success of Mercury and Gemini

In response to Sputnik, a satellite created by the Soviet Union, the United States got into the space race with Project Mercury, which made Alan Shepard the second man in space. Inspired by Shepard's 15-minute flight, President John F. Kennedy wanted to land a man on the Moon before the end of the decade. The Mercury program was followed by Gemini, a series of two-man flights designed to test all the systems and procedures needed for a lunar mission.

Fire in the Capsule: Apollo 1 (Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee)

Gus Grissom, the second American in space, became commander of the first Apollo mission. While performing a full dress rehearsal on the ground, Grissom, spacewalker Ed White and rookie Roger Chaffee died from toxic smoke created by a fire in the capsule.

The Shakedown Cruise: Apollo 7 (Wally Schirra, Donn Eisele and Walter Cunningham)

Wally Schirra, an astronaut who loved a good joke, led the crew of Apollo 7, the first attempt to put a man in space since the deaths of the three astronauts. Schirra and his crew gave the new improved Apollo capsule a shakedown run and prompted NASA to shoot for the Moon. Unfortunately, Schirra developed a head cold and, in the warm and damp capsule environment, it spread to his crew, making them all extremely cranky.

A Christmas Present: Apollo 8 (Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders)

Frank Borman and his crew took Apollo 8 on the first manned round trip to the Moon. These astronauts proved that America had the technical knowledge and ability to make this dangerous trip, slipping into lunar orbit on Christmas Eve.

Taking Spider Out for a Spin: Apollo 9 (James McDivitt, Dave Scott and Russell Schweikart)