“Now McDivitt put on a virtuoso performance playing the throttle of the Lunar Module, each variation of thrust a note in a technological symphony.”
While Apollo 8 paved the way to the Moon, one more craft vital to a successful lunar landing had yet to be tested in space, the Lunar Module (LM), and this became the primary focus of the Apollo 9 mission. Among the objectives included testing of the LM’s descent engine, extravehicular activity using the same type of suit that would be worn on the surface of the Moon, and the rendezvous and docking procedure between the LM and Command Module. Using a fair amount of metaphor comparing the performance of mission objectives to symphonies and ballets (paired with classical music as the soundtrack), this film takes us through each objective, with discussion between mission control in Houston and the astronauts as they are accomplished.
Date Released: 1969
File #: MSC-69-509
Produced By: NASA/MSC
Program Duration: 17:15
Media: 16mm Film
Reel Length: 633 ft
Audio: Optical, Variable Area
Film Stock: Ektachrome
Film Stock Edge Code Date: 1968