You’ve heard the iconic words, “The Eagle has landed.” But do you know what eventually happened to the Apollo 11 Lunar Module, “Eagle”? Dive in to uncover its ultimate fate!
The Eagle’s Historical Mission
In 1969, Apollo 11 took Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon. Their vehicle? The Lunar Module “Eagle.” It made history, but what happened to it afterward?
The Two-Stage Journey
The Lunar Module was a two-part vehicle. Its ascent stage housed the astronauts and lifted off from the moon. The descent stage was for landing and was left on the moon’s surface.
What Happened to the Ascent Stage?
After liftoff from the moon, the ascent stage was separated. It was then intentionally directed to crash into the moon by the Apollo 11 crew.
A Lunar Resting Place
Surprisingly, the exact crash site remains unknown. Why? Because it wasn’t tracked after separation from the command module. It’s part of the lunar surface, but its precise location is a mystery.
The Descent Stage’s Lunar Home
In contrast, the descent stage still sits where it landed, in the Sea of Tranquility—a monument to one of humanity’s greatest achievements.
Unanswered Questions
The lack of tracking raises questions, yet it adds to the mystique surrounding one of mankind’s most iconic spacecraft in the history of space exploration.
| Mission | Lunar Module Name | Landing Location |
|---|---|---|
| Apollo 11 | Eagle | Sea of Tranquility |
| Apollo 12 | Intrepid | Ocean of Storms |
| Apollo 14 | Antares | Fra Mauro |
| Apollo 15 | Falcon | Hadley-Apennines |
| Apollo 16 | Orion | Moon’s Descartes Highlands |
| Apollo 17 | Challenger | Taurus-Littrow Valley |
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Seismic Events and the Eagle’s Ascent Stage
When the Eagle’s ascent stage was intentionally crashed into the moon, it would have caused a seismic event. Although Apollo missions left seismometers, no specific data exists on the impact’s exact location or magnitude.
The Role of NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has taken snapshots of Apollo landing sites. However, the image resolution isn’t sharp enough to pinpoint the Eagle ascent stage. Ongoing missions aim to map Apollo’s remains, including the Eagles’.
A Historic Landing Time
Apollo 11 touched the lunar surface on July 20, 1969, at just past 4:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time. The event is immortalized in various NASA records.
Landing Site: Sea of Tranquility
The Lunar Module, piloted by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, landed near the southern edge of the Sea of Tranquility. This dark basin is part of the iconic “Man in the Moon” visible from Earth.
Take-Off and Lunar Activities
The Eagle lifted off from the moon at 17:54:01 UT on July 21. It spent a total of 21 hours and 36 minutes on the lunar surface. Armstrong and Aldrin were active for about two hours, conducting scientific experiments and gathering precious lunar samples.
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The Apollo program was a monumental endeavor, both in its scientific achievements and its financial cost. For a complete understanding of the economic commitments involved in this historic space exploration program, visit our comprehensive article on the cost of the Apollo program, with all values adjusted to reflect 2024 dollars.
Did the Eagle Crash on the Moon?
After reconnecting with the Command Service Module (CSM), piloted by Michael Collins, the Lunar Module was set adrift in lunar orbit. It’s generally believed that it crashed on the Moon within 1 to 4 months, although the exact fate remains unclear.
The Eagle’s Place in Apollo History
Constructed by Grumman, a total of 15 Lunar Modules were built for the Apollo missions. “The Eagle,” officially known as LM-5, had the historic role in Apollo 11—making it the spacecraft that first put humans on the Moon.
Dimensions of the Ascent Stage
The ascent stage was a unique structure, measuring about 2.8 meters in height and approximately 4.0 x 4.3 meters in width. It sat atop the descent stage, essentially acting as the roof.
Inside the Ascent Stage
The ascent stage housed the astronauts in a pressurized area with a volume of roughly 6.65 cubic meters. This served as the operational base for lunar activities.
LM-5 “The Eagle”: A Two-Part Spacecraft
Each Lunar Module (LM) consisted of two stages: the descent and the ascent. Piloting the descent stage, astronauts like Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong would make their way to the Moon’s surface. The ascent stage then carried them back to lunar orbit.
Two Parts, Two Destinations
Understanding this dual nature is crucial. Why? Because LM-5, famously known as “The Eagle,” wasn’t a single entity. It was split into two, each part now residing in a different lunar locale.
The Crew
Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong rode the Eagle to the Moon, while Michael Collins orbited in the command module, Columbia.
The Journey Back to Columbia
After a 21-hour lunar sojourn, Buzz and Neil ascended in the Eagle’s ascent stage. Their next stop? Docking with Michael Collins in the Columbia, floating patiently in lunar orbit.
Liftoff from the Lunar Surface
As the sequence activated, the ascent stage blasted off with power, separating from the descent stage left stationary on the Moon’s surface.
The Descent Stage’s Lunar Resting Place
That descent stage still resides where it first touched down in the Sea of Tranquility, or Mare Tranquillitatis, on July 20, 1969.
Ascent Stage’s Lunar Orbit
After successfully docking with Columbia, the ascent stage was then jettisoned left to orbit the Moon indefinitely.
Return to Earth Aboard Columbia
While the Apollo 11 crew journeyed back to Earth in Columbia, the ascent stage of LM-5 continued to circle the Moon, its exact whereabouts unknown.
LM-5’s Final Resting Place: A Lunar Mystery
The ascent stage initiated its orbit around the Moon, yet its orbital lifespan is still a question mark. It eventually impacted the Moon’s surface, but when and where this happened remains elusive.
Comparing LM-5 with Other Lunar Modules
While most ascent stages from other missions have known locations, LM-5, along with Apollo 16, remain outliers. Their exact lunar coordinates are mysteries yet to be solved.
A Monument in the Sea of Tranquility
The descent stage is a different story. It stands as a timeless monument to humanity’s first moonwalk, situated in the Sea of Tranquility, also known as Mare Tranquillitatis.
The Ongoing Search for the Ascent Stage
Despite exhaustive analysis of orbital data since its assumed impact, the precise location of the ascent stage where Armstrong and Aldrin lifted off remains unknown. The search continues, as does the intrigue.
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Summary
The lower portion of the module remained on the Moon, serving as the launchpad for the upper portion to re-enter space.
Once the crew had safely returned to the Command Module, the upper portion was deliberately jettisoned.
It then entered an elliptical lunar orbit, ultimately resulting in a collision with the Moon’s surface.
However, contact with the module was lost long before its crash, leaving its current location and state of damage a mystery to this day.
General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT)
But now, there is a new idea based on the General Mission Analysis Tool or GMAT.
A new tool called the General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) suggests Apollo 11’s lunar ascent module could still be orbiting the Moon.
NASA thought the Eagle eventually crashed into the Moon.
However, a new analysis based on The General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) implies it is still up there and might even be noticeable from Earth.
A new analysis suggests that the Apollo 11 lunar module “Eagle” is still in orbit, in essentially the same position as when Columbia left it.
“There exists a chance that this spacecraft might have reached an inert state, allowing it to remain in orbit to the present day,” according to independent researcher James Meador.
The Eagle might still be visible from Earth to anybody willing to look hard enough to find it.
GMAT
The world’s only enterprise, multi-mission, is an open-source software system for space mission design, navigation, and optimization.
This system supports missions in flight regimes ranging from low Earth orbit to lunar, libration point, and deep space missions.
This idea uses an open-source program called the General Mission Analysis Tool, developed by NASA and others.
A team of NASA, private industry, and public and private contributors develops the open-source program GMAT.
It is used for engineering studies, real-world mission support, and as a tool for education and public engagement.
The GMAT program models the Eagle as a uniform sphere; it includes the effect of numerous small but relevant forces such as the Earth’s gravitational pull, the Sun’s, and all the planets except Mercury.
It can even include the effect of solar radiation pressure.
Using all these parameters implies that Eagle’s orbit is not unstable as had been assumed.
These numerical experiments support the hypothesis that even with the uncertainty of the initial conditions, the actual orbit of the Eagle exhibits long-term stability, and the spacecraft would not have impacted the Moon due to gravitational effects.
What happened to the other Lunar Modules?
Apollo 5,9,13 LM burned up in Earth’s atmosphere.
Apollo 10 LM is in orbit around the Sun.
Apollo (11), 12, 14, 15, and 17 LM crash-landed on the Moon.
The infographic below shows the fate of all Apollo Program Lunar Modules except for Apollo 5, an unnamed LM, which burned up in Earth’s atmosphere.
Apollo Modules: Global Exhibits and Lunar Impacts
The Apollo Command Module Capsules have taken on a second life as museum exhibits, captivating audiences from Atlanta to London with the story of human space exploration. On the other hand, the Lunar Modules had a different destiny. They intentionally crashed onto the moon for the purpose of generating artificial seismic activity for scientific study.
Where Are Apollo’s Command and Lunar Modules Now?
Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta has an Apollo 6 Command Module.
Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas showcases Apollo 7s.
In Illinois, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry displays Apollo 8.
San Diego Air and Space Museum houses Apollo 9’s “Gumdrop.”
Across the pond, London’s Science Museum exhibits Apollo 10’s “Charlie Brown.” It is the Lunar Module “Snoopy” orbits the Sun.
National Air and Space Museum in D.C. flaunts Apollo 11’s “Columbia.” The Lunar Module “Eagle,” however, has been MIA since July 21, 1969.
In Hampton, Virginia, Air and Space Center has Apollo 12’s “Yankee Clipper.” Its Lunar Module, “Intrepid,” crashed on the Moon on November 20, 1969.
Kansas Cosmosphere hosts Apollo 13’s “Odyssey.” Its Lunar Module “Aquarius” disintegrated in Earth’s atmosphere in April 1970.
Kennedy Space Center in Florida exhibits Apollo 14’s “Kitty Hawk.” Its Lunar Module “Antares” impacted the Moon on February 7, 1971.
In Dayton, USAF Museum presents Apollo 15’s “Endeavor.” Lunar Module “Falcon” hit the Moon on August 3, 1971.
U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Alabama has Apollo 16’s “Casper.” Its Lunar Module “Orion” has been unaccounted for since a control loss in April 1972.
In Houston, NASA Johnson Space Center holds Apollo 17’s “America.” Its Lunar Module “Challenger” impacted the Moon on December 15, 1972.
California Science Center in L.A. displays Apollo-Soyuz’s Command Module.
In Florida, Naval Aviation Museum has Skylab 2’s Command Module.
NASA Visitor Center at Great Lakes Science Center in Ohio has Skylab 3.
Finally, D.C.’s National Air and Space Museum shows Skylab 4.
These capsules bear witness to a monumental era in human history, a must-see for anyone passionate about space or history.
Ever wondered about the momentous day of July 20, 1969, when the Apollo 11 Lunar Module ‘Eagle’ made its historic landing on the moon? Dive into our riveting article that captures every aspect of this epoch-making event. Unearth the untold stories and behind-the-scenes details right here: https://apollo11space.com/july-20-1969-the-apollo-11-lunar-module-eagle-lands-on-the-moon/. Let’s relive this remarkable chapter of human achievement together.