NASA and the DeVry Technical Institute presents this color 16mm educational film titled “Moon Mission”. Made at the early era of the Apollo Program, this film highlights the science and technology involved in the planned mission to the moon. Much of the film is set at the George Marshall Space Flight Center situated in Madison County, Alabama. The film includes footage of famed rocket designer and scientist Wernher von Braun as well as detailed animations and descriptions of the Saturn V launch vehicle to be used for the Apollo moon launching. The film features the U.S. government’s Civilian Rocketry and Spacecraft Propulsion Research Center, and promotes the DeVry Technical Institute where students could take classes that would get them jobs in the aerospace industry.
The film opens with images of the Moon’s surface (:40). The national goal of launching a man onto the moon’s surface is mentioned as a major objective of space exploration (:38). Dr. Wernher von Braun (1:02); a German scientist responsible for the development of the V-2 rocket, appears. Von Braun was named Director for the Space Flight Program. He discusses the push driven by Kennedy to land a man on the moon (1:15). An animation dictates the launch vehicle; the Saturn IV, which was to cart the Apollo space craft (1:52). It’s three stages are broken down (2:00); the S-1C stage (2:18) under development by the Boeing company and the Marshall Space Flight Center. The second stage was (2:44) crafted by North American aviation. The third stage, Saturn S-IVB is pictured under construction by Douglas AC Corp (3:06). The S-4 stage (3:28) follows. The lunar excursion module (3:37) carried instrumentation and a propulsion system. The manned command module stands at the peak of the vehicle (3:45). An animation follows the craft to the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (4:09). The launching (4:39) and stage separation is pictured (5:00). The Lunar Excursion Module or LEM / LM (5:52) peels away from the launch vehicle. The orbit of Apollo around the moon (6:25). The interior of the Command Module is depicted (6:49) and communication between astronauts and ground support is discussed (7:03). Methods and process for landing the lunar module follow (7:45). Length of time is discussed for planned exercises for the lunar ‘walk about’ (8:21). Cartoon astronauts ready for a return trip (9:21). The path of re-entry is traced (9:39). The instrument section jettisons (10:00) and chutes deploy (10:12). Live action footage (10:31) turns to look at how the animation was produced and the electronics industry (likely accelerated by the space program). The narrator boasts of a fine career awaiting the graduate Tech student (10:52). A note encourages viewers to join the Tech industry (11:10). A list of aircraft, Technology & Aerospace company’s (11:15) including Bell Telephone, Chrysler (11:29) and Air Canada close the film.
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