Three days later, the combined command, service and lunar modules were inserted into a lunar orbit of some 60 nautical miles. Thus, Apollo 10’s job was to iron out as many kinks as possible before Apollo 11 attempted an actual landing. As the pair began prepared for Snoopy’s second pass over the Sea of Tranquility, they began procedures to jettison the descent stage. The descent stage finally detached and the ascent stage fired its engines and took them up for their crucial return rendezvous with Charlie Brown. But most of all, Apollo 10’s triumph reminds us that the whole Apollo program spanned an era of unbridled American resolve.

Source: Forbes May 19, 2019 06:33 UTC