The Apollo Missions Quiz

By: Torrance Grey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
The Apollo Missions Quiz
Image: WikiCommons by NASA / Neil A. Armstrong

About This Quiz

The Apollo project was a 1960s-era program to get a U.S. spacecraft to the moon. Initially, the idea was an unmanned mission, but it wasn't long before an American president stated—quite publicly—the goal of putting a man on the moon and getting him back safely. As we all know, this goal was accomplished in 1969. 

However, to this day, there's a small but adamant minority who believe it was faked, with footage shot in the desert of the American Southwest. Fun fact: The late Stanley Kubrick, a movie director, was dogged by the rumor that he participated in the fraud. This idea persists after his death, being raised again in the documentary "Room 237," which is specifically about "The Shining," and it points out that in that film, a child actor wears an "Apollo 11" sweater. (Coincidence? We think so! Costumes are selected by a wardrobe designer, not the director, after all). 

But there's more to the Apollo missions than just the one that put a man (actually, two men) on the moon. The story of the Apollo project is one that includes tragedy along with triumph, hard work, setbacks and scientific inquiry. How much do you know about this important chapter in American history? Find out now with our quiz!

What happened on the Apollo 13 flight that caused the moon landing to be aborted?
An oxygen tank exploded.
An O-ring seal failed.
A bird was sucked into the air intake on launch.
Fine meteorite debris clogged the air filters.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Apollo 13 accident was somewhat unusual in that it took place more than two days into the mission. Most mechanical problems would be expected to occur during launch or re-entry. But the astronauts were 56 hours in and had just turned on oxygen-stirring fans in the service module when the tank exploded, creating a crisis.

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Which of these astronauts was NOT part of the famous Apollo 11 mission?
Neil Armstrong
Buzz Aldrin
Michael Collins
John Glenn
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Glenn's triumphs came earlier. Well, and later. He was the first American to get into orbit, as opposed to just into space, in 1962. Later, he became a successful U.S. senator from Ohio. We lost Glenn in late 2016.

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The first mission, Apollo 1, never flew, for a tragic reason. What was it?
A fire in the cabin killed the entire crew.
The craft exploded on launch.
The flight was called off to honor Kennedy's assassination.
It was called off after the commander died of a heart attack.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The fatal fire took place during a launch rehearsal, not the attempted launch itself (which, obviously, never happened). It was a terrible start to the lunar exploration program, and the mission's name, Apollo 1, was retired to honor the dead.

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What role did James Lovell Jr., William Anders and Fred Haise Jr. play in the Apollo 11 mission?
They were the backup crew.
They were the recovery crew at splashdown.
They designed the lunar module.
They designed the mission patch.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Each mission had a "prime" crew, a "backup" crew and a third "support" crew. If there's one thing space flight requires, it's contingency plans.Throughout the Apollo program, astronauts got pretty accustomed to switching back and forth between these roles, as medical or other issues necessitated changes in the prime crew.

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What is the "Blue Marble"?
A lunar landing module
The nickname for the lunar rover
A replica of Earth left on the moon
A photograph of Earth taken from the moon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Apollo missions are sometimes credited with the rising interest in environmentalism in the 1970s. This is largely due to the image of Earth as a self-contained ecosystem in space, captured by the crew of Apollo 17. To many, the photo underscores both the unity and fragility of planet Earth.

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"Apollo" has become a name closely linked to the moon missions. But where does it come from?
Greek mythology
Norse mythology
Early science history
The first "Battlestar Galactica" series
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Apollo was the Greek god of the sun, depicted as driving it across the sky as a flaming chariot. He is also associated with rational thought and learning. So, overall, an excellent choice. (As much as we loved the old "Battlestar Galactica," with its heroic Captain Apollo, it premiered long after the lunar missions).

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What kind of rockets launched the Apollo modules into space?
Boeing
Lockheed
Ryobi
Saturn
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The choice of name was fairly practical: A previous family of rockets had been called "Jupiter," after the fifth planet in our solar system, and Saturn is the sixth planet. The Saturn rockets capably launched the Apollo command modules into space with no significant problems.

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Who was the commander of the doomed Apollo 1 mission?
James McDivitt
Gus Grissom
Deke Slayton
Russell Schweickart
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Virgil "Gus" Grissom had made two previous trips into space. He was the second American to achieve suborbital flight, after Alan Shepard. With service in both World War II and the Korean War, two spaceflights and an engineering degree from Purdue University, Grissom packed a lot into a life cut short.

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How did the three Apollo astronauts spend the day after their splashdown and recovery?
At a parade in Washington, D.C.
Partying in Honolulu
Going home to their families
They were in biological quarantine.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though NASA scientists understood that the risk of pathogens from the moon was low, because of its dry, sterile environment, they didn't take any chances. Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins had to greet well-wishers like President Nixon and the head of NASA through the window of an isolation room.

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Which famous scientist was centrally involved in the Saturn rocket program?
Albert Einstein
Niels Bohr
Max Planck
Wernher von Braun
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Von Braun is a somewhat polarizing figure in American science history. Undeniably a genius, he worked in his early years for the Third Reich before defecting to the United States and helping NASA to get its spacecraft off the ground. He became a devout Christian after coming to America.

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Some of the hardware made for the Apollo missions was used in a famous early space station. Which was it?
The ISS
The Rising Star
Skylab
Mir
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Skylab was an early 1970s space station, which used the Apollo Telescope Mount. Skylab crashed back down to Earth in 1979, with the world's eyes on it, wondering where it was going to land. Western Australia turned out to be the winner. Given the ingenuity of Australians, we like to think that a couple of back-country mechanics put it back together and are happily flying around in it to this day.

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How many other countries have placed a person on the moon since the U.S. went?
None
1
2
3
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

So far, only the United States holds this distinction. It's hard to understand why other countries haven't followed suit. We mean, after the U.S. found a source of cheap fuel up there, and plentiful mining resources and a hospitable environment for colonization, ... oh, *wait.* We're starting to see the problem.

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How many humans, total, did the Apollo missions put on the moon?
2
3
6
12
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ask many Americans, and they'll probably think either of Armstrong and Aldrin, or of Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins, the entire three-man crew of the Apollo 11 mission. Later lunar missions didn't get nearly the same amount of attention.

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The second man to walk on the moon is commonly known by his nickname, "Buzz." What was Aldrin's real first name?
Brian
Edwin
Matthew
Mark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The nickname "Buzz" came from Aldrin's sister mispronouncing the word "brother" as "buzzer." At least, that's the story. But really, a high school football star who became a fighter pilot and then an astronaut ... Why wouldn't you call him "Buzz"? "Edwin" just doesn't seem to fit.

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Everyone remembers Neil Armstrong's first words on the moon. But what were Aldrin's?
"At last."
"Beautiful view."
"I'm number two. I try harder."
"Oh my God, what is that thing?"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When Aldrin joined Armstrong on the moon's surface, they exchanged comments about the scene, with Armstrong responding "Magnificent sight out here" and Aldrin adding, "Magnificent desolation." This friendly exchange belies Aldrin's resentment over being the second one out of the lunar module; an original plan had him going out the door first, making him the first man to step on the moon.

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The spacecrafts used consisted of 3 main parts: a command module, a service module and a ______ module.
Backup
Habitation
Lunar
Disposable
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The lunar module was the craft that went down to the surface of the moon to make a soft landing (one in which the craft wasn't destroyed by the impact). The most famous one was the "Eagle," whose name allowed for the famous phrase, "The Eagle has landed."

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Three countries have made an Apollo-style "soft landing" on the moon. They are the U.S., Russia and which nation?
Australia
China
Japan
South Africa
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A "soft landing" means the craft is undamaged and able to perform activities on the surface of the moon (e.g., take soil samples). Most recently, China made a soft landing on the dark side of the moon, the first mission ever to land there. (It's nice to get away from all the noise and traffic of the tourist side, we suppose).

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What was the number of the final mission?
10
14
17
22
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though overshadowed by Apollo 11, the Apollo 17 mission was an ambitious one that also put men on the surface of the moon. It was the longest lunar orbit and lunar landing, and it brought home more geologic material than any other mission.

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What was the number of the Apollo mission that put a man on the moon?
8
10
11
13
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Apollo 11 was launched in July 1969, with a three-man crew. If you chose (or were tempted by) "Apollo 13," it's likely because it was the subject of a movie by Ron Howard. "Apollo 13" was about an aborted lunar landing and the struggle to get the crippled craft and its astronauts home safely.

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What word is apparently left out of Armstrong's "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" statement?
"a"
"American"
"this"
"all"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Many people have noted that while Armstrong's sentiment was clear, it really doesn't make sense as he said it. "Man" and "mankind" are used interchangeably to mean "humanity," so the word "a" before "man" was needed for adequate contrast. (You can listen to the recording and try to discern the article "a" in his speech, but it really isn't there).

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True or false: The "capsule commander," who spoke directly to the crew, was always an astronaut himself.
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Did you think the person talking to the crew would be a NASA egghead from within the ground crew? So did we, but it turns out that NASA felt an astronaut would be best able to understand what the crew was trying to tell him and relay information back. That's why a fellow space jockey (or at least an aspiring one) filled the role.

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Which ocean did the Apollo 11 capsule splash down in?
Atlantic
Pacific
Indian
Southern
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Returning spacecraft and astronauts always make a water landing. The three Apollo 11 spacefarers were retrieved from the Pacific Ocean and taken to the USS Hornet, where no less a figure than the President of the United States waited to greet them.

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The project was carried out by which government agency?
The U.S. Army
The U.S. Air Force
The National Air and Space Administraion
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

For this question, the devil is in the details. NASA stands for "National Aeronautics and Space Administration," not "Air and Space." Nor is the second "A" for "Agency," as some people might tell you. It's an "Administration."

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The names "Columbia" and "Eagle" for the Apollo 11 command and lunar modules replaced two chosen by the crew. What were they?
"Charlie Brown" and "Snoopy"
"Greased Lightning" and "Thunder"
"Ginger" and "Mary Ann"
"Bert" and "Ernie"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

NASA overruled the astronauts on this one, finding the names too lighthearted, given that the public would be hearing them in new stories. "Columbia" and "Eagle" were chosen because they were national symbols. The former is a poetic alternate name for America, while the bald eagle is, of course, America's national emblem.

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True or false: With an 8- or 10-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, you can see the flags planted on the moon.
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There is no consumer-issue telescope powerful enough to spot the American flags (there's more than one) on the moon. Don't let that discourage you from checking out the lunar surface: as Earth's closest neighbor, it makes for great viewing. A Schmidt-Cassegrain-style scope, with a wide, solid body that "folds" the beam of light several times for maximum clarity in a small space, is ideal for moon viewing.

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How many pounds of lunar material did the missions bring back to Earth?
20
50
About 100
More than 800
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Scientists wanted the soil and rocks to learn about the moon's geologic history, past volcanic activity and the like. These things can tell us a lot about the history of the Earth, as well. However, we can't help but wonder if a certain amount of lunar material went for "souvenirs," secretly passed out to kids or used to impress first dates. Maybe we're just being cynical.

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Where did President Kennedy give his famous "We choose to go to the moon" speech?
To Congress, after Yuri Gagarin's flight
At Cape Canaveral, to NASA employees
In Washington, for his inauguration
At Rice University in Houston, to the general public
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The "moon" speech is an example of the power of stirring oratory. Kennedy's speech, linking the Apollo project to the American spirit of ambition and exploration, went a long way to overcoming the near-60-percent opposition to a lunar mission. Needless to say, Kennedy didn't mention the projected $22 billion price tag.

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Which astronaut took communion on the surface of the moon?
Neil Armstrong
Buzz Aldrin
Alan Bean
Deke Slayton
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Aldrin was a practicing Presbyterian and brought the elements for communion with him on the Apollo 11 mission. He later said that he had mixed feelings about conducting a specifically Christian ritual on the moon, as he and Armstrong were there to represent all of humanity, whatever their religion.

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Pete Conrad was the commander of the second manned moon mission. What was his first word on stepping onto the surface?
"That's ..."
"God, ..."
"Houston, ..."
"Whoopee!"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The whole quote is, "Whoopee! That may have been a small one for Neil, but that's a long one for me!" He was joking about being shorter than Armstrong, so it was a bigger step down off the ladder for Conrad.

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About how long did Armstrong and Aldrin spend on the moon's surface?
10 minutes
An hour
A little more than two hours
Six hours
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the Sea of Tranquility and left the lunar module for a bit more than two hours. During this time, the pair collected soil samples for analysis back on Earth. They also took pictures and hit some golf balls—you know, the usual tourist stuff.

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Prior to the Apollo project, which of these Americans was the first human in space?
Alan Shepard
John Glenn
Walter Schirra
The first person in space was not American.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Yuri Gagarin, of the USSR, was the first human to escape the Earth's atmosphere in a spacecraft. This inflamed America's desire to explore space as well, matching the accomplishments of the Soviet Union, then our political and cultural rival. Alan Shepard was, however, the first American in space.

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For the Apollo program, several types of missions were planned, starting with type "A." How high did the scale go?
G
J
O
Z
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An "A" mission was the launch of an unmanned vehicle; Apollo 4 and 6 were of this type. The most ambitious mission, the "J-type," involved a multi-day lunar orbit and lunar landing, and this was, in fact, achieved with the final mission, Apollo 17.

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The Apollo missions were the first to get out of what's called "Low Earth Orbit (LEO)." How far from Earth's surface is this?
500 miles
1200 miles
10,000 miles
93 million miles
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This doesn't sound like a great distance in the context of "all of outer space," but it's about the distance from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas. Most satellites operate in LEO, as does the International Space Station.

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The Apollo Project began in 1960. What year did it come to a close?
1968
1970
1972
1973
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Project Apollo lasted for 12 years. Kennedy was still in office when the final mission flew; he would be assassinated the following year in Dallas, and the lunar missions would stand as a tribute to his sense of optimism and adventure.

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Which president oversaw the beginning of the Apollo project?
John F. Kennedy
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Richard M. Nixon
Gerald R. Ford
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Eisenhower was a well-liked former general of the Army, who was the Supreme Allied Commander of U.S. forces in World War II, managing Operation Overlord (better known as the D-Day invasion). John F. Kennedy gets a lot of credit for the Apollo missions, having stated explicitly the goal of putting a man on the moon, but he wasn't the first president involved with Apollo.

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You Got:
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WikiCommons by NASA / Neil A. Armstrong