The articles on Apollo 8 appeared in National Geographic several months after the missions but the magazine produced an in-depth story.
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The Road to the Moon Landings – Lunar Orbiters – National Geographic, 1969
The Lunar Orbiters were five uncrewed missions launched between 1966 and 1967, to help select Apollo landing sites by mapping the Moon’s surface; 99.6 percent of the lunar surface was mapped.
The Road to the Moon Landings – Surveyor – National Geographic, 1966
From June 1966 through January 1968, NASA sent seven robotic spacecraft to the surface of the Moon as part of Surveyor Program. Its primary goal was to test soft landings on the Moon.
The Road to the Moon Landings – Apollo 8 – Life Magazine, 1969
Apollo 8 Mission as it appeared in two LIFE magazines: Jan 10, 1969 and Jan 17, 1969.
The Road to the Moon Landings – Apollo 8 – Look Magazine, 1969
Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to reach the Moon. The crew orbited the Moon ten times and the largest-ever TV audience looked on.
The Road to the Moon Landings – Apollo 1 – Life Magazine, 1967
On January 27, 1967, a fire broke out in the command module during a pre-flight test at Cape Kennedy. All three astronauts aboard perished.
The Road to the Moon Landings – Gemini X – Life Magazine, 1966
In July 18, 1966, Gemini X went up. Its purpose was to test out a few things for the future Lunar exploration: Extra-Vehicular Activities, Spacecraft Maneuvering and Docking with another spacecraft (Agena Target Vehicle, ATV), and using ATV’s engine to achieve a boost into a higher orbit.
The Road to the Moon Landings – Surveyor – LIFE Magazine, 1966
From June 1966 through January 1968, NASA sent seven robotic spacecraft to the surface of the Moon as part of Surveyor Program. It sent back color photos.
The Road to the Moon Landings – Apollo 8 – Paris Match, 1969
Apollo 8 mission (December 21–27, 1968) was the first crewed spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit and the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon. The crew orbited the Moon ten times without landing.
The Road to the Moon Landings – Gemini VII – Paris Match, 1966
In between December 4 and December 18, 1965, Frank Borman and Jim Lovell spent nearly 14 days in space, making a total of 206 orbits around the earth —
the longest space flight to date.