Artifact: Apollo 10 mission patch.
Manufacturer: AB Emblem.
Dimensions: 4 x 4½" / 100 x 112mm.
Program: Apollo.
Flown Status: unflown.
Description:
This patch was sealed in Cape Kennedy Medals packaging. It is very similar to the AB Emblem design, including the spanner-shaped antennae on the LEM, although this example has dark blue thread for the inner border and background rather than black, and grey thread for the names. The stitching also appears somewhat finer than on the AB example.
Apollo 10:The Apollo 10 mission was a pivotal mission in NASA's Apollo program, often referred to as a "dress rehearsal" for the first Moon landing. Launched on May 18, 1969, it was the fourth manned mission of the Apollo program and the second to orbit the Moon.
The crew of Apollo 10 consisted of astronauts Thomas P. Stafford, John W. Young, and Eugene A. Cernan. Their primary objective was to perform a complete lunar module rehearsal without actually landing on the Moon.
Apollo 10 followed a trajectory that took it to the Moon and entered lunar orbit. The mission tested various aspects critical to a successful Moon landing, including the performance of the lunar module during descent and ascent, as well as lunar rendezvous and docking procedures.
The lunar module, named "Snoopy," separated from the command module, nicknamed "Charlie Brown," and descended to within 9.6 miles (15.6 kilometers) of the lunar surface. The crew evaluated the landing site, documented lunar landmarks, and tested the module's navigation and guidance systems.
After completing the lunar module operations, the crew re-docked with the command module and returned to Earth, splashing down safely in the Pacific Ocean on May 26, 1969.
Apollo 10 provided critical validation of the Apollo spacecraft and procedures necessary for a lunar landing. The mission helped fine-tune the techniques and systems required for a successful Moon landing, setting the stage for the historic Apollo 11 mission that followed just two months later, when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the lunar surface.
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