PBS stations will air Chasing the Moon, on July 8, 9, and 10. The Delmar Library was selected to show a segment (Part 2: This is a Test Program) of the documentary prior to its airing on local PBS stations.

Program Summary: 
The purpose of the Gemini missions was to demonstrate Earth-orbital rendezvous, a critical step in the ultimate mission to the moon. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin have starring roles in some of these early missions and their work proves to be key to NASA’s future missions.

Aldrin uses his experience as a scuba diver to encourage training astronauts using neutral buoyancy. This becomes a major advancement in enabling astronauts to carry out physical tasks in space. During the Gemini 8 mission, Armstrong proves to be an expert pilot and leader when he successfully returns to Earth, along with crewmate Jim Lovell, after experiencing the first “emergency” in space. The tragedy of the Apollo 1 mission unfolds and reminds all involved about the dangerous nature of the work they are doing and the costs of embarking on the treacherous journey to the moon.

The incident instigates a major review and investigation into what went wrong and informs the construction of a new shuttle that would carry astronauts in future Apollo missions.