25 May 1961 :President John F. Kennedy sets a national goal to land a man on the Moon and return him safely to Earth by the end of the decade.
26 Feb 1966 :The Apollo-Saturn 201 mission marks the first test of the Saturn IB rocket and the command and service module in uncrewed conditions.
25 Aug 1966 :Another uncrewed mission that tested the command and service module performance and the capabilities of the Saturn IB rocket.
09 Nov 1966 :This mission was designed to study the behavior of the S-IVB stage under space conditions, contributing to future missions that required precise fueling maneuvers.
27 Jan 1967 :During a preflight test, a cabin fire at Cape Kennedy Launch Complex 34 kills astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger B. Chaffee.
11 Oct 1968 :Apollo 7, the first crewed Apollo mission, tested the command and service module in Earth orbit, paving the way for lunar missions.
21 Dec 1968 :Apollo 8 becomes the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon with astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders.
03 Mar 1969 :Apollo 9 tested the Lunar Module in Earth orbit, with astronauts James McDivitt, David Scott, and Russell Schweickart aboard.
18 May 1969 :The Apollo 10 mission conducted a full dress rehearsal for the upcoming Moon landing, bringing the Lunar Module to within 9 miles of the lunar surface.
20 Jul 1969 :Apollo 11 successfully lands on the Moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the lunar surface while Michael Collins remains in orbit.
11 Apr 1970 :An oxygen tank explosion cripples Apollo 13, but the crew, James Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert, safely return to Earth using the Lunar Module as a lifeboat.
31 Jan 1971 :Apollo 14 saw astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell land in the lunar Fra Mauro Highlands, while Stuart Roosa piloted the command module in orbit.
22 Mar 1971 :President Nixon approves the continuation of space exploration through the Apollo Applications Program, which leads to the development of Skylab and other projects.
30 Jul 1971 :On the Apollo 15 mission, astronauts David Scott and James Irwin use the Lunar Rover to explore the lunar surface.
11 Dec 1972 :Apollo 17 marks the last human mission to the Moon. Gene Cernan, the mission commander, is the last person to walk on the lunar surface.