Fly Me to the Moon

Film info

Film summary

What do you need to do to get into space? An explanation of orbits, forces and the "slingshot effect."

Key facts

• In order to land on the Moon, Apollo 11 had to be launched at just the right speed.
• If a rocket is fired towards the Moon with insufficient power, it will fall back to Earth or enter its orbit.
• If launched at over 40,000km/h, a rocket will follow a wide enough orbit that it can be intercepted by the Moon's gravitational force.
• The Moon's gravity changes the orbit of an approaching rocket, allowing it to land on the surface.