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The Making Of Apollo's Command Module: 2 Engineers Recall Tragedy And Triumph

It was the only part of the Apollo 11 spacecraft that came back from the moon. Designing, testing and building it was a monumental task, according to two engineers who were part of the effort.

Look at a picture of the Apollo 11 launch and you'll probably notice the rocket's pointed tip and the fire coming from the five giant engines in the first stage of the 36-story-tall Saturn V rocket.

What you might miss is arguably the most important part of the entire thing: the command module.

It's the tiny, gumdrop-shaped vehicle sitting just below the tip. It holds the astronauts, their clothing, sleeping bags, food and — along with a companion service module — all of the systems needed for a round-trip journey to the moon. It's also the only piece of the spacecraft to complete the entire trip and splash down back on Earth.

"It was the boat that basically got people there," said Bill Barry, NASA's chief historian. "A mission to the moon wouldn't

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