Apollo 10

“So Close You Could Touch It”

Crew: Thomas Stafford (Commander); Eugene Cernan (Lunar Module Pilot); John Young (Command Module Pilot)

Launch Vehicle: Saturn V

Spacecraft: Charlie Brown (CM-106), Snoopy (LM-4)

Launch Date: May 18, 1969

Return Date: May 26, 1969

Apollo 10 demonstrated all of the aspects of a lunar landing - except the landing itself. Stafford and Cernan flew the LM to within 9 miles of the lunar surface before returning to orbit and docking with the CSM to return to Earth. It was the first flight of a complete, crewed Apollo spacecraft to operate around the Moon.