PRM301 Introduction to Project Management Case 2 Project Planning

PRM301 Introduction to Project Management Case 2 Project Planning

The Apollo Project

The Apollo project was started with the aim of sending an American safely to the moon and bring him back to earth. The project was successfully accomplished on 20 July 1969 which was less than 10 years since it was commissioned. The important stakeholders of the project were the NASA managers and project planners, and the president of the United States President John F. Kennedy (Woods, 2011). The stakeholders expected the following from space exploration: 

• Establishment of technology to meet other national interests in space
• Developing man’s capability to work in the lunar environment.
• Carrying out a program of scientific exploration of the moon.
• To achieve preeminence in space for the United States.

Most Americans did not support the Apollo project. Two American individuals, poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron and sociologist Amitai Etzioni who was at Columbia University opposed the project and even tried to direct funds to more earthly pursuits. The musician performed a song that mocked the space achievements. Sociologist Etzion noted that many scientists opposed both the mission and the ‘cash-and-clash approach to science’ it represented. The scientists who opposed the project claimed that research in the outer space would bring new opportunities in science but these needed not to be prioritized over opportunities that were on earth. They also felt that exploiting space science would weaken their efforts in other scientific endeavors. The people who opposed the Apollo project believed that the government was spending too much on space. They also did not feel like the Apollo was worth the cost until during the lunar landing of the Apollo 11 in July 1969. Many black papers questioned the use of American funds for space research at a time when many African Americans were struggling at the margins of the working class. Some felt like the American government was sacrificing the country’s resources for space exploration while some of its people died of hunger, and were poorly educated and ill-clothed. Some of them also claimed that America was sending lazy white boys to the moon where no work was to be done (Madrigal, 2012). One of the protesters claimed that they were protesting because the nation had failed in choosing humane priorities. 

The Apollo program was a series of unmanned and manned spaceflights on earth and lunar orbits so as to check the operational safety of spacecraft components before landing on the moon. The task of reaching the moon was reduced to a series of missions which had to be achieved and thus pushing Apollo’s capability of reaching the lunar surface. The missions were as follows:

• The first mission (Apollo 1) was launched in February 1967 and used the fourth vehicle in the Saturn IB series. The mission ended up killing three crewmen which lead to NASA being criticized by the press and the political classes for the tragedy (NASA, 2015). NASA learned many lessons from the project and applied them on future Apollo programs. Apollo 2 and 3 space flights, which had been prepared for launch later in 1967, were cancelled. 
• Apollo 4 was the next mission in this series. It was expected to test the Saturn V launch vehicle. Apollo 4 tested the entire rocket system and placed its CSM payload into a higher ballistic arc. The spacecraft powered the command module into a high speed dive into the atmosphere to test its heat shield by re-entering at the speed it would have in case it was returning from the moon. The mission was a success in all important aspects.
• Apollo 5 was launched on January 22, 1968 and is treated by history with little attention. The flight tested the first Apollo lunar module LM-1, giving the engineers a chance to test the lunar module structure and its response to the launch environment (NASA, 2015). This flight also showed how the crew would be saved incase the equipment failed as the crew could be lifted back to the safety of an orbit. The module demonstrated everything asked of it. 
• Apollo 6 was launched on April 4, 1968. From this flight, it was possible to put the vehicle on the orbit when three of its engines failed but the command of restarting the flight failed. Some of the flight’s objectives were met, but it highlighted issues that needed to be dealt with before men could be put on the next mission (NASA, 2015).  Fortunately the engineers found solutions to all the problems experienced.
• Apollo 7 was launched towards the end of 1968. In this flight the spacecraft was able to achieve orbit and the crew attempted a turnaround maneuver that would be required for future flights (NASA, 2015). 11 days were spent orbiting the earth while taking pictures and learning more about the space.
• Apollo 8 was launched on December 21, 1968.  The mission of this flight was to test the entire Apollo system including a lunar module in lower earth orbit. The Apollo 8 was expected to reach the vicinity of the moon before the Soviet Union. On December 24, 1968, Apollo 8 took its crew along the lunar far side where they fired its SPS engine to enter the lunar orbit to begin 10 revolutions (NASA, 2015). They also examined two sites which were being considered for the first landing.
• Apollo 9 was launched March 3, 1969. The crew followed a ten-day timeline roughly similar to a lunar mission but without leaving the low earth orbit. The Apollo was able to leave the earth’s gravity and enter an independent orbit around the sun (NASA, 2015). The crew were also able to practice navigation techniques.
• Apollo 10 which was launched on May 18, 1969. Having tested most of the major components and procedures required for a moon landing, NASA wanted to practice a complete lunar mission. The crew settled for a night in the moon’s vicinity as their ship hurtled above its surface (NASA, 2015). The most important task was to prove that a lunar orbit rendezvous would work as planned. The success of this mission cleared a way for the first landing attempt which was successful with Apollo 11.

‘Build the Bridge As You Go’ Approach

This approach encourages leaders not to get discouraged from starting a project they do not have full details about. Leaders are encouraged to take risks and take on projects that still need further research. This means that a project can start even before proper planning is done. This approach can be appropriate for new projects that had not been tried before. It can also be used for projects which require a lot of finances to complete. Project managers can divide the project into small missions which are easier to accomplish and whose accomplishment will lead to the success of the final project (New York Guide, 2002). Both large and small companies can use the approach to start complicated projects or those they do not have full details about.

References

Madrigal, A. (2012). Moondoggle: The forgotten opposition to the Apollo program. Atlantic magazine: Retrieved on 16 Apr 2017 from: www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/09/moondoggle-the-forgotten-opposition-to-the-apollo-program/262254/

NASA (2015). The Apollo Mission (website). Retrieved on 16 Apr 2017 from www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/index.html

New York Guide (2002). Management’s Guide to Project success. New York State Office for Technology. (the Guide)

Woods, W. (2011). The Apollo flights: A brief history. How Apollo flew to the moon (Chap 2). NY: Springer Praxis Books