Apollo Earth orbit rendezvous

1961 sketch showing 10 c-1 launches required assemble in earth orbit apollo lunar landing mission.

the eor proposal apollo consisted of using series of small rockets half size of saturn v put different components of spacecraft go moon in orbit around earth, assemble them in orbit. experiments of project gemini involving docking agena target vehicle designed partly test feasibility of program.

in end, nasa employed lunar orbit rendezvous apollo program: saturn v simultaneously lift both apollo command , lunar modules low earth orbit, , saturn v third stage fire again (trans-lunar injection) send both spacecraft moon.