For All Mankind: Apple TV+ Series Imagines Soviet Moon Landing
Apple TV+'s series 'For All Mankind' explores an alternate history where the Soviet Union beats the US to the Moon. The show opens with cosmonaut Alexei Leonov landing on June 26, 1969, and declaring the Moon for Marxism-Leninism. This fictional event precedes the real Apollo 11 landing on July 20, 1969. The series centers on NASA's struggle to catch up, embodied by Commander Edward Baldwin (Joel Kinnaman), who blames NASA's risk aversion after the Apollo 1 fire. In September 1969, Anastasia Belikova (Rita Khrabrovitsky) becomes the first woman on the Moon. The third episode, 'Nixon's Women,' tackles female emancipation as NASA considers including women astronauts, with Nixon reportedly preferring 'a blonde.' Among five selected female pilots are Tracy Stevens (Sarah Jones) and Molly Cobb (Sonya Walger), who becomes the first American woman on the Moon during Apollo 15. The series also explores personal conflicts, including role reversal with Molly's artist husband, hidden homosexuality, and a son's death experienced from space.
Key facts
- Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov lands on the Moon on June 26, 1969, in the series.
- The real Apollo 11 landing occurred on July 20, 1969.
- Commander Edward Baldwin is played by Joel Kinnaman.
- Anastasia Belikova becomes the first woman on the Moon in September 1969.
- The third episode is titled 'Nixon's Women'.
- Five women pilots are selected for NASA's astronaut program.
- Molly Cobb becomes the first American woman on the Moon during Apollo 15.
- The series is produced by Apple TV+.
Entities
Artists
- Carlotta Petracci
Institutions
- Apple TV+
- NASA
- New York Times
Locations
- Moon
- United States
- Soviet Union
- America