Trailblazer (lunar spacecraft)

The Trailblazer is a Wielvakian lunar exploration vehicle mainly based on the Apollo rockets of the 60's & 70's. It exists in the 2020's or 30's.

Spacecraft design/ flight procedures
The spacecraft closely resembles the Saturn V of the Apollo program. However, the LEM (Lunar Excursion Module) has a propellant stage of its own. The CM (Command Module) is considerably bigger, fitting a crew of 5 (Mission Commander, CM pilot, CM navigator, LEM Commander, & LEM Navigator.)

The Spacecraft lifts off from Earth like normal. However, once the spacecraft has made one Earth orbit, the CM docks with the LEM & propellant stage. The LEM crew move over to the LEM, and then the engines on the LEM propellant stage ignite and push the LEM to the moon. The propellant stage is dropped halfway, while the CM crew remain in Earth orbit. After the LEM lands on the moon and returns to Earth orbit, the LEM docks with the CM and the LEM crew moves back. After that, the two spacecraft undock and the CM returns home with its crew.

Trivia

 * The Trailblazer 10 was the first to reach the moon, on August 29, 2013.
 * The Trailblazer 12 mission was ill-fated. The first encountetred problem was that the LEM propellant stage would not ignite, deeming the mission a failure (since it could not reach the moon.) Second, the CM, upon re-entry, had not detached the LEM yet, but was later jettisoned at 20 miles. Third, the CM was re-entering the atmosphere inversely (with the top window displaying the Earth and the bottom displaying space.) Fourth, the parachutes opened 20,000 feet later than they should have.