The moon is further a way than you might think. (Stay with me, I swear we’ll tie this back to petrochemicals). In fact, it’s about 238,855 miles from earth. If the earth was an 8-inch ball, the moon would be a 2-inch ball sitting 20 feet away. That’s real far and the cold vacuum of space between those two balls isn’t exactly hospitable.
All this is to say that it took a lot of technology to put a man on the moon — including a whole bunch of petrochemicals.
Yesterday was the 56th anniversary of the moon landing. To celebrate, we wanted to remind you, and the world, that American made fuels and petrochemicals made that literal moonshot possible.
As we explained in the AFPM blog: “The Saturn V rocket was powered by a kerosene-based fuel called RP-1, while Neil Armstrong’s space suit was built from no less than 21 layers of synthetic materials, including reflective insulation and protective outer layers made from petrochemicals. Even his visor was manufactured from a specific polycarbonate derived from petrochemical building blocks.”
Feel free to use and share the infographic below. Available here in the EMPOWER Resource Library.
Happy Monday!
-Charlie and the AFPM EMPOWER team
Have ideas for content, comments or questions? You can reach us at empower@afpm.org.
What we’re reading this week
American-made liquid fuels and petrochemicals sent man to the moon - AFPM
Putting boots on lunar dirt was a genuine feat, one that required the greatest scientific minds of their age, constant innovation and billions of dollars. It also required liquid fuels and petrochemicals.
FAQ: How advanced recycling technologies can help give plastic new life - AFPM
We lay out the recycling basics and explain how advanced recycling technologies complement “mechanical” recycling, and why both types of recycling need to be part of the global strategy to end plastic waste.
USA EIA Reveals Latest USA Crude Oil Production Forecast - RigZone
In its July STEO, the EIA projected that U.S. crude oil production, including lease condensate, will average 13.37 million barrels per day across 2025 and 2026. The STEO highlighted that this output came in at 13.21 million barrels per day in 2024.
How fossil fuels could boost geothermal energy - E&E News
Geothermal companies and scientists have looked for years at different ways to generate geothermal energy, but the research is now drifting in a new direction: fossil fuels.
Battery Makers in Slumping EV Business Find Lifeline Elsewhere - The Wall Street Journal
Big U.S. EV battery makers are stepping back from the market that got them started and betting on a new set of customers in an entirely different business.
Diesel Bypasses Gasoline to Emerge as Summer’s Hot Fuel Trade - Bloomberg
In the middle of the US summer driving season, diesel is knocking gasoline off its perch as the hot fuel bet and has become one bright spot in an oil market bracing for a glut this year.
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