Why is it so difficult to admit that nasa never did a trial launching of an unmanned lunar module , from its launchpad table , away from the surface of the moon ?
I don't see any need to "admit" to it, any more than I need to admit that there were no trial runs in other risky human endeavours.
Land speed records, water speed records, air speed records - all got there by incrementally getting nearer and nearer the goal, until someone stepped out beyond that.
I don't see this any different. NASA was under a budget, and under a timescale to complete the human landing before 31 Dec 1969, directed by their President. They did the incremental stuff, and designed the process of leaving the lunar surface with due care and attention to detail.