Apollo 11: First man on the moon - 40 years ago

[Onkel Neal]

I'm making a thread about the Apollo 11 moon landing. I was 10 at the time and the biggest space nut in my town, probably. I remember the build up to the launch, it was rumored the Russians were about to beat us by launching a surprise manned mission three days earlier. :o That didn't happen.

Man, I had to twist my dad's arm to let me stay up late to watch the landing, but I still remember it. Greatest achievement of exploration ever.

Here's a link to Tarjak's article about the lost moon tapes. (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=153871)

A nice article about the space cowboy can-do American spirit that emboldened NASA to reach for the moon. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/07/17/ST2009071701451.html)

If you come across any interesting Apollo 11 articles, please share :salute:

[Biggles]

You actually had to make your dad allow you to stay up to watch it? Jeez, if such an event was about to take place, I'd make my kids watch it!:O:

[SteamWake]

I went to google to search for some stuff when it struck me.

Usually google will have some cute graphic for I dunno Van Goh's birthday and Tesla's coil invention.

Nothing for this historic event :stare:

But hey its google and it actually happened on the 20th I believe so...

[Sailor Steve]

Thanks for the reminder - I'd completely forgotten.

I was in boot camp at the time, and could only listen to it on the radio.

[FIREWALL]

The Greatest Event in my time.:woot: I only hope I get to see the Mars landing before I die.

[Oberon]

The Greatest Event in my time.:woot: I only hope I get to see the Mars landing before I die.

Me too, although sadly the Lunar landings were before my time.
One of humanities crowning achievements were those 'small step's :salute:

[TDK1044]

Fantastic memory for me. I was 12 and I remember it like yesterday. Please God we can get through this thread without the lunatic "it never happened" fringe showing up. :)

[Task Force]

It never happend, it never happend it never happend.:O::rotfl:

No but yep, hard to believe that happend so long ago...:yep:

[razark]

I wasn't yet born when it happened, but I've heard stories of how people felt that day.

Some days, I just look out the office window at the buildings around, and it strikes me just how much history has occurred here. Every time I watch a launch, I am amazed at what we humans can do when we set our minds to it. And every time I watch a launch, I think that with the current program drawing to a close, the space station's lifespan more than half over before it is built, and constant delays in getting the next generation of spacecraft off the ground; are we ever going to go anywhere and do anything?

I drive in the gate every morning past the remains of a Saturn V rocket built (mostly) to carry the Apollo 18 astronauts to the moon. It lies there, unused because a short-sighted program accomplished it's goal and then was declared to be done. We landed six out of seven crews on the moon before the program was ended. We have explored such a tiny part of the moon's surface. I fear that with our next lunar program, we may not accomplish much more than that.

Hopefully we will get to see that Mars landing within our lifetimes. And I hope that when we go, we go to stay, not just plant a flag and leave.

Razark

[Platapus]

[QUOTE=Neal Stevens;1135803]I'm making a thread about the Apollo 11 moon landing. I was 10 at the time and the biggest space nut in my town, probably. I remember the build up to the launch, it was rumored the Russians were about to beat us by launching a surprise manned mission three days earlier. :o That didn't happen.

They did launch Luna 15. But the mission was unsuccessful.

I remember sitting in front of the TV at 0500 on 16 July 69 waiting for the 8:30 something launch. Space travel was THAT interesting back then. :up:

[Platapus]

How about a useless "who gives a crap" trivial question about the Apollo 11 Mission?

The Apollo 11 CSM and LM were named Columbia and Eagle. Very patrotic. However, earlier NASA documents showed that these two components originally had two different names... somewhat less dignified names.

What were the names? :know:

[razark]

How about a useless "who gives a crap" trivial question about the Apollo 11 Mission?

The Apollo 11 CSM and LM were named Columbia and Eagle. Very patrotic. However, earlier NASA documents showed that these two components originally had two different names... somewhat less dignified names.

What were the names? :know:

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19700011707_1970011707.pdf

"Snowcone" and "Haystack" for the CSM and LM, respectively.

Razark

[Oberon]

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/9890/apollo11launch.jpg

[Buddahaid]

Much of this is also due to a few foreigners with a vision and dubious pasts. Verner von Braum is a name that comes to mind, but still an amazing feat of human endeavor.

Buddahaid

[Blacklight]

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter just did flybys of the Apollo landing sites. You can actually see the remains of the lunar modules and instrument packages in some of them. In one of them, the foot trail left by astronauts is visible even.

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/jul/HQ_09-168_LRO_Apollo.html

[Blacklight]

Orbiter !!!! :yeah:
The awesom sim that has stolen YEARS of my life from me !!!

file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/BLACKL%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpghttp://img176.imageshack.us/img176/9890/apollo11launch.jpg

[Subnuts]

I know I'm jumping ahead a few missions, but check out this photo:
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/9895/369441mainlrocapollo14l.th.jpg (http://img35.imageshack.us/i/369441mainlrocapollo14l.jpg/)
This shot was taken from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and shows the Apollo 14 landing site in the Fra Mauro highlands. Look closely and you'll see the descent stage of the LM and it's shadow, the path of bootprints created by Alan Shepherd and Edgar Mitchell, and the scientific experiments package at the end of the line of bootprints.

LRO will be moving into a lower orbit in the future, so expect higher resolution images soon!

[Platapus]

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19700011707_1970011707.pdf

"Snowcone" and "Haystack" for the CSM and LM, respectively.

Razark

Ding a winner!! :salute:

[darius359au]

I wasn't quite 5 when it happened , but I can still remember watching the landing on TV - Don't know how many times I've seen the landing since then , but I still get the same feeling of awe and wonder:rock: (gods , I sound like a bad commercial:doh:)

[Biggles]

It never happend, it never happend it never happend.:O::rotfl:


Ah, I first thought that I had to step in and tell everyone the truth, but you already did. Well done Tasky!


(I'm obviously jokin' mates, keep your pants on!)

[Onkel Neal]

The Greatest Event in my time.:woot: I only hope I get to see the Mars landing before I die.

Me too, although sadly the Lunar landings were before my time.
One of humanities crowning achievements were those 'small step's :salute:

Agreed times 100.

Can you imagine, what must it be like to be born after 1969...you grew up your whole and man walking on the moon was already a fact. It's like us older guys and Columbus... :hmmm:

My grandfather was really lucky, when he grew up, people talked about "aeroplanes"...and when he was older, man walked on the moon.

Too bad we let the whole exploration thing fizzle out.

Much of this is also due to a few foreigners with a vision and dubious pasts. Verner von Braum is a name that comes to mind, but still an amazing feat of human endeavor.

Buddahaid

Yep, von Braun and the other ex-German scientists were key figures in the space race for the US.

[Pioneer]

I was not even at school when this occurred. My father, a soldier in the Australian army, was on exercise out of Holdwsorthy, Sydney. He tells the story that his unit (I'm gonna say artillery but it may have infantry) were "out" when they were redetailed. Their mission - encircle a civilian instalation.

They repositioned and one of the guys in the unit worked out where they were, they were sitting off the Parkes relay station.

"BFD" I hear you say...wait.

Parkes was the relay station that was the principal receiver of the broadcast due to the rotation of the earth. Years later San Neill was in a film called "The Dish" about the moon landing. However, Australian TV received the "broadcast" first, and locally, it was broadcast almost live in Parkes in situ (Ie: as it came in).

Dad says that the moment Neil stepped out and made his proclamation, there was an impromtu 21 gun salute from his unit.

But you'll never rewad about that in the archives...nor of the 10,000 sheep or so that they sent stampeding across the plains with the gun fire.:up:

[Torplexed]

I know I'm jumping ahead a few missions, but check out this photo:This shot was taken from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and shows the Apollo 14 landing site in the Fra Mauro highlands. Look closely and you'll see the descent stage of the LM and it's shadow, the path of bootprints created by Alan Shepherd and Edgar Mitchell, and the scientific experiments package at the end of the line of bootprints.

LRO will be moving into a lower orbit in the future, so expect higher resolution images soon!

Those are indeed awesome. Almost as good as going back to the moon's surface. I'm sure the moon hoax crowd will scream Photoshop or some other form of trickery. They're already complaining that the images aren't in color.

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/369228main_ap14labeled_540.jpg

[Rilder]

Surprised Google hasn't done anything like making a 'Google earth' type "google moon"

[Biggles]

Surprised Google hasn't done anything like making a 'Google earth' type "google moon"

I'm sure they will on the 20th-21st.

[donut]

He could not run an airline though ! E A stern, 68-90 Bankrupted ! Retired. "The right stuff!" Bull!

[SUBMAN1]

The Greatest Event in my time.:woot: I only hope I get to see the Mars landing before I die.

Good luck man. America is broke. The garbage you are hearing about the F-22 lately about buying only 7 more fighters has nothing to do with anything else other than they 'can't afford' it. It is just rhetoric to hide the fact that they have no money. If they can't afford a few fighters, don't expect them to go anywhere. Not even to the moon....

Go buy a truck and get your free AK-47. You are going to need both of them in the future.

-S

[donut]

Good luck man.

Go buy a truck and get your free AK-47. You are going to need both of them in the future.

-S



Whoa, come on John, this isn't your KKK meeting. -- NEAL

[Platapus]

SUBMAN1, You got that right, US elected a .....,to spend our money:rotfl:Learn the hard way:down:

I find your use of that term, in that context, objectionable. Please don't use that term in that context. It is offensive to me, and I wager offensive to some other of our members.

[donut]

I find that offensive,dont you know how to share? not to flame:salute:
'Opinions are like butt-holes,they all stink!"

[Rilder]

Good luck man. America is broke. The garbage you are hearing about the F-22 lately about buying only 7 more fighters has nothing to do with anything else other than they 'can't afford' it. It is just rhetoric to hide the fact that they have no money. If they can't afford a few fighters, don't expect them to go anywhere. Not even to the moon....

Go buy a truck and get your free AK-47. You are going to need both of them in the future.

-S

Yeah because America is the only country even remotely capable of getting to mars, don't mind all the other countries space programs working to do it! Nope got to be America, only country allowed to go to mars! Right guys? Right?! That was sarcasm if you didn't notice.:rotfl:

(Lets not derail this though)

[Platapus]

Worthless trivia question: What was Buzz Aldren's Mother's Maiden name?
:D

[Torplexed]

Worthless trivia question: What was Buzz Aldren's Mother's Maiden name?
:D

Ruth Buzzi? :D

http://www.webpan.com/thelaughin/images/show/ruth_buzzi/laugh-in_buzzi.jpg

[Platapus]

Ah... no... :D

But she did have an interesting last name though.

[darius359au]

Moon...ironic really:haha:

[Pwnerator]

Wasnt able to see it live, but my dad did when he was little... he told me that back then our TV stations reporters where wildly speculating if they would be able to get back again or not!

A great event and brave people daring to venture out this far from home! :up:

[Rilder]

Bah! Everybody knows Rammstein was first to the moon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w9EksAo5hY

[Platapus]

Moon...ironic really:haha:

Ding A winner!!!

[mako88sb]

There's a pretty neat interactive site that plays out the entire mission real time that can be found here:

http://ca.wrs.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oG747tH2NKRjkBICjrFAx.;_ylu=X3oDMTEzb25mcDR tBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA0NBQzAwMV8x/SIG=11j74vfc7/EXP=1248096621/**http%3a//www.wechoosethemoon.org/

I was watching some of "From the Earth to the Moon" last night right up to the "Spider" episode. That's pretty well my favorite episode and I ended getting Tom Kelly's book "Moon lander". Pretty amazing how they managed to get the LEM built despite all the difficulties that are only really touched on in the mini-series.


Rob

[SUBMAN1]

Yeah because America is the only country even remotely capable of getting to mars, don't mind all the other countries space programs working to do it! Nope got to be America, only country allowed to go to mars! Right guys? Right?! That was sarcasm if you didn't notice.:rotfl:

(Lets not derail this though)

If you didn't notice, but the world is going bankrupt with them. Check out how far down the tubes the Chinese are since America quit buying crap (literally).

-S

[Oberon]

40 years ago today, Tranquility Base.

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/8606/tranquility.jpg

http://twitter.com/apolloeleven

[SteamWake]

Ten things you (probably) dident know about Apollo 11

http://www.popsci.com/military-aviation-amp-space/article/2009-06/40-years-later-ten-things-you-didnt-know-about-apollo-ii-moon-landing

and somewhat related under "Funny how some things never change"


Astronauts deal with flooded toilet in orbit


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g8gpZRl3t8mV2RxsVjIuPU75dJeAD99HQS7G0

[Oberon]

http://www.wechoosethemoon.org/#

Flash HEAVY but good :up:

[Onkel Neal]

As the moment approaches, I want to add a personal thanks to Pres. Kennedy for his inspiration and guts to commit the US to win the moon. His decision had a monumental impact on the course of our country.

:salute:



.

[nikimcbee]

I think it will be cool if we ever make it to (manned flight) Mars.

[PeriscopeDepth]

Certainly one of the greatest achievements of the human race.

A pity what has happened to the direction of manned spaceflight (or lack thereof) since in this country.

PD

[Biggles]

Google frontpage:
http://www.google.se/logos/moonlanding09.gif

Told ya so!:smug:

Also, saw this on youtube:
http://s.ytimg.com/yt/img/logo_lunar-vfl109325.png

[Oberon]

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/StarChild/space_level1/apollo11.gif

"Houston, Tranquility base here. The Eagle has landed."

:salute:

[Onkel Neal]

Neil Armstrong sends thankyou to Aussie 'mates' (http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25808225-29277,00.html)


IN all the tests ahead of his epic moon mission, Neil Armstrong never once saw a successful transmission sent from Apollo 11's television camera to the nearby control room.
So he was the "most surprised person in the human race" when mission control said they were receiving images of his first steps on the moon - over a distance of more than 400,000km.
Armstrong recalled the historic moment in a letter to the Australians who helped broadcast the first pictures to the world in 1969.
"I was never concerned that the picture was less than optimum, I was just amazed that there was any picture at all," he wrote.
The letter was read out at a gathering at the deep space complex near Canberra, to mark the 40th anniversary of the first time man walked on the moon.
Among the guests were the engineers and technicians who manned the Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station, which sent out the first pictures.

Bravo, Australia! :salute:

[PeriscopeDepth]

The landing as portrayed in HBO's "From the Earth to the Moon". I highly recommend you pick up the DVD set if you haven't yet, can be had for only $25 nowadays. A little choppy video, but still a good watch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXT96N1YfbQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UdhkhYo-b8

PD

[Onkel Neal]

Lunar drama -- the words of Neil and Buzz

Freakin' amazing, when you think about it. The real Star Trek:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090720/NATION/907200308/Lunar-drama----the-words-of-Neil-and-Buzz (http://www.detnews.com/article/20090720/NATION/907200308/Lunar-drama----the-words-of-Neil-and-Buzz)

,

[SteamWake]

I watched a documentry called "Beyond the moon, failure is not an option" but it basically chronicaled the history of the space program.

As I watched it I was struck at the number of people whom literally gave their lives in this pursuit.:salute:

[Onkel Neal]

CBS news footage of the event as it unfolded, as narrated by the late Walter Cronkite.

Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_sWmD6NvMY&feature=related)


Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A9MA61kH5E&NR=1)

Part 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2XGFSPIhiM&NR=)

.

[Bill Nichols]

Here's a must-see interview with Buzz Aldrin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTKedyQQkZQ

:|\\

[SteamWake]

As the moment approaches, I want to add a personal thanks to Pres. Kennedy for his inspiration and guts to commit the US to win the moon. His decision had a monumental impact on the course of our country.

:salute:

.


'We choose the moon not because it is easy"

and

"Ask not what can your country do for you, rather ask what you can do for your country"

Sigh... where has that spirit gone?

[SteamWake]

http://www.wechoosethemoon.org/#

Flash HEAVY but good :up:

This is freakin awsome and worth a look ! :yeah:

[LiveGoat]

Some great footage here:

http://www.apollotv.net/

I was just a few months old when Apollo 17 landed so I guess I barely made it. For all the naysayers who think it was a hoax, all you have to do is watch the videos in the above link and listen to the voice of the great Charlie Duke, who was the voice of CapCom you hear talking to armstrong during Apollo 11. Charlie later went on Apollo 16 and when you hear him speak you immediately hear the voice of someone who is having the time of his life.

[Graf Paper]

The rueful thought for me is how we were able to put men on the moon within that decade, as Kennedy had proclaimed, yet we faltered and fell back in the mid-seventies and became side-tracked with "white elephants" like the Space Shuttle and ISS. :nope:

Why is it that, in forty years, we have achieved none of the dreams imagined at that time? Where's the lunar city, the orbiting space colonies and docks for interplanetary travel, a manned base on Mars, and mining operations in the asteroid belt? It only took ten to realize the full potential of the Apollo program. We're still firing rockets into space that rely on the same chemical reactions as Goddard used a century ago! :roll:

I think NASA has become yet another bureaucratic cog in the government machine, more adept at politics and budgets than any real achievement. Man may return to space, someday, but there's no rule that says the astronauts will be flying an American flag.

So, when I look up at the Moon tonight and think back on a day, not unlike this one, forty years ago, the only feeling I have is one of bitter disappointment for what might have been. :cry:

[nikimcbee]

You guys are all crazy, none of this ever happened. Whoppi goldberg said so!:yeah:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/07/20/whoopi_goldberg_entertains_moon_landing_conspiracy _theories.html

[SteamWake]

White elephants aside

Which contributed more to science in toto

1.) Apollo 11 and man on the moon

2.) The hubble telescope and er... getting it fixed.

I vote number 2 keeping in mind that if no 1 had not happened no 2 would never had.

But yea its been 40 years and now were struggeling with backed up toilets :rotfl:

[Graf Paper]

NASA originally gave no consideration to sanitary facilities. The astronauts of the Shuttle and ISS were going to use the same waste disposal methods as used for the Apollo missions, a diaper and urine bag.

Five housewives got together and invented the zero-G toilet because they felt America's first true spaceship deserved to have an indoor toilet the same as most households.

Some people say, "Let's go to Mars instead! We've already been to the Moon.", but we do not even have the capability to reach the Moon, let alone Mars, with a manned flight. Returning to the Moon and back again, once more, would establish the infrastructure and skills needed for conquering Mars.

[Rilder]

Per Ardua Ad Astra! :cool:

[Nokia]

http://www.wechoosethemoon.org/#

Flash HEAVY but good :up:

Anyone know the name of the "song" in the epilogue part?