Is Apollo 11's Lunar Module Still In Orbit Around The Moon 52 Years Later?

[Arlo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBHbLV7xEhc

[Aktungbby]

NOPE! https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Le_Voyage_dans_la_lune.jpg

[Platapus]

Just to clarify, the LEM consisted of two parts. The decent module (four legged thing) and the ascent module (very small cramped thing).


When the Apollo 11 ascent module was jettisoned after the two astronauts transferred to the CSM, it was just jettisoned. Unlike the other Apollo ascent modules, which were used for impact studies, the Apollo 11 ascent module was just jettisoned to move it away from the CSM so the CSM could safely conduct its maneuvers.

It was assumed that the ascent module was in an unstable orbit and would naturally decay and crash. Where and when, we really did not care too much about.

The issue is the Mass Concentrations (MASCONS) of the moon are irregular. It IS possible that the ascent module was incidentally placed in a stable orbit or whether the mascons allowed it to drift into a more stable orbit.
We don't know.
So why has no one at NASA bothered to look for it? Simply because they don't have the time, nor the authorization to expend the resources to look for it. It would take a lot of time and resources to find something as small (both size and RCS) as the ascent module. NASA has done this before by finding a "lost' Indian lunar orbiter, but the Indian space agencies paid NASA to find it...... no one is willing to pay NASA to find the Apollo 11 ascent module.

[tmccarthy]

That would be incredible. I hope it's still there.

I thought it was cool enough that in future generations kids will be able to go on school field trips and visit the Apollo 11 landing site and see Neil & Buzz's footprints.

[THE_MASK]

If i was told in 1972 that man would not go to the moon in over 50 years i wouldnt have believed them .

[Rockstar]

Why expend time and money to look for something that was never there? It’s been proven by science many times over the moon landing was fake.

[mapuc]

I believe we have been on the Moon that's for sure.

Markus

[Platapus]

Fun fact:

During the Apollo 13 mission, the astronauts needed to know how long would the ascent module's electronics continue to operate once the cooling system was shut down. The ascent module was used to supplement the damaged CSM after the explosion.

The engineers did not need to guess at this as they already knew...From Apollo 11's ascent module.

The engineers had the foresight to perform on last experiment with the ascent module after its usefulness ended. Shortly before the ascent module was jettisoned, the cooling system was shut down but all of the electronics were left on. Telemetry told them how long it took for the electronics to stop working. If memory serves me it was about 16 hours.

It was a good thing these engineers were interested in finding out the answer to a question that no one ever thought would need answering...just in case. :up:

[tmccarthy]

Mercury Redstone-3 In-Cabin Cameras - Premiered Sep 23, 2021

https://youtu.be/WHVeLgjnNcQ

[Platapus]

There used to be a Mercury simulation game that was pretty realistic -- boring that is.

[Sean C]

I wonder if I could see it with my telescope. Here's a couple videos I shot before I knew how to lock the focus on my phone. I think the first is at 80x magnification and the second is 120x, but I'm not sure.

https://youtu.be/aSpYr7mgqes

https://youtu.be/mx0Mkw-Zymg

[Platapus]

I wonder if I could see it with my telescope.


Unfortunately, no. No terrestrial telescope can see even the much larger decent modules. First the atmosphere mucks up the resolution. Second would be the aperture needed.



Even the Hubble 94.5-inch mirror outside of the atmosphere can only detect objects about 300 feet wide at the distance to the moon.


The largest dimension of the Ascent Model is just over 14 feet.

[Sean C]

Unfortunately, no. No terrestrial telescope can see even the much larger decent modules. First the atmosphere mucks up the resolution. Second would be the aperture needed.



Even the Hubble 94.5-inch mirror outside of the atmosphere can only detect objects about 300 feet wide at the distance to the moon.


The largest dimension of the Ascent Model is just over 14 feet.




Yes, you can clearly see the effect of the atmosphere in my videos. I am certain one could not make out any module-sized objects on the surface. If my math is correct, an object that size - even at the Moon's perigee - would have an apparent angular size of 0.0024 arc seconds.



But, I still wonder if one could detect the movement of an object that size if it is in orbit around the Moon. Probably not, I suppose - for the same reasons. Oh, well.

[Gorpet]

Yes, you can clearly see the effect of the atmosphere in my videos. I am certain one could not make out any module-sized objects on the surface. If my math is correct, an object that size - even at the Moon's perigee - would have an apparent angular size of 0.0024 arc seconds.



But, I still wonder if one could detect the movement of an object that size if it is in orbit around the Moon. Probably not, I suppose - for the same reasons. Oh, well.

I would think you would have to ask the Chinese. Robotic landers may have landed on the moon human's I don't believe so the whole thing was about breaking the soviet union.And the soviet's let the american government pull the hoax off. Have the soviets gone past low earth orbit? all these years who are the real fool's. Today if you can afford it you certainly be a space tourist look Captain Kirk will be going up in a couple month's. And that' is about as far as human's can go.

[Gorpet]

I would think you would have to ask the Chinese. Robotic landers may have landed on the moon human's I don't believe so the whole thing was about breaking the soviet union.And the soviet's let the american government pull the hoax off. Have the soviets gone past low earth orbit? all these years who are the real fool's. Today if you can afford it you certainly be a space tourist look Captain Kirk will be going up in a couple month's. And that' is about as far as human's can go.

And if it really was possible why didn't we , instead of killing one another build a moon base? Now today it's all about saving earth all the sudden cause the Chinese Have released the first shot. Bio warfare I have a question why do all the old that are in power are still alive. How come none of them or their family' have died? Do they have different DNA ? Or do they the one's who created this have a cure. i want to hear on the news how many of their family member's are dying. My family is dying 25 to the Grand parent's , And i want those who created this virus to pay. Sorry i went completely off the rocker. In don't want to see another millionaire or billionaire floating in space .

[Arlo]

Sorry i went completely off the rocker.

*ShruG* It's ok. Kinda used to it. :shucks:

[iambecomelife]

Semi Off Topic: an article about part of the Saturn V stage for Apollo 12, which is still in orbit after many years. It's huge, even though it's just part of the whole rocket.

Interesting thing is, it orbits both Earth AND the Sun. It reappears circling Earth at 40 year intervals. Its last visit to Earth ended in 2003. I didn't even know that an object have a dual orbit like that! Basically, Earth and the Sun pass it between each other .. :o eventually it may collide with the moon or Earth, but potential damage is low.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J002E3

[Platapus]

Well all earth satellites orbit the sun. :D



But the unstable orbit of J002E3 is quite interesting. We are still not 100% positive what it is, but the Saturn Booster idea seems reasonable.



Because it passes inside the orbit of our moon, its orbit processes to the point where its apogee is beyond the first Lagrange point so it then transitions to a heliocentric orbit.


It seems to follow a pattern of six highly elliptical earth orbits and one very high solar orbit and then back for six. Weird.