Apollo 11 Moon Landing 40th Anniversary Thread

[Tarmac]

---

UPDATE: The bad photos of Neil.


-RODION

To think Buzz Aldrin was an expert in orbital mechanics and extravehicular activity... and he couldn't even get his aperture/shutter speed settings right. Like my friend once said about her frustration with manual photography, it's not rocket science--it's a lot more complicated.

[rodsky]

Another factoid...


Mission Elapsed Time
105:25:29 Aldrin: Houston, Tranquility. Over.

105:25:31 Garriott: Tranquility, Houston. Go ahead.

105:25:38 Aldrin: Roger. This is the LM pilot. I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way. Over.

105:26:08 Garriott: Roger, Tranquility Base.

[Long Comm Break]

[As he describes in his book "Return to Earth", Buzz is taking communion.]

"In the radio blackout," he wrote later, "I opened the little plastic packages which contained the bread and the wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine slowly curled and gracefully came up the side of the cup. Then I read the Scripture, 'I am the vine, you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit.' I had intended to read my communion passage back to earth, but at the last minute Deke Slayton had requested that I not do this. NASA was already embroiled in a legal battle with Madelyn Murray O'Hare, the celebrated opponent of religion, over the Apollo 8 crew reading from Genesis while orbiting the moon at Christmas. I agreed reluctantly..." "Eagle's metal body creaked. I ate the tiny Host and swallowed the wine. I gave thanks for the intelligence and spirit that had brought two young pilots to the Sea of Tranquility. It was interesting for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the very first food eaten there, were the communion elements."


Too bad this was not broadcasted (Deke's order). I'm no fan of religion, but I still think it was worthwhile to have the world hear a man of faith expressing his thanks for a safe arrival on the lunar surface.

It's also interesting to note that, Armstrong just ignored or probably gave Buzz a bland glare, as Buzz did this.

-RODION

[rodsky]

More...

Pieces of the First Airplane (Wright Flyer I) was carried to the lunar surface by Neil...


A piece of canvas from the wing, and a wood fragment from the flyer structure.


Mission Elapsed Time
111:37:15 Armstrong: (Asking Buzz if he likes the placement of the package) Okay?

111:37:15 Aldrin: Okay. (Pause)

[In addition to the memorial items they have just placed on the surface, Neil and Buzz have in the cabin small pieces of the original Wright Flyer. These items are currently on display at the National Air and Space Museum, as shown in an Angele Glover photo of Ken and the display in September 2005. A close-up photograph of the display has been provided by the NASM Public Affairs Office for use in the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal. Other uses of the image require approval from the NASM Public Affairs Office.]

[To the right of the Flyer fragments is a reproduction (greatly reduced in size) of a letter from Harold S. Miller, Co-Executor of the Orville Wright Estate, dated November 14, 1969: "I certify that the wooden and fabric materials carried to the surface of the Moon on July 20, 1969 by Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong aboard the lunar module 'Eagle' were part of the Wright 'Kitty Hawk' airplane that made history's first powered, controlled flight on December 17, 1903. The wood was part of the left propeller and the fabric was from the upper left wing; these were removed from the 'Kitty Hawk' following its fourth flight of December 17, 1903 when it was blown over by a gust of wind and damaged." To the left of the fragments is reproduction (also greatly reduced in size) of a letter from Neil A. Armstrong, Command Pilot, dated 26 January 1970: "I certify that the wooden and fabric materials presented by the Air Force Museum were placed aboard Apollo XI and carried to the surface of the moon by the lunar module 'Eagle' on mankind's first lunar landing, July 20, 1969."]


-RODION

[rodsky]

UPDATE: I uploaded a short video clip of the communion sequence done by Buzz Aldrin (as depicted in "From the Earth to the Moon" HBO miniseries, 1998 ), you can watch it here:

YouTube - Buzz Aldrin's Communion on the Moon

-RODION

[rodsky]

Another not-so-known factoid...

Buzz relieved himself (urinated into the special urine collection system, part of the pressure suit assembly) after pausing, while descending the LM ladder before stepping down on the lunar surface. So, he may not be the first man on the moon, but at least he's the first man to pee (in his pants nonetheless) while being there.

-RODION

[Tarmac]

Another not-so-known factoid...

Buzz relieved himself (urinated into the special urine collection system, part of the pressure suit assembly) after pausing, while descending the LM ladder before stepping down on the lunar surface. So, he may not be the first man on the moon, but at least he's the first man to pee (in his pants nonetheless) while being there.

-RODION

Or at least the first man to admit to peeing on the moon.

Neil Armstrong hasn't said much since 1969.

[rodsky]

Neil Armstrong hasn't said much since 1969.

Haven't read this yet?


Yep, he's pretty tight-lipped, even in this book. But lots of nice info here.

-RODION

[hotdawg]

btaw rods naka ihi cya didto?..wa pa cguro toh ni uga iya ihi didto?

[rodsky]

btaw rods naka ihi cya didto?..wa pa cguro toh ni uga iya ihi didto?

Wala man siya nag ihi sa gawas--he urinated into his special urine containment unit. This was a condom-like device that collected urine and allowed to vent via a transfer hose to a collection bag. The contents of the collection bag was eventually jettisoned later into space.

-RODION

[hotdawg]

ahhhh...so if im correct all their waste goes into space diay? omg nag lupad lupad ila mga waste until now..grabeh ni nga section daghan kaayu ko nahibaw-an!