42 Years ago, the eagle landed on the moon..... - General

[INDENT=3]40 years ago, three human beings - with the help of many thousands of others - left our planet on a successful journey to our Moon, setting foot on another world for the first time. Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of the July 16, 1969 launch of Apollo 11, with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin Jr. aboard. The entire trip lasted only 8 days, the time spent on the surface was less than one day, the entire time spent walking on the moon, a mere 2 1/2 hours - but they were surely historic hours. Scientific experiments were deployed (at least one still in use today), samples were collected, and photographs were taken to document the entire journey. Collected here are 40 images from that journey four decades ago, when, in the words of astronaut Buzz Aldrin: "In this one moment, the world came together in peace for all mankind". ([URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html"]40 photos total[/URL])[/INDENT][URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html"][IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a01_11446548.jpg[/IMG][/URL] The view from the Apollo 11 Command and Service Module (CSM) "Columbia" shows the Earth rising above the Moon's horizon on July 20th, 1969. The lunar terrain pictured is in the area of Smyth's Sea on the nearside. (NASA) [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a02_00000002.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo2"]2[/URL] German scientist Dr. Wernher von Braun explains the Saturn Launch System to President John F. Kennedy during a visit. NASA Deputy Administrator Robert Seamans is to the left of von Braun. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo2"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a03_19638909.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo3"]3[/URL] Astronaut Neil Armstrong on a one-day Gemini VIII mission in March of 1966. Gemini was a stepping-stone project, working toward the upcoming Apollo missions. (NASA/Space Frontiers/Getty Images) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo3"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a04_s6831666.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo4"]4[/URL] Astronaut Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11 mission commander, floats safely to the ground after an accident during a training session on May 6th, 1968. The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) exploded only seconds before while Armstrong was rehearsing a lunar landing at Ellington Air Force Base near the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC). This photo is an enlargement of a frame from a 16mm documentary motion picture recorded during the mishap. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo4"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a05_S6925908.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo5"]5[/URL] Neil Armstrong (left) watches Buzz Aldrin take a documentary photo of a sample during a training session on February 24th, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo5"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a06_S6938317.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo6"]6[/URL] Michael Collins works in a Command Module simulator (with an assistant beside him). (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo6"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a07_99600223.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo7"]7[/URL] Neil Armstrong poses for a photograph at the Lunar Landing Research Facility at NASA Langley in Virginia on February 12, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo7"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a08_S6963724.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo8"]8[/URL] An official NASA portrait of astronaut Buzz Aldrin. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo8"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a09_C69PC238.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo9"]9[/URL] An aerial view of the 363 foot-tall (111 m) Apollo 11 Saturn V rocket rollout from the Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on May 20th, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo9"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a10_169H1118.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo10"]10[/URL] The Apollo 11 crew and Donald K. "Deke" Slayton look over charts during the traditional launch day breakfast of steak and eggs on July 16, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo10"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a11_169HC717.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo11"]11[/URL] A technician works atop the white room, through which the astronauts will enter the spacecraft, while other technicians look on from the launch tower at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 11, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo11"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a12_06900563.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo12"]12[/URL] Every console was manned in firing room 1 of the Kennedy Space Flight Center (KSC) control center during the launch countdown for Apollo 11. (NASA). [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo12"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a13_C69PC442.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo13"]13[/URL] Lift-off of the Saturn V rocket, carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin Jr, along with 6,700,000 pounds (3,039,000 kg) of fuel and equipment into the Florida sky, bound for the Moon, on July 16th, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo13"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a14_s6939958.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo14"]14[/URL] A 70mm Airborne Lightweight Optical Tracking System (ALOTS) camera, mounted in a pod on a cargo door of a U.S. Air Force EC-135N aircraft photographed this event in the early moments of the Apollo 11 launch. The mated Saturn V second and third stages pull away from the expended first stage. Separation occurred at an altitude of about 38 miles, some 55 miles downrange from Cape Kennedy. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo14"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a15_11365293.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo15"]15[/URL] A view of Earth from orbit shortly after launch, July, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo15"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a16_11365390.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo16"]16[/URL] Lunar module pilot Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, inside the module as it makes its way toward the Moon, July, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo16"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a17_11365404.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo17"]17[/URL] Looking back over their shoulder, an Apollo astronaut takes a photograph of the Earth during the long translunar coast. The body and some thruster nozzles of the Lunar Module are visible in the foreground. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo17"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a18_11365355.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo18"]18[/URL] Most of Africa and portions of Europe and Asia can be seen in this photograph taken from the Apollo 11 spacecraft during its translunar coast toward the moon. Apollo 11 was already 98,000 nautical miles from Earth when this picture was made on July 17th, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo18"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a19_11416121.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo19"]19[/URL] Arriving and entering into Lunar orbit. Seen below are craters Sabine and Ritter, and mountains stretching back to the horizon on July 19th, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo19"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a20_11375448.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo20"]20[/URL] Looking down at the Command and Service Module (center), with the Moon's surface below, as seen from the now-separated Lunar Module (LM), on its way to the surface. The proiminent crater is Schmidt crater. This is the last photo taken from the LM prior to the powered descent, and eventually the landing one orbit later. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo20"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a21_06902080.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo21"]21[/URL] Television footage of the first human footstep on Lunar soil on July 20, 1969. Astronaut Neil Armstrong took these first steps, followed shortly by Buzz Aldrin. This is a reproduction of the television image that was transmitted to the world on July 20th, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo21"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a22_11405880.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo22"]22[/URL] A close-up view of astronaut Buzz Aldrin's boot and bootprint in the lunar soil, photographed with a 70mm lunar surface camera during the Apollo 11 lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA) on July 20th, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo22"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a23_11405867.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo23"]23[/URL] Astronaut Buzz Aldrin on his way to the Lunar surface for the LM on July 20th, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo23"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a24_11375528.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo24"]24[/URL] Buzz Aldrin took this picture of Neil Armstrong in the cabin after the completion of the first EVA. This is the face of the first man to set foot on the Moon, just hours earlier, on July 20th, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo24"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a25_00000025.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo25"]25[/URL] From Wikipedia contributor Rufus330Ci: "This is a picture of my mother holding the Washington News Paper on Monday, July 21st 1969 stating 'The Eagle Has Landed Two Men Walk on the Moon'. The photo was taken by my grandfather Jack Weir (1928-2005)" [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo25"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a26_11405944.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo26"]26[/URL] During their 2 1/2 hour EVA, Astronauts deployed a number of science experiments. Here, Buzz Aldrin is seen carrying the Laser Ranging Retroreflector Experiment (LRRR) and a seismometer to measure Moonquakes. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo26"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a27_11405920.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo27"]27[/URL] Close-up of the north footpad of the Lunar Module, with some lunar soil piled up beneath, evidence of a tiny amount of drift during the landing. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo27"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a28_11405903.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo28"]28[/URL] Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, photographed by Neil Armstrong (visible in reflection). Buzz Aldrin: "As I walked away from the Eagle Lunar Module, Neil said 'Hold it, Buzz', so I stopped and turned around, and then he took what has become known as the 'Visor' photo. I like this photo because it captures the moment of a solitary human figure against the horizon of the Moon, along with a reflection in my helmet's visor of our home away from home, the Eagle, and of Neil snapping the photo. Here we were, farther away from the rest of humanity than any two humans had ever ventured. Yet, in another sense, we became inextricably connected to the hundreds of millions watching us more than 240,000 miles away. In this one moment, the world came together in peace for all mankind." (quoted with permission from[URL="http://www.abramsbooks.com/Books/Apollo-9780810921467.html"]Apollo Through the Eyes of the Astronauts[/URL]). (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo28"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a29_11405952.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo29"]29[/URL] Post-deployment documentation photo of the Laser Ranging Retroreflector Experiment (LRRR). For the past 40 years, the retroreflectors were used in conjunction with a dedicated facility at the McDondald Observatory in Texas to accurately measure the distance to the Moon. These experiments discovered, among other things, that the moon is moving away from Earth at a rate of 2.5 inches per year. The National Science Foundation recently terminated funding for the McDonald Laser ranging station, with continued measuements to be made by two other facilities. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo29"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a30_11405923.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo30"]30[/URL] View of Earth above the Lunar Module on July 20th, 1969. (NASA). [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo30"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a31_s6939817.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo31"]31[/URL] Interior view of the Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) in the Mission Control Center (MCC), Building 30, during the Apollo 11 lunar extravehicular activity (EVA). The television monitor shows astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. on the surface of the moon, July 20, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo31"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a32_a1154689.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo32"]32[/URL] Panorama of the view out Buzz Aldrin's window over the thrusters after the EVA. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo32"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a33_11405899.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo33"]33[/URL] A memorial plaque, attached to a leg of the Lunar Module. The plaque reads: "Here Men From The Planet Earth First Set Foot Upon the Moon, July 1969 A.D. We Came in Peace For All Mankind." (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo33"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a34_11405882.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo34"]34[/URL] A bright halo around the shadow of Buzz Aldrin's helmet, the sun directly behind his head. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo34"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a35_11446642.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo35"]35[/URL] After lifting off from the Moon, Eagle approaches the Command Module during rendezvous. Astronaut Michael Collins, who remained on board the Command Module for the entire trip, remembers taking this photograph: "Little by little, they grew closer, steady, as if on rails, and I thought 'What a beautiful sight,'one that had to be recorded. As I reached for my Hasselblad, suddenly the Earth popped up over the horizon, directly behind Eagle. I could not have staged it any better, but the alignment was not of my doing, just a happy coincidence. I suspect a lot of good photography is like that, some serendipitous happenstance beyond the control of the photographer. But at any rate, as I clicked away, I realized that for the first time, in one frame, appeared three billion earthlings, two explorers, and one moon. The photographer, of course, was discreetly out of view." (quoted with permission from [URL="http://www.abramsbooks.com/Books/Apollo-9780810921467.html"]Apollo Through the Eyes of the Astronauts[/URL]) (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo35"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a36_11446667.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo36"]36[/URL] This view of the whole full moon was photographed from the Apollo 11 spacecraft during its trans-Earth journey homeward. When this picture was taken, the spacecraft was already 10,000 nautical miles away, on July 21st, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo36"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a37_11385728.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo37"]37[/URL] A black and white photograph of the Earth taken during the trip home from the Moon. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo37"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a38_S6921698.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo38"]38[/URL] Apollo 11 crew and a Navy diver await pickup after a safe splashdown east of Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean on July 24th, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo38"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a39_S6921365.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo39"]39[/URL] Astronauts Armstrong, Collins, and Aldrin (left to right) in their isolation van on-board the recovery ship U.S.S Hornet are greeted by U.S. President Richard M. Nixon on July 24th, 1969. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo39"]#[/URL] [IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a40_s7017433.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo40"]40[/URL] New York City welcomes Apollo 11 crewmen in a showering of ticker tape down Broadway and Park Avenue in a parade termed as the largest in the city's history on August 13, 1969. Pictured in the lead car, from the right, are astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot; and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot. (NASA) [URL="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/remembering_apollo_11.html#photo40"]# S[/URL]orry, but the pictures are a bit late. But on this day, 42 years ago, man landed on the moon. And now, just look at how far we humans have gone! Hopefully, in the next 10 years or so, we might have another lunar mission. And also, an amazing series that all of you guys should watch. Its called NASA:WHEN WE LEFT EARTH. [h=1]When We Left Earth (1of3) Ordinary Superman / Friends & Rivals #1of9[/h][video=youtube;Wu6UrXEhbzY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu6UrXEhbzY[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (1of3) Ordinary Superman / Friends & Rivals #2of9[/h][video=youtube;u5cQ66mvhu8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5cQ66mvhu8[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (1of3) Ordinary Superman / Friends & Rivals #3of9[/h][video=youtube;tIstZ2qWcHM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIstZ2qWcHM[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (1of3) Ordinary Superman / Friends & Rivals #4of9[/h][video=youtube;U6q7ypWev6M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6q7ypWev6M[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (1of3) Ordinary Superman / Friends & Rivals #5of9[/h][video=youtube;x7rA50fIV4M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7rA50fIV4M[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (1of3) Ordinary Superman / Friends & Rivals #6of9[/h][video=youtube;ZtWpeZCIDjU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtWpeZCIDjU[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (1of3) Ordinary Superman / Friends & Rivals #7of9[/h][video=youtube;Ge_xpIO2km4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge_xpIO2km4[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (1of3) Ordinary Superman / Friends & Rivals #8of9[/h][video=youtube;zcaelmNA18M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcaelmNA18M[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (1of3) Ordinary Superman / Friends & Rivals #9of9[/h][video=youtube;z8XXSEJucHI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8XXSEJucHI[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (2of3) Landing the Eagle / The Explorers #1of9[/h][video=youtube;dIRd2MeHtIE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIRd2MeHtIE[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (2of3) Landing the Eagle / The Explorers #2of9[/h][video=youtube;Hc-raQOc9q0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc-raQOc9q0[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (2of3) Landing the Eagle / The Explorers #3of9[/h][video=youtube;7SZdyfY_R2M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SZdyfY_R2M[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (2of3) Landing the Eagle / The Explorers #4of9[/h][video=youtube;rqQW-tmQRos]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqQW-tmQRos[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (2of3) Landing the Eagle / The Explorers #5of9[/h][video=youtube;Eb71EBMA8ZY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb71EBMA8ZY[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (2of3) Landing the Eagle / The Explorers #6of9[/h][video=youtube;3pPhdh-QQag]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pPhdh-QQag[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (2of3) Landing the Eagle / The Explorers #7of9[/h][video=youtube;XqpSQDUKRX4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqpSQDUKRX4[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (2of3) Landing the Eagle / The Explorers #8of9[/h][video=youtube;ozOh8eBdkYw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozOh8eBdkYw[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (2of3) Landing the Eagle / The Explorers #9of9[/h][video=youtube;iKACbC3uyHo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKACbC3uyHo[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (3of3) The Shuttle / Home in Space #1of9[/h][video=youtube;bO7rZG4DmDI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO7rZG4DmDI[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (3of3) The Shuttle / Home in Space #2of9[/h][video=youtube;ZteqYf5vgE4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZteqYf5vgE4[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (3of3) The Shuttle / Home in Space #3of9[/h][video=youtube;LNzGlim-Gds]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNzGlim-Gds[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (3of3) The Shuttle / Home in Space #4of9[/h][video=youtube;diwmUTLiDIM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diwmUTLiDIM[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (3of3) The Shuttle / Home in Space #5of9[/h][video=youtube;0_4UE5Ds2Ss]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_4UE5Ds2Ss[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (3of3) The Shuttle / Home in Space #6of9[/h][video=youtube;ABeEcmIm344]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABeEcmIm344[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (3of3) The Shuttle / Home in Space #7of9[/h][video=youtube;U1-LuA19av4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1-LuA19av4[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (3of3) The Shuttle / Home in Space #8of9[/h][video=youtube;6KmyRWGGYVI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KmyRWGGYVI[/video] [h=1]When We Left Earth (3of3) The Shuttle / Home in Space #9of9[/h][video=youtube;c_HadPupF98]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_HadPupF98[/video] [QUOTE][I]"Here men from the planet earth first set foot upon the moon July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind." – Inscription on plaque left on the moon by Apollo 11 astronauts[/I](RNN) - It is perhaps the crowning achievement in human history. And it was a dream came true 42 years ago this week when Earth was joined by its only natural satellite in playing host to humans. Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon July 20, 1969, fulfilling President John F. Kennedy's goal to surpass the Soviet Union in the space race. The United States sent five additional manned missions to the moon, and remains the only country to do so. Describing the surface as "fine and powdery," Armstrong uttered one of the most famous lines ever spoken to mark the monumental event, and put the achievement into perspective. "That's one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind." For 2 1/2 hours, Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin explored the lunar surface, collected rock samples, photographed the surface of the moon, the Earth and each other, and placed an American flag to stake claim to being the first country to visit another celestial body. "We wanted to do well," Armstrong said in a rare interview with CBS' 60 Minutes in 2005. "But more than that, you as a person hope you don't make any mistakes." Armstrong said in the interview that the famous statement after stepping on the moon was meant to honor the countless number of individuals whose work helped make the lunar landing, and the entire space program, possible. "When I step off, it's just going to be a little step, but then I thought about all those 400,000 people that have given me the opportunity to make that step, and I thought it's going to be a big something for all those folks," Armstrong said. Aldrin described the moon as "magnificent desolation" during the Apollo 11 mission, and has been more forthcoming in making public appearances, including an incident where he punched a man who insulted him and claimed the landing was faked. He has a comprehensive website dedicated to space travel and has even sponsored an iPhone app. "America was clearly behind in space and our young president understood this and fully appreciated the serious implications this presented to our nation as he called us to action," Aldrin said in a video on his website earlier this year on the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's challenge to land on the moon. The Soviet Union had more powerful rockets, as evidenced by the orbital flight of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. The first manned space flight by the United States was suborbital, prompting a focused goal to catch and overtake the Soviets. The Soviet Union sent several unmanned flights to the moon and planned manned landings, but they were never attempted. One unmanned flight took place almost simultaneously with Apollo 11, but the craft crashed into the lunar surface. The Soviet Union abandoned its lunar missions after the success of Apollo 11. In a 2009 interview with a British publication, Aldrin said even though the mission had such historic significance, it didn't feel that way in the moment. "They want us in a few words to generate the enthusiasm that the world had as they contemplated what we were about to do. Well, what it felt like is something that we trained for," Aldrin said. "We were trying to treat it as calmly as we could and perform to the best of our ability. We tried to repress feelings of exuberance, of disappointment, and be proud and responsible people accomplishing the task that was given to us. That sounds kind of boring. Except that what we did was kind of earth-shaking."[/QUOTE] Source: [URL="http://www.myfoxal.com/story/15096602/42-years-ago-man-landed-on-the-moon"]http://www.myfoxal.com/story/15096602/42-years-ago-man-landed-on-the-moon S[/URL]ome Interesting facts: [QUOTE]Wednesday marks the 42nd anniversary of man landing on the moon. One small step, and all that.It's an odd anniversary, the 42nd, so here are five odd facts about the mission. [B]5. Buzz Aldrin, First Man to Piss on the Moon[/B] One giant leak for mankind -- Neil Armstrong may have been the first man to set foot on the moon, but Buzz Aldrin was the first one to take a leak on it. As millions watched across the globe unknowingly, Buzz let loose the floodgates and enjoyed a good old session of draining the lizard. The Moon Lizard. [TABLE="class: image right, width: 200"] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][URL="http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/anniegreenspr.jpg"][IMG]http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/assets_c/2011/07/anniegreenspr-thumb-200x228.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="class: caption, bgcolor: transparent"]Serve cold....on the moon[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [B]4. NASA Thought Hard about Not Putting up a Flag[/B] In what we don't doubt was definitely not a silly exercise, diplomats from around the world agreed that the moon could not be the property of any country who, say, got there first and claimed it like Columbus.Still, the urge to plant an "America, fuck yeah!!" flag was enormous. NASA, you'll be glad to know, had a Committee on Symbolic Activities for the First Lunar Landing, popularly known (we guess) as CSAFLL. They debated options that might not offend other countries but would still be flag-[I]like[/I], including "an adaptation of the solar wind experiment in the form of a flag," according to [URL="http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/flag/flag.htm#FN6"]NASA's report[/URL]. Eventually, of course, the Stars and Stripes were so proudly hailed, once the astronauts fought their way through the rocky surface, very, very nervous that they wouldn't get a good plant and the flag would topple over in front of the world. [B]3. First Drink on the Moon: Vino, Baby[/B] Get that Tang shit out of here. You're one of the first men in history to land on the moon, you want something that will give you a buzz, man. Let you enjoy the moment, you know? So the first drink ever imbibed on the moon was....wine. We know not if it was Annie Greensprings, Ripple or Boone's Farm, it being the late '60s and all, but it was wine. Aldrin had smuggled along some wine and a wafer so he could have communion on the moon, was the official story, but really he was already trying to drink away the whole "[I]second[/I] man on the moon" thing. [B]2. No One at NASA Knew What the Hell Neil Armstrong Was Talking about with his "Tranquility Base" Stuff[/B] One thing NASA doesn't like is surprises. Everything is meticulously planned out, and that's what happened on Apollo 11 with the notable exception of what Armstrong's first words would be. (We get the feeling that if it was modern-day NASA involved, no astronaut would be allowed to just wing those first words without running them by a committee that would also offer many suggestions.)The words "Tranquility Base" did not show up in any preflight documents for the moon mission. The plan was just to use the name of the Lunar Module, as in "Houston, this is Eagle." Instead Armstrong threw them a curve when he announced, "Houston, Tranquility Base here; the Eagle has landed." The name stuck, of course, and now it's even an officially designated place name: It's[I]Statio Tranquillitatis[/I] on lunar maps. [B]1. Neil, You're Just Not Worth Taking a Picture of[/B] Armstrong and Aldrin had a Hasselblad camera with them on the surface. More than 100 pictures were taken; Neil Armstrong is in exactly one of them. (He shows up, obviously, on TV footage.) It's true he was the one toting the camera most of the time; it's also true that when he gave it to Aldrin for a while, Buzz shot pictures of rocks. As the photography Web site [URL="http://sterileeye.com/2009/07/23/the-apollo-11-hasselblad-cameras/"]The Sterile Eye puts it[/URL]: It's been speculated if it was a deliberate decision by NASA to let Armstrong take most of the photos, and so give Aldrin, forever the second man on the moon, a bigger place in the limelight. Whatever is true, Aldrin himself states that Armstrong simply was a much better photographer than himself.[/QUOTE] Source: [URL]http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2011/07/moon_landing_five_facts.php?page=2[/URL]

True story.

aeiou

We beat those damned Reds to the moon

It's sad we almost have made no progress for 42 years.

Beautiful.

This one is fucking awesome. [img]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a37_11385728.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i54.tinypic.com/oqh9ux.png[/img] ?

Nasa should send astronauts to the moon again.

John Madden.

Space is just quite cool really. Kind of wish I was alive for the moon landing as it must have been a pretty amazing moment. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYMCLz5PQVw[/media] Also Space Oddity because it is great.

Never seen some of those pictures before, really fascinating stuff.

The Moon is so last season, Mars is what's "in" right now.

[QUOTE=Mr Nagasaki;31228030]The Moon is so last season, Mars is what's "in" right now.[/QUOTE] Can't rate funny or agree because of your avatar. sorry.

for anyone that is going to argue about the absense of stars in the photographs, im just going to leave this here for future reference: [quote]You certainly CAN see stars from the moon, and if light from the sun and earth are not interfering, the sight must be nothing less than dazzling. You would never have to contend with bad weather, or with other kinds of atmospheric disturbance. You may wonder why stars don't appear in photographs that were taken during lunar landings. Keep in mind that the astronauts were not interested in stellar observation when they were on the moon. The photos were to document the landing itself and to highlight surface features. There were some modifications to the cameras taken to the moon, but as I understand it, they still had features designed to "optimize" exposure by doing things like controlling the over-all average of "gray" that an exposure would produce. There can only be so much exposure in order for lit objects in a scene to give good detail. While the stars are breathtaking, they are still appearing as tiny specks of light. If the camera were set to capture the light of the stars (longer exposure), the other objects in the scene would have been completely washed out. Photographing stars is not extremely difficult, but it's not easy, either. Try it with your camera. See if you can get good images of the stars just by taking a snapshot in a very dark place on a clear night. If your camera has any auto features, it will probably "complain". At the same location, try taking a photo of a buddy using your flash (so you get decent detail) and where there are also stars in the background. See what you get. The Apollo 16 mission took along a portable observatory. Shielded from the above mentioned Sun and Earth light, it took nearly 200 pictures of the stars. It showed the stars in frequencies never seen before, as the Earth's atmosphere absorbs them before they reach the ground. Later space observatories of various nations confirmed the photos as accurate. In other words, other nations have proven Apollo was no hoax. Let's put this as simply as possible, the moon landings occurred during daytime conditions. How many stars do YOU see during daytime conditions? There is the real answer! The starlight is washed out by the one big bright star in the sky Sol. THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE WHATSOEVER. HOW CAN ONE STAR BLOCK ALL THE OTHER MILLIONS OF STARS IN THE UNIVERSE? Simple. Go outside in daytime. Aside from the Sun, how many stars do you see? The answer to your question is that the Sun is only 93 million miles from the Earth, instead of trillions upon trillions of miles away. That makes it EXTREMELY bright to the planet Earth. Your eyes, and cameras, can't see dim things like stars, and bright things like the Sun, at the same time.[/quote]

[QUOTE=adam1172;31227792]Nasa should send astronauts to the moon again.[/QUOTE] why

[QUOTE=Uberslug;31228346]why[/QUOTE] To mine it for treasures.

Amazing feat. Now we need to haul ass to Mars.

[QUOTE=Uberslug;31228346]why[/QUOTE] we have a moon shortage

[IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a35_11446642.jpg[/IMG] This picture had every single human except for one at the moment of its capture. [editline]20th July 2011[/editline] interesting, at least to me

Very cool. I love space.

[QUOTE=geoface;31228221]for anyone that is going to argue about the absense of stars in the photographs, im just going to leave this here for future reference:[/QUOTE] I expect most people here already know that. There aren't many of those weird moon-hoax fanatics round here, you're probably thinking of youtube. Most people here have enough intelligence to look at the evidence, rather than just making stuff up to pander to their anti-US paranoia.

[QUOTE=Paravin;31228634][IMG]http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/apollo_07_15/a35_11446642.jpg[/IMG] This picture had every single human except for one at the moment of its capture. [editline]20th July 2011[/editline] interesting, at least to me[/QUOTE] It didn't capture the other side of earth so no.

Waiting for someone to quote whole OP

[QUOTE=Desolategrunt;31227588]We beat those damned Reds to the moon[/QUOTE] It's funny how americans think there was a fight between Russia and USA to get to the moon, not in open space, therefore USA won. :downs:

[QUOTE=Uberslug;31228346]why[/QUOTE] because it's the fucking moon and that's awesome

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wJYpRJQVbo&[/media] it wrenches my heart to watch this video.

USA! USA! USA!

[QUOTE=GhostG45;31229138]USA! USA! USA![/QUOTE] Well of course it is awesome to know that USA did this, but remember that Russia send out the first space flight + send out the first human to space while the USA could not lift a rocket for 10 meters without exploding it :v: I wonder why this information is always left behind..

[QUOTE=darth-veger;31229439]Well of course it is awesome to know that USA did this, but remember that Russia send out the first space flight + send out the first human to space while the USA could not lift a rocket for 10 meters without exploding it :v: I wonder why this information is always left behind..[/QUOTE] because to be honest it's more like that one kid who's a real asshole in the back saying "YEAH WELL YOU WEREN'T THE FIRST, LOSER! HAHAHA" the point is that we were able to do it anyways without needing help from russia