35 years ago today

[Ankf00]

Apollo 11

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/features/apollo11_35th.html

“If we die, we want people to accept it. We’re in a risky business, and we hope that if anything happens to us it will not delay the program. The conquest of space is worth the risk of life.”
-Gus Grissom
Second American in space
Commander of the first manned Gemini flight
Apollo 1 Commander

[Ed_Severson]

You forgot one thing ...

Purdue graduate.

Along with Roger B. Chaffee, who perished on the Apollo I flight with him. And Neil A. Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. And Eugene A. Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon. And Jerry Ross, who has logged more spacewalk time and more flights than any other astronaut. And 17 others, more than any other non-military institution.

Not that we're proud or anything. :D

I'm only 26, and every once in a while, I curse my luck over that fact. Those must have been exciting times to live in America. I'll never understand how anyone questions the value of space flight, and I hope someday we go back to the moon and beyond.

As far as I'm concerned, every one of the men and women that take part in the space program are giants walking among us.

[JoeBob]

Ed White, the first man to walk in space, also lost onboard Apollo 1 was a Michigan Grad. Interesting Moon landing trivia: The 6 moon missions planted 7 flags on the moon - 6 US flags and one Michigan Flag (which later appeared in MTV commercials edited to look like the MTV logo)

[RaceCat]

A very PROUD day! My daddy was on the Apollo proposal team for Rockwell!

I grew up being shaken awake from a sound sleep by my father to watch launches on our little black and white TV. By the time we landed on the moon we had a color TV and our family had a giant Moon Walking Watching Party at our house to celebrate this event. I was 10 years old! :D

I now work in the AeroSPACE industry. How could I not? I can assure you that we still pursue some pretty cool space challenges even today! :thumbup:


RaceCat

[Lizzerd]

I remember watching the first moon walk, too. I don't remember what time it was on Earth in my time zone when it happened, so I don't remember if I "got to stay up late" or not, but it was incredibly exciting. I was 12.

I agree with the above posters that space exploration should continue. With a bigger budget if possible. The infiltration of the technological advances begun in the '60's into everyday use today are incalculable. Anybody remember Tang? Powdered orange juice. whoda thunk of it way back then if not for NASA?

Do you realize that there was far more computing power in your old PC-AT ('286, circa mid to late '80's) than was aboard the computers on Apollo 11?

Considering that space exploration represents a mere drop in a bucket compared to defense and mandatory entitlements in the national budget, I wish it could be doubled..

[RTKar]

A very PROUD day! My daddy was on the Apollo proposal team for Rockwell!

I grew up being shaken awake from a sound sleep by my father to watch launches on our little black and white TV. By the time we landed on the moon we had a color TV and our family had a giant Moon Walking Watching Party at our house to celebrate this event. I was 10 years old! :D




RaceCat


I remember being woken up to watch the first moon walk. Didn't want to get up if recall correctly but I'm glad I did...As young boy I had a John Glenn metal space capsule wind up toy and model rockets as the space program progressed through the years. It was such a cool time to be a kid but also sad. I can remember exactly where I was when I heard of the terrible Apollo fire.Thank goodness the space program continues... Some day, in my lifetime, I hope astronauts can land on Mars...wouldn't that be cool?

[Railbird]

I was 19 and humping some cute little chubby gal in my Corvair while parked at The Clermont Deluxe drive in theater.

The priorities of youth.

[FTG]

I can't believe you actually drove a Corvair.

[Railbird]

the really bad part is that it was my second one.

[JoeBob]

I can't believe you actually drove a Corvair.

It says a lot when that is the half of the story that surprised you. :D

[Anteater]

My dad was in the aerospace industry back then, and I vividly remember watching the moonwalk on our black & white TV. What incredible times those were!

[Forza Lancia]

I remember watching the first moon walk, too. I don't remember what time it was on Earth in my time zone when it happened, so I don't remember if I "got to stay up late" or not, but it was incredibly exciting. I was 12.

...

Considering that space exploration represents a mere drop in a bucket compared to defense and mandatory entitlements in the national budget, I wish it could be doubled..

I was 12, too -- which means I was born (and Lizzerd, too) in the year that the Sputnik launch initiated the whole space age. I've followed all the ups and downs of the space program over years, too. Certainly the 1969 moon landing was unforgettable. And, like some of the other posters, I'm now involved with the aerospace industry, too -- our company made one of the components for the Mars Exploration Rovers (which are still cruising around on Mars, long after the ninety-day minimum "successful mission" window expired).

[JT265]

I was tour director of Railbird-type pursuits at a sylvan lake in central-northern Ontario. Being closer in age to Lizzerd than Railbird, in those days it was all about the pursuit, you understand. ;)

Anyway, I spent every summer from birth 'till age 16 there, and my parents prided themselves on not having either phone or TV at the cottage, although looking back, the folks that did have TV had an array of antennai reminiscent of a Norad defense station.

Anyhoo, the people around that end of the lake had devised a system of car horn blast relays and blinking front porch lights to pass on news, such as "there's a phone call for you" or "you have mail" at the marina/general store down the lake.

I can't remember if it was live or Memorex, but I do remember about 50 of us trying to crowd around an old Philco at the marina to watch the deal thru blizzard-like reception on old Merle's BW TV, and my grandmother went to her grave believing it was just a hoax to scare the evil Russkies.

[nrc]

NASA has posted another batch of photos from the Apollo archive. Some amazing stuff.

http://www.apolloarchive.com/apollo_gallery.html

[Ankf00]

another note: props to buzz for flat out decking the wanker who asked him why he faked going to the moon.