Video: 40th anniversary of mankind’s longest step; Update: Photos of lunar module on surface
posted at 11:36 am on July 20, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Today we celebrate the anniversary of the day three men — and thousands of men and women behind them — changed the trajectory of the human journey with a single step onto the Moon. Forty years ago today, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took mankind’s first steps on land other than Earth, while Michael Collins stood vigil in the command module in lunar orbit. Most of us grew up in a world where man had already walked on the Moon, but hopefully we will never forget the wonder of this moment, nor the hard work and sacrifice of the many people in the American space program who stood on the shoulders of both explorers and engineers to succeed:
This video features the restored video released last week by NASA. To see more of it, please visit NASA’s website.
Update: The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter took pictures of five of the six Apollo landing sites over the last few weeks. Here’s Apollo XIV’s landing site (via Instapundit):
PopSci also has one of Apollo XI’s lunar module, too. Click the link to see it.
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uh…Duh!
In the Pre-Tang ages, the juice aisle in the grocery store consisted of canned, CANNED! mind you, orange, grapefruit, and grape (both kinds). On the powdered drink side, we were limited to Kool-Aide (always a good selection) and Carnation Powdered Milk (possibly the most insidious human construct this side of waterboarding).
Then BAM! Tang was invented. Now it takes nearly a day and half to walk the “Juice/Sport Drink/Powdered Beverage” aisle.
Draw your own conclusion.
BobMbx on July 20, 2009 at 12:55 PM
I loves me some Tang.
faraway on July 20, 2009 at 12:56 PM
I was watching FoxNews this morning and Brian Wilson was reporting from some museum where they had a actual unused but real one. I only know this because he was standing in front of it and mentioned that he had been unaware until today that the one he was standing in front of was real and not a mock-up.
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 12:56 PM
Air and Space in D.C.
BobMbx on July 20, 2009 at 12:56 PM
tang is an impt ingredient of “russian tea” that we love to drink in the winter.
kelley in virginia on July 20, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Now that Elvis died can you see what his death wrought?
It wrought a Commie like Obama as President.
Jeff from WI on July 20, 2009 at 12:58 PM
Hmmm, Russian Tea wouldn’t involve making Tang with Vodka instead of water would it? When I was in college we used to make that up by the five gallon sparklets water bottle for parties.
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 12:59 PM
professor: are you the only person who has never been to the air & space museum? i have never been there without being jostled by hordes of people. naturally, many fewer people go see the Declaration of Independence.
and even fewer go to St. John’s Church in Richmond where Patrick Henry said “give me liberty or give me death”.
what’s most impt?
kelley in virginia on July 20, 2009 at 1:00 PM
It was very quiet in those pre-Tang days
Jeff from WI on July 20, 2009 at 1:00 PM
One of the biggest wastes of taxpayer $$$ in world history.
The Dean on July 20, 2009 at 1:00 PM
STFU and go sit in the corner dork…
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 1:01 PM
no! russian tea is not made with vodka! dorian: you’re talking about grain punch made in trash cans. you used vodka, really? in the valley of Virginia, we thought grain was faster.
faster, er, tasting! that’s the ticket!
kelley in virginia on July 20, 2009 at 1:02 PM
You can see one when you take the Kennedy Space Station tour.
MarkTheGreat on July 20, 2009 at 1:05 PM
Yes, Vodka doesnt have a whole lot of taste to it to start with, so when you substitute vodka for water in the making of tang you get a orange drink that tastes very little of alcohol but packs one heck of a kick.
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 1:05 PM
I still remember the day rather clearly. It was a Sunday and we waited and waited for them to open the hatch and Armstrong to descend the ladder. They kept delay and delaying the moment. Very cool, despite the poor video to see the ghostly image of Armstrong stepping onto the moon.
He did a practice run first. The first rung of the ladder was relatively high above the moon surface. His first step was down to the foot pad and then back up to the ladder to make sure he could get back up. Once that was done, he took the step……
The moon voyage was one of those times where, for several days, the country was united as we followed the mission and the events.
Mallard T. Drake on July 20, 2009 at 1:07 PM
The source cited is talking about what different aperture telescopes could resolve on earth from the distance of the moon, or vice versa, not what Hubble could resolve on the moon from lunar orbit. I’ve been an amateur astronomer for a few decades and haven taken thousands of images of the lunar surface. I’ve also had some experience fabricating and testing a few telescope primaries, so I’m somewhat familiar with the basic concepts of telescope optics such as Rayleigh criterion.
DarkCurrent on July 20, 2009 at 1:07 PM
Photoshopped.
madne0 on July 20, 2009 at 1:07 PM
I was 9 years old, and remember watching that like it was yesterday. I still get chills when I hear that line “Tranquility Base here…the Eagle has landed”.
flipflop on July 20, 2009 at 1:07 PM
I can well remember being woken by my parents to watch this moon walk on TV
I was only 5 or 6 I think
And did you know that Neil Armstrong’s first words on the moon were NOT “One small step for man…..” but “Good luck Mr, McGillicuddy”?
Yep. He was remembering from 20 years before, overhearing his neighbors one night, when Mrs McGillicuddy said to her husband, “Yeah, I’ll give you a blowjob when the boy next door walks on the moon!”
ToddonCapeCod on July 20, 2009 at 1:07 PM
My conclusion is that Tang was one small step for juicedom. As for life-altering food products, my money is on SPAM!
highhopes on July 20, 2009 at 1:09 PM
For some reason, I was always more interested in the splashdowns rather than the moon landings.
highhopes on July 20, 2009 at 1:10 PM
Your view is shortsighted and I feel that you don’t show both sides. Carnation’s delicious Powdered Milk product can be rehydrated into a healthy milk-like beverage, it also has numerous applications in baking, in cakes, muffins, sweet breads, etc.
Tang, of course, is outstanding in every way, and might provide some consumers with insights into the endless possibilities for Carnation Powdered Milk.
Jaibones on July 20, 2009 at 1:13 PM
If we had gone back, built a base, and used that base to continue exploring and expanding, it would have been a “trajectory” changing event.
Since we didn’t. It’s an interesting historical footnote. Not unlike the first man to the norht or south pole.
MarkTheGreat on July 20, 2009 at 1:13 PM
I say it isn’t one of those situations where you have to choose. Do it all! Particularly those of us who live in a history-dense state like Virginia with close proximity to the Smithsonian (including the Air & Space Annex at Dulles).
highhopes on July 20, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Not to mention its practical applications such as wallpaper paste.
highhopes on July 20, 2009 at 1:17 PM
Has Barack Obama taken credit for this yet?
/s
bluelightbrigade on July 20, 2009 at 1:17 PM
Of course it was. Photoshop was a very popular program in 1969. It came bundled with your ENIAC for home use along with the aircraft hanger it took to house it.
Oldnuke on July 20, 2009 at 1:19 PM
Like I said I’m a bit mentally disable today. However having such experience you should understand that having a fixed aperture means that moving the telescope closer to what you are trying to see does not increase the resolution it increases the optical diffusion.
As I said earlier Hubble’s aperture is 2.4 meters no matter how close it gets to the moon it’s never going to achieve a resolution in the sub 3 meter range required to see object as small as the lunar lander’s, rovers, or the flags planted on the moons surface.
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 1:20 PM
I was 8 yrs old 40 years ago and I remember being glued to the TV watching the whole thing. My most vivid memory of the whole thing was the feeling of shock and remorse after realizing that Michael Collins would have to stay in orbit and not get to join Armstrong and Aldrin on the moon. “You mean he gets that close and doesn’t get to go too, you gotta be kidding me.”
Spider79 on July 20, 2009 at 1:21 PM
Oh.. dont go acting like you didn’t have your own HeathKit ENIAC out in the barn you old geezer.. :P
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 1:23 PM
ROTFLMAO… Yea, I remember thinking the exact same thing… ;)
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Fired that sucka’ up last week, dimmed the lights in Nebraska! :-)
Oldnuke on July 20, 2009 at 1:25 PM
I went to the National Air & Space Museum yesterday to see Buzz Aldrin and the line was wrapped around the building and out the door
d-mitch on July 20, 2009 at 1:25 PM
Actually, neither Tang or Velcro were byproducts of the Space Program.
We did get cool things like remote biosensing technology, personal computers, cellphones, etc. A good part of our modern economy is built on outgrowths of Space Program technology. A lot of those things we’d probably have anyway, but the Space Program greatly accelerated their development.
trigon on July 20, 2009 at 1:25 PM
Thanks for sharing that.
Del Dolemonte on July 20, 2009 at 1:26 PM
LOL! Not to mention the 1969 version of photoshop had a yellow roof with Fotomat written on it!
highhopes on July 20, 2009 at 1:27 PM
And yet we still cant cure a simple migraine headache. :(
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 1:29 PM
And I bet nobody noticed either… :P
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Well not now but under Obamacare, migraines will be a thing of the past.
highhopes on July 20, 2009 at 1:31 PM
Do you get migraines?
Oldnuke on July 20, 2009 at 1:31 PM
Russian tea circa 1973: Tang and powdered Nestea.
Wethal on July 20, 2009 at 1:31 PM
You seem to be implying that telescopes can’t resolve objects smaller than their primary aperture, which is not the case. I guess I’ll have to wait until you’re feeling better and can show me the math. And explain to me what ‘optical diffusion’ has to do with it ;-)
DarkCurrent on July 20, 2009 at 1:33 PM
Is that seriously the best images we can get from above? Come on. Perhaps Nasa can declassify some of their clementine photos. Oh wait, there’s over a million classified moon photos from that mission. Why?
Static on July 20, 2009 at 1:33 PM
1969 Obama attending Friday prayers in mosque
2009 President
/ not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it explains the baseball throwing style
faraway on July 20, 2009 at 1:33 PM
Running naked on the moon will take care of it within 3 minutes, if not less ;-)
DarkCurrent on July 20, 2009 at 1:36 PM
I ran into the ground once at about 70mph, been getting them every since. Used to get them way more often, like once a month, now I am lucky only a couple of time a year. But yea, I pretty much get the whole migraine package, neon flashing peripheral lights, blurred vision, nausea, vertigo and of course a massive pounding headache.
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 1:39 PM
We didn’t want the Soviets to buy up all the best real estate.
highhopes on July 20, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Oh why spank you very little, offer a delightful little cure and dangle it just ever so out of reach… :P
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 1:40 PM
LRO just arrived at the moon recently. Images will get even better as it lowers and circularizes its orbit.
DarkCurrent on July 20, 2009 at 1:41 PM
Yup, LRO is suppose to have a one meter or less resolution, in other words from the right angle it should be able to actually see the flag.
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 1:44 PM
Because the US Government doesn’t want you to see the photo’s they took of their secret moon bases you retard.
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 1:46 PM
Flying accident?
DarkCurrent on July 20, 2009 at 1:48 PM
Thanks.
Yes, I’ve been there but only once. At the time it was undergoing renovations and a lot of the exhibits were closed. Maybe that’s why I missed the LEM. Obvioulsy I’ll have to go back. It is my favorite museum, by far.
ProfessorMiao on July 20, 2009 at 1:51 PM
He threw it like a girl ( not that there’s anything wrong with that… if you’re a girl) What my burning question is this… Did he even make it over home plate? I thought there was a strong wind which broke behind him…..
CynicalOptimist on July 20, 2009 at 1:52 PM
I think it’s the LEM that was supposed to go with Apollo 18.
Oldnuke on July 20, 2009 at 1:52 PM
Hmmm, that is an interesting description I had never considered before. I guess technically once the car begun tumbling end over end it could be describes as a flying accident. My trajectory through the windshield most assuredly falls under the description of non powered flight, so I suppose that might be a somewhat accurate description. :O
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 1:56 PM
No he was short. Which the WH expected, and had the cameras carefully positioned so no one actually saw on TV where it went after he threw.
Wethal on July 20, 2009 at 1:58 PM
Of the 3 men on this mission, he is the only one afforded the opportunity to…ah…relieve himself with some modicum of privacy.
BobMbx on July 20, 2009 at 1:59 PM
I’m not easily shocked, but the placement of the video camera during his pitch was the most shocking thing I have seen in a while. Stalin lives.
faraway on July 20, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Wow, that sounds like it could hurt. I was thinking you meant a simple forced landing off-aiport or something like that.
DarkCurrent on July 20, 2009 at 2:01 PM
NTSB records these events as CDITs (Controlled Drive Into Terrain).
BobMbx on July 20, 2009 at 2:03 PM
That explains why MLB is reviewing making a change in the distance from the mound to homeplate…….getting ready for next years’ sissy toss.
BobMbx on July 20, 2009 at 2:05 PM
Yea, 23 years ago and it still hurts. Well truth told only a couple times a year, but damn it hitting ones head on the ground that hard does nothing good at all.
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 2:06 PM
Hmmm I dont seem to recall their being any control involved, but then I did hit my head on the ground at around 70mph so I might be forgetting something… :P
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 2:09 PM
What would have been hilarious is if Armstrong said “What the hell is that?” and scream followed by Aldrin cutting the feed.
txaggie on July 20, 2009 at 2:11 PM
I’ve had ‘em forever, didn’t even have to smack my head. Noise is my bane when I’ve got one. Light is irritating but noise just drives me nuts. I don’t get the flashing lights but have other precursors, sandy eyelids, feeling of pressure around my head, tinnitus things like that..I can tell when one’s coming. They run in my family.
Oldnuke on July 20, 2009 at 2:14 PM
That would make sense. Thanks. I’ll definitely have to try to get back to DC one of these days to see it.
ProfessorMiao on July 20, 2009 at 2:18 PM
Russian tea circa 1973: Tang and powdered Nestea.
Ewwwwww…that just sounds vile!
I R A Darth Aggie on July 20, 2009 at 2:28 PM
I can fully recommend Excedrin Migraine. I’ve had them forever, and this is the only stuff that works. But, you need to get the pills in as soon as the symptoms start.
For me, it’s either tinnitus or a dull throb, usually right after I wake up in the morning.
BobMbx on July 20, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Yea, the tinnitus is driving me nuts right now, it keeps doing a “Who Quadrophenia” kind of thing, hard to describe and very annoying.
My boss didn’t sound very convinced this morning, in fact he sounded damned condescending when I called in. If I didn’t suffer migraines myself I could almost wish one on him just so he would understand.
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 2:34 PM
It woke me up last night at about 2am, a screaming buzz in my ears that has since settled down to a dull constant buzz a god awful throbbing behind my eyes dizziness and a unfulfilled need to puke my guts out.
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 2:38 PM
What the conspiracy people could have done with that!
I just saw where Aldrin served himself communion after landing on the moon. Can you imagine the uproar if he had tried to do it these days?
highhopes on July 20, 2009 at 2:44 PM
Or if someone decided to read Genesis, like the Apollo 8 astronauts did? That was Jim Lovell, I think.
ProfessorMiao on July 20, 2009 at 2:54 PM
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ed for posting this, it means a lot to me. My father was a senior engineer for the guidance system for the Gemini flights into orbit and every Apollo flight to the moon as well as the US/Soviet Soyuz mission and the Sky Lab project. My father didn’t quite make it to today’s 40th anniversary, he passed away last month on June 16, 2009. He was a remarkable man. He served in the US Army during the Korean war in a radar unit before going to work on the space program. After the sky lab project he worked on defense projects including the Stealth Bomber, the M1A1 Tank, and the Hellfire Missile system along with to many others to list here, but he was always most proud of his work in the space program. He was a very kind, patent and clear thinking man who loved The United States of America and was the best dad any kid could ever ask for. I will remember him today for the man that he was and his great achievements in life. Thanks for helping me do that with this post.—-”The Eagle Has Landed!”
Dollayo on July 20, 2009 at 3:02 PM
No one who hasn’t experienced one can understand. Had an acquaintance once who never got headaches. He had a spinal procedure done and it caused a massive headache. He said that he never knew pain like that was even possible and that he had a new found respect for those of us who ‘routinely’ suffered through them. When I get one I am completely non-functional. I think three days is the longest one on my record.
Oldnuke on July 20, 2009 at 3:12 PM
Under Obamacare, you take an “L” pill for a headache.
Never have to call the DR again!
The true permanent cure.
barnone on July 20, 2009 at 3:14 PM
Well I am seldom rendered completely non-functional, but I am usually screwed up enough to make usually simple things like driving a car or operating machinery life threatening events. I tend to loose my equilibrium and depth perception pretty badly. It kind of resembles having the worlds worst hangover while still being drunk as a skunk except for the drunk part.
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 3:19 PM
What is an “L” pill? and where can I get one??
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 3:20 PM
Sounds pretty non-functional to me. :-)
Oldnuke on July 20, 2009 at 3:22 PM
I’m glad there’s so much historic film footage so widely available. I missed the big show the first time around back in ’69.
As anyone who was in or near Bien Hoa, Republic of Vietnam back on July 20 1969 might recall, our base was hit by TWENTY-NINE NVA 122mm rockets that day. It was certainly the heaviest single day rocket barrage I experienced during my year tour. Needless to say, with all the fireworks commanding our attention, we didn’t really get to relish in the euphoria the rest of the civilized world enjoyed watching Armstrong, et. al., making history. Better late than never.
StimulateTHIS on July 20, 2009 at 3:24 PM
My physics teacher in college was scheduled to ride that capsule to the moon, but the program got canceled. The closest he got to the moon was to ride the shuttle and take pictures of the northern lights. He would always tell his students that physics would all make sense if he could only take us up into space and see what he was trying to explain.
aggie13 on July 20, 2009 at 3:24 PM
“L” as in Lethal. What spys and rumored that Astronauts brought with them in case of a bad outcome.
barnone on July 20, 2009 at 3:29 PM
Am I the only one who can’t see anything on the final pic there showing footprints and such?
TheBlueSite on July 20, 2009 at 3:58 PM
Seriously? I’m getting it in 3-D. I never knew the treads on those moonwalk shoes said “Nike,” but there you have it.
TexasDan on July 20, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Thank you for your service and sacrifice.
TexasDan on July 20, 2009 at 4:03 PM
Hey now, I could probably operate a stapler safely… :P Probably…
doriangrey on July 20, 2009 at 4:09 PM
TexasDan on July 20, 2009 at 4:02 PM
I was all excited that there would be some new advanced camera that could take moon pics that would zoom in the way google earth does in my neighborhood!
Upsetting. I do wonder how any has the skill to look at photos like that and even see anything, let alone lunar module, footprints, etc.
TheBlueSite on July 20, 2009 at 4:09 PM
Winner of the post for “Where were you on 7/20/69″! Reading that makes me glad I was only 13 years old watching this while playing Monopoly with my buddy Phil during a sleepover at his house. Thanks for your service!
PatMac on July 20, 2009 at 4:31 PM
God bless you!
Special K on July 20, 2009 at 4:38 PM
I find it amazing that we went from Kitty Hawk to the moon in 66 years. In the 40 years since we have…ummmm…mmmmm…still thinking.
WashJeff on July 20, 2009 at 11:43 AM
tessa on July 20, 2009 at 5:03 PM
The walk on the moon was the culmination of a huge effort launched by a President who dared to dream of something that had never been done before, where even the sky was no limit.
Pathetically, that President’s younger brother now wants the Government to decide who gets lifesaving medical treatment and who doesn’t.
Where have all the heroes gone? Long time passing…
Steve Z on July 20, 2009 at 5:51 PM
Might have been true in 1969, but we’ve blown way more than that since then. Just wait until President Hussein is done in 3.4 years!
BlameAmericaLast on July 20, 2009 at 8:11 PM
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