"One small step" the 40th Anniversary

[Teller]

OK, I'm jumping the gun. To Larry, and our other space buffs around here, I sincerely apologize. I won't be around tomorrow, and I want to be in on this discussion.

Forty years ago tomorrow, Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the surface of the moon. (We'll pretend he didn't flub that famous line.) But what he MEANT to say was true. It was a "giant leap for mankind," and a giant victory for the United States over the Soviets.

So let's open this up. If you remember that historic day, if you remember where you were, what you were doing, how you felt, please share your story. It's always bugged me that I wasn't around to see this, and I want to live vicariously through those of you who did.

We can also take it a step further. Does space still matter? What does the future hold? What would you like to see going forward in terms of exploration?

I'm still a little kid when it comes to space. I swear, if at some point as a little kid (boys especially ;)) you didn't want to be an astronaut, something is seriously wrong with you.

I yield back the floor to you, ES.

[No Excuses]

My sister works for NASA and often tells me about the stuff they do. Space is fascinating and I wish I could explain half the things she's told me but I would be doing injustice to the actual information since I won't be able to relay it precisely. It's amazing to know just how small we are in the grand scheme of things.

I do believe in our lifetime that we will know of other Earth like planets that most likely harbor life. It would be neat to see pictures of another Earth like planet, or maybe a planet completely different than ours but can still harbor a different form of life.

If Physics wasn't the worst subject ever, I'd love to study space.

[techboy]

If Physics wasn't the worst subject ever, I'd love to study space.

Speaking as a Physics teacher, the problem, as always, clearly lies with the student. :silly:

[Teller]

My sister works for NASA and often tells me about the stuff they do. Space is fascinating and I wish I could explain half the things she's told me but I would be doing injustice to the actual information since I won't be able to relay it precisely. It's amazing to know just how small we are in the grand scheme of things.

That's one of my favorite things about space exploration. I mean, Hubble takes a picture of what looks like empty black space. But what they get is a photo of thousands and thousands of entire galaxies. It's absolutely insane. Frankly, I love those things that are just too incredibly huge to wrap your brain around.


I do believe in our lifetime that we will know of other Earth like planets that most likely harbor life. It would be neat to see pictures of another Earth like planet, or maybe a planet completely different than ours but can still harbor a different form of life.

I thnk my kids, and probably you, will see that for sure. Me? Meh, we'll see. I hope so.

From what I understand, the return trip to the moon is going to be used to launch a mission to Mars. My Lord, I hope I live to see that!!!!

[Larry]

I was in Canada, in an RV park. The folks had a motor home (back when nobody had ever heard of one), and every summer we'd take two weeks and go somewhere. This year, we circled a couple of the Great Lakes, saw Niagara Falls (the Canadian side. I still haven't seen the American side.)

One of the people in the RV park had a TV, and a really big set of rabbit ears. (TV reception was really bad in the RV park). So he set it up outside his trailer, and everybody in the RV park gathered around this TV that was probably about 12 inches, black and white, to watch.

I remember being disappointed that they didn't have a better picture.

[skinfan13]

Before the last few weeks I had always been intrigued by our landing on the moon, but the significance, the sheer magnitude of the achievement didn't really hit me until I started debating War Paint about the stupid moon hoax theory in Larry's thread about the Kennedy Library website that is re-creating the mission in realtime.

It blows my minds that we were able to accomplish something like that! I dream about the day that space will no longer be a foreign place for us. I have always had immense wonder and respect for American Pioneers who helped settle this country, and I've always wanted to be able to experience the danger, the excitement, and the sense of adventure they were able to experience. I often wonder what the days will be like when Americans will be able to take up the arduous and exciting task of extending our civilization again, this time to unknown of the stars!

What God has in store for our nation and the human race in regards to space and the heavens is incredible. My only regret will be that I won't be able to live to see the end product.

[Corcaigh]

If Physics wasn't the worst subject ever,

Blasphemer!

:evilg:

I saw the Moon walk at the grand old age of 5. I watched it live. It was about 4am in Ireland where my parents were living.

[Larry]

Quoting from memory, a poem I read on the tenth anniversary.

They made it. We all made it, just a bit.
Like Vikings, leaving runes and little more.
Taking the lesser light, where God placed it,
to show ourselves just what a Heaven's for.

They loped like diving-suited kangaroos
over that sterile world of one night stands.
Driving moon bugs, and golf balls, to amuse
the children, while the stars slipped through our hands.

They're gone now, to their shrinks, and shrunken space.
The praise is theirs. It's ours to wonder why
the world's still flat, and dreams are out of grace.
So I, believing less each summer, pry

open that lost, last year to see Earth bright
and cool and blue in velvet night.

[Toe Jam]

Yeah.. it's good, I guess.

Thought it does seem like it was a waste of taxpayer money.:silly:

[skinsfan44]

I remember the moon landing as one of my most powerful childhood memories.

I was 9 years old at the time.

Back then I was living in MD after moving from FL and my parent's bought our very first color TV (RCA) and a new motorized rotating TV antenna that was put on the roof just before the launch so we could watch this historical event in color that was broadcasted on most of the 12 TV channels we received.

I remember we were all glued to the TV, but the biggest surprise was my Dad since he didn't watch much TV back then.

[Rdskns2000]

You know to one family's relatives that weekend wasn't so good.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=32773

[Sticksboi05]

I can only imagine how insane that was to watch. The biggest thing I can remember is back sitting in our 3rd grade class watching the shuttle launch when John Glenn became the oldest man ever in space at age 77.

And coincidentally Walter Cronkite was the man who called the launch.

[FanboyOf91]

"I always knew I'd live to see the first man walk on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last." - Jerry Pournelle (allegedly)

[Larry]

"I always knew I'd live to see the first man walk on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last." - Jerry Pournelle (allegedly)

If you'd left off the (allegedly), I'd have a new sig, right now.

Damn, this day depresses me.

[Burgold]

One of man's great accomplishments. It's incredible how much science impossible became science reality in the space of a decade.

With a broader lens it's just remarkable how dull we've made the science fiction of the fifty years ago. We've come such a long way in so many areas of medicine, communication, information, transportation, etc. Mind blowing if you let yourself think about it.