40 years since men visited the moon

Thread Starter

count_volta

Joined Feb 4, 2009
435
In addition to being an electronics nut, I'm also a space nut. I could not have this day go unnoticed. I built a plastic model of the apollo 11 landing site 1.5 years ago. Take a look.



40 years ago today Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon. They noticed that it was sadly not made of cheese. After some disappointment they planted a flag, got some non-edible space rocks and went home.

So, without electronics men would have never landed on the moon. Its all thanks to us. Lets discuss where you were on July 20th 1969, did you celebrate, were you amazed, etc. The extent of your amazement. Do you care? (how can you not), etc.

Also who here likes to build plastic models of airplanes and cars and such? I just pretended to land the lunar module on my little model to the Apollo 13 theme. I am an incurable space geek. ;)
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
I was watching it on TV. I wanted the Saturn V model desperately, but couldn't afford it until the last mission. There I took the model and separated the pieces in sync with the real mission. I still find it amazing how little of the vehicle made it back, vs. the total.

I was 13 years old.

I'm still very in favor of our space program. Looks like bad times for it have come again.
 
Last edited:

Dave

Joined Nov 17, 2003
6,969
A stunning technical achievement.

I'm with you count_volta, I love anything to do with space and the cosmos. Love the picture, too!

Dave
 

RiJoRI

Joined Aug 15, 2007
536
I remember hearing, "Houston, this is Tranquility Base -- the Eagle has landed" on my transistor radio. Still brings tears to my eyes.
My family -- including my grandmother -- watched Armstrong's egress on our B+W Sylvania T.V. Granny was hunched over in a chair (her eyesight wasn't too good), watching it, and I remember thinking that when she was born (1891), people traveled on horses, and the airplane had not yet been invented! And now she's watching a man walking on the Moon! I wondered what marvels I would see in my lifetime.

My Mom admitted that when she was my age (16), travel to the Moon was considered impossible, something to never be done, at least not in her lifetime.

--Rich
Yeah, I liked the plastic spacecraft and aircraft models; unfortunately, I did not have the patience to build them without smearing glue all over!
 

ELECTRONERD

Joined May 26, 2009
1,147
I never got to see the Apollo 11 landing, but I can well imagine it. One of my favorite movies is "October Sky" about these four boys who got inspired to build model rocketry when the sputnik was in space. They succeeded in winning a science fair which got them free scholarships to college. After watching that movie I was so inspired, boy I'll tell ya. Those boys followed their own dreams, and I felt intent on doing the same. I never seemed to exceel at math but I wasn't all that bad either... I got to thinking that many people have talents and they use those talents to help others and to contribute in society. But others have dreams, and what if those people who had dreams worked hard to make those dreams their talents. That's what I intend to do also. Thanks for all the support and encouragement.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
I have been suprised how many people popped out of the wood work for model rocketry questions. I'm one of them. Loved that hobby, when I was younger, but I never could get my kids interested.

I remember getting a neighbor (the man of the house) interested in the hobby on an air force base as a kid. He heard us launching them from the back yard, and it caught his interest. Claimed it sounded just like the rockets in Viet Nam.

Now there's a thought, young kids launching rockets on an air force base.
 

scythe

Joined Mar 23, 2009
49
I wasn't born in time to see the apollo landing. I find it disappointing that we haven't made more noteworthy advances in space in 40 years. I suppose this is because of the magnitude of the problems associated with space travel or planetary colonization. It takes so much fuel to send anything into space, let alone all the food necessary to sustain a crew of people for several months, not to mention keeping the crew sane for that amount of travel time.

I guess the next real advancement that needs to take place is a better method of propulsion than rockets. lol, we need warp engines. or perhaps a method to "fold" space, like in Dune.

But hey, at any rate, astronaught ice cream is pretty cool! The space pen and Tang aren't too far behind either...
 

steveb

Joined Jul 3, 2008
2,436
I have a random question. Does anyone know how long the stuff we left on the moon will last before degrading to the point that evidence of our arrival will be erased. I expect it's a very long time, but wonder just how long.
 

beenthere

Joined Apr 20, 2004
15,819
If there is a figure for average micrometeorite impact over time (and area), it might be possible to make a guess.

If we do get back in space seriously and the presumed returns start making money, some institution may erect a shelter to preserve the original landing site.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
Things that are semi organic, like the flag, will go a lot faster. Makes you wonder if that flag has any color left.
 

Thread Starter

count_volta

Joined Feb 4, 2009
435
I heard that they want to use the moon as a transit point for the human mars mission. Since the moon has no atmosphere our relics should last quite a while.

And yea, we didn't land on the moon, September 11 didn't happen, and none of us are really here. Its all one giant dream maaaaaaaaan. Duuuuude try this LSD. I see colors. :eek:

After going to the Kennedy Space center when I was 11 and seeing an exact replica of the Saturn V rocket which is the height of a small skyscraper (I have pics of myself next to it) I can't stand people who try to prove the moon conspiracy garbage.

Oh sure the government spent 100 billion dollars building all those rockets which thousands of people saw take off from Kennedy. Or did those people who saw the launches never exist either. Thats a thought. ;)

I remember when some idiot told Buzz Aldrin that he is a liar and never been to the moon. Buzz punched him in the face on TV. I would punch him too. The nerve to insult a great man like that.
 
Last edited:

Thread Starter

count_volta

Joined Feb 4, 2009
435
Here is something you guys might be interested in. A space simulator game. The most accurate and realistic of its kind. It was developed by a British physicist. I have been playing it for years now, even when it had crappy graphics (unlike now, the graphics are amazing) Its called orbiter. http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/

This game is free!!!!!!

You can replicate any mission NASA or even the USSR ever went on. I simulated the entire Apollo 11 mission with it. Very fun I must tell you. The stages separate, you have to dock (challenging yet fun) and then you have to use a little computer to calculate the physics required to intersect with the moon orbit and etc. I mean total realism, not for children. You even fly there in real time, i.e. 4 days. Sure you can speed up time by a lot if you want. ;)



Check out some photos.













 

Thread Starter

count_volta

Joined Feb 4, 2009
435
Nobody here is interested in games of any sort, even of this type, i.e. realistic to the last degree? I am surprised. :rolleyes:

Come on people have a little fun. Fly to the moon. I even flew to mars in this game once. ;)
 
Top