Comments on: Apollo astronauts speak! http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:24:38 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Algae http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/comment-page-1/#comment-200808 Algae Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:48:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/#comment-200808 I was in meatspace when the event was broadcast. Is there a place (or preferably a link) that has a record of today's NASA TV? I was in meatspace when the event was broadcast. Is there a place (or preferably a link) that has a record of today’s NASA TV?

]]> By: Buzz Parsec http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/comment-page-1/#comment-200805 Buzz Parsec Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:40:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/#comment-200805 Yesterday evening, NASA TV had a (live?) broadcast of an event from the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum featuring speeches by Chris Kraft, my namesake Buzz Aldrin, Mike Collins and finally, Neil Armstrong. Kraft talked about all the hard work by 100's of thousands of people behind the scenes, and how rushed they were, how devastating the the fire was, and how they picked themselves up and continued on afterward, and that he thought, as horrible as it was, without the lessons learned from the fire, they never would have made it to the moon. He mentioned at one point in passing that they were too rushed to really apply their experience to the design of Apollo, and if they had, it could have been a much better spacecraft than it was. As much as I find the long down-time between the end of the shuttle and Orion, I hope that this time around, they do things right and we end up with a better ship than either Apollo or the Shuttle. Aldrin and Collins both had more forward-looking talks, both emphasizing the importance of Mars. Armstrong's lecture was just that, almost an history class, but quite well done, with some subtle humor in his delivery. Actually quite a bit better than I expected. He talked about Goddard, the German V2 program, the Russians and the cold war which led to the Apollo program, but how in the future things should and will be less about competition and more about cooperation, "for all mankind". At least, that's what I got out of it. Yesterday evening, NASA TV had a (live?) broadcast of an event from the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum featuring speeches by Chris Kraft, my namesake Buzz Aldrin, Mike Collins and finally, Neil Armstrong. Kraft talked about all the hard work by 100’s of thousands of people behind the scenes, and how rushed they were, how devastating the the fire was, and how they picked themselves up and continued on afterward, and that he thought, as horrible as it was, without the lessons learned from the fire, they never would have made it to the moon. He mentioned at one point in passing that they were too rushed to really apply their experience to the design of Apollo, and if they had, it could have been a much better spacecraft than it was. As much as I find the long down-time between the end of the shuttle and Orion, I hope that this time around, they do things right and we end up with a better ship than either Apollo or the Shuttle.

Aldrin and Collins both had more forward-looking talks, both emphasizing the importance of Mars.

Armstrong’s lecture was just that, almost an history class, but quite well done, with some subtle humor in his delivery. Actually quite a bit better than I expected. He talked about Goddard, the German V2 program, the Russians and the cold war which led to the Apollo program, but how in the future things should and will be less about competition and more about cooperation, “for all mankind”. At least, that’s what I got out of it.

]]> By: Nick http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/comment-page-1/#comment-200616 Nick Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:39:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/#comment-200616 @Frank B. Chavez III ><em>Although it has become a kind of legend that Armstrong flubbed his famous speech and omitted “a” from “That’s one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind”, recent research has found that he actually said “For a man…” but the poor audio technology made the “a” inaudible. </em> I doubt any audio clip has ever been subjected to as much analysis to find out what's going on underneath as that one has. Well... except maybe the opening chord to A Hard Day's Night. :) @Frank B. Chavez III
>Although it has become a kind of legend that Armstrong flubbed his famous speech and omitted “a” from “That’s one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind”, recent research has found that he actually said “For a man…” but the poor audio technology made the “a” inaudible.

I doubt any audio clip has ever been subjected to as much analysis to find out what’s going on underneath as that one has. Well… except maybe the opening chord to A Hard Day’s Night. :)

]]> By: Markus http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/comment-page-1/#comment-200564 Markus Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:00:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/#comment-200564 I just finished watching the event (Walt Cunningham was there too, btw). It's somewhat stunning to see how much they've aged, they're really a bunch of old farts by now (as I know for a fact they agree). But what a great bunch of old farts. It's marvelous to see with how much persistence and tenacity they speak and argue and make their points and give their recollections. Really a fabulous, humble group of men, still determined to carrying the fire and passing on the torch. It's been a while since I've last seen a "press event" as enjoyable as this. I just finished watching the event (Walt Cunningham was there too, btw). It’s somewhat stunning to see how much they’ve aged, they’re really a bunch of old farts by now (as I know for a fact they agree). But what a great bunch of old farts. It’s marvelous to see with how much persistence and tenacity they speak and argue and make their points and give their recollections. Really a fabulous, humble group of men, still determined to carrying the fire and passing on the torch. It’s been a while since I’ve last seen a “press event” as enjoyable as this.

]]> By: Flying sardines http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/comment-page-1/#comment-200510 Flying sardines Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:00:35 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/#comment-200510 @ 30. sophia8 : <i>Flying Sardines @ 5: The episode was Silence In The Library. Nothing at all to do with astronauts or Apollo, I’m afraid. </i> Thanks for that! :-) I only caught a few bits of of that originally - notably where this person was eaten and became a skull in a spacesuit chasing the others. Sounds like a great episode - I might have to find it on DVD somewhere. @ 31. shane : <i>I heard on the ABC radio (Australia) this morning that Armstrong will participate at an event in Washington today that includes a visit to the White House. </i> I caught a bit of that event on SBS world news (Australia) just tonight. Seems they finally got the whole Apollo 11 crew - incl. Neil - together again & they're advocating going to Mars. Awesome! 8) Hope the BA blogs on that soon & tells us more... ;-) @ 30. sophia8 :

Flying Sardines @ 5: The episode was Silence In The Library. Nothing at all to do with astronauts or Apollo, I’m afraid.

Thanks for that! :-)

I only caught a few bits of of that originally – notably where this person was eaten and became a skull in a spacesuit chasing the others. Sounds like a great episode – I might have to find it on DVD somewhere.

@ 31. shane :

I heard on the ABC radio (Australia) this morning that Armstrong will participate at an event in Washington today that includes a visit to the White House.

I caught a bit of that event on SBS world news (Australia) just tonight.

Seems they finally got the whole Apollo 11 crew – incl. Neil – together again & they’re advocating going to Mars. Awesome! 8)

Hope the BA blogs on that soon & tells us more… ;-)

]]> By: shane http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/comment-page-1/#comment-200423 shane Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:09:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/#comment-200423 I heard on the ABC radio (Australia) this morning that Armstrong will participate at an event in Washington today that includes a visit to the White House. I heard on the ABC radio (Australia) this morning that Armstrong will participate at an event in Washington today that includes a visit to the White House.

]]> By: sophia8 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/comment-page-1/#comment-200295 sophia8 Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:37:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/18/apollo-astronauts-speak/#comment-200295 Flying Sardines @ 5: The episode was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silence_in_the_Library" rel="nofollow">Silence In The Library</a>. Nothing at all to do with astronauts or Apollo, I'm afraid. Flying Sardines @ 5: The episode was Silence In The Library. Nothing at all to do with astronauts or Apollo, I’m afraid.

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