Go back
Happy Apollo Day!

Happy Apollo Day!

General

divegeester
watching in dismay

STARMERGEDDON

Joined
16 Feb 08
Moves
120597
Clock
20 Jul 19

50 years ago today something amazing happened as man first stepped onto the moon.

divegeester
watching in dismay

STARMERGEDDON

Joined
16 Feb 08
Moves
120597
Clock
20 Jul 19
Vote Up
Vote Down

“One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”

Apparently Armstrong did say “a” man.

Ponderable
chemist

Linkenheim

Joined
22 Apr 05
Moves
669973
Clock
20 Jul 19
1 edit

@divegeester said
“One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”

Apparently Armstrong did say “a” man.
Apparently NASA gave a job to Arthur Miller the author to develop a cool phrase 😉

* Disclaimer: the story was never corrobated and Miller himself never claimed copyright.

divegeester
watching in dismay

STARMERGEDDON

Joined
16 Feb 08
Moves
120597
Clock
20 Jul 19
Vote Up
Vote Down

@ponderable said
Apparently NASA gave a job to Arthur Miller the author to develop a cool phrase 😉

* Disclaimer: the story was never corrobated and Miller himself never claimed copyright.
I have no doubt that phrase was washed through several cycles of creation, approval and compliance before being given to Armstrong to utter.

johnsim03
Chess Nut

Des Moines, Iowa, US

Joined
09 Jun 19
Moves
1500
Clock
20 Jul 19
1 edit

@divegeester said
I have no doubt that phrase was washed through several cycles of creation, approval and compliance before being given to Armstrong to utter.
According to Armstrong's brother, Neil showed him what he planned to say four months earlier, during a game of Risk between the two. It was written on a piece of paper. The idea and actual phrase (with the "a" added) was all Neil Armstrong's doing. NASA encouraged astronauts to show real emotions and say real thoughts in such situations. He was not fed what to say. This is all according to Neil himself (except the Risk game with his brother). Neil either forgot to say the "a" during the landing, or the audio didn't pick it up, depending on who you believe.

Ghost of a Duke

Joined
14 Mar 15
Moves
29602
Clock
20 Jul 19

@divegeester said
“One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”

Apparently Armstrong did say “a” man.
Apparently, Armstrong was also toying with the more jokey phrase:

"Ahhh it's biting my foot!" (Just to mess with the guys in Mission Control).

k
Flexible

The wrong side of 60

Joined
22 Dec 11
Moves
37304
Clock
20 Jul 19

@ghost-of-a-duke said
Apparently, Armstrong was also toying with the more jokey phrase:

"Ahhh it's biting my foot!" (Just to mess with the guys in Mission Control).
That would’ve been funny
I would’ve gone with
“Theres a really strong smell of cheese Houston”
But then I do like 🧀

Ghost of a Duke

Joined
14 Mar 15
Moves
29602
Clock
20 Jul 19

@kevcvs57 said
That would’ve been funny
I would’ve gone with
“Theres a really strong smell of cheese Houston”
But then I do like 🧀
I'm always a little sad when someone is funnier than me.

😞

Woofwoof

Joined
06 Nov 15
Moves
41301
Clock
20 Jul 19
1 edit

@kevcvs57 said
That would’ve been funny
I would’ve gone with
“Theres a really strong smell of cheese Houston”
But then I do like 🧀
And perhaps the "lunatic" response could have been:

"Eagle, try venting the pelvic port."

s
Fast and Curious

slatington, pa, usa

Joined
28 Dec 04
Moves
53321
Clock
20 Jul 19

@wolfe63 said
And perhaps the "lunatic" response could have been:

"Eagle, try venting the pelvic port."
So the question now, are we in the US going to win the SECOND space race to the moon, with China now in the game?
I had to admit I had a ball working on Apollo back in the day. Atomic clocks and transponders were my game back then.

divegeester
watching in dismay

STARMERGEDDON

Joined
16 Feb 08
Moves
120597
Clock
20 Jul 19
Vote Up
Vote Down

@johnsim03 said
According to Armstrong's brother, Neil showed him what he planned to say four months earlier, during a game of Risk between the two. It was written on a piece of paper. The idea and actual phrase (with the "a" added) was all Neil Armstrong's doing. NASA encouraged astronauts to show real emotions and say real thoughts in such situations. He was not fed what to say. This is ...[text shortened]... got to say the "a" during the landing, or the audio didn't pick it up, depending on who you believe.
Brothers are wonderful things.

divegeester
watching in dismay

STARMERGEDDON

Joined
16 Feb 08
Moves
120597
Clock
20 Jul 19

@sonhouse said
So the question now, are we in the US going to win the SECOND space race to the moon, with China now in the game?
I had to admit I had a ball working on Apollo back in the day. Atomic clocks and transponders were my game back then.
So you keep telling us. And yet you are the biggest technical clutz here.

Drewnogal
Constant Gardener

The Plot

Joined
07 Aug 12
Moves
53198
Clock
20 Jul 19
Vote Up
Vote Down

Watched the first step on the TV this am. It all looks so primitive now compared to the recent high tech ISS footage. I find it amazing that they managed it? There was only about 19 seconds worth of fuel left when they did land!

divegeester
watching in dismay

STARMERGEDDON

Joined
16 Feb 08
Moves
120597
Clock
21 Jul 19

@drewnogal said
There was only about 19 seconds worth of fuel left when they did land!
I remember reading an account of this as a child; it was enthralling to think of these men flying over the lunar surface looking for a clear spot to land and running out of fuel.

I had my Dad hang Apollo wallpaper in my bedroom after this.

Patzering
is getting old...

Joined
13 Jun 19
Moves
17546
Clock
21 Jul 19
Vote Up
Vote Down

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.