Guest Apollo program nostalgia by David Middleton

For my fellow WUWT space program groupies…

We’d better have something appropriate to say. What are you guys gonna say? If you had any balls you’d say, “Oh, my God! What is that thing?” Then scream and cut your mic.

–Cary Elwes as Apollo 11 Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, in From the Earth to the Moon, Mare Tranquillitatis, 1998

https://ift.tt/2UC6Tti real

Ross Pomeroy had an entertaining article on Real Clear Science yesterday…

What Did Other Astronauts Say as They Took Their First Steps on the Moon?
By Ross Pomeroy – RCP Staff

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

We all know Neil Armstrong’s famous first words as he took that pioneering step onto the surface of the Moon (or at least we think we do), but there were eleven other astronauts from five more Apollo missions who left their footprints in the lunar regolith. Surely they imparted some memorable words as well!

Apollo 15 Commander David Scott certainly endeavored to follow Armstrong’s example.

“As I stand out here in the wonders of the unknown at Hadley, I sort of realize there’s a fundamental truth to our nature,” he said. “Man must explore. And this is exploration at its greatest.”

Weighty words escaped Apollo 16 Commander John W. Young, however, who was understandably overcome with boyish wonder upon placing his boots onto the lunar surface.

“Oh, is this ever neat, Charlie!” he exclaimed to Lunar Module Pilot Charles Duke.

[…]

Real Clear Science

If this isn’t a sufficiently silver bullet for faked Moon landing conspiracy nuts…

Then Apollo 12 Commander Pete Conrad’s first words on the Moon certainly are…

“Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that’s a long one for me.”

Apollo 12 Mission Commander Pete Conrad (at 5’6″, Pete Conrad was the shortest man to set foot on the moon)

November 14-20, 2019 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 12 mission to the Oceanus Procellarum (Sea of Storms).