Did Neil Armstrong land on the moon in 1969?

[Phred]

I say absolutely yes! I remember that July evening being allowed to stay up way past my bedtime. The lunar module had landed on the moon but the astronauts took about four or five hours to get ready before they would walk on the moon. Four or five of the most boooooooring hours ever. The cameras weren't the most clear pictures. (Later I learned part of that was because the shots from the moon were relayed through Houston, put on a monitor there where another camera shot the monitor and that's what we saw!)

 

But then... Neil Armstrong came out of the LEM and came down that ladder and sorta jumped sorta floated down that last gap to stand on the pad. Then he told us he was gonna step off the LEM now...

 

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"

 

Of course, that was supposed to be for "a" man. They say radio interference gunked it up. Nah... I heard it clear as a bell. Dunno how radio interference would just snip out the word "a". I think he forgot it.

 

Anyway... I was one happy kid. The moon!

 

Yet, there are those who say it was a stunt, a fabricated event. So I'm attaching a poll. What do you think?

[Tracey in TX]

Of course he landed on the moon! Up with the truth, down with conspiracy.

[kaylk in tx]

if you want to get him going, just say that it was all a hoax perpetrated by the government and filmed in hollywood back lots! :tongue_smilie:

[Michelle in MO]

The answer is obvious: Yes.

[Jumping In Puddles]

You're kidding, right?

 

 

^^I think that's the least helpful answer I've ever submitted! forgive me, I'm not feeling well today.

[Laura K (NC)]

I've posted on co-ed discussion boards for 11 years. I have found that there is a fundamental difference between the way men post and the way women post, and this difference erupts sometimes into brief gender warfare. The majority of men think it's fun. The majority of women cry.

 

I enjoy co-ed discussion boards for the most part. I think they should come with some kind of caveat, though. No matter how gentle men think they're being, it won't be gentle enough. No matter how tough women think they're being, it won't be tough enough.

 

Neil used a space suit on the moon because of the atmosphere. Smart man, he was, to know how to adapt to his environment.

[Audrey]

I say absolutely yes! I remember that July evening being allowed to stay up way past my bedtime. The lunar module had landed on the moon but the astronauts took about four or five hours to get ready before they would walk on the moon. Four or five of the most boooooooring hours ever. The cameras weren't the most clear pictures. (Later I learned part of that was because the shots from the moon were relayed through Houston, put on a monitor there where another camera shot the monitor and that's what we saw!)

 

But then... Neil Armstrong came out of the LEM and came down that ladder and sorta jumped sorta floated down that last gap to stand on the pad. Then he told us he was gonna step off the LEM now...

 

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"

 

Of course, that was supposed to be for "a" man. They say radio interference gunked it up. Nah... I heard it clear as a bell. Dunno how radio interference would just snip out the word "a". I think he forgot it.

 

Anyway... I was one happy kid. The moon!

 

Yet, there are those who say it was a stunt, a fabricated event. So I'm attaching a poll. What do you think?

 

I'm going to be a little argumentative on this one. I want to preface it by saying that my grandfather was one of the civil engineers who designed Cape Canaveral. He was devoted to the space program from the beginning. So, I've heard all the glory stories and grew up fascinated by it all.

 

Yet... there are little questions in the back of my mind that make me doubt it sometimes. If you had a choice for "I doubt it" or "I don't know" I'd have chosen that instead.

 

Here's the main thing that makes me doubt it -- we have never, never been able to make it back to the moon. Why? What about the radiation belt in the way? Did they really get past that? Why did they have no aftereffects from it? Why can't they get past it again? Why just one single mission to plant a flag, collect some samples, and then what? Never go again in 40 years?

 

It doesn't make sense.

[Diann]

I remember it very vividly. The moon landing occurred on my 9th birthday, and I got to stay up late to watch it. The whole idea that it was fabricated is ridiculous.

 

Diann

[crazycoffeechic]

I've always thought it was true.

My dh made a comment that his grandaddy said it was a hoax.

That is the first I've heard about that.

[Karenciavo]

I think your wife is right. Where's that honey-do list? ;) (I actually despise that term, but used it anyway.)

[chiguirre]

Here's the main thing that makes me doubt it -- we have never, never been able to make it back to the moon. Why? What about the radiation belt in the way? Did they really get past that? Why did they have no aftereffects from it? Why can't they get past it again? Why just one single mission to plant a flag, collect some samples, and then what? Never go again in 40 years?

 

 

 

Here's a link that describes all the Apollo Missions. We've actually landed on the moon six times.

 

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmoon/apollo_landings.html

[kokotg]

Here's the main thing that makes me doubt it -- we have never, never been able to make it back to the moon. Why? What about the radiation belt in the way? Did they really get past that? Why did they have no aftereffects from it? Why can't they get past it again? Why just one single mission to plant a flag, collect some samples, and then what? Never go again in 40 years?

 

It doesn't make sense.

 

There were six separate manned moon landings.

[kokotg]

oops--x-posted

[Mosaicmind]

Phred, I believe you have too much time on your hands.

[Jumping In Puddles]

Political. One of the foremost reason's for going to the moon was political. The US could not be seen as weaker than the USSR. We were #1 and we needed to prove it. We also got a wealth of information from those moon rocks. We haven't been back in recent times because we don't have to! There are far more interesting places to go to in space that we haven't been to. We don't need to prove that we can go to the moon because we already did it!

 

More here.

 

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced before a special joint session of Congress the dramatic and ambitious goal of sending an American safely to the Moon before the end of the decade. A number of political factors affected Kennedy's decision and the timing of it. In general, Kennedy felt great pressure to have the United States "catch up to and overtake" the Soviet Union in the "space race." Four years after the Sputnik shock of 1957, the cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin had become the first human in space on April 12, 1961, greatly embarrassing the U.S. While Alan Shepard became the first American in space on May 5, he only flew on a short suborbital flight instead of orbiting the Earth, as Gagarin had done. In addition, the Bay of Pigs fiasco in mid-April put unquantifiable pressure on Kennedy. He wanted to announce a program that the U.S. had a strong chance at achieving before the Soviet Union. After consulting with Vice President Johnson, NASA Administrator James Webb, and other officials, he concluded that landing an American on the Moon would be a very challenging technological feat, but an area of space exploration in which the U.S. actually had a potential lead. Thus the cold war is the primary contextual lens through which many historians now view Kennedy's speech.

The decision involved much consideration before making it public, as well as enormous human efforts and expenditures to make what became Project Apollo a reality by 1969. Only the construction of the Panama Canal in modern peacetime and the Manhattan Project in war were comparable in scope. NASA's overall human spaceflight efforts were guided by Kennedy's speech; Projects Mercury (at least in its latter stages), Gemini, and Apollo were designed to execute Kennedy's goal. His goal was achieved on July 20, 1969, when Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong stepped off the Lunar Module's ladder and onto the Moon's surface.

 

In honor of Kennedy's historic speech, below are some documents and other information relating to the decision to go to the Moon and Project Apollo that we hope you find useful.

[dragons in the flower bed]

The moon landing occurred on my 9th birthday

 

Hey, my bday's July 20, too. The moon landing has always been special to me, because of that.

[dragons in the flower bed]

Here's the main thing that makes me doubt it -- we have never, never been able to make it back to the moon. Why? What about the radiation belt in the way? Did they really get past that? Why did they have no aftereffects from it? Why can't they get past it again? Why just one single mission to plant a flag, collect some samples, and then what? Never go again in 40 years?

 

 

:confused: We did go back. A lot. You can use Google to learn more about those missions.

[JFSinIL]

We were at Gettysburg for Memorial Day a couple years ago - and the surprise guest speaker (aside from Mr. Lincoln of course :-) was Neil Armstrong!!!! We were all told that NO ONE was to approach him or ask for an autograph - he is a very private man, and only agreed to appear and speak if he didn't have to shake hands or speak to folks.

[Jackie in AR]

Neil used a space suit on the moon because of the atmosphere. Smart man, he was, to know how to adapt to his environment.

 

Nicely put, Laura.

[Crissy]

We were at Gettysburg for Memorial Day a couple years ago - and the surprise guest speaker (aside from Mr. Lincoln of course :-) was Neil Armstrong!!!! We were all told that NO ONE was to approach him or ask for an autograph - he is a very private man, and only agreed to appear and speak if he didn't have to shake hands or speak to folks.

 

 

Strange!

I met him at a gala event for Seattle's Museum of Flight a few years ago. He was kind and congenial, and boy, oh, boy can that man dance!

[*anj*]

Nicely put, Laura.

 

I agree. In fact, it's downright rep worthy. :)

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

Yes-we landed on the moon-more than once.

 

If we didn't---couldn't a room full of scientists come up with something better than just a moon landing? Wouldn't another planet have been more interesting?

[GreenKitty]

Did Neil Armstrong Land on the moon?

 

Yes!

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

I say absolutely yes! I remember that July evening being allowed to stay up way past my bedtime. The lunar module had landed on the moon but the astronauts took about four or five hours to get ready before they would walk on the moon. Four or five of the most boooooooring hours ever. The cameras weren't the most clear pictures. (Later I learned part of that was because the shots from the moon were relayed through Houston, put on a monitor there where another camera shot the monitor and that's what we saw!)

 

But then... Neil Armstrong came out of the LEM and came down that ladder and sorta jumped sorta floated down that last gap to stand on the pad. Then he told us he was gonna step off the LEM now...

 

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"

 

Of course, that was supposed to be for "a" man. They say radio interference gunked it up. Nah... I heard it clear as a bell. Dunno how radio interference would just snip out the word "a". I think he forgot it.

 

Anyway... I was one happy kid. The moon!

 

Yet, there are those who say it was a stunt, a fabricated event. So I'm attaching a poll. What do you think?

 

Hey, this is a great poll! I would never have imagined that some do not know the theories going around about this.

 

But as to the missing "a," I heard an NPR piece on this awhile back, and here is a linguists take on the whole thing. Interview with Melissa Block. Enjoy! (There's a clip to listen to at the top of the page.)

[Nestof3]

Did Neil Armstrong land on the moon in 1969?

 

Well, I'm told he did, but I wasn't there. I don't think it is ridiculous for something to be doubted or looked into. I hope no one thinks the government would NEVER lie about anything. I really don't see what people's opinions have to do with the facts here. So, if more people believe he landed on the moon, he did?

 

My opinion based on what I've been told? Yes, he did.

[Mrs Mungo]

Yes, I believe it.

 

Most conspiracy theories have a severe flaw: the government is neither as organized nor secretive as all that.

[Jenny in Atl]

Yes, I believe it.

 

Most conspiracy theories have a severe flaw: the government is neither as organized nor secretive as all that.

 

:lol::gnorsi::leaving:

[genie]

But as to the missing "a," I heard an NPR piece on this awhile back, and here is a linguists take on the whole thing. Interview with Melissa Block. Enjoy! (There's a clip to listen to at the top of the page.)

 

I have always gotten a knot in my stomach for the poor guy every time I hear that clip. Whether he messed up or not, can anyone blame him? (not saying you or anyone here is) But here's the guy, stepping onto the Moon's surface and he has this meaningful comment to make, and either he flubs it up cuz ya know, he's stepping on the moon, or the microphone missed it or whatever. I wonder how often he gets asked about that quote vs. being asked about being on the moon. Maybe not nearly as many times. But more than enough for a moment you probably wish would just be forgotten already.

[Michelle in MO]

Yes, I believe it.

 

Most conspiracy theories have a severe flaw: the government is neither as organized nor secretive as all that.

 

I find your comment hilarious! Bless you!

[Maria/ME]

It was SO totally a conspiracy people!! America needed to be first in space travel and so they faked it! Isn't that obvious??:001_tt2:

 

Is that what you were looking for Phred??

 

My husband is a big conspiracy buff....not that we believe them all...but ask me about the Kennedy assassination...both of them...;)

[Tracey in TX]

Yes, I believe it.

 

Most conspiracy theories have a severe flaw: the government is neither as organized nor secretive as all that.

So rep worthy and doggone, I'm out for the day! That's classic.:lol:

[Parabola]

There were six separate manned moon landings.

 

NASA is planning to go back too. Plans on not only getting back to the moon by 2020 but also building a major lunar base, which we'll use for launching missions to Mars and other places in the galaxy. There's also talk of building a mining facility on the moon, there's a gas prevalent in the moon rocks that might be useful as an alternate energy source. Although I'm not sure how I personally feel about uglying up another part of the galaxy.

 

But overall, it needs done. We need to go back to the moon, we need to go to Mars, we need to work on colonizing space...otherwise the human species will end, probably way before the sun grows into a huge red star and expands beyond the Earth and other inner planets, in another 4 billion years or so. But if we make it past the problems of our doing, then eventually we will need to cope with the changes of the astronomical bodies around us, and the more planets, asteroids, satellites, etc we occupy, the more chance we have of surviving. But 4 billion years is a long long time....I have my doubts we survive that long.

 

Oh, and to answer the question...of effing course we were on the moon. No boubt adout it.

[Karen sn]

Yes, I believe it.

 

Most conspiracy theories have a severe flaw: the government is neither as organized nor secretive as all that.

 

Completely disagree here.

Secretive and organized and loaded$.

 

My question - why would the flag be blowing in the wind if there is no atmosphere?

 

I don't really care if we walked there or not. But someone raised the point about a flag blowing in the wind - and no one had an answer for that. Perhaps someone here may.

[Snickerdoodle]

Was the flag waving around? I've heard said that the flag had a wire running along the top to keep the shape.

[Soph the vet]

Completely disagree here.

Secretive and organized and loaded$.

 

My question - why would the flag be blowing in the wind if there is no atmosphere?

 

I don't really care if we walked there or not. But someone raised the point about a flag blowing in the wind - and no one had an answer for that. Perhaps someone here may.

I heard somewhere that the flag was shaking as being put in the moon and that is when the photo was taken given the appearance of it waving but I was not there so I really don't know!

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

NASA is planning to go back too. Plans on not only getting back to the moon by 2020 but also building a major lunar base, which we'll use for launching missions to Mars and other places in the galaxy. There's also talk of building a mining facility on the moon, there's a gas prevalent in the moon rocks that might be useful as an alternate energy source. Although I'm not sure how I personally feel about uglying up another part of the galaxy.

 

But overall, it needs done. We need to go back to the moon, we need to go to Mars, we need to work on colonizing space...otherwise the human species will end, probably way before the sun grows into a huge red star and expands beyond the Earth and other inner planets, in another 4 billion years or so. But if we make it past the problems of our doing, then eventually we will need to cope with the changes of the astronomical bodies around us, and the more planets, asteroids, satellites, etc we occupy, the more chance we have of surviving. But 4 billion years is a long long time....I have my doubts we survive that long.

 

.

 

In the spirit of lively discussion, I disagree with this. I think too many resources are being wasted on something that will never happen. The costs, real and hidden, are just too great to justify it. The resources would be far better spent dealing with future life on Earth.

 

On the other hand, the space industry has created, out of necessity, technologies that have changed our lives.

 

And yes I believe the moon landing happened.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Most conspiracy theories have a severe flaw: the government is neither as organized nor secretive as all that.

 

I agree on your assessment of the government as an entity. But the government is made up of people, and plenty of them are willing to use their position for their own ends, whether they be philosophical or material. And they aren't necessarily open about it either. :D

[KSGrace]

I think it's possible that he DIDN'T. I definitely think our government is that secretive. I think if we knew the things they did and covered up, we wouldn't be able to sleep at night.

 

I'm not saying he didn't land on the moon but I definitely think it's possible that it was faked.

[kokotg]

Completely disagree here.

Secretive and organized and loaded$.

 

My question - why would the flag be blowing in the wind if there is no atmosphere?

 

I don't really care if we walked there or not. But someone raised the point about a flag blowing in the wind - and no one had an answer for that. Perhaps someone here may.

 

Wikipedia (and I'm sure a number of other websites) has a long article with individual refutations for the various hoax claims. On the subject of flag blowing, it links to a video showing a stationary flag and says:

 

The astronauts were moving the flag into position. Without air drag, these movements caused the free corner of the flag to swing like a pendulum for some time. A horizontal rod, visible in many photographs, extended from the top of the flagpole to hold the flag out for proper display. The flag's rippled appearance was from folding during storage, and it could be mistaken for motion in a still photograph. The top support rod telescoped and the crew of Apollo 11 could not fully extend it. Later crews preferred to only partially extend the rod. Videotapes shows that when the flag stops after the astronauts let it go, it remains motionless. At one point the flag remains completely motionless for well over thirty minutes. (See inertia.) See the photographs below.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Moon_Landing_hoax_accusations

[JFSinIL]

Strange!

I met him at a gala event for Seattle's Museum of Flight a few years ago. He was kind and congenial, and boy, oh, boy can that man dance!

 

 

Maybe a beer to two loosens him up? ;)

[PiCO]

Do you believe the Holocaust happened?

 

I have actually talked to people who believe that was a hoax also.

 

My point is that anything can be made into a conspiracy. All evidence suggests that the lunar landing and the Holocaust actually happened. Conspiracy theorists bring up things like the flag waving (that has a logical explanation mentioned earlier) to throw off people who have not done their research.

[Mama Lynx]

In the spirit of lively discussion, I disagree with this. I think too many resources are being wasted on something that will never happen. The costs, real and hidden, are just too great to justify it. The resources would be far better spent dealing with future life on Earth.

 

On the other hand, the space industry has created, out of necessity, technologies that have changed our lives.

 

And yes I believe the moon landing happened.

 

 

Future life on earth is doomed, whether through an asteroid strike, global warming, or, if nothing else, the eventual death of the Sun. Yeah, I know, that statement sounds cheesy and dramatic, but it is true.

 

The only way for humanity to survive past our one little planet is to get off of it. I would like to see that happen.

 

Now, I do agree that we're spending too much on a bad plan ... but that has much more to do with the fact that NASA is bloated, bureaucratic, and afraid to take risks. I expect quite a bit from private industry.

 

And oh, my, yes, the Moon landings happened.

[genie]

Future life on earth is doomed, whether through an asteroid strike, global warming, or, if nothing else, the eventual death of the Sun. Yeah, I know, that statement sounds cheesy and dramatic, but it is true.

 

:iagree: (Do I ever not agree with Mamalynx? ;))

 

I agree that we need to work on taking better care of Earth, but yes, we definitely have to look beyond our planet. Not doing so would be very short-sighted.

[Heather in the Kootenays]

It's that there isn't a government capable of perpetrating such a hoax for so long.

[Heather in the Kootenays]

"Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus."

 

I was out last night and the moon landing topic came up. It was fascinating to see those gender differences come up.

[PiCO]

Yes-we landed on the moon-more than once.

 

If we didn't---couldn't a room full of scientists come up with something better than just a moon landing? Wouldn't another planet have been more interesting?

 

 

It's called Star Trek. ;)

 

Oh, wait- that wasn't scientists.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

I guess I just can't believe that our lives will be sustainable outside the planet of our origin. We are uniquely suited to life on Earth.

 

If life on Earth is doomed, so be it. I think time and resources are better spent dealing with issues bound to arise within the forseeable future. (forseeable being within the next few generations.) I believe there are natural limits to humankind's existance that can not be overcome.