RIP Neil Armstrong

How much better the world would be if ideological competition between nations was fought solely through space races and not wars.

for real. <3

It's cool that someone just went somewhere, picked up some souvenirs, freestyled some poetry, and came back. The whole event is like performance art. And the economic benefits were not too shabby either:

A November 1971 study of NASA released by the Midwest Research Institute of Kansas City, Missouri concluded that the $25 billion in 1958 dollars spent on civilian space R & D during the 1958-1969 period has returned $52 billion through 1971 -- and will continue to produce pay offs through 1987, at which time the total pay off will have been $181 billion. The discounted rate of return for this investment will have been 33 percent.”

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

That is over $300 billion in 2012 dollars, and that is without exploiting anything other than the spectacle.

And if you think it's fake, then you believe the U.S. government spent the modern equivalent of $1.7 billion dollars on an art film watched simultaneously by 500 million people.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/hold-state-funeral-neil-armstrong-symbol-american-dream-and-inspiration-generations/f2Nkgn6G

Creating an account requires less personal info than Facebook.

"signatures needed by September 24" - isn't a funeral usually a bit sooner?

many xposts, but yes, i meant the moonshot by dan parry.

Dutch Newspaper De Telegraaf broke the news on their site like this: ("first man on earth dead")

http://i49.tinypic.com/rm360i.jpg

matt p think you're still in need of a few more "truthful zings"

wow, I had no idea what this book was about
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2cidjTIuZP8/Tl7r8MdgEkI/AAAAAAAAA18/oKMQ1wnevlA/s1600/moon%2Bshot.jpg

For All Mankind (1989), streaming on Hulu

The best documentary, ever, about the experience of the Apollo crews. With an oft quoted Brian Eno/Daniel Lanois soundtrack.

Watching it with some tears.

oh that's a good one

damn I need to see that

It is spectacular.

a moonship journey, if you will

― the late great, Saturday, August 25, 2012 5:04 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark

nice.

;-)

now, for the other view

http://stuffblackpeopledontlike.blogspot.com/2009/07/53-space-exploration.html

not sure if this is hard-trolling or not but in honor of matt p ...

I'm not so sure we even deserve a space program.

One thing the obits have brought home for me is that there isn't a really great iconic picture of Armstrong on the surface of the moon because the great famous shots were taken by Armstrong of Aldrin. But this Reddit post claiming to be from the head of press relations for the mission says that the famous photo of an astronaut saluting the flag was misattributed and is actually of Armstrong.

So I've spent ten minutes staring at the photos trying to match up any distinguishing features of the suits or the patterns of moon dust on them to work out if this might be true, until finally it hit me: wow, these are people, on the moon, with MOON DUST up their legs. And this was too overwhelmingly immense and awesome to continue with my nitpicking investigation.

sort of a half-baked blog post linked there but wow, i never knew about that editorial(?) from the NYT in 1969:

For all his resplendent glory as he steps forth on another planet, man is still a pathetic creature, able to master outer space and yet unable to control his inner self; able to conquer new worlds yet unable to live in peace on this one, able to create miracles of science and yet unable properly to house and clothe and feed all his fellow men, able eventually to colonize an alien and hostile environment and yet increasingly unable to come to terms with the nurturing environment that is his home.

Aldrin:

I am very saddened to learn of the passing of Neil Armstrong today. Neil and I trained together as technical partners but were also good friends who will always be connected through our participation in the mission of Apollo 11. Whenever I look at the moon it reminds me of the moment over four decades ago when I realized that even though we were farther away from earth than two humans had ever been, we were not alone. Virtually the entire world took that memorable journey with us. I know I am joined by millions of others in mourning the passing of a true American hero and the best pilot I ever knew. My friend Neil took the small step but giant leap that changed the world and will forever be remembered as a landmark moment in human history.

Higgledy-piggledy
Armstrong the astronaut
rode in a rocket ship
up to the moon.

"Not made of cheese," said the
Wapakonetian.
"Sounds kind of crazy, but
it’s a balloon."

― weatheringdaleson, Friday, September 14, 2007 7:45 AM (4 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

RIP

I remember the Moon Shot miniseries on TNT, I think. Barry Corbin narrated it, and they cut back & forth from archival footage to present day interviews. I remember Gene Kranz breaking down on camera and being comforted by the offscreen interviewer when recounting the Apollo 13 rescue efforts.

Heh; I'm just now remembering that my gifted class teacher got me out of school one day in 5th grade to go see Jim Lovell speak in Flint, MI.

HE TOOK THEREMIN MUSIC INTO SPACE. WHAT A DUDE.

http://www.overgrownpath.com/2006/03/neil-armstrong-finally-reveals-his.html

Woah

Hey, I have that Dr Samuel Hoffman collection!

sort of a half-baked blog post linked there but wow, i never knew about that editorial(?) from the NYT in 1969:

For all his resplendent glory as he steps forth on another planet, man is still a pathetic creature, able to master outer space and yet unable to control his inner self; able to conquer new worlds yet unable to live in peace on this one, able to create miracles of science and yet unable properly to house and clothe and feed all his fellow men, able eventually to colonize an alien and hostile environment and yet increasingly unable to come to terms with the nurturing environment that is his home.

The very first "if they can put a man on the moon, why can't they . . ." I guess.

it's a little more of a ... "let's take this moment to reflect on how great we can be, and try to bring that greatness to our efforts at home"

LBJ called that The Great Society program, which actually worked much better than the conservative propaganda would have us believe. Unfortunately, in order to sell the idea, the liberals overpromised on the results.

Hey, I have that Dr Samuel Hoffman collection!

Me too!

0 of 57 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars No Man has ever Walked on the Moon, January 16, 2012
By iruri - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts (Paperback)
I won't be reading this book. It is based on a Real Moon Landing, therefore I will not be reading a book touted as Real based on a Pack of Lies.

carlos ‏@famouscrab
i think when they were maybe reading the resumes for apolo 11 they didnt even get past the names. BUZZ? MAN WITH STRONG ARM? F*KIN SWEET

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/687709main_armstrong_burial_cropped_946-710.jpg

What it was like to hang out with Neil Armstrong over the past couple of years.

Read a whole bunch of books about the Apollo program because of this thread and a few more are still waiting.

what did you read? recommendations plz

(xp)That was awesome. Thanks, Chris.

After the good book with the title Moonshot, the one by Dan Parry, I read Moondust, by Andrew Smith, where he interviews all the surviving moonwalkers and tries to find out what it was like- rave review from Arthur C. Clarke and J. G. Ballard! Then Andrew Chaikin's A Man On The Moon, which is kind of a standard work that narrates all the Apollo missions which, although it has its longueurs when they are on the ground, does a really good job once they are in flight. Then the most excellent How Apollo Flew to the Moon, by W. David Woods, which goes into as much technical as you could want without reading the actual NASA manuals. Paged through Al Worden's Falling to Earth, saving up Mike Collin's Carrying The Fire, which is supposed to be the best of the "nose cone histories."

Mike Collins. Lately my apostrophes have started floating in microgravity.

Did not read Gene Cernan's book or Chris Kraft's, nor Deke!, although the last is supposed to be pretty good. Nor 2012's Forever Young.

Also, please feel free to help answer this important question if you can: Apollo 8 anniversary RFI: which astronaut brought along "Sleepwalk" on his spaceman Walkman?.

this is p cool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9HdPi9Ikhk&feature=youtu.be

*Bump* to RIP the Last Man, Gene Cernan.

Rip lance armstrong, inventor of the trumpet