The Moon Landing

[Kalalau]

Today, the 20th of July, is the 40th anniversary of the first landing on the moon. Where were you when it happened?

I was in a basement apartment near the U of Oregon in Eugene watching a 10inch black & white TV. I checked the streets, they were totally, absolutely empty; everybody was watching the landing. Its funny how interest waned after the landing, I never expected that, I thought by now there'd be at least a few settlements up there.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: The Moon Landing

Watching every moment I could on our tv sets at home, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. My memories of the landing are less clear than those of the first Moon-walk, which I recall watching on the tv in my older brother's bedroom, along with my brother and father. My sister and mother weren't interested(!)

I was a freak about the mission - I had built a model of the Saturn V rocket, complete with detachable stages, including removable two-stage LEM and two-part Command Module. I moved the pieces around the house in representation of where the mission was at that moment.

A few years later, I believe my brother blew the model up for a film he made in college. I was a crappy model-maker anyway.

[helen]

Re: The Moon Landing

I was home watching the TV about the moon landing. It was in the afternoon here in Hawaii when it happened.

[Kalalau]

Re: The Moon Landing

There is a lot of future ahead of the human race and ahead of life on Earth. The same innate drive to explore that brought the Polynesians to Hawai'i and the first Africans out of Africa also brought the first fish out of the sea, it brought the first plants out of the sea. Relentlessly it will drive either the human race or whatever intelligent species comes along after us into space. In the fairly near future, like the next 500 years, whatever culture or society or nation takes possession of the Moon probably also takes possession of Mars, and with it the whole of the future. So if you are interested in what the language spoken a thousand years from now will be, or what if anything will be worshiped then, its probably best to keep an eye on who makes the conclusive moves to take possession of the Moon. The opening moves have already been made.

[Ron Whitfield]

Deffinitely an 'I remember' moment...

In the So. Cal suburbs, after sunset, at a friend's house playing around outside while the more mature and appreciative crowd sat in front of the tube. Only when it was right near landing time did I give in and watch. Pretty spectacular, suspense up the ying yang, relief that all was going and went well, a good feeling of pride and American accomplishment, and wondering what the future held.

10 years later the space program wound down and we pretty much sucked as a country from then on.

Where the hell is my jet pack and space car?!

[salmoned]

Re: The Moon Landing

There is a lot of future ahead of the human race and ahead of life on Earth. The same innate drive to explore that brought the Polynesians to Hawai'i and the first Africans out of Africa also brought the first fish out of the sea, it brought the first plants out of the sea. Relentlessly it will drive either the human race or whatever intelligent species comes along after us into space. In the fairly near future, like the next 500 years, whatever culture or society or nation takes possession of the Moon probably also takes possession of Mars, and with it the whole of the future. So if you are interested in what the language spoken a thousand years from now will be, or what if anything will be worshiped then, its probably best to keep an eye on who makes the conclusive moves to take possession of the Moon. The opening moves have already been made.

Sounds like someone's testing out their new 'revelations' prior to hardcopy publication! There was no 'innate drive' in any of those past occurences - they were 'random events' in the most scientific meaning of the term, within the guidelines of their organizational systems. Also, a vision of 500 years into the future only rates as fantasy or sci-fi, especially at this level of detail.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: The Moon Landing

And, to properly renew my geek credentials, I must correct myself:

I was a freak about the mission - I had built a model of the Saturn V rocket, complete with detachable stages, including removable two-stage LEM and two-part Command Module.

Of course, I meant "two-part Command and Service Module."

[tutusue]

Re: The Moon Landing

I'm remembering family and friends gathered at my home in Manhattan Beach, Ca., for my youngest spawn's first birthday party...and the excitement of the moon landing after the party. But my memory must be playing tricks on me 'cuz her birthday is July 27 and I don't recall ever having a birthday party a week early!

[helen]

Re: The Moon Landing

I think you was right the first time. The Command Module also had the escape tower attached to it so in case of an emergency it would taken the Command Module away from the launch vehicle. After a successful launch the escape tower would be jettisoned.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: The Moon Landing

I think you was right the first time. The Command Module also had the escape tower attached to it so in case of an emergency it would taken the Command Module away from the launch vehicle. After a successful launch the escape tower would be jettisoned.

Oh, good point; so it was actually a three-part piece on the model, as the Command Module could be separated from the Service Module, plus the escape tower (which I would have removed shortly after take-off, since it is jettisoned at about 295,000 feet - about 30 seconds after second-stage ignition), which I had forgotten. This is rocket science, after all - one of your specialty areas, helen.

[helen]

Re: The Moon Landing

I had built a model of the Saturn V rocket, complete with detachable stages, including removable two-stage LEM and two-part Command Module.

So was this model from Revell or Monogram?

I did have the kit from Revell which had the Apollo Command, Service and Lunar Modules. The Lunar module was on a piece of moonscape and the Command and Service modules were connected to piece of plastic over the moonscape. I can't remember the year that I had it other than I stop making the plastic models before 1970.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: The Moon Landing

So was this model from Revell or Monogram?

Probably the Revell 1:144 scale model, since I likely got it either December 1968 or April 1969; wasn't Monogram the 1983 reissue?

[Walkoff Balk]

Re: The Moon Landing

When did MTV planted their flag on the moon?

[cynsaligia]

Re: The Moon Landing

When did MTV planted their flag on the moon?

they didn't. don't you know, it was all a hoax! ask whoopi!

has anyone seen this show? we caught it over the weekend.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: The Moon Landing

When did MTV planted their flag on the moon?

August 1, 1981 (unless it was, as cynsaligia noted, all a hoax).

Great ... now "Video Killed the Radio Star" will be stuck in my head ...