- Its a complete Farce ! Sunny D is the way to be ! - Trajan K
Walking on the Moon
Tang is a farce. That was the first thing Neil Armstrong told me last night. “We did not use it on the Apollo missions.”
I asked him, of all of the systems and stages of the mission, which did he worry about the most? (the frequently failing autopilot? the reliance on a global network of astronomers to spot solar flares in time to get the warning out? the onboard computers being less powerful than a Furby?....)
He gave a detailed answer about the hypergolic fuel mixing system for the lunar module. Rather than an ignition system, they had two substances that would ignite upon contact. Instead of an electric pump, he wished he had a big simple lever to mechanically initiate mixing.
That seemed a bit odd to me at first. So, I asked if he gave that answer because it really was the most likely point of failure, or because it symbolizes a vivid nightmare – having completed the moon mission, pushing the button... and the engines just wont start.
He responded that he had dreams about that for two years prior to the launch.
Comments and faves
recurrence, Bistrosavage, gdsanders, The Rocketeer, and 21 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Eppie (87 months ago | reply)
Scary dreams. While you fulfill all of our good ones, jurvetson. Better you - I would be tongue tied talking to Neil...
kytheria [deleted] (87 months ago | reply)
Oh my god!! you spoke to him in real?!! and when i first saw the pic i thought its a wax statue..!!
Sunburn (87 months ago | reply)
No way-- he's drinking wine! Wax statues always drink liquor on ice.
TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³ (87 months ago | reply)
Hey! why all this fuzz?! just because he walked on the moon? Oh, sorry, I forgot that you -humans- are not used to the space yet. Neil walked on the moon and ain´t no doubt about it. You have a lot to thank to these astronauts. For their success, you celebrate International Friend´s Day in July 20.
And now, with my head down to Earth, I see space and cyberspace conquerors gather together in this photo. Quite unique. My deepest respect. |-)
carignan (87 months ago | reply)
I'm absolutely shattered. They didn't use Tang. I used to drink that every morning. My childhood breakfast was a farce.
The Rocketeer (87 months ago | reply)
I can't wait to talk to my uncle about this and see what he says about that chemical ignition system. He was working on the space program from the very beginning and retired after he finished the Challenger. He was the Project Engineer for the Challenger. When he'd visit us, we'd all get something space related. I got a couple of tiles from the shuttle program once (test tiles) and I have a window of an Apollo capsule also. He said they cost something like $30,000 each. He had 5 and gave me one after he bought them at a "garage sale" at Rockwell International one time. Unfortunately, someone swiped the ones he had. I still have mine. I'll find it one day soon and show you a photo of it. It's about an inch think of "optically perfect" glass with a anti-reflective coating. Very cool stuff.
artwitness (87 months ago | reply)
Wow. I'm so envious, words cannot express.
Weird, he looks almost the same as he did 35 years ago.
You're VERY lucky you got a chance to chat with him. From what I've seen he never gives interviews of any sort about the landing in person. I think Frontline or Nova tried to get him for a segment and they ended up having to do a writeup.
cxJeff (87 months ago | reply)
Hypergolic fuels. They achieved their useful quality of igniting upon contact with each other at the expense of being extremely nasty substances. I believe the reaction control thrusters on the orbiter use the same fuels, and that's why they bring out those big blower fans on the runway after landing, before they let anyone approach.
Also, anyone interested in the Apollo project should check out Apollo by Charles Murray and Catherine Bly Cox. It's not about the astronauts, it's about the engineers, systems people, and flight controllers--the people who designed and controlled those missions with scratch pads, slide rules, and b&w screens full of numbers (and no fancy graphics). I can't recommend it highly enough--it's the best non-fiction I've ever read.
Sunburn (87 months ago | reply)
I'm really impressed, Steve, at such an interesting question-- I can't imagine he's gotten that one before, and perhaps (who can say) it's elicited a valuable insight into the man's mind. Definitely something you can't get from the hundred-millionth iteration of "What was it like to walk on the moon for the first time?"
Sound like the guy's still as sharp as a tack, too. Anyway, asking the question suggests to m that you must be really good at what you do.
My dad runs into Captain James Lovell, the commander of Apollo 13, from time to time, as they're both retired Navy captains in similar post-navy careers. One could fairly guess what his answer to that question would be, but if my dad's game, I'll see if he can try it out on the man, heh.
lysdexia [deleted] (87 months ago | reply)
I can beat those punks at NASA.
Billy The Kid [deleted] (87 months ago | reply)
This is why Steve is the best technology photo blogger in existance. Where else are you going to find a candid photo of Niel Armstrong, Bill Gates, among others, in addition to cutting edge technology and acient history.
The Rocketeer (87 months ago | reply)
Dittos, Billy. Nobody I've found outdoes Steve on technology blogging. I really appreciate him sharing his exciting life with us through his blog and his photos.
jurvetson (87 months ago | reply)
{blush}
Here's a more serious photo of Neil in action...
sam_ (86 months ago | reply)
But... I love Tang...
_sarchi (86 months ago | reply)
Did armstrong know I wonder? they used bombs in the run-up to all up controversa
to ignite the waterfall of fuel that cascaded through each of the five engine nozzles on stage one article
gdsanders (85 months ago | reply)
Amazing! Talk about rubbing shoulders with a celebrity. To heck with Hollywood, this guy is a REAL celebrity.
People 1,000 years from now will know about Neil Armstrong.
Funny Fish (85 months ago | reply)
I just like the way you look into the camera! Like coming from another planet!
TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³ (85 months ago | reply)
he does. |-)
BombDog (81 months ago | reply)
He's a star indeed - but, gdsanders, 1000 years from now people will remember the name of the man/woman who first walked on Mars.
Steve - how long were you holding the Tang pack for in this pose? Looks like you're beginning to lose Neil to a passing tray of canapes!
; )
jurvetson (81 months ago | reply)
not long... it was more of an ambush shot. ;-)
Voe. (75 months ago | reply)
Neil Armstrong have never walked on the moon. All this "moon landing" was a big hoax made by NASA and Stanley Kubrick which is easy to proof.
jurvetson (75 months ago | reply)
Pirates are always right. I have proof too:
_sarchi (75 months ago | reply)
..that's got to be one of the dumbest human traits always willing to listen to facts that's like saying hurricane katrina never happened..spoilers please? bad astronomy does the tiresome crawl out of the sea..
TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³ (75 months ago | reply)
"Pirates are always right. I have proof too"
best.comeback.ever.arrrrrr! P-)
My Symbiosis [deleted] (71 months ago | reply)
Very cool! Glad you had a chance to interview him :>
Thank you for sharing your photo on our 4th of July thread.
The World Through My Eyes
~Reshma~ (68 months ago | reply)
holy cow! what an honor!
holotone (67 months ago | reply)
Tang?!? Nigga, please...
roddh (65 months ago | reply)
interesting story. funny picture.
worm628 (53 months ago | reply)
You are the man, I bow to your superiority. He's on the list of people I'd like to meet, along with Stephen Hawking and Michio Kaku.
Haroldo Kennedy (51 months ago | reply)
Eu já sabia!
I already knew!
USA Marketing 1000 X Global Consumers 0
Philippe Lejeanvre (46 months ago | reply)
Argh!! How lucky you are!
london3609 (45 months ago | reply)
Wow, I'm jealous!
ideastoday (41 months ago | reply)
Armstrong is awesome! I ran into him in the airport last summer.
AH in Pgh (40 months ago | reply)
He had nightmares for 2 years but he still climbed in and blasted off. That's courage.
Jeff Clow (35 months ago | reply)
Great story, Steve.....I've read a lot about him but never that story about his nightmares.
jurvetson (33 months ago | reply)
thanks. I just read this interesting passage in Apollo (p.359):
london3609 (33 months ago | reply)
If you haven't already you must pick up a copy of Mike Collins's Carrying the Fire. I've read just about all the astronaut books and his is by far the best!
ideastoday (33 months ago | reply)
Agreed! Carrying the Fire is excellent.
jurvetson (33 months ago | reply)
Thanks! Will read that one next.
ParishTorch (32 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called People Who have Had Their Photos taken With Celebrities, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
jurvetson (31 months ago | reply)
And this just in from the LRO... footsteps from Apollo 11...
jurvetson (25 months ago | reply)
london3609 & Ideastoday: Yes, that book was awesome. Read a little bit of Buzz's new book, and I have a new thick one with me on vacation.
Here's a very interesting update on the story that Neil told me. My buddy Erik was bidding on an Apollo 11 checklist page that was used on the moon. Buzz wrote a letter to accompany the document, in which he says:
"A few hours earlier, after we returned to the LM interior once completing the first lunar moon walk, I noticed that the ascent engine arming breaker push/pull switch was broken. Apparently during movement wearing our large space suit 'backpacks,' either Neil or I bumped into this panel and broke off that particular switch. This switch was the direct means of arming our Ascent Stage engine which would allow us to leave the lunar surface. Mission Control verified that the switch was open, meaning that the engine was currently unarmed. If we could not get the engine armed, we would be stranded on the Moon. They advised us to leave the switch in the open position until the timeline called for it to be engaged. I started to think of ways to activate the switch if pushing it by hand failed. As it turned out, the very pen I used to record these notes was the perfect tool to engage this circuit breaker."
An amazing background stressor during the mission's activities!
london3609 (25 months ago | reply)
Incredible! Thanks for sharing that, I never would've seen it otherwise, it was fun to browse through some of the other lots as well.
It amazes me to think of how calm and collected the Apollo-era astronauts had to be to survive. I attended a book-signing last summer of Alan Bean's latest and he gave a lecture afterwards. I was astounded at the optimism and courage of the entire Apollo program, and he just embodied it so perfectly. Sometimes I wonder if we could collect a group as ambitious, intelligent, and dedicated to return-- I know it's corny to say it but these guys really had The Right Stuff! And how cool was it to hear from Neil in the news? His letter was profoundly stated, and I loved the way it was signed also by Lovell and Cernan, all Commanders of Apollo missions-- that's hard to ignore! It's painful to hear people that undermine the importance of NASA. The advances to technology aside, the economical benefits, etc., all that aside-- how could anyone get used to the idea that we went to the moon? I mean, that's just amazing.
london3609 (25 months ago | reply)
Also--
you'll have to tell us how Buzz's new book is. I don't think I've read any of his books entirely. I'll have to check it out.
ideastoday (25 months ago | reply)
Glad you enjoyed it! Have you seen the "When We Left Earth" series that was on Discovery? It's a pretty sensational account, but the great footage from the early NASA years makes it worthwhile.
Archivist Llewellyn (25 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Apollo 11 40th Anniversary Celebrations Around the World, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
jurvetson (16 months ago | reply)
P.S. I recently acquired a Valve Package Assembly from the LM ascent engine, the complex beast that Neil referred to:
I also have a LM descent engine, and the valve package is much simpler...