Posted on 07/24/2024 9:23:27 AM PDT by Ezekiel
On July 24, 1969, Apollo 11 was 47,000 miles from Earth and rapidly accelerating toward its home planet when astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins awoke for their last day in space, preparing for their splashdown in the Pacific Ocean 950 miles southwest of Hawaii. The previous day, managers were forced to move the splashdown point by 250 miles to the northeast due to inclement weather at the original recovery site.
The aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CVS-12), the prime recovery ship for Apollo 11, was speeding for the new splashdown target area. Overcast skies made stellar navigation impossible, so Hornet used the ancient mariner’s technique of dead reckoning to arrive on time and at the proper position to recover crew and spacecraft. Hornet’s commanding officer Capt. Carl J. Seiberlich chose the slogan Hornet Plus 3 for the operation, signifying the safe recovery of the three Apollo 11 astronauts.
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Columbia in Stable 2 position shortly after splashdown. Credit: US Navy Mitch Bucklew.
Initially, Columbia assumed the Stable 2 position in the water, with the spacecraft’s apex pointing downward. Within a few minutes, three flotation bags inflated to right the spacecraft. Then began a carefully choreographed and intensively rehearsed process to recover the astronauts and the capsule from the ocean and transport them to Hornet. Unlike previous recoveries, Apollo 11’s was more complicated due to the back-contamination prevention measures that had to be strictly adhered to.
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Lots more, with photos (from 2019):
https://www.nasa.gov/history/50-years-ago-hornet-3-the-recovery-of-apollo-11/
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Back from the Moon, Apollo Astronauts Had to Go Through Customs
"Yes, it's authentic," NASA spokesperson John Yembrick told Space.com. "It was a little joke at the time."
https://www.space.com/7044-moon-apollo-astronauts-customs.html
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Locations of Pacific Ocean splashdowns of American spacecraft
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I feel like pinging a notorious FReeper who rants on and on often about how this and all other Moon landings were faked. Shot on a Hollywood back lot.
But I’ll just leave it alone.
“Shot on a Hollywood back lot.”
Nonsense, Kubrick insisted they be filmed on the moon for added authenticity.
Buzz Aldrin's travel expense report ...
I’m getting old.
Well, the alternative sucks.
5.56mm
What an ingrate. He had an all expenses paid trip to the Moon and back, and he submits a $33 travel expense bill to get to the launch site?
lol
Travel Accounting will absolutely BUST YO’ ASS if you leave anything out of your TER.
What a fun memory!
Thanks!
‘Face
💖
What a fun memory!
Thanks!
‘Face
💖
Having another birthday is much better than not having another birthday. :^)
OTOH, old age isn’t as nice as it sounds.
Seems like I’d read that somewhere before... ;^)
Neil taking the first steps, now that was a pretty good day.
I was watching this on TV with my family. My grandmother was with us. I remember Nana telling us all to say a prayer as the craft was coming down.
It seems to be the norm for today, so I’m ignoring it all!
I had to save the immigration form. It was just too clever not to!
I remember. I was 11 years old, Nixon was President, America was still that “shining city on a hill”, and possibilities were endless.
Dad was staioned at San Vito AB, Brindisi Italy at the time. We were on a family vacation camping at Polsano Beach and watched it all on a nice Italian family’s TV. They actually came and got us so we could see it. They were so excited, I was never so proud to be an American.
Heh! I remember seeing that expense report in Buzz’s book, “Return to Earth.”
:^)
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