Posted on 07/20/2005 3:44:45 AM PDT by lunarbicep
That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
At 10:56 p.m. EDT on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the Moon. This image was taken from the telecast of the event, watched by over half a billion people around the world. Armstrong composed the quote after landing on the Moon, he had meant to say, "That's one small step for a man ...". The pictures were taken by the Apollo lunar surface camera, mounted on one of the LM legs. The black bar running through the center of the picture is an anomaly in the Goldstone ground data system.
I was 13 on that day and launched a Centuri Saturn 5 model rocket I had built right after watching the landing and after Armstrong set foot on the surface.
Any more model rocket geeks here on Free Republic?
Oh my goodness !!!! even google has elected to recognize today anniversary
Thanks for the reminder! In my life time, men have always been able to go to the moon, but I'll ping someone who's old enough to remember this ...
LOL! When you click on Google you get great satellite images of the moon, locations of moon landings. If you zoom in close I think you can see a flag on the surface!
I was 10 years old.... and at a park with my parents for a family reunion. Aunts, Uncles, etc. and I remember my Grandfather repeating over and over "There ain't no way in h*@# that they are on the moon".
I remember the day very well. I was pulled inside and plunked down in front of a small black and white television with a grainy reception that I was normally never allowed to watch. I think I was nine at the time.
My hometown! ;-)
I was at boarding school here in Australia. I was 13 and it was the first time we'd had television in the school - they bought enough that we could all watch this, and we wouldn't let them take them away afterwards - we almost mounted a rebellion.
We were kids who'd been born just before spaceflight became a reality, and it was so exciting. I remember the dead silence that came over the room of overexcited boys when the masters threatened that anyone who made a noise wouldn't be able to watch.
Then after the historic moments - very shortly after - we went outside and all of mature teenagers started playing spaceman games.
I am still in awe of this achievement, especially considering the technology that was available at the time.
Ha! this one's linkable ...
I didn't notice the 'link' before, when I just grabbed the graphic. Can't see the flag you reference but be sure to zoom all the way in to prove a long thought urban legend as fact after all!!
And during that trip to see my Grandmother, she took out her TEETH!
And yes, I saw it all happen on B/W TV. I wouldn't change it for the moon.
/Salute, God Bless.
I wouldn't be born for another 3 months when Neil put his feet on the lunar surface. The earliest recollection of anything of import was the night Nixon resigned. At the tender age of 3 1/2, I knew he was railroaded. I despise the RATS... ;)
"Any more model rocket geeks here on Free Republic?'
Cineroc.
I was 13 that summer day. I remember it like yesterday, I think I was the only one inside watching as it landed. Later that evening, our family watched those first steps together. Such a moment, waters my eyes thinking about it.
I remeber when the whole elementary school was in the cafeteria watching one TV for the Mercury and Gemini flights...and the spashdowns!
I never did make it to that childhood dream of being an astronaut but have enjoyed a career in aerospace nonetheless.
Sadly, the pioneering spirit and the attention the space program got in those days seems to be a thing of the past.
So our budget would be hurt, whoop-dee. Let the Libs cry!
Maybe they'll realize that we won the cold war, or not...
That's interesting. I was born in '72, but I remember seeing watergate hearings on television. It's a vague memory at best, but even so I've always thought it was strange that something like a senate investigation hearing would stick in the mind of a 2-year-old. I do not remember Nixon resigning.
Armstrong replied.."I was thinking that here I am sitting atop this tremendously complex piece of technology, consisting of millions of parts, each one made by the lowest bidder."
I was all of 6 months old when Neil landed on the moon. My only memories of the Apollo program are Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz. And at the age of 5, I kinda remember the whole Watergate kerfuffle. I knew immediately that I would never support the RATS.
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