One giant blunder for mankind: how NASA lost moon pictures

The Sydney Morning Herald ^ | 08/05/2006 | Richard Macey

[free_at_jsl.com]

I can't help but wonder if perhaps the tapes were 'borrowed' for use in the production of the movie "for all mankind" (1989) and not returned. The timing would be about right (sent back to Goddard about 5 years earlier).

If you haven't seen the film, I highly recommend it.

JSL

[operation clinton cleanup]

The problem is that we were uninvited guests to the Moon, and told not to return.

[oxcart]

If China or the Soviets act up we will see the technology again. Fighting backward Islamic wacko's does not make for much need for rockets to Mars.

It is amazing what those backward engineers could do with a slide rule and some yankee engineering. Kelly Johnson and the Skunk Works at Lockheed are one of the best example of what America can do when we want to. Ideas, leadership and the will to win (or survive) make this country what it is.

Those Mars rovers are doing a pretty good job...or are they on a Hollywood set also?

Read The Skunk Works By Ben Rich, that book will make your jaw drop open at the problems they overcame.

[oxcart]

Thanks, I will try to find it.

[supercat]

I have an 8mm copy of the first moon walk if that's any help. I wonder it was done video -> other video -> film, or whether it was shot from the original video source? It would have been obvious even then that shooting the film off the original video source would make sense, but I have no idea whether they did.

[Calvin Locke]

I met a guy that worked at minicomputer computer. He said he couldn't get a tape drive working for love or
money. He dumped it out a window, in to the pond or lake below one night.

Perhaps getting a local dive club to scour the bottom of Greenbelt Pond (Lake?) might be a consideration?
I could just picture some guys attempting curling with film reels on a lazy winter afternoon.

[Calvin Locke]

The Clinton administration's Space Policy? Or the UN's?

[Calvin Locke]

Maybe happened in the era of NASA budget cuts? Thanks, Fritz. And fellow Senator Proxmire.

[tet68]

"There will only ever be one first moon walk."

Can't they just get Michael Jackson to do it again for them?

[hoosierham]

see post 61.

No substitute for plain incompetence.

And SamAdams, I too am beginning to believe Wayne Green and others that the whole thing is a put on show because the scientists found no one could surive outside the Van Allen belts due to the high energy particles and radiation.That's why it has been nothing but robots since.

[King Prout]

oh, god... the tinfoilhatters will be all over this like stink on rice...

[RightWhale]

Yeah, we did send men to the moon several times. The public lost interest and Nixon didn't know where the moon was. So Congress was free to snipe at any kind of technology while they were sniping at the Vietnam thing. Everything went down in flames.

[RightWhale]

The van Allen Belts were the problem. They collect and concentrate charged particles. Solar activity was closely monitored for the moon flights and they tried to time things so there wasn't an active solar storm aimed at earth but the phase of the moon was right for the mission.

[Redleg Duke]

" Exactly nine months after the Roswell UFO incident ... Al Gore was born.

Finally, something about Algore that makes sense.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

The closing scene of the government warehouse in the first Indiana Jones movie comes to mind!

Or this movie:

[One_who_hopes_to_know]

Wow! But why did they take an Arizona highway sign all the way to the MOON???

Man you just don't get it. They brought the moon to Arizona. You know how I can prove it? ... Well ... what is closer ... the moon ... or London?

I bet you thought London. Well, look out your window. You can usually see the moon. Can you see London?

PROOF!!

[Old Professer]

I know where they filmed it but it's covered with houses now.

[IronJack]

Hmmmmmm. So ... if she floats ... she must be a duck? Made of wood? I'm confused ...

[One_who_hopes_to_know]

I'm confused ...

Ahhh ... not surprising. But nothing to be ashamed of. Only a select few have been entrusted with the light. Persevere grasshopper, remain humble and perhaps you shall also obtain the contentment of enlightment.

[bimbo]

Seems to me that the question all Americans should be asking is:

Why haven't we heard of/seen these before? Has NASA been holding them for 37 years as ransom against a budget cut?