“We aren’t late now, we were just really early back then.”
That they had been able to successfully pull of a moon landing with 60s technology just a couple of years after the first person in space is pretty insane!
Its amazing that since then we haven’t had much or any success in even landing anything unmanned on the moon, let alone manned. The fact that they weren’t ripped to shreds like pretty much everything else we ever tried to land, using that era’s technology, is absolutely fucking bonkers
That’s mostly irrelevant because Apollo didn’t have computers landing the ships. They were humans. Astronauts trained hard to achieve that. Computers only flew the initial takeoff and ascent. An IBM computer that stayed behind with the rocket. But Armstrong landed that bird on the moon by hand.
Also, while the on board computer allowed them to consolidate sensor input, and calculate and execute burn maneuvers (relatively easy tasks), everything was double and triple checked by mission control back on earth. With way more powerful, faster and capable computers. Anything that required reflexes or finesse was done by a human hand on a joystick.
This is why all those attempts are impressive even if ultimately failed some way or the other. Because they are autonomous landers. A technology that didn’t exist until the turn of the millennium.
America flew nine manned lunar orbit missions in the 60’s and 70’s. Apollo 8 didn’t carry a Lunar Module, CM only. 10 did a low pass in their lunar module, 11 and 12 landed, 13 had to abort, 14-17 landed. We gave the rest of the world a 50 year chance to come in tenth and nobody did so here we go again.
Canada gets to umm actually for the rest of time because there was a Canuck on Artemis 2, the rest of you are now jockeying for 11th place.
While it is a good idea to stress that this is a largely US undertaking to show that this country is not all just shit in a barrel yet, the bland nationalism in your comment unfortunately somewhat negates that impression again.
Not to veer off topic, but I always found this timeline fascinating: First straight line no frills flight was 1903. The first dogfight (with pistols) was 1913. The first [officially recognized] dogfight with machine guns was 1914. By 1915, forward-firing machine guns became standard, allowing for aggressive aerial duels.
If only science and discovery was our species’ true priority :(
That’s maybe way less impressive as it sounds but just how new tech establishes itself in a burst of progress over the first couple of decades.
E.g. we are currently just 68 years after the invention of the first integrated circuit and 55 years after the first microprocessor…
To quote some youtuber I recently watched:
“We aren’t late now, we were just really early back then.”
That they had been able to successfully pull of a moon landing with 60s technology just a couple of years after the first person in space is pretty insane!
Its amazing that since then we haven’t had much or any success in even landing anything unmanned on the moon, let alone manned. The fact that they weren’t ripped to shreds like pretty much everything else we ever tried to land, using that era’s technology, is absolutely fucking bonkers
That’s mostly irrelevant because Apollo didn’t have computers landing the ships. They were humans. Astronauts trained hard to achieve that. Computers only flew the initial takeoff and ascent. An IBM computer that stayed behind with the rocket. But Armstrong landed that bird on the moon by hand.
Also, while the on board computer allowed them to consolidate sensor input, and calculate and execute burn maneuvers (relatively easy tasks), everything was double and triple checked by mission control back on earth. With way more powerful, faster and capable computers. Anything that required reflexes or finesse was done by a human hand on a joystick.
This is why all those attempts are impressive even if ultimately failed some way or the other. Because they are autonomous landers. A technology that didn’t exist until the turn of the millennium.
Hank Green?
Yes! :-)
Couldn’t remember the name, but now found the video watched (recommended btw):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaXRREHVkHo
America flew nine manned lunar orbit missions in the 60’s and 70’s. Apollo 8 didn’t carry a Lunar Module, CM only. 10 did a low pass in their lunar module, 11 and 12 landed, 13 had to abort, 14-17 landed. We gave the rest of the world a 50 year chance to come in tenth and nobody did so here we go again.
Canada gets to umm actually for the rest of time because there was a Canuck on Artemis 2, the rest of you are now jockeying for 11th place.
A rat done bit my sister Nell.
(with Whitey on the Moon)
Her face and arms began to swell.
(and Whitey’s on the Moon)
I can’t pay no doctor bill.
(but Whitey’s on the Moon)
Ten years from now I’ll be paying still
(while Whitey’s on the Moon)
Instead of focusing on becoming 10th, we just gave ourselves healthcare. It is a wondrous achievement going around the moon though.
While it is a good idea to stress that this is a largely US undertaking to show that this country is not all just shit in a barrel yet, the bland nationalism in your comment unfortunately somewhat negates that impression again.
Maybe fix your problems here on earth first but who am I
it says right there on the card Photonic
Also, only 66 years after the first manned flight!
Not to veer off topic, but I always found this timeline fascinating: First straight line no frills flight was 1903. The first dogfight (with pistols) was 1913. The first [officially recognized] dogfight with machine guns was 1914. By 1915, forward-firing machine guns became standard, allowing for aggressive aerial duels.
If only science and discovery was our species’ true priority :(
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMwE0zDGKNU
That’s maybe way less impressive as it sounds but just how new tech establishes itself in a burst of progress over the first couple of decades.
E.g. we are currently just 68 years after the invention of the first integrated circuit and 55 years after the first microprocessor…