7/20/14 9:17 PM

wearing my speedmaster "moonwatch" to mark the occassion.

besides being flight qualified for the space program, aldrin/armstrong actually used one of their issued speedmasters to time EVA activity while on the moon -- one of their official mission timers wasnt working properly.

the iconic speedmaster played an even bigger role in the ill-fated apollo 13 mission and was used to hand-time the course-adjustment burn that allowed the crew to return safely to earth.

7/20/14 9:28 PM

On my sister's b-day. ;)

7/21/14 6:08 AM

It's funny, I don't remember the telecast of the "small step" at all, though I'm sure the whole family was watching. To me, the landing was the crucial moment, and the boot in the dust an artificially dramatic anti-climax.

I distinctly remember listening to the landing on the radio, the long pause in transmission just before landing, and the thrill that shot through me at the words, "Houston, Tranquility Base here." Even if Neil hadn't flubbed the "step" line, I think he chose a more evocative line for the landing itself.

Anyway, a day to remember and ponder.

7/21/14 12:57 PM

I remember the landing itself--my dad and younger brother and I ran outside and set off firecrackers (it was the middle of the afternoon, IIRC)! And then we stayed pretty much glued to the TV (B&W, in those days) until they walked on the moon.

We DID things in those days. We should do them now.

7/21/14 2:28 PM

It is my earliest memory. I was 3 and remember my parents sitting me down in front of the TV and Cronkite's deep voice over as Armstrong exited the LM. It was over my head at the time. I lived in a small house in Goosecreek SC. The TV was a floor console behemoth and black and white. Not that it mattered for that feed. I also remember my first exposure to war via that TV and Vietnam. Sad, the best of humanity and the worst at such a young age.

7/21/14 3:05 PM

"Sad, the best of humanity and the worst at such a young age."

Dunno, 20ish years earlier might qualify better as worst. But yeah, I hear ya!

7/21/14 3:41 PM

War in general.

7/21/14 4:01 PM

yeah, sorry for splitting hairs. But WWII qualifies as worst I guess my thought was. Not that Nam was a party...

But you are forgetting that the moon landing did not actually happen, it was filmed in a studio. I read that on the internet so it must be true. ;0

What was the line he flubbed supposed to be?
'For a man' or something?

7/21/14 8:48 PM

Exactly. "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" doesn't make sense. "a man" would.

7/22/14 3:35 AM

Well, given the circumstances I don't any of us would have been able to put together a sentence at all. The man had only recently flown a device down to it's last liters of fuel and almost crashed landed on the Moon. I am sure no matter how cool he was on the outside, he was a pissing in his depends on the inside.

Armstrong was the most level headed person to ever live and fly. His performance that day was phenomenal.

7/22/14 7:11 AM

Erik, simply put "The Right Stuff'.

7/22/14 11:30 AM

quote:

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Well, given the circumstances I don't any of us would have been able to put together a sentence at all. The man had only recently flown a device down to it's last liters of fuel and almost crashed landed on the Moon. I am sure no matter how cool he was on the outside, he was a pissing in his depends on the inside.

Armstrong was the most level headed person to ever live and fly. His performance that day was phenomenal.

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7/22/14 11:43 AM

"He was the epitome of the pilot"

I am a chromosome by comparison pilot wise.

7/22/14 5:18 PM

quote:

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"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" doesn't make sense. "a man" would.

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