Science Saturday: Apollo Edition
Today, we mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin touched down on the lunar surface on July 16, 1969, 20:17 UTC, marking the fulfillment of one of the most ambitious goals mankind has ever striven for. In acknowledgement of such an incredible achievement, this week’s Science Saturday will be totally dedicated to the celebration of this major anniversary. Here we go:
Associated Press: Reunion
Living Apollo 11 astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, As well as both of the late Neil Armstrong’s sons, met with President Trump in the oval office yesterday. They discussed the current state of the U.S. space exploration program, and the Trump Administration’s stated plans to “bring the glamor back” to the space program, including putting Americans back on the moon by 2024, and participating in manned Mars missions in the 2030s. Both retired astronauts gave their opinions on the moon vs. Mars debate, which has been a hot topic among space industry professionals for the past two decades.
National Review: Why Apollo 11 Matters
Even in the midst of the Cold War, Apollo 11 was never just a victory over the Soviet Union. The first moon landing was recognized as a tremendous accomplishment for all of humanity. This article explores the importance of Apollo 11 to a nation in crisis on political, civil, military, and economic fronts, and discusses how the Apollo program’s lasting effects have shaped the world as we know it today.
CNN: 11 Facts
Here are 11 facts about the Apollo 11 mission that may not be common knowledge. This list touches on many different aspects of the program, including astronaut training, and the incredible women whose work was vital to landing’s success. The last item on the list explains the acceleration in space exploration that resulted from the Apollo program, detailing the importance of NASA’s first steps into the last frontier.
Fox News: Communion
While the CNN article above mentions the first meal consumed on the surface of the moon, which included beef stew, bacon squares, date fruit cake and grape punch, this does not represent the first food consumed on the moon. That title actually belongs to communion elements, a wafer of bread and a small amount of wine, taken to the moon and consumed in a brief communion ceremony during the radio blackout by Buzz Aldrin, a Presbytarian. Aldrin detailed the process of getting the communion elements to the moon in this piece, written in 1970.
Yahoo Lifestyle: Moon Truthers
It seems that no conversation about the Apollo program can be had without mentioning “Moon Truthers,” or people who believe the moon landings were faked. The arguments made by these people are, of course, ridiculous and easily dismantled, and yet 5% of Americans still believe that humans never landed on the moon. This list at History.com does the job of debunking these conspiracy theories quite concisely.
That’s all for this week. As always, thanks for reading, and enjoy the weekend.
-Sal
