Posts: 1300
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009

posted August 26, 2012 07:24 AM               

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With the sad passing of Neil Armstrong, it occurs to me to wonder if his iconic first footprint on the Moon's surface still exists.

Did the crew make a conscious effort to work round it, or was it obliterated as they moved round the LM during activities near the ladder at the end of the EVA?

I wonder if Buzz Aldrin has the answer.

Posts: 1385
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006

posted August 26, 2012 08:07 AM               

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I doubt they would have been able to identify it by the end of the EVA. There was a lot of activity around the foot pad especially at the end, when they were transferring the samples and other items back up to the cabin.

The astronauts could not really see their feet or where they were walking (e.g., getting Neil almost tripping over the TV camera cable several times, or John Young accidentally pulling out the heat flow probe cable on Apollo 16). I think it would have been impossible for them to pay attention to the First Step bootprint and still get their work done.

Another question is, did the test of the RCS engines and the ascent engine blast blow much dust over the bootprints?

Posts: 1300
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009

posted August 26, 2012 10:39 AM               

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I think you're probably correct. Nevertheless, if one goes to Plymouth, Mass. there you'll find preserved behind iron grating and masonry the rock used by the Founding Fathers to first step into their New World. It does greatly help the tourist trade as visitors flock to have their picture taken by it. However, despite what the inscription says, if you believe it to be the genuine article, then I suggest that you believe also that Man will return to the Moon sometime in the foreseeable future.

This said, I can't help but wonder if some future enterprising tourist entrepreneur might encase a planted boot and claim it was the first step taken as Man explored worlds outside his own planet.

Posts: 25187
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

Posts: 109
From: Peoria, AZ United States
Registered: Aug 2011

posted August 26, 2012 04:13 PM               

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Robert, you very well may be correct that some sort of private entity will make the jump back to manned flight to the moon. Private ventures would need a monetary reason to do so. What financial benefit is there on the moon for them in your opinion? Helium 3? Tourism maybe?

Governments are the only entities that can do such things for noble or nationalistic reasons. Sorry if this is covered in a separate thread already established. Just wondering your current thoughts.