|
|
|
|
Author
|
Topic: Operation Harvest Moon
|
Leon Ford
Member Posts: 309
From: Shreveport, LA, United States
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 07-11-2003 02:42 PM
   
Has anyone ever heard of Operation Harvest Moon? It was mentioned in one of the news groups lately and I had never heard of it and can't find out very much information about it.According to the posting on the news group, Operation Harvest Moon was going to be a privately sponsored attempt to buy the original Apollo 15 equipment, H mission equipment(think Apollo 14 equipment), and fly that mission to the moon. The astronauts would bring back lunar samples and equipment left on the moon by the Apollo 15 astronauts and then sell the items to make money. According to the posting, they found out that they couldn't make enough money to pay for the Saturn V and the other equipment needed to get the project to the moon. Also according to this posting, Scott-Worden-Irwin were to be the astronauts hired to fly this private mission. I'm curious if anyone has ever heard of this or knows anyother information about this private mission. I'm sure it didn't get very far into the planning stages, but I would like to know any other information out there about this mission. Thank you, Leon [This message has been edited by Leon Ford (edited July 11, 2003).] |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 07-11-2003 03:02 PM
A Google search returns the following, submitted by Bill Higgins in 1992 to the group sci.space, referencing the book "The Spaceflight Revolution" by William Sims Bainbridge: quote:
After the last three Apollo landings were cancelled, a group of somewhat flaky people led by Barbara Marx Hubbard tried to persuade NASA to let them fly a private mission with the already-purchased hardware. They were going to raise money by selling a portion of the returned lunar samples. I think they wanted NASA to *give* them hardware and facilities for free, but I'm fuzzy on the details. To put it charitably, "they ran afoul of red tape and were never able to complete the project."
|
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 2912
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
|
posted 07-11-2003 03:48 PM
Leon--This post Apollo-lunar landing project during the early 1970s does ring a bell in the back of my mind--however--the Harvest Moon project, in my opinion, was certainly irresponsible to say the least! There was so much red tape in all categories to make a project of this enormous scope even feasible. Yet alone, even to use government launch facilities, a Saturn V rocket, all processing and checkout operations, crew training/etc. and so on...and not even "pay" for the hardware/employee work force/ facilities/etc. is certainly "Way Out There" with no pun intended. |
Leon Ford
Member Posts: 309
From: Shreveport, LA, United States
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 07-11-2003 04:48 PM
It was certainly a wild idea.From other things I have heard, the private group would have bought the Saturn V, LM and CSM, but wanted NASA to run Mission Control for them for free! According to the information, NASA was not only against the idea, they were openly hostel to it. I know this probably didn't get very far, but I thought it was an interesting idea and I hope to find out a little more. Leon [This message has been edited by Leon Ford (edited July 11, 2003).] |
Scott
Member Posts: 3307
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2001
|
posted 07-11-2003 06:08 PM
Leon,
Are you suggesting that the crew of Apollo 15 would have gone to the Moon for monetary reasons? You've got to be pulling my lunar leg. Next thing you'll tell me is that they single-handedly brought an end to the Apollo program. |
BLACKARROW
unregistered
|
posted 07-12-2003 06:48 PM
I remember a few press reports about "Project Harvest Moon" around 1971 or early 1972.I was only 17, and I was sufficiently intrigued to write to NASA (shortly after Apollo 16) to find out their view on the idea. I received a reply from Chet Lee, the Apollo Mission Director, dated 8th August, 1972, in which he stated: "As of this date, NASA has taken no official position on 'Project Harvest Moon' " I always interpreted that as a polite way of saying "It's a load of horse manure." |
rocketJoe
Member Posts: 103
From: Huntsville, AL USA
Registered: Jul 2001
|
posted 07-14-2003 10:32 AM
This post reminds me of the short-lived TV series called "Salvage" starring Andy Griffth. In the pilot episode, a salvage company built their own rocket and flew to the moon to retrieve the Apollo equipment left behind. I had no idea that a group was actually proposing to do this! |
Rodina
Member Posts: 836
From: Lafayette, CA
Registered: Oct 2001
|
posted 07-14-2003 10:51 AM
No doubt these guys were jokers, but it sure would have been better than using the surpluss Saturn V's as giant lawn gnomes. [This message has been edited by Rodina (edited July 14, 2003).] | |
Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts
Copyright 2020 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.
Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47a
|
|
|
 advertisement
|
