posted 08-28-2012 01:50 PM               

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Originally posted by mikepf:
It looks like the Moon will be paying it's own tribute to Neil Armstrong on Friday. It will be a Blue Moon.

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That's true; how appropriate.

I'm curious, when was the Apollo 11 crew officially together for the last time?

posted 08-28-2012 06:23 PM            

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Originally posted by drjeffbang:
I'm curious, when was the Apollo 11 crew officially together for the last time?

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posted 08-29-2012 03:47 PM               

A really nice idea and a nice way to honour a great hero. I'm so glad I got the chance to meet this great man in Dublin 2003! Great memories of a great night...

posted 08-31-2012 06:20 PM               

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Originally posted by Henry Heatherbank:
I know we on this post are biased, but I ask this question: was there a more iconic figure in the 20th century?

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That could be kind of difficult to say since there were so many iconic figures to come along in the past 100 years. Those of us who are alive today experienced maybe up to half of the 20th Century at most and a lot of things came before Neil's famous footprint. "Icon" is also not something I like to use as a term as while its possible definition as being "larger than life" could be a good description, it also implies so much additional baggage.

Charles Lindberg flew solo across the Atlantic and became an icon that way (and Neil followed in his footsteps in a sense in terms of how to deal with "fame" and what it can do to you when one factors in the kidnapping and death of his baby). Edmond Hillary and Tenzig Norgay climbed Everest and lived to tell the tale the first time and in so doing, helped to bring a new industry to the people of the region. Jacques Cousteau helped give under sea exploration and conservation a world audience during the time of Apollo and a little after. Many would also bring up John Kennedy for helping to verbalize a commitment to the moon, without which, Armstrong wouldn't have been able to set foot.

posted 09-01-2012 04:26 PM               

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Originally posted by Jay Chladek:
That could be kind of difficult to say since there were so many iconic figures to come along in the past 100 years.

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Their principal achievement and lives happen to have occurred at a period in history where the technology to communicate their achievement was sufficiently advanced to bring that seminal event to an ever-increasing number of people. No other event so singularly captured and held global attention as it actually happened. Although Adolf Hitler's impact was global in nature, he could not command a live global audience.

The achievements of the other pioneers mentioned all occurred on earth and have been replicated and surpassed many times since. The relative rarity of the lunar landings plus their transformative nature in bridging two worlds sets the first lunar footsteps apart.

The Moon itself is an extremely iconic celestial entity, visible not only to ancient civilisations throughout history but also to people all across the planet. Nearly every human being in the 20th Century would have seen the Moon at some point in their lives with their own eyes, unlike Everest, New York/Paris, or the ocean/bottom of the ocean.

posted 09-06-2012 11:19 AM               

Neil Armstrong, who stood on moon's Sea of Tranquility, to be buried at sea

The late astronaut Neil Armstrong, first man to step on the moon, will be buried at sea, NASA has confirmed.

posted 09-06-2012 04:14 PM               

ETA: Description of the service from Wiki

The United States Navy has performed many burials at sea in its history, with wartime burials as recently as World War II, and peacetime burials still common. Enemy deaths received the same ceremony as Americans or allies. Most other armed forces also perform burials at sea, such as the British Royal Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy.

If the deceased died on land or has been returned to shore after death, the remains may be brought aboard either in a coffin or in an urn after cremation. The ceremony is performed while the ship is deployed, and consequently civilians are not allowed to be present. In the USA, people eligible for a free Navy burial at sea are:

• Active-duty members of the uniformed services
  
• Retirees and honorably discharged veterans
  
• Military Sealift Command U.S. civilian marine personnel
  
• Family members of the above

In preparation, the officer of the deck calls All hands bury the dead, and the ship is stopped (if possible). The ship's flags are lowered to half mast. The ship's crew, including a firing party, casket bearers and a bugler, are assembled on the deck. The crew stands at parade rest at the beginning of the ceremony. The coffin is covered with a flag, and is carried feet first on deck by the casket bearers. The casket is placed on a stand, with the feet overboard. In case of cremated remains, the urn is brought on deck and placed on a stand.

The ceremony is divided into a military portion and a religious portion. The religious part is specific to the religion of the deceased, and may be performed by a Navy chaplain, or by the commanding officer if no chaplain of the appropriate faith is available. A scripture is read and prayers are said.

After the religious ceremony, the firing party is ordered Firing party, present arms. The casket bearers tilt the platform with the casket, so that the casket slides off the platform into the ocean. The flag which was draped over the casket is retained on board. For cremated remains, there is the option to bury the remains using the urn in a similar fashion to the procedure used for caskets. Alternatively, the urn can be opened, and the remains scattered in the wind. In this case, the wind direction has to be taken under consideration before burial to ensure a smooth procedure.

The firing party fires a three volley salute, the bugler plays Taps, and flowers may also be dropped into the ocean. After the flag is folded, the ceremony ends. The relatives will be informed of the time and location of the burial, and given photos and video recordings if available.

posted 09-07-2012 09:45 AM               

Thank you Mr. Armstrong for your service to our Nation as a Naval Aviator and Nasa Astronaut.

posted 09-09-2012 10:49 AM               

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Originally posted by PeterO:
The US Navy has one ship named for an astronaut...

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