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Author
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Topic: Photo of the week 231 (April 4, 2009)
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heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 04-04-2009 02:15 AM
   
 Forty years ago today, the Apollo 11 lunar module (LM-5) was in its work stand inside the Kennedy Space Center's Manned Spacecraft Operations Building. The spacecraft was being readied to be moved to the VAB's High Bay for mating with its Spacecraft Lunar Module Adapter (SLA). Ed Hengeveld |
ilbasso
Member Posts: 1522
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 04-04-2009 01:11 PM
Ah, to see again the ship upon which all our hopes and dreams rested so long ago... |
Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 1587
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 04-05-2009 12:08 AM
I spend a lot of time in Bethpage and I sometimes drive by the plant area when the LMs were made. The town has never recovered from the demise of Grumman. |
APG85
Member Posts: 306
From:
Registered: Jan 2008
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posted 04-05-2009 10:30 AM
Amazing how a company so important to this Nation, can disappear forever. Great picture... |
ejectr
Member Posts: 1751
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 04-05-2009 11:11 AM
They finally found someone qualified enough to ruin it. That's the way it is in manufacturing. |
historyinminiature
New Member Posts:
From:
Registered:
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posted 04-05-2009 11:27 AM
Beautiful picture, and subject. |
Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 1587
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 04-05-2009 11:19 PM
It is a lovely photo. Being from NY, I can testify to the fact that our politicians failed to even attempt to keep any industry in NY. They are good at getting themselves re-elected. Sad to say, NY is not a space-friendly state. |
MoonCrater1
Member Posts: 85
From: Queens, NY, USA
Registered: Nov 2008
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posted 04-06-2009 07:21 PM
A friend of mine worked at Grumman during WW II and he retired many years ago. He worked on the Avenger airgraft that was instrumental in winning the war in the Pacific. The History Channel mentioned Grumman and the Avenger last weekend in their "Battle 360" series. I often discuss the Grumman LM with my friend. He did not work on the LM, but he never tires of reminiscing about his days at Grumman. The above photo of the LM is a piece of history. Here it is on earth and shortly it will be parked on the mon, our Moon. It is hard to believe, when you think about it. The engineers pictured in this photo were very lucky. Do you think that any of them wrote their name on any part of the LM. It would be a natural thing to do, although NASA probably would not allow this. When I was in college, I wrote my name on the roof inside the bell tower of the main building one night. I had less than 15 minutes to climb the ladder with a marker pen before the bell marked the time. Do you think that any engineer dared to write something on the LM? It should be noted that in the various chambers above the kings chamber in the Great Pyramid in Egypt there are many signatures and other graffiti with the dates of visits by tourists. It is thought that some of the builders of the Great Pyramid also drew on the walls of the upper empty chambers. These chambers were empty because they were used to divert the weight of the heavy stones above the Kings Chamber. Is it known if any engineer wrote on the inside of the LM? |
ilbasso
Member Posts: 1522
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 04-06-2009 09:21 PM
According to "Building Moonships: The Grumman Lunar Module," p. 81, "Before each LM was shipped, every worker who had built it signed a poster, which was photographed, reduced, and attached to the side of the descent stage between the layers of thermal blanket. Those signatures remain on the moon to this day." |
golddog
Member Posts: 210
From: australia
Registered: Feb 2008
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posted 04-07-2009 04:19 AM
The book "Chariots for Apollo" provides a good read about Grumman and the production of the LEM. In it, it is reported that some workers wrote a message of good luck to Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, signed it and attached it to the descent stage of LM 5 Eagle, where Armstrong was reported to have seen it whilst on the moon. The book says it was etched onto foil. |
Richard Glueck
Member Posts: 15
From: Winterport, Maine, USA
Registered: Sep 2007
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posted 04-09-2009 05:01 PM
The temptation to be personally present on such a momentous event as the first lunar landing would be a difficult demon to fight away. Even the best scout would be kept awake at night, weighing the pros and cons of taking such a dare.I wonder if fragments of "Eagles" ascent stage will ever be returned to the Smithsonian? I assume the descent stage will remain in place for eternity. |
Apollo Redux
Member Posts: 346
From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Registered: Sep 2006
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posted 04-13-2009 06:02 PM
Still cool, after all these years. |
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