Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001

posted 11-14-2009 03:33 AM               

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Forty years ago today, Apollo 12 departed for the moon in the middle of a thunderstorm. This photo captured a bolt of lightning apparently striking the mobile launcher at about 36 seconds after launch. The lightning caused some electrical disturbance aboard Apollo 12, as well as a few missed heartbeats.

Ed Hengeveld

Posts: 129
From: Spokane, WA U.S.A.
Registered: Nov 2004

Posts: 179
From: Seekonk, Mass., USA
Registered: May 2003

posted 11-14-2009 09:37 PM               

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Just came back from meeting Al Bean in person at a signing in Seymour, Conn. The weather there was just about as bad as it was 40 years ago at KSC, minus the lightning, fortunately.

There were long lines, and I got soaked, but despite all that and 5 hours of driving (round trip), it was worth it.

He's just as great a guy in person as he was when I did a phone interview with him back in July. In fact, when I told him who I was, he signed his book "To Paul, A fellow artist." I'm still about six feet off the ground.

Posts: 346
From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Registered: Sep 2006