The best thing about this video is that it was NOT created by NASA. The person who made it did so because he was frustrated with how NASA has no social media or marketing presence. You can read his whole reasoning under the video’s ‘info’ if you visit the page.
Major thanks to Tim P. for sending this my way!
The Project Apollo Image Gallery
Above is a sampling of photos available at the Project Apollo Image Gallery. It’s a bit of a hassle to navigate, but believe me: it’s worth it. Click on a flight in the top left. You’ll get a list of images with descriptions. Click on one that sounds of interest and you’ll get a small preview at the top of the page. Then click to the right of the preview where it says ‘High-Res’ and the full image will be displayed in a new tab/window.
There are many examples of my hero, Commander Neil Armstrong, being the man. This is one of them.
I’ve owned the VHS, first DVD, 10th Anniversary DVD, and now the 15th Anniversary Blu-ray. I guess by default that makes it my favorite movie. (And I wouldn’t dispute that.) (Taken with Instagram at City Of Westfield)
During my testimony in May I said, “Some question why Americans should return to the Moon. “After all,” they say “we have already been there.” I find that mystifying. It would be as if 16th century monarchs proclaimed that “we need not go to the New World, we have already been there.” Or as if President Thomas Jefferson announced in 1803 that Americans “need not go west of the Mississippi, the Lewis and Clark Expedition has already been there.” Americans have visited and examined 6 locations on Luna, varying in size from a suburban lot to a small township. That leaves more than 14 million square miles yet to explore.
—Neil Armstrong (Commander, Apollo 11)
From this day forward, Flight Control will be known by two words: ‘Tough’ and ‘Competent.’ Tough means we are forever accountable for what we do or what we fail to do. We will never again compromise our responsibilities. Every time we walk into Mission Control we will know what we stand for. Competent means we will never take anything for granted. We will never be found short in our knowledge and in our skills. Mission Control will be perfect. When you leave this meeting today you will go to your office and the first thing you will do there is to write ‘Tough and Competent’ on your blackboards. It will never be erased. Each day when you enter the room these words will remind you of the price paid by Grissom, White, and Chaffee. These words are the price of admission to the ranks of Mission Control.
—
NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz
(Also known as ‘The Kranz Dictum.’)
As you may remember from a previous post, I recently ordered a Fisher Space Pen. (I like owning anything that makes me feel closer to being an astronaut.)
However, I dropped it at work and it broke. The clicking mechanism was shot. I noticed the packaging said it had a lifetime satisfaction guarantee. They provided an address in Nevada to send it to if it needs repair or replacement. So I did just that.
This morning I woke up to a package on my porch with my newly repaired pen and the above note. I must say, I’m very pleased with their prompt service. (Even if it was a bit of a let down to have the pen break only a few days into use.)
I’ve been on a big NASA kick lately and that means I’ve been watching a lot of Apollo mission documentaries.
Before I break them down, one thing to note is how few of these actually have Neil Armstrong in them. It appears he doesn’t grant many interviews.
I suppose he’s too busy being the man than to answer questions about being the man.
Here’s a quick rundown of my findings:
When We Left Earth - This Discovery Channel series (available for streaming on Netflix) is the most enjoyable NASA series I’ve discovered thus far. It includes fantastic, up-converted archival footage, Gary Sinise narration and the most comprehensive collection of interviewees (including Dr. Armstrong). The only gripe I could make is that I wish it was even more detailed than it is. It’s certainly well-paced, but it leaves me wanting more. If you only watch one of the shows on this list, this is the one.
For All Mankind - While ‘When We Left Earth’ is the best series about NASA, if you are more interested in a singular experience, this is the best one out there. This feature length documentary about Apollo includes some phenomenal archival footage that is beautifully restored and the best interviews around (minus Armstrong). Also available on Netflix, I highly recommend this one. Its got the most bang for your buck in a single sitting.
In The Shadow Of The Moon - First hand accounts of the landings are the focus of this film, which is told entirely through interviews with the astronauts themselves (excluding Armstrong). There are some great stories here and it’s covered well with the usual footage, but it’s not as technically interesting as some other shows out there. Though it definitely has the human interest piece of things covered.
The Wonder Of It All - Another astronaut-interview-driven special (without, you guessed it, Neil Armstrong), this one does have some anecdotes you won’t hear anywhere else, but it’s fairly forgettable. Also, the settings for the interviews are atrocious.
Moonshot - This History Channel docudrama is a pretty enjoyable recreation of the Apollo 11 mission. It takes a little dramatic license and retells the events leading up to the mission, as well as the mission itself, in a made-for-TV movie format. The acting is actually pretty good and the patches they fill in with archival footage are clever. But don’t make this the first or only special you watch. You’ll derive more enjoyment from this the more familiar you are with the real life personalities involved.
Magnificent Desolation - Made specifically for IMAX theaters, this special is narrated by Tom Hanks and is aimed mostly at a PG audience. Honestly, it’s mostly kids’ stuff. The recreation of the moon landing is not as well handled as ‘Moonshot,’ and it’s really not worth your time.
Apollo 11: Men on the Moon - The most straight forward of the bunch, this multi-disc special includes all the footage of the take off, landing and EVA… in real time. This special just is that footage. They spice it up a bit by adding multiple angle options and, my favorite, multiple audio tracks. You can watch all 20 minutes of the descent and landing on the moon’s surface while listening to either capsule communication, the flight director talking to his controllers, the press etc. Just hit the audio button on your DVD player and cycle between them. While watching all 2.5+ hours of EVA you can cycle between multiple camera angles or just do a split screen. It’s pretty neat, though obviously a long commitment. (But that’s why there’s the ability to fast-forward.)
‘Earth Rise’
Taken by U.S. Astronaut Bill Anders on Apollo 8 (first mission to travel to the moon).
If it’s good enough for America’s astronauts, it’s good enough for me. Thanks to http://www.thespaceshop.com/ and the Kennedy Space Center for making this purchase possible (which also included my NASA logo shirt).
Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.
—Neil Armstrong
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