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| Posted By: Dan Dare Posted On: Jan 19, 2007 Views: 1204 | Gentle Touchdown ! Could someone explain to me how in 1969 we had the technology to make graceful vertical touchdowns on the Moon's surface from Space when we still couldn't achieve that on the Earth. When the Apollo missions returned to Earth they had to make haphazard trajectory like approaches and even then they had to parachute the last bit into the Ocean. I know all the basics about the Moon's gravity only being one sixth that of the Earth but the whole idea of landing on the Moon (and taking off again) in that relatively early age of Space exploration seems too far fetched to be true. |
| Posted By: Keith Mayes Posted On: Jan 23, 2007 Views: 1196 | RE: Gentle Touchdown ! The only reason we didn't even think about doing a soft landing on return to Earth is due to the colossal amount of fuel required. The massive Saturn V rocket would have to have been vastly more than double the size it already was, which was enormous anyway. Why bother anyway, the method used was the easiest, cheapest, simplest and safest way. But if you want to think the whole thing was a hoax, just carry on thinking it, that's your problem. |
| Posted By: Dan Dare Posted On: Jan 23, 2007 Views: 1192 | RE: RE: Gentle Touchdown ! I agree that it would have taken a colossal amount of fuel to make such a landing on Earth but surely even with the smaller mass of the lunar module it would have still taken a cosiderable anount of fuel to do those movements on the Moon. (And I know that there is less gravity and no atmosphere there) The lunar module weight is given as around 15 tons - The Ascent section of it just about 9 tons. Now I don't know if these figures are with or without fuel but looking at those diagrams there does not appear to be much space available for the fuel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Lunar_Module I am also puzzled about the amount of computer ware that would have been required in the module to operate the guidance and balancing systems. When these craft were being designed many computers still took up large amounts of space. Again there does not seem to be the room within that lunar module for computers as they existed then. Bearing in mind that the lives of the astronauts would have depended on computers they must have been very brave knowing how prone computers were in those days were to glitches. Most people would consider that landing on the Moon is Man's greatest achievement of the 20th Century yet there does seem to be a reticence by those who did it talk about it. One of the astronauts that does talk about it is Edgar Mitchell but his interests seem to be more directed towards the Paranormal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Mitchell His views on 'visitors from other planets' tends to lose me. |
| Posted By: Keith Mayes Posted On: Jan 23, 2007 Views: 1187 | RE: Gentle Touchdown ! Rather than me repeat myself why don't you look at the pages where I give details of the lunar module, and NASA's own site, it will save me wasting time on someone who has lots of questions and few answers. You doubt they went because you are ignorant of the facts, that much is already very obvious. The best way to educate yourself is to undertake your own research, as I did, and all your questions will be answered. |