On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

 

This is perhaps the most momentous achievement in the history of America.  To date, no other country has landed its astronauts on the Moon.  Landing ours was only the first tiny step for humanity in its journey to the stars. May it not be the last. And may America be the leader on that great quest.

God Bless America, the Greatest Country on God’s Green (and getting greener) Earth.

Published in History
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 80 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RushBabe49: On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

    I can’t stands it no more!

    “On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed TWO Men on the Moon”

    Heck, I thought it was three!  It was a long time ago.

    • #61
  2. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    David C. Broussard (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    David C. Broussard (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    David C. Broussard (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    Steve Fast (View Comment):

    Despite all the talk and billions (trillions?) being spent, I don’t think there is any point to manned space flight. I say that as someone who loves amateur astronomy and the triumph of being first to the moon. I loved the chest-pounding vibrations of a shuttle launch. But what do we gain by going again?

    We might find Dilithium Crystals.

    I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s impossible to discover some kind of FTL system until we’ve gotten a fair distance from the sun.

    We also need gravitic drive . . .

    Heck, I’d settle for contra-grav to negate gravity, or see if carbon nanotubes have the tensile strength to build a space elevator.

    That’s what gravitic drive is. It generates negative gravity – anti-gravity, to use the old school term – that can push against planetary gravity.

    Well, there is a subset of gravatic tech that is really a gravatic lens that allows gravity to be redirected around an object which means that its weight can be reduced to zero, but doesn’t create thrust. That is often referred to in fiction as contra-grav as opposed to anti-grav.

    Ahhhh. I use gravitic drive as both anti-gravity and thrust in my books . . .

    I am reading the Terran Uprising series by H. Beam Piper and in his universe they have contra-grav that negates weight. It makes getting into space much easier and they use it for vehicles and even carry pallets for luggage etc. The Traveller design books brought in CG in their third iteration (Traveller: The New Era) where they use CG to negate the weight of the vessel and then use HePLAR thrusters to move ships from place to place.

    Do you have a link to your books? I am always looking for a new read.

    I’ll send you a PM after I download some podcasts . . .

    • #62
  3. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RushBabe49: On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

    I can’t stands it no more!

    “On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed TWO Men on the Moon”

    Heck, I thought it was three! It was a long time ago.

    Nope, Armstrong and Aldrin went down to the surface; Collins remained in orbit.

    • #63
  4. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RushBabe49: On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

    I can’t stands it no more!

    “On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed TWO Men on the Moon”

    Heck, I thought it was three! It was a long time ago.

    Nope, Armstrong and Aldrin went down to the surface; Collins remained in orbit.

    Nah, it all happened in the Arizona desert and O. J. Simpson was one of the astronauts. Fake news!

    • #64
  5. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RushBabe49: On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

    I can’t stands it no more!

    “On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed TWO Men on the Moon”

    Heck, I thought it was three! It was a long time ago.

    Nope, Armstrong and Aldrin went down to the surface; Collins remained in orbit.

    Nah, it all happened in the Arizona desert and O. J. Simpson was one of the astronauts. Fake news!

    That was for Mars, not the Moon.

    • #65
  6. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RushBabe49: On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

    I can’t stands it no more!

    “On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed TWO Men on the Moon”

    Heck, I thought it was three! It was a long time ago.

    Three went.  Two landed.  

    • #66
  7. Matt Bartle Member
    Matt Bartle
    @MattBartle

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Nope, Armstrong and Aldrin went down to the surface; Collins remained in orbit.

    Loneliest human ever for a bit.

    • #67
  8. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RushBabe49: On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

    I can’t stands it no more!

    “On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed TWO Men on the Moon”

    Heck, I thought it was three! It was a long time ago.

    Three went. Two landed.

    Michael Collins orbited the moon, listening to country & western tunes when he was out of radio contact on the dark side.

    • #68
  9. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Percival (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RushBabe49: On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

    I can’t stands it no more!

    “On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed TWO Men on the Moon”

    Heck, I thought it was three! It was a long time ago.

    Three went. Two landed.

    Michael Collins orbited the moon, listening to country & western tunes when he was out of radio contact on the dark side.

    The far side.  There is no dark side, really.

    • #69
  10. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RushBabe49: On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

    I can’t stands it no more!

    “On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed TWO Men on the Moon”

    Heck, I thought it was three! It was a long time ago.

    Three went. Two landed.

    Michael Collins orbited the moon, listening to country & western tunes when he was out of radio contact on the dark side.

    The far side. There is no dark side, really.

    Picky, picky, picky……….

    • #70
  11. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RushBabe49: On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

    I can’t stands it no more!

    “On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed TWO Men on the Moon”

    Heck, I thought it was three! It was a long time ago.

    Three went. Two landed.

    Michael Collins orbited the moon, listening to country & western tunes when he was out of radio contact on the dark side.

    The far side. There is no dark side, really.

    Picky, picky, picky……….

    Chicago’s Bill Mellberg did a routine, Neil, Buzz and What’s His Name. Through his connection with Apollo 17’s Jack Schmitt, he exchanged a couple of messages with Armstrong. He was looking forward to meeting Armstrong at an Apollo 16 40th, but Neil died from a botched operation.

    • #71
  12. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Richard Easton (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RushBabe49: On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

    I can’t stands it no more!

    “On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed TWO Men on the Moon”

    Heck, I thought it was three! It was a long time ago.

    Three went. Two landed.

    Michael Collins orbited the moon, listening to country & western tunes when he was out of radio contact on the dark side.

    The far side. There is no dark side, really.

    Picky, picky, picky……….

    Chicago’s Bill Mellberg did a routine, Neil, Buzz and What’s His Name. Through his connection with Apollo 17’s Jack Schmitt, he exchanged a couple of messages with Armstrong. He was looking forward to meeting Armstrong at an Apollo 16 40th, but Neil died from a botched operation.

    From the Star Trek: Enterprise episode, “First Flight.”

     

    RUBY: The last time you had this much to drink was the day Caroline moved to New Berlin. My guess is Forrest gave out the assignment today.

    ARCHER: Sherlock Holmes has nothing on you.

    RUBY: They’ll need a pilot for the next flight.

    ARCHER: Do you remember what Buzz Aldrin said when he stepped on the moon?

    RUBY: No.

    ARCHER: Nobody does, because Armstrong went first.

    • #72
  13. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RUBY: The last time you had this much to drink was the day Caroline moved to New Berlin. My guess is Forrest gave out the assignment today.

    ARCHER: Sherlock Holmes has nothing on you.

    RUBY: They’ll need a pilot for the next flight.

    ARCHER: Do you remember what Buzz Aldrin said when he stepped on the moon?

    RUBY: No.

    ARCHER: Nobody does, because Armstrong went first.

    “Magnificent desolation.”

    Also the title of Aldrin’s second memoir.

    • #73
  14. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Richard Easton (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RushBabe49: On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

    I can’t stands it no more!

    “On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed TWO Men on the Moon”

    Heck, I thought it was three! It was a long time ago.

    Three went. Two landed.

    Michael Collins orbited the moon, listening to country & western tunes when he was out of radio contact on the dark side.

    The far side. There is no dark side, really.

    Picky, picky, picky……….

    Chicago’s Bill Mellberg did a routine, Neil, Buzz and What’s His Name. Through his connection with Apollo 17’s Jack Schmitt, he exchanged a couple of messages with Armstrong. He was looking forward to meeting Armstrong at an Apollo 16 40th, but Neil died from a botched operation.

    I almost met Neil Armstrong. He came down to fly the plane I was working on for a TV show. Every engineer in the flight control lab wore a suit and tie. Some of us even shaved. In the end, he and the TV crew bypassed us It turns out Armstrong was a little shy about meeting people. One of the producers gave us all autographed photos of our airplane. I still have mine.

    • #74
  15. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Percival (View Comment):

    Richard Easton (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RushBabe49: On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed a Man on the Moon

    I can’t stands it no more!

    “On This Day, 53 Years Ago, America Landed TWO Men on the Moon”

    Heck, I thought it was three! It was a long time ago.

    Three went. Two landed.

    Michael Collins orbited the moon, listening to country & western tunes when he was out of radio contact on the dark side.

    The far side. There is no dark side, really.

    Picky, picky, picky……….

    Chicago’s Bill Mellberg did a routine, Neil, Buzz and What’s His Name. Through his connection with Apollo 17’s Jack Schmitt, he exchanged a couple of messages with Armstrong. He was looking forward to meeting Armstrong at an Apollo 16 40th, but Neil died from a botched operation.

    I almost met Neil Armstrong. He came down to fly the plane I was working on for a TV show. Every engineer in the flight control lab wore a suit and tie. Some of us even shaved. In the end, he and the TV crew bypassed us It turns out Armstrong was a little shy about meeting people. One of the producers gave us all autographed photos of our airplane. I still have mine.

    Autographed? The plane signed them?  :-)

    • #75
  16. BastiatJunior Member
    BastiatJunior
    @BastiatJunior

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    They actually left the LEM a few hours earlier than scheduled. Controllers called an audible to waive a “rest period” the astronauts were supposed to take after landing.

    I’ve been forever irked with Neil Armstrong because he was scheduled to make his Moon walk after midnight Eastern Standard Time which was my eleventh birthday. He just couldn’t hold back his excitement to get out and roam. Who in their right minds planned for the crew to take a nap right after landing on the Moon anyway?? What were they thinking? Oh well, I had to settle for it happening on my birthday in the European Time Zone.

    It made my dad happy.  It was his 34th birthday.  He is 87 now.

    • #76
  17. BastiatJunior Member
    BastiatJunior
    @BastiatJunior

    For a long time, it was widely believed that Neil Armstrong flubbed his quote by leaving the “a” out of the “One small step for a man” part.  Then, a few years ago, someone digitally enhanced the recording and the “a” was there.  Armstrong was vindicated!

    The good news is that they made the discovery while Armstrong was still alive, so he was aware of his vindication.

    • #77
  18. GLDIII Purveyor of Splendid Malpropisms Reagan
    GLDIII Purveyor of Splendid Malpropisms
    @GLDIII

    BastiatJunior (View Comment):

    For a long time, it was widely believed that Neil Armstrong flubbed his quote by leaving the “a” out of the “One small step for a man” part. Then, a few years ago, someone digitally enhanced the recording and the “a” was there. Armstrong was vindicated!

    The good news is that they made the discovery while Armstrong was still alive, so he was aware of his vindication.

    Careful with enough digital enhancements you can see the saguaro cactus in the background 😛

    • #78
  19. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    GLDIII Purveyor of Splendid Ma… (View Comment):

    BastiatJunior (View Comment):

    For a long time, it was widely believed that Neil Armstrong flubbed his quote by leaving the “a” out of the “One small step for a man” part. Then, a few years ago, someone digitally enhanced the recording and the “a” was there. Armstrong was vindicated!

    The good news is that they made the discovery while Armstrong was still alive, so he was aware of his vindication.

    Careful with enough digital enhancements you can see the saguaro cactus in the background 😛

    Uh Oh!

    • #79
  20. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    GLDIII Purveyor of Splendid Ma… (View Comment):

    BastiatJunior (View Comment):

    For a long time, it was widely believed that Neil Armstrong flubbed his quote by leaving the “a” out of the “One small step for a man” part. Then, a few years ago, someone digitally enhanced the recording and the “a” was there. Armstrong was vindicated!

    The good news is that they made the discovery while Armstrong was still alive, so he was aware of his vindication.

    Careful with enough digital enhancements you can see the saguaro cactus in the background 😛

    And the Hollywood set backdrop . . .

    • #80
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.