Stuff You Should Know How Going to the Moon Works
Jul 16, 2019
Reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, the discussion highlights the significance of Apollo 11 amidst the space race. Listeners are taken through the intricate challenges astronauts faced, from docking procedures to emotional reentry. The excitement of renewed lunar exploration peeks through as NASA plans a permanent moon base by 2028. The camaraderie among astronauts and the cultural legacy of the moon landings are explored, hinting at the next giant leap for mankind.
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Cronkite's Tears
- Walter Cronkite cried during the moon landing broadcast.
- He later missed part of Armstrong's famous quote but recovered the second half.
Near Heart Attack
- The engineer who developed the moon landing broadcast setup nearly had a heart attack.
- The transmitted image quality, after signal compression, was worse than expected.
Space Race Milestones
- The Soviets beat the U.S. to every early space race milestone.
- Kennedy upped the ante by challenging the U.S. to be the first to land a person on the moon.