Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Tranquility Base


Now the Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter has settled into its mapping orbit just 50 kilometres above the Moon's surface, it has been returning some spectacular images of the Apollo landing sites. Above is a close-up of an image of the the Apollo 11 site, just released by NASA. It's about 150 metres across, with the LEM landing stage and the pads of its legs clearly visible, as well as the various compenents of the science package. And, of course, the tracks left Armstrong and Aldrin, showing how close they stayed to their home on the Moon in the few hours they spent outside, reminding me all over again of watching them in the early hours of that July morning forty years ago.

2 Comments:

Blogger PeteY said...

Oo this is great! I look forward to my Apollo skeptic friend's blustering attempts at refutation.

November 10, 2009 9:45 pm  
Blogger Bryan Alexander said...

Excellent.

Speaking of excellent, I just finished The Quiet War. What a fine novel! I was enthralled by the world-building, the meticulous working out of the conflict, the science, and above all the women.

November 11, 2009 12:50 pm  

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