8 Days: To the Moon and Back, on PBS

[patrickgm60]

Just watched an excellent 90-minute film about Apollo 11. Actual footage, "new" audio, plus some nice CG. Very interesting to watch. Will be showing throughout the week, as part of the 50-year commemoration.

[fitness1]

As most of us of a certain age, I'll never forget it.

They took off on my birthday and landed on my Dad's!

[Murphy Slaw]

I remember it, too.

I'm loving all of these many shows about it on the Science channel, Smithsonian, and on and on.

[tbeltrans]

It has been an interesting series of programs. I remember that this was the first time I saw color TV because we watched it at a neighbor's house, the first with a color TV in our neighborhood. At the time, it was not uncommon for folks in a neighborhood to gather together at somebody's house to watch a major event such as this.

In another thread about this subject, I was taken to task by a few folks when I mentioned this about color TV. They maintained that the moon video was black and white. I said that it was the rest of the programming that was in color, but that didn't seem to matter to these folks in that other thread. Now, watching the series on PBS, they show the programming around the moon video, and it is what I remember. Unfortunately, that thread derailed into stupid quibbling about color TV and when it first became available, which has nothing to do with when real folks in average neighborhoods could actually afford it, which only those of us old enough to remember would recognize.

It is sometimes embarrassing, the things that folks quibble over, especially in the grand scheme of things. As we get older, this becomes even more obvious. I suppose I should be careful to make such remembrances only with folks who are old enough to remember the time and events.

Anyway, when we consider the magnitude of the first man on the moon event, it easily compares to those great discoveries of old in the history books when explorers found new lands. This event was in (some of) our lifetime(s). There were so many things that could, and sometimes did, go wrong, that the event being the success it was, is still an incredible feat. The "back stories" that are told in this PBS series are quite interesting and were not necessarily evident to the general public at the time.

Tony

[C-ville Brent]

I watched it last night/early this morning. I was 6 when Neil and Buzz landed on the moon. It was cool to see these monumental events again.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

It has been an interesting series of programs. I remember that this was the first time I saw color TV because we watched it at a neighbor's house, the first with a color TV in our neighborhood. At the time, it was not uncommon for folks in a neighborhood to gather together at somebody's house to watch a major event such as this.

In another thread about this subject, I was taken to task by a few folks when I mentioned this about color TV. They maintained that the moon video was black and white. I said that it was the rest of the programming that was in color, but that didn't seem to matter to these folks in that other thread. Now, watching the series on PBS, they show the programming around the moon video, and it is what I remember. Unfortunately, that thread derailed into stupid quibbling about color TV and when it first became available, which has nothing to do with when real folks in average neighborhoods could actually afford it, which only those of us old enough to remember would recognize.

It is sometimes embarrassing, the things that folks quibble over, especially in the grand scheme of things. As we get older, this becomes even more obvious. I suppose I should be careful to make such remembrances only with folks who are old enough to remember the time and events.

Anyway, when we consider the magnitude of the first man on the moon event, it easily compares to those great discoveries of old in the history books when explorers found new lands. This event was in (some of) our lifetime(s). There were so many things that could, and sometimes did, go wrong, that the event being the success it was, is still an incredible feat. The "back stories" that are told in this PBS series are quite interesting and were not necessarily evident to the general public at the time.

Tony

I remember my parents getting a color TV just before the event, and yes to neighborhood or friends gatherings around the TV.

It also says something about the time that don't watch TV these days unless you call a computer displayed at 27 inches and 5k resolution TV. There show mentioned seems worth looking up.

[Earl49]

I remember being a nine year old glued to the TV set (black & white in our house). That fascination with the space program played a big role in my later becoming a mechanical engineer. If I could have met Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin or Michael Collins, that would be my thank you to them. Most of these programs are now on DVR to watch over the coming weeks. My busy schedule lately has prevented watching them as broadcast.

[C-ville Brent]

The astronauts of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs were role models for many of us who were children during that era. Seem to be more positive role models than many of the over paid athletes, musicians, you tube stars, and high profile politicians that make headlines today. OK, I'm an old guy. Change can be good, but not all changes are positive.

[Glennwillow]

I will check that show out!

I remember watching the moon landing in the summer of 1969 with my wife the year before we got married. My dad worked his whole career for NACA/NASA and was one of the key people on the design and testing of the lunar ascent engine.

He would often talk to my mother about his work on the "ascent engine" when I was in high school. I tended not to ask my dad very many questions about science or his work because then I would get an hour and a half lecture, which I never had time for. I didn't know what the ascent engine was until Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin used it to get off the moon. Finally -- oh, THAT's the ascent engine.

In fact all those years when I was in high school when I didn't know what my dad was talking about, I thought he was saying "___-end engine", which of course is right where you'd put an engine for a rocket ship, right?

- Glenn

[David M123]

I watched the landing live in the Headmaster's office at the school I was attending in Chichester, U.K.

My class was brought in to watch, possibly because of my being American. I remember feeling very proud that my country had accomplished this amazing thing.

[Carmel Cedar]

Wow, Glenn - how cool that your dad helped create the rocket that brought Neil and Buzz back to the Command module from the moon's surface. That's super awesome!!!

I was just a kid when Apollo 11 sparked a lifelong dream to be a scientist and go onto a spaceship. I did the former (chemist, BS & PhD) and in 1994 visited the Discovery orbiter when being fitted for its next mission at KSC. Got to go inside, filling the other part of my dream. Life is wonderful when dreams come true!

Congratulations on your family's role in making this week's 50th anniversary worth celebrating.

[C-ville Brent]

Thanks for sharing Glenn. Appreciate you other folks sharing how this monumental event and the program generally inspired you. The benefits were so many, not just in technology (integrated circuits, smaller computers, etc.), but in the people who were inspired to achieve their dreams.

[Silurian]

Wow Glenn. What an opportunity but also a great responsibility it must have been for your dad. Knowing that if that engine didn't work those guys weren't coming home.

[BrunoBlack]

It was striking to watch them navigate using toggle switches. Totally amazing.

[Brucebubs]

I was a 13 year old living in Paris.
I went to school at The English School of Paris.
The entire school assembled in the lunch room/canteen where several colour televisions had been wall mounted just so we could all watch the moon landing.
The TV's were removed the next day.