Re: Apollo XV

[Doug...]

In article >,
om@our_blessed_lady_mary_of_the_holy_NASA_research _facility.org says...
> On 31 Jul 2003 16:40:39 GMT, (Rand
> Simberg) wrote:
>
> >The landing was thirty one years ago today. How time flies...
>
> ...32, actually. But then again, at our age, we can afford to fudge a
> year or two :-P

And that was a great landing -- Jim Irwin, doing his prescient Emeril
imitation...

"Bam!"

Of course, Dave shut off the engine higher up than anyone else had,
landed at nearly 7 fps, and STILL managed to crumple his engine bell by
straddling the rim of a small crater. Can you imagine how hard some of
the Apollos would have landed had they used the Soviet system of
"planting" engines, that were to drive the landing legs down hard (just
in case they landed on the side of a crater)?

--

Do not meddle in the affair of dragons, for | Doug Van Dorn
thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup |

[OM]

On 31 Jul 2003 16:40:39 GMT, (Rand
Simberg) wrote:

>The landing was thirty one years ago today. How time flies...

....32, actually. But then again, at our age, we can afford to fudge a
year or two :-P

OM

--

"No ******* ever won a war by dying for | http://www.io.com/~o_m
his country. He won it by making the other | Sergeant-At-Arms
poor dumb ******* die for his country." | Human O-Ring Society

- General George S. Patton, Jr

[Alan Erskine]

"Doug..." > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> And that was a great landing -- Jim Irwin, doing his prescient Emeril
> imitation...
>
> "Bam!"
>
> Of course, Dave shut off the engine higher up than anyone else had,
> landed at nearly 7 fps, and STILL managed to crumple his engine bell by
> straddling the rim of a small crater. Can you imagine how hard some of
> the Apollos would have landed had they used the Soviet system of
> "planting" engines, that were to drive the landing legs down hard (just
> in case they landed on the side of a crater)?

No, I've seen the video of Jim Irwin's "One giant fall" from the base of the
ladder. _very_ close call! I'll bet that's where he found religious
salvation too. ;-)


--
Alan Erskine
alanerskine(at)optusnet.com.au
Is Lewis Moran the type of father figure
John Howard wants for Australian children?

[Jonathan Silverlight]

In message >, Doug...
> writes
>
>And that was a great landing -- Jim Irwin, doing his prescient Emeril
>imitation...
>
>"Bam!"
>
>Of course, Dave shut off the engine higher up than anyone else had,
>landed at nearly 7 fps, and STILL managed to crumple his engine bell by
>straddling the rim of a small crater. Can you imagine how hard some of
>the Apollos would have landed had they used the Soviet system of
>"planting" engines, that were to drive the landing legs down hard (just
>in case they landed on the side of a crater)?
>
Didn't they use columbium (niobium to us :-) specifically because it
does crumple nicely?
--
"Roads in space for rockets to travel....four-dimensional roads, curving with
relativity"
Mail to jsilverlight AT merseia.fsnet.co.uk is welcome.
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