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progressoid

(49,992 posts)
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 05:05 PM Feb 2015

Look what Neil Armstrong's wife, Carol, found in his closet.

The Armstrong Purse: Flown Apollo 11 Lunar Artifacts

At the National Air and Space Museum, as elsewhere around the world, we were enormously saddened when we learned that Neil Alden Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the Moon, had died of complications associated with heart surgery in August 2012. Not long afterwards his family contacted the Museum about artifacts he left in his home office in Ohio.

...

This post is about something else however. A few weeks after we returned to Washington, D.C., I received an email from Carol Armstrong that she had located in one of Neil’s closets a white cloth bag filled with assorted small items that looked like they may have come from a spacecraft. She wanted to know if they were also of interest to the Museum. She provided the following photograph of the bag and the items spread out on her carpet.



Needless to say, for a curator of a collection of space artifacts, it is hard to imagine anything more exciting. Realizing how important it would be to determine whether any or all of these items were actually flown in the Lunar Module Eagle during the historic Apollo 11 mission, I decided to enlist the expertise of Eric Jones, Ken Glover, and the team of experts who have put together the incredible Apollo Lunar Surface Journal (ALSJ) website, an indispensable site of detailed information about all aspects of the Apollo program.

...

As far as we know, Neil has never discussed the existence of these items and no one else has seen them in the 45 years since he returned from the Moon. (I asked James Hansen, Neil’s authorized biographer if he had mentioned the items, and he had not.) Each and every item has its own story and significance, and they are described with photographs in extraordinary detail in an addendum to the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal. But two of the items are especially timely. Both have been placed on display as part of the recently opened temporary exhibition Outside the Spacecraft: 50 Years of Extra-Vehicular Activity.

The first is the 16mm Data Acquisition Camera that was mounted in the window of the lunar module Eagle to record the historic landing and “one small step” made by Armstrong as humankind first set foot on another world.



More: http://blog.nasm.si.edu/highlights-from-the-collection/the-armstrong-purse/

39 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Look what Neil Armstrong's wife, Carol, found in his closet. (Original Post) progressoid Feb 2015 OP
Very cool. Thanks for posting. salin Feb 2015 #1
So? Who doesn't have a few kinks? randome Feb 2015 #2
Huzzah! shenmue Feb 2015 #3
I am always amazed at the technology of the day Sheepshank Feb 2015 #4
Man, isnt that the truth? They say our phones have more pwr than the computers then! 7962 Feb 2015 #5
How brave were the astronauts of the '60s and '70s? hifiguy Feb 2015 #8
All of the Apollo missions combined. n/t A HERETIC I AM Feb 2015 #30
My husband talks about that, 7962. He worked in computer software development back in the '70s. calimary Feb 2015 #12
"Amazing" sure does fit here! nt 7962 Feb 2015 #23
Many toaster ovens today have more computing power than MannyGoldstein Feb 2015 #15
But of course... regnaD kciN Feb 2015 #36
These guys were a wiz at slide rules too. Spitfire of ATJ Feb 2015 #9
slide rules...holy crap Sheepshank Feb 2015 #10
I remember when calculators first came out and schools banned their use as "cheating". Spitfire of ATJ Feb 2015 #11
I remember when my brother got the TI-30. progressoid Feb 2015 #18
Remember these? Spitfire of ATJ Feb 2015 #21
Oh yeah. progressoid Feb 2015 #34
Pre-Casio was built better. Spitfire of ATJ Feb 2015 #35
I remember getting one of those Lifelong Protester Feb 2015 #28
I had that same unit... regnaD kciN Feb 2015 #37
Not only were calculators considered cheating... regnaD kciN Feb 2015 #38
I remember when I was called a "hacker" for knowing how to use a mouse. Spitfire of ATJ Feb 2015 #39
I had no idea how to use one THEN, either. calimary Feb 2015 #13
You'll like this.... Spitfire of ATJ Feb 2015 #22
Get the slide rule! I can use those sharp edges to fold a really slick paper airplane calimary Feb 2015 #24
So, the Moon Critters Neil collected got out? FSogol Feb 2015 #6
LOL! Good one!!! calimary Feb 2015 #14
Don't get them wet, keep them away from bright lights and don't feed them at night Thor_MN Feb 2015 #16
Damn straight! We sure don't want a repeat of the Wasilla horror. pinboy3niner Feb 2015 #20
It's an interesting collection of stuff. hunter Feb 2015 #7
complete transcript of the entire apollo 11 mission at nasa. fascinating audio/video clips msongs Feb 2015 #17
This is the kind of stuff I'm happy to pay taxes for. progressoid Feb 2015 #19
cool Beringia Feb 2015 #25
Was she promptly arrested for possession of stolen government property? Glassunion Feb 2015 #26
This jen1980 Feb 2015 #27
SCIENCE!!!! Initech Feb 2015 #29
Perhaps this would be timely and appropriate; A HERETIC I AM Feb 2015 #31
Whoa. Outstanding. progressoid Feb 2015 #33
Can you imagine if they found one of these, in there? Warren DeMontague Feb 2015 #32
 

randome

(34,845 posts)
2. So? Who doesn't have a few kinks?
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 05:15 PM
Feb 2015

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Birds are territorial creatures.
The lyrics to the songbird's melodious trill go something like this:
"Stay out of my territory or I'll PECK YOUR GODDAMNED EYES OUT!"
[/center][/font][hr]

 

Sheepshank

(12,504 posts)
4. I am always amazed at the technology of the day
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 05:31 PM
Feb 2015

and wonder what more, how more safely and how clearer everything could have been with todays technology

 

7962

(11,841 posts)
5. Man, isnt that the truth? They say our phones have more pwr than the computers then!
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 06:01 PM
Feb 2015

I just cant imagine

 

hifiguy

(33,688 posts)
8. How brave were the astronauts of the '60s and '70s?
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 06:08 PM
Feb 2015

Brave enough to let them be hurled into space while sitting atop a machine made of more than a million parts. Each supplied by the lowest bidder.

And yes, a modern top-line smartphone has more number-crunching capacity than all of the NASA computers that sent Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins to the moon.

calimary

(81,346 posts)
12. My husband talks about that, 7962. He worked in computer software development back in the '70s.
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 06:44 PM
Feb 2015

Studied in college with some Nobel Prize-winners and some of the people who really "invented the internet" or were midwives and pediatricians to it. He likes to describe the ROOM-SIZE computers whose great-great-great-etc grandchildren now fit in the palm of your hand. And even smaller.

The word "amazing" is so overused, but it sure does fit in here perfectly!

 

MannyGoldstein

(34,589 posts)
15. Many toaster ovens today have more computing power than
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 07:06 PM
Feb 2015

the computers in the Apollo-era spacecraft.

I once chatted with the fellow who led the effort to build the computer that was used in both the Apollo command module and the lunar module (they both used the same model). Fascinating stuff.

regnaD kciN

(26,044 posts)
36. But of course...
Thu Feb 12, 2015, 04:43 AM
Feb 2015

All computers back then had to do was calculate how to get a spacecraft and crew to the moon and back. They didn't have to do the real tough things like posting pictures of cats to Facebook or Instagramming your dinner!

 

Sheepshank

(12,504 posts)
10. slide rules...holy crap
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 06:20 PM
Feb 2015

I remember being taught how to use them in school (yes, *that's* how old I am). I'd have no idea how to use one today though.

progressoid

(49,992 posts)
18. I remember when my brother got the TI-30.
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 08:04 PM
Feb 2015

That was a big deal. Cost a bunch of money and then died a couple years later.

progressoid

(49,992 posts)
34. Oh yeah.
Thu Feb 12, 2015, 01:40 AM
Feb 2015

I know a couple people that had those. Or if you were really cool, you got one with a calculator too.

regnaD kciN

(26,044 posts)
37. I had that same unit...
Thu Feb 12, 2015, 04:44 AM
Feb 2015

As a fellow student explained of his after a couple of years, "the floating point sank."

regnaD kciN

(26,044 posts)
38. Not only were calculators considered cheating...
Thu Feb 12, 2015, 04:45 AM
Feb 2015

...but I knew teachers who wouldn't accept papers from their students if they had been printed out instead of typed -- they were convinced it meant that the computer's word-processing software had written the paper on its own.



calimary

(81,346 posts)
13. I had no idea how to use one THEN, either.
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 06:46 PM
Feb 2015

The whole thing was just a wee bit beyond me. Math was never my thing. Advanced math never bothered with me much except to laugh at me and have me at the end of a fork. But I knew people who could damn near create life with them. With them, it wasn't a mere slide rule. It was a magic wand. I swear, they could figure out ANYTHING.

calimary

(81,346 posts)
24. Get the slide rule! I can use those sharp edges to fold a really slick paper airplane
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 11:19 PM
Feb 2015

with that exam paper! The folds will be precise and sharp, too! Bet it'll fly clear across the classroom!

hunter

(38,321 posts)
7. It's an interesting collection of stuff.
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 06:04 PM
Feb 2015

Some of it seems, "Okay, I might need that," and some of it seems to have a story.

Bringing back the cap to the urine collection system, now that's just funny.



Glassunion

(10,201 posts)
26. Was she promptly arrested for possession of stolen government property?
Wed Feb 11, 2015, 11:23 PM
Feb 2015

That's some cool stuff.

History is always more amazing when it can't be seen and touched. Not just some page in a book.

progressoid

(49,992 posts)
33. Whoa. Outstanding.
Thu Feb 12, 2015, 01:35 AM
Feb 2015

Guy from Australia made one out of LEGOs



And Pokerfan found this little clip



Steve Eves broke two world records Saturday, when his 1/10th scale model of the historic rocket—built in his garage near Akron, Ohio—lifted off from a field on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The 36-ft.-tall rocket was the largest amateur rocket ever launched and recovered successfully—and at 1648 pounds, also the heaviest. Eves' single-stage behemoth was powered by nine motors—eight 13,000 Newton-second N-Class motors and a 77,000 Newton-second P-Class motor. (Five Newton-seconds is equivalent to about a pound of thrust.) All told, the array generated enough force to chuck a Volkswagen more than a half-mile—and sent the Saturn V more than 4440 feet straight up. It was arguably the most audacious display of raw power ever generated by an amateur rocket.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/rockets/4315103

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)
32. Can you imagine if they found one of these, in there?
Thu Feb 12, 2015, 01:34 AM
Feb 2015


The Tumblr Space Agency would have to exhume the guy, just to scream at him for it.

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