
New Footage
Isn't it amazing what you can achieve with new technology - they've been able to re-film the missing scenes in HD.
This proves they must have kept the original fake moon set in one piece :)
Conspiracy Theory anyone ?
NASA has tantalisingly announced that it will release "greatly improved video imagery from the July 1969 live broadcast of the Apollo 11 moonwalk" on Thursday. The agency reports: "The release will feature 15 key moments from Neil Armstrong's and Buzz Aldrin's historic moonwalk using what is believed to be the best available …
The sure sign that an entertainment outlet is in trouble (which is, let's face it, most of them) is when they start rehashing old stuff into new formats: whether that's "in color[sic]" "in HD [very sick]" or just bare-faced reruns of the "another chance to see ..." "catchup weekend ..." or <channel> + 1 variety. Although in this case it is +40 years.
When all is said and done, this was NASAs biggest moment. Their finest hour. They've done nothing that comes close ever since. While it's definitely true that they have helped with some major discoveries and published some very pretty pictures, what "the people" want is bread and circuses. And without the support of the people and the tax money they bring, NASA has nothing. All this anniversary does is highlight the question that a lot of people are asking: "So what else have you done?"
Looking through the TV listings, there's absolutely nothing on to mark the 40th anniversary of arguably mankind's greatest adventure. Sure, BBC4 had a few programmes on some weeks ago, but why put them on nearly a month early?
We've already forgotten how to get there; now it looks like the programme schedulers are trying to forget it ever happened.
"original magnetic tapes recorded by the Parkes Observatory in Australia"
"The Dish" An excellent film with Sam Neill - love the part where they realise they've lost contact with Apollo 11 just before the US ambassador turns up. So they then fake a radio conversation between the rep from NASA and one of their own engineers to cover it up. Just brilliant - especially when the security guard picks it up on his walkie talkie; "Is that you Mr Armstrong?"
Have an amber nectar on me boys
Yeah, you're right. But in my defence, I was thinking in terms of "great leaps forward" rather than drama.
It would#ve been nice to look back over the past 40 years, with a sense of progress - rather than one-off spectaculars. Something like this for a timeline:
1969 1st moon landing
1975 *permanent* orbiting space station
1980 lunar base established
1985 mining operation on the moon started
1990 commercial water / He3 extraction
1992 More orbital facilities: factories, space-dock, hotels
1995 Moons surface covered by giant advertising slogan (ref. Heinlen)
2000 Lunar advertising pays for Mars expedition
2005 Martians kick us off their planet
2010 Life discovered on Europa - oh, hang on ...
2005
"absolutely nothing on to mark the 40th anniversary of arguably mankind's greatest adventure"
There have been several items so far on BBC 4 - and not just The Sky at Night or James May learning to fly in the spyplane. But you are right, they haven't exactly gone out of their way to publicise anything.
Who will take odds on the next man on the moon being Chinese? And I'm betting that it will happen within the next 5 years. But don't expect to see it on live TV because that would interfere with the broadcast of Big Brother / Corrie / Eastenders / X Factor / Some country hasn't got talent / I'm a 3rd rate celeb you've never heard of, get me out of here.
Not Apollo 11, nor Apollo 13.
My vote would always be for Apollo 8. Yes 11 actually landed (no small acheivement!) but 11 built on the lessons learned in 10 and 10 built on 8. 8 was the first time people had ever left Earth orbit.
Mindboggling in 1968.
Mine's the one with the PLSS...
Hey... Why is the 'new' footage so good? Why, it's because it was done in/on the Universal Studioes soundstage - that's why!
Lame idiots whose only exercise is jumping to idiotic conclusions will bump-up the 'noise' component on the UseNet NewsGroups - instead of just appreciating clearer footage of such an important historic event. I'm looking forward to being able to view it at home in HighDef - I'll order that puppy immediately!
Of course, you all just want the TRUTH. Well, as it turns out, I've found a way for you to handle the truth!
First, you'll need a bench vice large enough to put your head in it.
Place head in vice.
Tighten. Keep going! Ignore the pain! You will find the TRUTH!
You'll also do the rest of us a big favour, and acheive Internets fame on the Darwin awards if you haven't had kids yet; win!
Whilst we're at it, I don't believe that man has reached the top of Mount Everest either. I've personally never seen it, and those mountains seen in the clearly fake pictures could be from anywhere - in fact I think I recognise Snowdonia in the winter - or is it a TV studio ? After all, clearly no one could survive the climb due to the cold,. lack of oxygen and yetis. And what happened to the original footage of Hilary and Tensing reaching the summit ? This is clearly a conspiracy.
I don't want your 'proof'. Flags, mirrors, debris, yadda yadda - I reserve the right to be undecided.
The only truth is, is that although it almost certainly happened, it's impossible for the average person to verify for themselves beyond reasonable doubt.
'TRUTH' UPDATE - IMHO: Evolution happened, dinosaurs happened, the holocaust happened, the moon landings probably happened, most other conspiracy theories are b*llsh*t, God doesn't exist.
I won't be towing the offical line without independant thought; neither will I be advovating 'you stick your head in a vice' if you believe something different.