(UPDATE #1): We were a bit hasty in getting this out the door yesterday as we forgot to ask the following: Where were you when this event went down 40 years ago? We were still too young so we would like to hear some rememberances of some of our ahem, older readers. Thanks.
(UPDATE #2): "... uhh, boss... got some bad news"
Back in '06 NASA 'fessed up to not knowing where were the orininal video recordings of the July 20, 1969 lunar landing. Turns out they were erased and re-used in order to save money. Fortunately, copies have been tracked down and re-digitized.
NASA released the first glimpses of a complete digital make-over of the original landing footage that clarifies the blurry and grainy images of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walking on the surface of the moon.
The full set of recordings, being cleaned up by Burbank, California-based Lowry Digital, will be released in September. The preview is available at nasa.gov.
(UPDATE #3): Walter Cronkite passed away yesterday evening at the age of 92. Here's his live "call" of the Apollo 11 moon landing with Apollo astronaut Wally Schirra. It's a shame he won't be here for the 40th anniversary as he was a big NASA fan. And dig the animation graphics.
(here endeth the update)
Apollo 11's 1969 four-day journey to the moon will be re-created for online audiences this Thursday at the commemorative WeChooseTheMoon.org Web site from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.
Check it out here.
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2 comments:
I was under the impression the event was a foregone conclusion and didn't understand the significance why I was forced to watch such a grainy news show in my parent's den.
So much is lost on a 9yr old when expectations for achievement have been set.
Thanks, Mom & Pop for having me view the event live. I can only appreciate it much later!
I was in my parents living room with the whole family. I was about to turn 11, but even at that age the importance was clear - it was enough to get to full rights to stay up late.
We'd "witnessed" the landing earlier in the day from my grandparents house. I was the only one sitting close enough to hear the chatter, and knew that the animated version showing the LEM down on the moon was not accurate as they finished the landing, although I didn't quite understand how close to not landing successfully they were. As Road Dawg points out, everyone else expected success, saw the animated LEM down, and so 'they were there'. When I tried to say I don't think there are actually down yet, no one really paid any attention. Still when "Uncle Walter" came back on the screen with his huge smile, there wasn't any doubt what had happened.
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