45 years ago - Launch of Apollo 17

[SnoopLoggyDog]

45 years ago, I stood on the banks of the Indian River and watched the launch of Apollo 17. It was the only night launch of an Apollo mission. I was in sixth grade and staying with my Great Aunts in Titusville, Florida. When the main engines ignited, the sky lit up like it was sunrise, and the roar was deafening. Hard to believe we have not been back to the moon since 1972.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_17

[video=youtube;ZvNoV0_Y95g]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=287&v=ZvNoV0_Y95g[/video]

 

[1911ly]

I remember following all the Apollo missions when I was a kid. Everything stopped when they were broadcast on TV. It was a cool time in American history.

Thanks for bringing back the memories.

 

[churchmouse]

I would about give anything to have shared that experience with you. I was much older.

 

[KJQ6945]

That gave me goosebumps to watch. It was like being 7 years old again. Thanks for posting.

 

[9mmfan]

I remember one of the last moonshots. Watched it on TV. I was totally impressed!

To bad our country doesn't to amazing stuff like that anymore.

 

[Thor]

I as in a Rocket Club back then. We had copies of the manuals and went over the entire mission before hand and followed it closely during execution. I was amazed that after reaching the moon and making it a regular destination that America would shrug it's shoulders and say 'so what, big deal' and turn away. The average Americans greatest accomplishment or goal today is their next selfie, it was epitomized by prez selfie-stick. Disgusting and depressing.

 

[churchmouse]

Selfies are easy and self centered.

Accomplishment is hard.

 

[4sarge]

Hard to believe we have not been back to the moon since 1972.



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_17

ALIENS

 

[Leadeye]

In my line of work I hear things from managers like "that's too complex for these people to understand", "all I have are fast food rejects", and worst " you can't do that in this country any more". After straightening and trying to stand a little taller I always say that Americans were driving cars on the moon in the 70s. They can do anything with good leadership.

 

[indiucky]

I remember following all the Apollo missions when I was a kid. Everything stopped when they were broadcast on TV. It was a cool time in American history.

Thanks for bringing back the memories.

I have a memory of maybe second grade when the Apollo 13 mission was having it's trouble....Our teacher had the TV on in the class and I remember thinking how do you survive being lost in space like that....It was so long ago the teacher (who was a hippie) asked us to pray for their safety and return and didn't get fired....

 

[1911ly]

I have a memory of maybe second grade when the Apollo 13 mission was having it's trouble....Our teacher had the TV on in the class and I remember thinking how do you survive being lost in space like that....It was so long ago the teacher (who was a hippie) asked us to pray for their safety and return and didn't get fired....

I can remember going out side at night and looking at the moon thinking" They are going to land on that! just freaking amazing. What a great time to live threw.

 

[1911ly]

I as in a Rocket Club back then. We had copies of the manuals and went over the entire mission before hand and followed it closely during execution. I was amazed that after reaching the moon and making it a regular destination that America would shrug it's shoulders and say 'so what, big deal' and turn away. The average Americans greatest accomplishment or goal today is their next selfie, it was epitomized by prez selfie-stick. Disgusting and depressing.

So true and really sad.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

45 years ago, I stood on the banks of the Indian River and watched the launch of Apollo 17. It was the only night launch of an Apollo mission. I was in sixth grade and staying with my Great Aunts in Titusville, Florida. When the main engines ignited, the sky lit up like it was sunrise, and the roar was deafening. Hard to believe we have not been back to the moon since 1972.

I was ten when that launch happened. That does bring back good memories, and like others said, it was a cool time in America, back in those days.

In 1989, I was dong environmental toxicology work in orange groves on Merritt Island. Since some of the groves in our study area were on NASA property, we all were required to go through the process to get NASA security clearance ( I still have the ID). While we were there, there were two shuttle launches. We didn't have our clearances when the first one went up, so we watched from the shore of the Indian River, and that was cool enough, but when the second one went up, we were able to watch from the same place that all the NASA engineers watched, right near the vehicle assembly building. That second launch was one of the coolest things I've ever experienced. Deafening roar, as you said (although I'm not sure the space shuttle engines were as big as the Saturn engines?) You weren't sure if you were more hearing it, or feeling it. And, I'm sure it would have been spectacular at night, but both shuttle launches I saw were during the daytime.

 

[JettaKnight]

I as in a Rocket Club back then. We had copies of the manuals and went over the entire mission before hand and followed it closely during execution. I was amazed that after reaching the moon and making it a regular destination that America would shrug it's shoulders and say 'so what, big deal' and turn away. The average Americans greatest accomplishment or goal today is their next selfie, it was epitomized by prez selfie-stick. Disgusting and depressing.

As a Gen X'er, we had the same excitement over the shuttle.

So if the average American was moon-crazy... where did your generation go wrong? It's not fair to blame millennials, gen Y or gen X for the lack of moon missions. (honestly, I don't know the full value in lunar exploration now.)


As for selfies, it's not that different from the accomplishment of getting the latest Beatles album circa 1965. Or spending two hours on the phone with your friend circa 1985. The average American has always done average things - by definition of being average.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

As a Gen X'er, we had the same excitement over the shuttle.

So if the average American was moon-crazy... where did your generation go wrong? It's not fair to blame millennials, gen Y or gen X for the lack of (alleged) moon missions. (honestly, I don't know the full value in lunar exploration now.)

FFY

 

[Thor]

As a Gen X'er, we had the same excitement over the shuttle..

Where did I blame your generation? It started long before the generation that put up the moon shot. That our national trajectory actually made it to the moon was great, it's just that the vision stopped there (and few in your generation seem to care).

Carter let Skylab fall to earth, he put all the Saturn launch vehicles in museums so they couldn't be used. O put all the shuttles in museums to make sure that program wouldn't restart. At least we are currently working on another heavy lift vehicle but who on the street even knows or cares.

 

[JettaKnight]

Where did I blame your generation? It started long before the generation that put up the moon shot. That our national trajectory actually made it to the moon was great, it's just that the vision stopped there (and few in your generation seem to care).

Carter let Skylab fall to earth, he put all the Saturn launch vehicles in museums so they couldn't be used. O put all the shuttles in museums to make sure that program wouldn't restart. At least we are currently working on another heavy lift vehicle but who on the street even knows or cares.

Maybe space exploration doesn't have the same wow factor. Maybe spending research dollars somewhere else has better payoffs (like CRISPR). Maybe there's no longer a space race. Maybe people don't care about space as much. Maybe people complain about taxes. Maybe even flight was once magical, now it's the realm of pajama pants. Maybe people like taking selfies. Maybe some Americans next goal is posting an anti-Hillary meme on INGO and complaining about kids today. Maybe we should all just get off your porch.




WHERE'S MY FLYING CAR!!!!

 

[Thor]

WHERE'S MY JET PACK!!? I WAS PROMISED JET PACKS!!!

Maybe people are no longer serious. Me? I need to get back to reading the minutes from the Secure Live Virtual Constructive Integration Council meeting. (But I still want my jet pack).

 

[historian]

I have a memory of maybe second grade when the Apollo 13 mission was having it's trouble....Our teacher had the TV on in the class and I remember thinking how do you survive being lost in space like that....It was so long ago the teacher (who was a hippie) asked us to pray for their safety and return and didn't get fired....

What was it like being older than your second-grade teacher?

I remember when I was excited about space as a kid. I was going to be an AF pilot and then join NASA. Sadly, I got glasses when I was 12, was home-schooled, and wasn't very fit. I pull out my airplane books and look at airplanes with my kids now and again.

 

[indiucky]

What was it like being older than your second-grade teacher?

Kind of cool....I had to correct her on George Rogers Clark and his march to Fort Sackville....It was much worse than she thought...