Men Walk On Moon - July 20th 1969 • Hacker News Board

Re: Men Walk On Moon - July 20th 1969

#91

Post by russell » Sun, Jul 22, 2012, 4:20 AM UTC

kragen wrote: post #57

russell wrote: post #29

We need to be reminded that once we did great things. I worked at MIT Instrumentation Lab on a compiler for the guidance software for the moon missions. My contribution was insignificant, but I am still proud to have been part of it. My only regret was that I never made it to Florida to watch a Saturn V take off.

Russell as in Steve Russell? Because, if so, I think you've done things much more significant than land men on the moon.

Sorry, I'm a much less famous Russell (Salsbury that is). The only connection between us is that I did play Spacewar on a PDP-1.

Re: Men Walk On Moon - July 20th 1969

#92

Post by mkramlich » Sun, Jul 22, 2012, 6:52 AM UTC

kragen wrote: post #57

russell wrote: post #29

We need to be reminded that once we did great things. I worked at MIT Instrumentation Lab on a compiler for the guidance software for the moon missions. My contribution was insignificant, but I am still proud to have been part of it. My only regret was that I never made it to Florida to watch a Saturn V take off.

Russell as in Steve Russell? Because, if so, I think you've done things much more significant than land men on the moon.

Exactly. Spacewar!

Re: Men Walk On Moon - July 20th 1969

#93

Post by ommunist » Sun, Jul 22, 2012, 9:24 AM UTC

ijager wrote: post #45

huhtenberg wrote: post #42

So what's the HN consensus - were there landings to begin with or was it all staged? :)

I like this reasoning: If NASA was willing to fake such a big accomplishment, why haven't they done another one in the next 40 years?

Because there is no need. Lunar race was for dominating ideologically. The USSR decided to 'lose' in exchange for more favorauble grain prices. Would NASA really be able to fly to the Moon, why'd they care to abandon Saturn V and start to buy Kuznetsov engines from Russia (effectively 40 years old tech). They simply were not on the Moon. Saturn was a weak rocket, unable physically to deliver Apollo module to the Moon. Also look for details of the Southwind icebreaker mission in 1970. 8 september. Sorry dude, its all lies, man never been on the Moon. Soviets did not wanted, Americans simply could not.

Re: Men Walk On Moon - July 20th 1969

#94

Post by EliRivers » Sun, Jul 22, 2012, 10:47 AM UTC

opminion wrote: post #87

russell wrote: post #29

We need to be reminded that once we did great things. I worked at MIT Instrumentation Lab on a compiler for the guidance software for the moon missions. My contribution was insignificant, but I am still proud to have been part of it. My only regret was that I never made it to Florida to watch a Saturn V take off.

If it is the case that the space race was a byproduct of the cold war, then there isn't much reason to feel nostalgic.

I disagree. Firstly, whilst the ends do not justify the means, this was an incredible technological and cultural achievement. Humanity's first, faltering step out of the cradle.

Secondly, two great warrior tribes holding enough weaponry to kill every human on the planet many, many times over hold guns to each other's heads... and then divert competition from violence into technological achievement. The message no longer just "I'm best because I'm stronger" but now also smarter, more technologically advanced. Means of competition that does actually give the world a brighter future, rather than just ending it for the other tribe.

Re: Men Walk On Moon - July 20th 1969

#95

Post by kragen » Mon, Jul 23, 2012, 3:18 PM UTC

russell wrote: post #91

kragen wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Russell as in Steve Russell? Because, if so, I think you've done things much more significant than land men on the moon.

Sorry, I'm a much less famous Russell (Salsbury that is). The only connection between us is that I did play Spacewar on a PDP-1.

It's okay. You sound awesome anyway ;)