SHUT TAT Astro BUR oe k Roo niee nO mUEECan Ca 7 Aucust 2014Moonwalk il Armstrong stared out at the alien world beyond. his lunar lander’s window, He was surprised at how duickly the dust, hurled away by the final thrust of. Eagle’s descent rocket, had settled back on the sur- face. Within the single blink of an eye, the Moon. had reclaimed itselfasifithad never been disturbed, and Neil stud- ied the desolation surrounding himself and Buzz Aldrin, No birds No wind. No clouds — a black sky instead of blue It was obvious NASA had made the correct decision regarding who would be first to eave the lunar lander. Outfitted in his bulky spacesuit, boots, and backpack, there was no way Buzz could have ‘maneuvered around Neil to the hatch. The ‘commander simply had tobe the first to leave and the last to return. Neil leaned forward, backing out, stopping on the porch with its largehandrails leading tothe ladder. “He moved slowly and steadily as ifhe had rng place to go, The Moon had been waiting for 46 billion years, and Nell was in no hhurry. Every move had to be precise, correct, ‘no problems Soon; he was a step above lunar diet, and he paused, staring at Eagle's landing footpads and legs, They had been designed to com- press with the force of landing, making the 22 ASTRONOMY « AUGUST 2 HOW ONE SMALL STEP BECAME A GIANT LEAP A billion people watched Neil Armstrong step onto the lunar surface in 1969. But space reporter JAY BARBREE was there for all the steps before that. Neil Armstrong snaps picture ofthe Apollo lunar module from afar > tnthisiconicpiture that indudes Neil AmstrongSsfrst steps onthe Moon, ‘Buzz Aldrn'shelmet reflect Ametrongt shadow andimage, as wellasthatof thelunar ander that they set onthe surface uss ship more stable, bringing ts ladder closer tothe surface. But Neil’s piloting skills proved to be the problem. He sat Eagle on the Moon, so gently that there was no collapsing ofthe pads and legs, and the bottom rung ofthe ladder was still 35 fet (1.1 meters) up. Way to go, Armstrong, he scolded himselfas he dangled afoot lover the rung and fell slowly to the footpad beneath him, But before he would take another step, he wanted to be sure he could get back up to the ladder. In the low gravity, he sprang with such force that he almost missed the bottom rung, He steadied himself Satisfied he could handle the extra-long step, he descended back ‘onto the footpad, “OK, just checked getting back up to that first step, Buzz. It's not collapsed too fa, but it's adequate to get back up” "Roger. We copy,” acknowledged Cap. ‘Com in Houston, “It takes a pretty good little jump,” Neil told them before turning his attention to his dilemma. For some time, he had been think: ing about what he would say when he actually stepped on the Moon. He had thought abou ‘one statement he judged had meaning and fit the historic occasion, and he ran it by his brother, Dean, and others lose, Neil had not made up his mind,He told me he was undecided until he was faced with the moment. He reached up with his gloved hand grasping the ladder and then turned let, leaning outward, “Tim going to step off the LM. now” he said, lifting hs let boot over the footpad and setting it down in Moon dust that shot up and outward ina fine spray — spray that lasted only a quick instant in the absence of an atmo- sphere tary pause, “one giant leap for mankind.” Most didn't know Neil had meant to say, “That's one small step for a man,” and the loss of the a set off an argument for years to come, Had a beep in the transmission covered the a or some other “That's one small step for man,” Neil said with a momen- loss of transmission wiped it from our ears, or had Neil nervously skipped the word? Knowing Neil’ struggles with public speaking, Ibelieve the lat ter, and with all the excitement and emotions of the moment, I've never been convinced Neil himself really knew for sure HIS MOTHER HAD TOLD HIM her only real concern for his safety on the Moon was the lunar crust might not support hie, Again, Neil tested his weight. Then he told Mission Control, “The surface i fine and powdery. I can pick it up loosely with my toe. I does adhere in fine layers like powdered charcoal to the sole and 2324 With dinner cut short, author Jay report Nel Armstrong’ ist ste bree returns this microphone to onthe Moon. on sides of my boots, Ionly goin asm fraction of an inch, maybe an. cighth of an inch, but I can see the footprints of my boots and the treads in the fine sandy particles” He stood there rock-solid, bots braced for balance, enclosed in the elaborate pressurized exoskeleton that sustained his fe on this, inhospitable place. It was filled with energy, with supplies of heat and cooling, water, oxygen pressure — a capsule of life created by his Apollo colleagues, and Neil Armstrong stood looking long and. hard at this small, untouched world. He was overwhelmed, His sense and his thoughts set afire with the miracle of being on the lunar surface. He believed that he and. Buzz and those who would fellow were there for far more than walling through hunar dust and measuring solar winds, magnetic felds, radiation levels —all that was window dressing for thet real purpose for coming. Itall condensed into every view they had of thet fragile, beau- ‘ifal Barth, It was suddenly clear to this son of the land once walked by Onville and Wilbur Wright that he was on the Moon to look back — to give every single human a clear look at spaceship Earth carry- ing the miracle. In this neighborhood of the universe, it was lifes only world, Tt was ard blackness, and Nail recognized it mattered litle if we were Republican, Democrat, Independent, apolit cal, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hinda, or Bud- dist, or who the hell we liked or disliked, We live on a vulnerable world where we must take care of its very finite resources — on a world where we all would suffer terrifying consequences if we drained it ofits ability to sustain us — Is ability to foster and nurture the very life we now threaten to contaminate Neil knew no matter how diligent, how great encased in diamond: Jay Barbree is the author of Nell Armstrong: A Life of Fight (Thomas Dunne Books, 2014), from which thie article isan excerpt. titory-nse AfterNell Armstrong stepped from the Apollo 1 Tun ‘onto the Moon’ surface, he ‘watched Buzz Aldrin descond Fogle’ ladder and land fort first time on nonterrstia ‘our effort to protect Earth, it was finite, and one day if humans ‘were to survive, they would have to move on to new worlds, In the {greatest of reasons, that was what he and Buzz and all those who ‘would follow were here doing walking on the Moon. Nall stopped his thoughts, forced himself out ofhis introspection. He and Buzz had much to do before they could catch a few hours rest, and he turned and began walking farther away from the security of Eagle, In one sense, it was like learning to walk again — shuffling, stifFlegged, yet buoyant — something like wading through chin- deep water with his feet striking bottom — floating in low gravity within his spacesut. (On Earth, his exoskeleton weighed 348 pounds (158 kilograms). [Novw, on the Moon, it only weighed 58 pounds (26kg), and he told Mission Control, “There seems to be no difficulty in moving, around as we suspected. I's even perhaps easier than the simula tions at ¥eg that we performed. Its actually no trouble to walk.” Nail’ first task was to collect a contingency sample. Ifthey had to abort the moonseal carly, a small bag of lunar soil woud make scientists happy. But he told himself he should do that in sunlight, and for now he needed the camera, He needed to take pictures while his eyes were stil adapted to the shadows. “OK, Buzz,” he asked his partner, “we ready to bring down the “Ymall ready,” Buzz told him. “I thinkit’s been all squared away and in good shape, but you'll have to play out all the LEC (Lunar Equipment Conveyor], Itlooks like i'scoming out nice and evenly. Neil mounted the camera on a bracket on his chest and stepped forward to take the numer one photograph. It was to have been his firs footprint on the Moon, but no sooner than he looked fori by the footpad, he was ready to kick himself. In his movements 10 check out Eagie’s stance and operate the conveyor line to bring the ‘camera down, he had walked over it, It was obvious is later steps had blotted out his frst “Then Bruce McCandless called, “We see you getting some ple tures and the contingency sample, Neil” Neil didn't move. He stood there disappointed with the loss of the first footprint, and McCandless asked again, “Neil, this is Houston, Did you copy about the contingency sam ple, over?” 4 Nell Armstrong gets the con tingency sample and makes sure eel for Buzz Aldrin to join im onthe lar surfaces moduleNo one was more aware than Neil how important the contingency sample was, and hettold Bruce, “Roger, 'm going to get to that justas soon as [finish these picture series” Buzz watched as Neil completed the pho- tographs and walked away to a sunlit area He asked, “Going to get the contingency sample there, Neil “Right,” Neil answered. “OK, That's good,” Buzz agreed [Neil quickly reached into a thigh pocket andwithdrew acollapsiblehandlewithabag The Apolo? on its end. He was in sunlight forthe fist stonaussetupe time, and he turned his back on the pene- trating glare. He began digging into the sur- face, What he found surprised him. There was the same soft power, but then there Washi. He met resistance. “Thisis very esting.” he told Mission Control. “Its a very soft surfice, but here and there where I plug, with the contingency sample collector ran into a very hard surface. It appears tobe very cohesive material of the Moon's surface, stand near the ladder ‘thatled them tothe Tar surface. sss the same sort” He scooped up enough lunar soil to fill the bag and told them, ‘try to get rack in here, just a couple?” “That looks beautiful from here, Neil,” Buzz told him, talking about the sample, but Neil took Buzz's comment to mean the ‘Moon. “Ithas a beauty ofits own, It’s like much ofthe high desert ofthe United States, It’s different, but is very pretty out here.” Pointing down from Eagle was a 16mm movie camera loaded with color film. It was there to film the actions of the two astro- ‘nauts on the Moon, and Buzz told Neil, “OK. Ihave got the camera. ‘on at one framea second” ae “Are you ready for me to come out?” asked Buzz “Yes.” Neil sald, and Buzz followed his instructions, asking, “Hove far are my fet from the edge?” “You're right atthe edge of the porch “OK. Now I want to back up and partially lose the hatch,” Buzz. reported, quickly adding, “making sure not tolockittan my way out” “Avery good thought.” Neil agreed, asa wave of laughter rolled through Mission Control BUZZ MOVED SLOWLY DOWN and then said, “OK, Pm on the top step, and I can look down over the landing gear pads. Its very simple matter to hop down from one step to the next” “Yes, found I could be very comfortable, and walking is also very comfortable,” Neil agreed, pausing long enough to recheck Buzz’s progress. “You've got three more steps and then a long one.” “OK. I'm going to leave that one foot up there and both hancls down to about the fourth rung up. “There you go” “OK, Now Ithink I'l do the same” “Alitle more,” Neil suggested, “about another inch.” There was a pause, and then Neil shouted, "There, you got i!” ‘A second human was on the Moon, and Neil greeted Buzz at the bottom of the stairs as they again heard cheering in Mission Control. ‘The lag thatthe A ‘ronauts planted in thelunar sol wasstiffened with wire sot would ‘ote imply agains ts poe on Earths alrere satelite, ws ~ Lefton the Eagle ander on the ‘Moon’ surface, this plaquereads, “Here men from the planet Earth {ist setfeotupon the Moon July 1969, .0.We came in peace forall ‘mankind sn “Beautiful view,” Buzz grinned, “Isnt that something?” Nell agreed. jee “MAGNIFICENT DESOLATION,” Buzz spoke with feelingas he stared ata sky that was the darkest of black, No blue, No birds, No ‘green below: There were many shacles of gray on the surface and areas of uter black where rocks cast their shadows from an uni tered Sun, but no real color. Possibly tan under certain lighting, ‘The land curved gently but noticeably away — all the way out to the horizon that was only half the distance Buzz and Neil were used to seeing on Earth. But there on the Moon, they could actually see they were standing on a sphere, and when they walked and Tooked down, their motion fascinated them. Each time they took. ‘one oftheir half walking and half floating steps, their boots set in motion a spray of lunar soil sailing outward and upward sharp! and quickly without the hindrance of an atmosphere, and they ‘even tried running and leaping strides that were impossible to do ‘on Earth, But when they tried to sustain ajo ity created kinetic energy, and stopping quickly was impossible, It was as ifthey had found a new playground afterschool, and they even tried bunny hopping, an assortment of moves, and they wished they could stay on their new playground until they had explored every nook, every cranny, so much to see and do and so litle time, But despite their wish to drink in this new and strange and beautiful and wonderful place, Nell and Buzz had to move on to their chores First, they reset their television camera’ location 60 feet (18m) from Eagle. This would help earthlings see some of the things they ‘were seeing, Next on their list of duties was to plant the American flag. By international agreement, no country could claim the Moon, even, the mass and veloc: 2526 Neil Armstrong stayon the Moon was not leisurely one ashe aoe a ee er ee ne ats Seismographs and other devices that would remaln there the first to get there. That was stated firmly ina plaque on Eagle's ont eg “For those who haven't read the plaqu ‘Neil told the television it says, ‘Here men from the planct Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969 a.n. We came in peace for all mankind, thas the crew members’ signatures and the signature ofthe presi- dent of the United States Neil and Buzz then unfurled an American flag stiffened with Wire so that it would appear to fly on the airless Moon. B Moon's subsurface was so hard, they could barely get its pole to stand. Once they did, they moved back to clear the view of the 16mm color movie camera looking down from Eagle's window. TThen there were ather protocols to meet. In the lunar dust, Neil and Buzz placed mementos for the five deceased American and Russian space flyers, and one small cargo = private and honorable — carried by Neil It was not to be divulged. Itwas a diamond studded astronaut pin made especially for Deke Slayton by the three Apollo 1 astronauts who planned to fly ton their mission before that dreadful fire. And yet there was one other remembrance. Very special and dear to Neil, a part of an unfinished life he so wanted to leave on the Moon, and he did SO THE ESTIMATED BILLION PEOPLE on Earth watching could keep track, Neil relocated their television cameratoiitscable’ limits. Those viewing could now see even more, and: him, “We've got a beautiful picture, Neil” adding, “Could we get both of you on the camera for a minute, please?” ‘Say again, Houston,” Neil asked. ‘We'd like to get both of you in the field of view of the camera fora minute” Buzz was in the middle of setting up experiments, and while he found the request puzzling, he moved in front of the camera, “Neil and Buzz,” CapCom Bruce McCandless told them, “the president ofthe United States isin his office now and would like to say afew words to you, over” “That would be an honor” Neil responded. “Go ahead, Mr, President. This is Houston out.” “Hello, Neil and Buzz.” President Richard Nixon began, “Tin talking to you by telephone from the Oval Room at the White House, and this certainly has to be the most historic telephone call ‘ever made. I just cant tell you how proud weal ate of what you are doing for every American, This has to be the prouilest day of our lives. And for peopleall over the world, fam sure they too, join with Americans in recognizing what an immense fat this s. Because of ‘what youhave done, the heavens have becomea part of man's world, And as you talk tots from the Sea of Tranquillity it inspires us to redouble our efforts to bring peace and tranquility to Earth, Forone priceless moment in the whole history of man,allthe people on this Earth are truly one; one in their pride in what you have done, and. ‘one in our prayers that you will return safely to Earth.There was a long silence, a grateful silence by a listening world, and Neil responded: “Thank you, Mr. President. Ws a great honor and privilege for us to be here representing not only the United States butalso men of peace ofall nations, and with interest and a curiosity and a Visioa for the future, IUS an honor for us tobe able to participate here today.” “And thank you very much, and T look forward,” President Nixon told Nell, “all of us look forward to seeing you on the Hornet on Thursday: “Took forward to that very much, sin? Buzz joined in, ‘Neil and Buzz would find in the future when they were making their world tour that they would be greeted by people everywhere saying “we,” not just the United States, “We did it — we went to the Moon!” A TheflagNell Armstrong ‘and Buzz Aldrin planted onthe Moon gives the same frozen wave today asitdd the day they lettuce ‘THERE WAS SO MUCH MORE THEY WANTED TO DO, but Buzz found the Sea of Tranquillity more rugged thane d expected There were high and love areas — not the best place to set up the experiments — but he managed to deploy a solar-powered sei ‘mometer to detect moonquakes and a laser reflector to help scien- tists measure the distance at any given time between Earth and the Moon. Buzz and Neil were most pleased when Mission Control told them they were giving them an extra 15 minutes, When they had the solar-pawered seismometer running, Tran: uillity Base appeared to be a fully operating scientific outpost. Nail left the experiments to Buzz and began moving about their landing site, exploring on his own. He quickly abandoned any thoughts of trying to reach and Inspect the football-field-sized crater he had to avoid during land- ing, But there was a smaller crater he'd flown over only abou 200 feet (60m) away. ‘Abbaby crater, Neil thought, Mutfie’s Crater: He smiled, quietly remembering the 2-year-old he and Janet had lost to a brain tumor, and he permitted himself a moment. He stood there, remembering how Mutfie would have loved sliding down into the pit. He had an overwhelming urge to do it for her. He'd love to have a sample of lunar bedrock anyway for the geologists. But Nell Armstrong lostis2-year-old daughter, Mutfie, to abraln tumor. Imagining how she would have liked to slide down ths crater, he named after. sxx Astronaut Nell Armstrong offidal NASA photo showshimin an Apollo mi lon su which helater wore athe fist perzon to walk onthe Moons then better judgment grabbed him. What if he couldn't get back. ‘up without the help of Buzz? He seltled for taking pictures and describing what he saw before heading back where Mission Control had put Buzz to work ham. mering a metal core tube sample into the hard subsurface, They then told Neil to gather rocks that would best represent the Sea of ‘Tranquillity With time running out, they moved back to Eagle's ladder, and Buzz was told to head back in, But before he did, he took the cam: cra from Neil and photographed the Apollo 11 commander load- ing lunar material boxes on Eagle. Nil sensed that if he came back to this same location on the Moon a million years from now, he would find the scene as he had leftit In his vst, he had little time to get to know this small corner ‘of the solar system. Yet the knowledge and the samples from the Moon he and Buzz were bringing back were priceless He joined his moonwalking partner inside Eagle to welcome the loud noise of oxygen filling their lander’s cabin — the livable atmosphere they would need to take their helmets off, When they did, they were met with a pungent odor — wet ashes and gunpow- dlr. They were bringing the smell ofthe Moon with them. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had landed on the Moon on Sunday, July 20, 1969, at 4:17:42 pat. EDT Six hours and 38 minutes later, Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the hunar surface, Aldrin followed him 18 minutes ate to become the second. Apollo's lunar landings would end after 12 Americans walked and rode in lunar cats across the Moon's landscape. The last Apollo returned from the lanar surface December 17,1972, No human has visited the Moon since.