“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”
(That head is a link, dudes.)
It’s July 20th, 1969. 48 years + three days ago.
My wife and I are returning from a family reunion in northwestern PA.
We married about one year and six months earlier.
Her father was driving, and her parents were in the front seats. We were in their humble white 1963 Plymouth Valiant; “the refrigerator.”
We were driving winding two-lanes in Potter County, so-called “God’s Country.”
Her father had the car-radio on, AM.
Mission commander Neil Armstrong and pilot Buzz Aldrin were in the descending Lunar Module.
I was riveted.
“Contact light!” “Shutdown.” “Okay, engine stop. ACA – out of detent.” “Out of detent. Auto.” Aldrin continued “Mode control – both auto. Descent engine command override off. Engine arm – off. 413 is in.”
“We copy you down, Eagle.” said Charles Duke, CAPCOM in Houston.
“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”
“Roger, Tranquility, we copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot.”
I tear up every time I read this: “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”
Here we were in the utter desolation of rural northwestern PA, returning from a family reunion that got rained inside, where the road ended at my wife’s great-aunt’s house (never seen that before), and WE DID IT!
And with less computing power than is in my iPhone.
Armstrong also overrode the computer; it had them landing on rocky ground. Armstrong took over and landed that module himself.
Incredible moxie and daring; needed to bring about President John Kennedy’s desire to land a man on the Moon during the following decade.
“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” WE DID IT!
(Goin’ to my grave, dudes. Right up there with Don “Big Daddy” Garlits.)
It’s July 20th, 1969. 48 years + three days ago.
My wife and I are returning from a family reunion in northwestern PA.
We married about one year and six months earlier.
Her father was driving, and her parents were in the front seats. We were in their humble white 1963 Plymouth Valiant; “the refrigerator.”
We were driving winding two-lanes in Potter County, so-called “God’s Country.”
Her father had the car-radio on, AM.
Mission commander Neil Armstrong and pilot Buzz Aldrin were in the descending Lunar Module.
I was riveted.
“Contact light!” “Shutdown.” “Okay, engine stop. ACA – out of detent.” “Out of detent. Auto.” Aldrin continued “Mode control – both auto. Descent engine command override off. Engine arm – off. 413 is in.”
“We copy you down, Eagle.” said Charles Duke, CAPCOM in Houston.
“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”
“Roger, Tranquility, we copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot.”
I tear up every time I read this: “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”
Here we were in the utter desolation of rural northwestern PA, returning from a family reunion that got rained inside, where the road ended at my wife’s great-aunt’s house (never seen that before), and WE DID IT!
And with less computing power than is in my iPhone.
Armstrong also overrode the computer; it had them landing on rocky ground. Armstrong took over and landed that module himself.
Incredible moxie and daring; needed to bring about President John Kennedy’s desire to land a man on the Moon during the following decade.
“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” WE DID IT!
(Goin’ to my grave, dudes. Right up there with Don “Big Daddy” Garlits.)
posted by BobbaLew at 2:12 PM
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