Category: Space Exploration

Lunar Rover Vehicle Speed Record was Broken on December 13, 1972

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date December 13, 2023
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Lunar Rover Vehicle speed record: John Young — Apollo 16 Astronaut John Young kicks up a trail of lunar dust while off-roading, momentarily lifting off the surface, just before hitting the record-breaking lunar speed of approximately 16.9 kilometers per hour (10.5 miles per hour) during their final EVA on April 23, 1972.

The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), an engineering feat designed for lunar exploration, played a crucial role in the later Apollo missions. Given its delicate structure and the unique challenges of the Moon’s surface, astronauts were instructed to handle the LRV with utmost caution. The vehicle, powered by a modest 1 horsepower, initially had a speed limit of 8 mph (12.87 km/h) to ensure safety during lunar excursions, recognizing that mechanical or medical help was a quarter of a million miles away on Earth.

The Last Moonwalk was Performed on December 13, 1972

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date December 13, 2023
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Apollo 17 EVA-3 [December 13, 1972] - the last moonwalk

On December 13, 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt performed the third and last extravehicular activity (EVA) of the mission. This was the last moonwalk ever performed (as of 2023). Cernan and Schmitt were the last humans to set foot on the Moon.

Moon Landing Space Exploration

A Conversation with the Apollo 17 Moonwalker Harrison Schmitt [Video]

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date December 12, 2023
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Apollo 17 Hasselblad image from film magazine 134/B - EVA-1 & 3. Apollo17, EVA-1, December 12, 1972. Astronaut Harrison Schmitt photographed by Gene Cernan during Apollo 17 EVA 1. Image Source: Project Apollo on Flickr

The American Veterans Center published a video, a conversation with the Apollo 17 moonwalker Harrison Schmitt. Schmitt was the first geologist to visit the lunar surface. He talks about the mission, and especially, the importance of the moon rocks.

This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History Space Exploration

Anna Lee Fisher became the first mother in space on November 8, 1984

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date November 8, 2023
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On November 8, 1984, American astronaut Anna Lee Fisher became the first mother in space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery as a mission specialist of NASA’s STS-51-A mission. It was her only spaceflight.

Moon Landing Computer Science Software Space Exploration Technology

Apollo Guidance Computer [1965 TV Program]

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date October 7, 2023
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Apollo Guidance Computer: Ramon Alonso (right) with John Fitch. — John Fitch speaks with Ramon Alonso (right), the Assistant Director of the Instrumentation Laboratory, about the Apollo guidance and navigation system's operations.

This 1965 MIT Science Reporter television program serves as a remarkable time capsule, capturing a pivotal moment in the history of space exploration and computer technology. Presented by MIT in association with WGBH-TV Boston and produced for NASA, the program provides an in-depth look at the Apollo guidance computer and navigation equipment, a technological marvel weighing less than 60 pounds (27 kg) but tasked with guiding astronauts to the Moon and back.

Hosted by MIT reporter John Fitch, the program features key scientists and engineers including Eldon Hall, Ramon Alonzo, and Albert Hopkins from the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory, as well as Jack Poundstone from Raytheon’s Space Division. Together, they delve into the intricate complexities and monumental challenges of the project, from spacecraft trajectory control to computer construction and onboard telescope operation.

Moon Landing Space Exploration

India’s Chandrayaan-3 Achieves Moon Landing Success

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date August 23, 2023
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India's Chandrayaan-3 lands on the moon, marking a significant milestone for India's space exploration and securing its position among lunar pioneers.

India’s recent Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully touched down on the moon on August 23, 2023, marking a triumphant moment following the 2019 failure of its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2.

Mars Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter was launched on August 12, 2005

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Post date August 12, 2023
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) launch — August 12, 2005: The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), launched from Cape Canaveral on top of an Atlas V launch vehicle. The mission embarked on an ambitious quest to scrutinize the Martian environment from its orbit. Tasked with observing Mars' climate, studying its geological activities, scouting future landing zones, and serving as a data relay from Martian missions to Earth, the MRO is equipped with an array of advanced instruments, including three cameras, two spectrometers, and a radar. As of July 29, 2023, it has transmitted over 450 terabits of invaluable data. Notably, the MRO has identified safe landing spots for other NASA missions, detected pure water ice in fresh craters, and unearthed further signs of past liquid water flow on Mars' surface. Image: NASA

On August 12, 2005, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter was launched from Cape Canaveral, as part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program. MRO is a multipurpose spacecraft designed to conduct reconnaissance and exploration of Mars from orbit. The orbiter played a crucial role in advancing our understanding of the Red Planet, both in terms of current conditions and its history.

Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

The Youngest Person to go to Space: Anastatia Mayers

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Post date August 11, 2023
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Anastatia-Mayers, the youngest person to go to space — Anastatia Mayers, the youngest person to go to space, aboard the VSS Unity spacecraft during the Galactic 02 flight. Her suborbital spaceflight symbolizes a new era in space tourism and diversity in space exploration. Her historic journey marks a monumental shift towards making space accessible to all, inspiring future generations to reach for the stars. Image source: Virgin Galactic

Anastatia Mayers, an 18-year-old philosophy and physics student from Aberdeen University, made history as the youngest person to travel to space. Her extraordinary journey aboard Virgin Galactic’s Galactic 02 (G02) flight on August 10, 2023, not only set a record for youth but also marked a significant milestone in space tourism.

Technology Artificial Intelligence Computer Science Moon Landing Robotics Space Exploration

The future as envisioned in 1967: The year 1999

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date August 5, 2023
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Year 1999 as envisioned in 1967 — In an image deeply steeped in the undertones of tradition and patriarchy, a woman is captured in the act of perusing meal options on a computer screen. Her role, a silent testament to society's longstanding conventions, reveals that even in a world of futuristic technology, her domain remains confined to the kitchen and the duties of housework. There's a palpable irony in the juxtaposition: the cutting-edge digital interface set against the backdrop of a regressive vision of womanhood. Instead of breaking free from the chains of conventional gender roles, she remains tethered to the time-honored expectations of preparing meals, managing the household, and attending to the minutiae of daily life. The image underscores the limitations that patriarchal constructs place on women, highlighting that even as the world advances technologically, prevailing gender biases and societal norms can remain distressingly unchanged.

In 1967, as space-age fantasies ignited imaginations across the globe, the then Philco-Ford, now Ford Motor Company, attempted to capture the future’s heart and soul in a brief cinematic journey. The film titled “1999 AD” catapulted its audience three decades into the future, offering a tantalizing glimpse of everyday life for a quintessential American family, the Shores. Viewing this projection of the future now, the film emerges as a treasure trove of intriguing insights – a harmonious blend of eerily accurate predictions and glaring blind spots, seasoned with the unmistakable charm of the 1960s.

Moon Landing Space Exploration This Day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration History

First Use of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV): July 31, 1971

Post author By M. Özgür Nevres
Post date July 30, 2023
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Apollo 15 Lunar Roving Vehicle — Image from Apollo 15, taken by Commander David Scott at the end of EVA-1. Lunar Module Pilot Jim Irwin is seen with the Lunar Roving Vehicle, with Mount Hadley in the background. Seen on the back of the Rover are two SCBs mounted on the gate, along with the rake, both pairs of tongs, the extension handle with scoop probably attached, and the penetrometer. Note that the TV camera is pointed down, in the stowed position. Image source: Apollo 15 Map and Image Library on the NASA History website

The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), often referred to simply as the “moon buggy,” was used on the Moon in the last three missions of the American Apollo program (15, 16, and 17) between 1971 and 1972. Its first use was during the Apollo 15 mission, driven by astronauts David Scott and Jim Irwin on July 31, 1971.