Buzz
Between 1968 and 1972, the United States successfully sent astronauts to the Moon. Twelve of them actually set foot on its surface. Since then, no one has returned. Over time, many of their accomplishments have been forgotten or overlooked by a public that lost interest. Most people are aware that Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the Moon, and many can recall his iconic words after stepping onto the lunar surface.
Thanks to the popular film, many are familiar with the dramatic story of Apollo 13, which narrowly survived a life-threatening malfunction and safely returned to Earth. Despite this, there remain a wealth of fascinating details about the astronauts' words and actions during their groundbreaking missions. Here are some lesser-known tidbits for both diehard fans and casual observers to enjoy.
10. The American Flag
One of the most memorable photos from the first lunar landing shows Buzz Aldrin standing proudly next to the American flag. Unfortunately, the flag met a sad fate—it was knocked over just hours later when Aldrin and Neil Armstrong prepared to leave for the command module. After Aldrin activated the rocket firing button, he looked out the window and saw the rocket's blast blow everything away, including that iconic flag.
Interestingly, the flags that still stand on the Moon, those placed by astronauts who ventured far enough away to avoid the rocket blast, have all turned completely white. After enduring more than 40 years of intense, unfiltered sunlight and radiation, the once-vibrant red, white, and blue have faded beyond recognition.
9. Unauthorized ESP Experiments
During the Apollo 14 mission, astronaut Edgar D. Mitchell secretly carried out several unauthorized extrasensory perception experiments. While the crew slept during their journey to and from the Moon, Mitchell would focus his mind on a series of symbols commonly used in ESP research. He had coordinated the sessions with a group of physicians in Florida, hoping to explore whether thoughts could be transmitted over vast distances in space. The results, however, were inconclusive at best.
It seems that Mitchell and his collaborators back on Earth were likely not in sync for much of the ESP experiments. Nevertheless, the findings were published in the 1971 edition of The Journal of Parapsychology, for what it's worth.
8. Crying
When we picture the tough, chiseled faces of the astronauts from the early space missions, it's hard to imagine them breaking down in tears, especially someone like Alan Shepard. Shepard is one of America's unsung heroes. Not only was he the first American to venture into space, but at 47, he also became the oldest person to ever set foot on the Moon. After being grounded earlier due to an inner ear disorder, Shepard vowed to overcome the challenge and return to space. His chance came in 1971 when he commanded the Apollo 14 mission.
Many remember how he used a makeshift golf club to hit the longest drive in history (“miles and miles”), but what many don't realize is that the stoic Shepard couldn't hold back his tears when he first stepped onto the lunar surface. Alan Shepard cried while standing on the Moon. After all he had endured, who could blame him? Sadly, there was no way to wipe the tears away.
7. Lunar Communion
NASA's leadership had cautioned the astronauts not to make any overtly religious gestures during their missions, since nearly the entire world would be tuning in. Given that they were representing all of humanity, the risk of offending people of other faiths was to be avoided. Despite this, Buzz Aldrin felt the occasion was too significant to pass without a meaningful act.
After the successful landing, while they were waiting to make their historic first steps, Aldrin took to the radio and encouraged anyone listening to take a moment to reflect on this monumental event and express gratitude in whatever way felt appropriate. For Aldrin, this meant pulling out a small wafer of unleavened bread and a flask of wine that he had smuggled aboard. After reading a passage from the Gospel of John, he partook in the Communion, becoming the first—and so far, only—person to do so on the Moon. Neil Armstrong, though he watched his colleague with respect, did not participate.
6. The First Words
Neil Armstrong’s iconic words as he made his first step onto the Moon—“That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”—have sparked much debate. Many believe he made a mistake by omitting the 'a' before 'man,' which would have made the statement redundant.
Regardless, the first words spoken after the spacecraft touched down on the Moon have traditionally been understood to be Armstrong's words shortly after landing: “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” However, there was so much technical communication between the astronauts during the landing, that pinpointing the very first words spoken on the Moon is a challenge.
Adding to the confusion is the fact that Armstrong’s landing was so smooth that neither astronaut was fully certain about the exact words said immediately after touching down. According to the transcripts, there are three main possibilities. It could have been Aldrin saying, “Contact light,” as the contact light lit up. Then Armstrong might have instructed him to shut off the descent engine with, “Shut down.” Aldrin then followed up with, “Okay. Engine stop.” None of these seem particularly monumental, which is why it's likely we remember Armstrong's message to mission control in Houston.
5. The Moon Stinks
One thing that caught the astronauts by surprise during their Moon visits was the strong odor. However, they didn’t smell it until they were back inside the lunar module and removing their space suits. The fine lunar dust began to spread everywhere, even onto the astronauts’ faces and hands. Some astronauts even tasted the Moon dust. After being exposed to oxygen for the first time in four billion years, it apparently has a very unique smell.
Most astronauts described the scent as resembling spent gunpowder, something they would have recognized from their military experiences. But why does it smell like that? The reason remains a mystery. Chemically, the Moon and gunpowder are completely different, so there are various theories about why this similarity exists. As for Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the Moon, he said the Moon smelled like wet ashes in a fireplace. Not exactly pleasant.
4. Records vs. Prestige
While we all remember Apollo 11 as the crowning achievement of the Apollo program—and perhaps of human exploration itself—Apollo 10, the dress rehearsal mission, set a couple of records that still stand today. In addition to having two of the coolest spacecraft names ever (Command Module Charlie Brown and Lunar Module Snoopy), the three astronauts on that mission hold the record for being farther from Earth than any humans before or since. Eugene Cernan, Thomas Stafford, and John Young were more than 408,950 kilometers (254,000 miles) from Houston when they reached the far side of the Moon.
Due to the timing of their mission, the Moon was positioned especially far from Earth, and Earth's rotation had Houston on the opposite side of the planet. While the Apollo 13 crew technically traveled farther from the Earth's surface than anyone else, Apollo 10 had actually covered a greater distance from their starting point. After setting this record, the crew made another achievement when, on their return journey, they reached a speed of 39,897 kilometers per hour (24,791 mph), still the fastest any human being has ever traveled.
3. A Scientist On The Moon
As the Apollo program neared its end due to budget constraints, NASA faced increasing pressure from the scientific community to send a true scientist to the Moon while there was still time. Until then, NASA had only sent test pilots who had trained as astronauts. These astronauts received an intensive geology crash course before their missions, but surely this couldn't compare to someone who had spent their life studying rocks.
Recognizing this, NASA began recruiting scientists and training them as astronauts, beginning with teaching them how to fly jets. Though none of these scientists had much of a chance of going on a Moon mission, as Apollo 17 was set to be the final lunar mission and no scientists had yet been sent, NASA relented and called upon Harrison Schmitt, a Harvard-trained geologist. Schmitt completed the rigorous astronaut training and was more than ready for the journey.
Sending a geologist to the Moon was, in a way, like sending a Civil War historian back in time to witness the Battle of Gettysburg. Schmitt spent three days on the lunar surface, carefully studying and collecting rock samples, and returned with several fascinating specimens. While other scientists ventured into space on subsequent missions, Schmitt remains the sole scientist to have walked on the Moon.
2. A Priceless Sculpture
Apollo 15 commander David Scott sought to honor those who had died in both the American and Soviet space programs. Before his mission, he reached out to Belgian artist Paul Von Hoeydonck to create a small statue that would commemorate the astronauts—both American and Russian—who perished while advancing manned space exploration. The statue was to be human-like but should not represent any specific race, gender, or nationality. Scott also insisted that the sculpture would not generate any commercial profit, but instead serve as a lasting tribute to those who had lost their lives in the pursuit of space exploration.
The artist agreed to the request, and on August 1, 1971, the Apollo 15 crew placed the small figurine atop Mons Hadley, alongside a plaque bearing the names of the 14 astronauts known to have died in space exploration. Two additional Soviet cosmonauts had also passed away by then, but the USSR had not made their names public until after the mission. Years later, the artist tried to sell signed replicas of the sculpture for profit, but Scott persuaded him that doing so violated their original agreement. As a result, the artist kept the replicas without earning money from them. Perhaps one day the tiny statue will be displayed in a lunar museum, but for now, it remains the most distant memorial in the entire Solar System.
1. Lunar Module Pilots
Astronaut Pete Conrad was known for his daring approach to space travel. As the commander of Apollo 12, the second manned mission to the Moon, he waited until they were on the far side of the Moon, out of radio contact, before doing something unexpected: during the journey back from the Moon’s surface to the command module, he allowed his pilot to take control of the lunar module. It turned out that the role of 'lunar module pilot' was more of a title than a responsibility.
The lunar module pilot’s main task was to ensure the commander had all necessary information for flying the module. They would only take over the controls if the commander became incapacitated, which never occurred. So, as they ventured into the shadowed side of the Moon, Conrad turned to his LM pilot, Alan Bean, and said, 'You can take a minute and fly this vehicle.' Surprised but excited, Bean was thrilled to take the controls for a short time.
