At 94, Apollo Astronaut Finally Reveals Why NASA Never Returned To The Moon
In the summer of 1969, an extraordinary event occurred that changed the course of history for America and the Space Race. Nearly ten years earlier, the Soviet Union startled the world by sending the first satellite into space. And on July 20th, 1969, the Apollo 11 mission achieved what was previously deemed impossible. But why hasn't NASA returned to the moon after all these years? Join us as we investigate how this living legend of space exploration has finally stepped forward at the age of 94 to reveal the untold story behind why NASA has failed to return to the moon. Exploring the moon wasn't the main goal. President Kennedy played a crucial role in starting the Apollo mission in 1961, which aimed to land humans on the moon. This move is often seen as
brave and forward-thinking. Kennedy declared that the United States would reach the moon before the 1960s ended. However, Kennedy wasn't interested in exploring the moon just because he liked it. He saw it as a way to gain an advantage during the Cold War. The Soviet Union's progress in space, like launching the Sputnik 1 satellite and Yuri Gagarin's space journey, made America feel threatened. Kennedy saw the moon as a chance for America to show its power by getting there before the Soviets. Even though NASA didn't have everything it needed,
it rose to the challenge. Many people worked hard to meet the tight deadlines set by Kennedy. Later, secret documents revealed that Kennedy's main goal was to show off America's industries and political strength through lunar exploration. The Apollo Project became a symbol of America's advanced technology and its belief in its ideology during the tense Cold War era. The
United States made it to the moon before the Soviet Union, despite the Soviets starting ahead in space exploration. This was because the United States government gave NASA a lot of money, allowing it to do big projects like Apollo. The United States also improved its rocket technology and spacecraft design quickly in the 1960s. NASA's earlier programs, Mercury and Gemini, helped a lot by giving valuable experience and knowledge. When President Kennedy said in 1961 that America would put a man on the moon before the end of the decade, it seemed like a big goal, but it was realistic. America used new technology, successful missions, and careful planning to finally achieve the amazing feat of landing people on the moon with the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Even though Kennedy might not have cared much about
exploring the moon personally, his ambition pushed humanity to reach one of its greatest milestones. Number 14: Apollo 11's Traumatic Return The Apollo 11 mission faced many challenges that almost turned into disasters. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the astronauts on the mission, encountered a critical problem after their historic moonwalk. As they were preparing to return to the Command Module, they discovered that a vital switch, called the circuit breaker for the engine arm, was broken. This switch was crucial for arming the engine that would lift their lunar module back into orbit. Without it, they couldn't leave
the moon's surface. Aldrin used a felt-tip pen to push the broken switch into the closed position, improvising a solution to engage the engine arm circuit breaker. This improvised fix ensured that the engine arm was ready to fire when needed. Despite this success, their challenges were far from over. After a journey lasting 195 hours, 18 minutes, and 35 seconds, Apollo 11 touched down in the Pacific Ocean for recovery. However adverse weather conditions caused the spacecraft to land 13 miles further from the recovery ship, USS Hornet, than planned.
Number 13: NASA’s Confusing Alien Encounter Many people are captivated by the idea that aliens might pose a threat to space travel, with some believing that NASA is hiding this information. According to this theory, encounters with extraterrestrial beings during space missions have caused space agencies like NASA to either stop exploring space or keep these encounters secret. Supporters of the alien threat conspiracy theory claim that NASA and other space agencies have come across highly advanced alien civilizations during their missions, whether manned or unmanned. They argue that these encounters revealed hostile intentions and technology far beyond human understanding, leading authorities to keep this information from the public to prevent widespread panic. This theory suggests that NASA, possibly working with other government agencies, has hidden evidence of alien encounters to avoid causing chaos in society. Supporters argue that if the public knew about the potential alien threat, it would erode trust in space exploration and scientific progress. Some point to
incidents like the Apollo missions or robotic exploration missions, claiming that evidence of extraterrestrial encounters exists but has been deliberately concealed. NASA, however, operates as a civilian agency with principles of openness and transparency. Their mission includes scientific discovery, technological innovation, and sharing knowledge with the public and international scientific community. Despite this, some remain skeptical and question whether NASA
is truly transparent about any potential encounters with extraterrestrial beings. Number 12: Strange Structures In The Moon The idea that strange things on the moon are stopping us from exploring space has caught a lot of attention lately. People who believe this theory say that puzzling stuff on the moon, like weird buildings or unusual happenings, are making it hard for us to explore more and are making space agencies not want to go back there. One thing they talk about is strange structures and objects on the moon's surface that we can see in pictures from different missions. They think these things might be signs of aliens or really smart humans doing stuff up there. But Some people say that astronauts and space
agencies saw scary things during earlier missions or in pictures from satellites, and that's why they stopped going back. They think maybe they saw aliens or something else that made them stop exploring. These folks believe that governments are hiding these things to stop people from freaking out or to protect their interests. They say that if we knew about these weird things on the moon, we might not want to explore space anymore, or we might find out secrets about aliens or new tech. But there are other reasons why we're not going back to the moon right now. It's not
just because of weird stuff up there. We're told it's mostly because of money, changing priorities, and how hard it is to send people into space. Some space agencies are focusing on exploring Mars instead or finding ways to use things in space. Scientists are always studying the moon, though. They've sent lots of robots to look at it and have taken tons of pictures and data. Number 11: The Hidden Lunar Ambitions In the 1960s, there was a big race between the Soviet Union and the United States to get to the moon first. President Kennedy made a famous speech in 1961 saying America wanted to go to the moon. But the Soviet Union kept their plans to go
to the moon a secret until much later, admitting it in 1989. Even though they denied it publicly, the Soviets were working hard on their Luna program, which kept going even after the Americans successfully landed on the moon in 1969. Instead of sending people to the moon as the Americans did with Apollo 11, the Soviet Union focused on sending robots and unmanned spacecraft, like the Luna missions. These missions had different goals, like orbiting the moon, making soft landings, and bringing back samples. However, the Soviet Luna program faced a lot of problems,
like things breaking, issues with the rockets, and not having enough money. One big failure was when the Luna 50 spacecraft crashed just before Apollo 11 landed successfully. To make it short, the USA got to the moon first and won the space race. Number 10: Cost Effectiveness Of Moon Exploration The Apollo program, which aimed to land humans on the Moon, was too expensive. The US government, already short on money, wasn't keen on keeping
up the funding for more Moon missions. Making new technology and spaceships for lunar missions would have cost a crazy amount of money. Also, after the first Moon landing -Apollo 11, people weren't as excited about going to the Moon anymore. They thought landing on the Moon was
cool, but more of a symbol than something super important for science. This made it less urgent for NASA to keep going back to the Moon. NASA decided to focus on other stuff. They started working on things like the space shuttle program and exploring closer to Earth, like low Earth orbit. It turns out, using spaceships over and over again is cheaper than going to the Moon every time. They had other big projects to worry about, like the Hubble Space Telescope and
the International Space Station. Back when the Apollo program was happening, it was also a big deal because of politics. The US and the Soviet Union were in a big rivalry called the Cold War. Landing on the Moon showed that the US was super advanced technologically. But once they did it, the need to keep going to the Moon kind of faded. Even though the Apollo missions taught us a lot, some people wondered if there was much more to learn from going back. NASA had already picked up
rocks and data from the Moon, so some scientists thought there wasn't much else to gain since going to the Moon was risky. There was a scary incident on Apollo 13, and even though technology got better, going to space was still dangerous. People started worrying more about safety, and if something bad happened in space, it could cause a lot of political problems. Even today,
going to the Moon is still tough. It costs a ton of money, and safety is a big concern. Some people wonder if it's worth it scientifically. But, there are new plans to go back to the Moon. Number 9: Malfunctioning Of Saturn-V The Saturn V rockets were close to blowing up.
In the late 1960s, when people were just starting to explore space NASA had an incredible plan: they wanted to send humans to the moon. To do this, they built a gigantic rocket called the Saturn V. This rocket was a real powerhouse, designed to carry astronauts beyond Earth's atmosphere and to the moon. The Saturn V was like the superstar of NASA's fleet,
playing a crucial role in the Apollo program during the '60s and '70s. Not only did it carry astronauts to the moon, but it also helped launch the Skylab space station into orbit around Earth. The Saturn V stood an impressive 363 feet tall. Fully loaded with fuel, it weighed a staggering 6.2 million pounds, making it one of the heaviest machines ever built. And when it roared to life, it produced a mind-blowing 34.5 million newtons of thrust at liftoff, enough to power dozens of
cities. And when it came to carrying cargo, the Saturn V was a beast, capable of launching over 130 tons into Earth's orbit. When it came to the moon, it could still haul an impressive 50 tons. The first test flights of the Saturn V were nerve-wracking affairs, with Apollo 4 and Apollo 6 launching without any astronauts onboard. These missions were all about putting the rocket through its paces, making sure it was up to the task of carrying humans into space. But it wasn't until Apollo 8 that the Saturn V carried its first crew into orbit around the moon. Though they didn't
land, the astronauts of Apollo 8 made history as the first humans to see the far side of the moon with their own eyes. Subsequent missions, like Apollo 9 and 10, continued to push the boundaries of what was possible, testing out new spacecraft and procedures in preparation for a lunar landing. Then, in 1969, came the moment the world had been waiting for Apollo 11. With the help of
the Saturn V, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins orbited above in the command module. But the Saturn V wasn't done yet. It went on to launch more missions to the moon, including Apollo 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17, each one building on the successes of the ones before it. Even when things didn't go
as planned, like during the infamous Apollo 13 mission, the Saturn V proved its reliability, safely returning the crew to Earth despite a near-disastrous malfunction. Number 8: The Famous Neil Armstrong Declaration Neil Armstrong's big declaration upon landing on the moon has lasted through time, echoing through history. However, the famous phrase, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," might have been slightly changed. Armstrong himself later said he had said, "That's one small step for a man." The difference comes from a problem in the audio during the Apollo 11 mission. The important "a" in "for a man" was supposedly not heard, leading to the wrong quote that has stayed for years. This small grammatical issue caused a lot of debate and careful examination, with Armstrong talking about it in 2006. Then comes Peter Shan Ford, a careful computer
programmer, who looked closely at the audio recording. His study found a quick, unclear sound between the words "for" and "man," suggesting Armstrong did include the important "a" in his famous saying. At first, whether Armstrong said "a man" or not might seem unimportant. But in the context of the space race and humanity's hopes, every word Armstrong said was very important. Number 7: The Lunar Dust And Carbon Nanotubes One big challenge is the lunar dust, which is very different from the dust we have on Earth. It's made up of tiny particles and sharp glass
pieces. This dust sticks to everything because there's no wind or water to wash it away. To spend more time walking on the moon's surface and studying it, scientists need to make space suits last longer. This is because the moon's surface is not as safe as it might seem. Naya came up with a big goal in 2015: to make space suits last longer so astronauts can spend more time outside their spacecraft. The idea is to make suits that can withstand 100 extra activities, called EVAs, totaling about 800 hours on the moon's surface. This would be much longer than the Apollo missions. Making better suits is crucial for setting up a permanent base on the moon. But why is lunar dust such a big problem? Well, since it sticks to everything
it can damage space suits and equipment. When micrometeoroids hit the moon's surface, they create more dust. And because there's no weather to wear it down, the dust just keeps building up. When the sun shines on the dust, it gets charged with electricity. This makes it even stickier and harder to get rid of. To tackle this problem, Naya started a challenge in 2021 to come up with new
ideas. One solution is to use special materials that can repel dust, like conductive fibres and electrically charged brushes. Another idea is to make suits with fabric that mimics the structure of insect wings. NASA is also working on adding an electrodynamic dust shield to space suits. NASA's plan for keeping astronauts safe during long stays on the moon involves using tiny tubes called carbon nanotubes -CNTs. These CNTs are super lightweight and tough,
making them perfect for strengthening space suits. Unlike heavy metals like copper, CNTs don't weigh much, but they still conduct electricity well. By adding CNTs to the outer layer of space suits, NASA can make them stronger without adding extra weight. To make this work, NASA weaves CNTs into the outer layer of the space suit fabric, which is made of materials like Gore-Tex and Kevlar. This helps prevent the fabric from breaking down, especially when high voltages are involved. They also have to be careful not to use too much voltage, or it could damage the fabric. The special part of these space
suits is their ability to keep themselves clean. They have a system that uses electrical fields to push away tiny bits of dust that might stick to the suit. They've tested it out on a prototype knee joint, and it worked well, getting rid of almost all of the simulated moon dust. Number 6: Religious Practice in the Space Before the mission, Buzz Aldrin wasn't known to be very religious, but he secretly prepared to express his Christian faith when he landed on the Moon. He saw the Lunar Landing as a chance to show his personal beliefs. He made arrangements with his minister to have communion on the lunar surface, which is a symbolic way of worshiping in the vastness of space. This private ceremony happened shortly after the famous moonwalk, but it's not widely known in the history of space exploration.
Aldrin wanted to keep it secret because NASA was worried about how the public might react. Even though he wasn't the first person to pray in space, he was the first to have a Christian sacrament on the Moon. Aldrin took bread and wine that had been blessed on Earth and did the Holy Communion. He did this while getting ready to step onto the Moon's surface as the
second person to ever do so. He asked for a moment of silence and invited his teammate, Neil Armstrong, to join, but Armstrong respectfully chose not to. NASA didn't want to talk about Aldrin's communion because they were afraid it might cause problems, like what happened during the Apollo 8 mission when astronauts read a passage from the Book of Genesis, and people sued NASA. But over time, people have come to respect Aldrin's actions. Number 5: Mark Of Humans On The Moon The mark of humans on the moon from the Apollo 11 Mission goes beyond just the American flag planted there. Footprints left
by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are perhaps the most enduring symbols of our presence. With no weather to wash them away, these footprints could last for centuries. But there's more to the story than just footprints. Part of the landing module stage was purposely left behind,
carrying a plaque with a historic message: "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon, July 1969. We came in peace for all mankind." This act, along with the placement of tools and equipment, aimed to commemorate the achievement and promote a message of peaceful exploration to everyone. However, not all the things left behind on the moon are noble. Due to weight limits, the astronauts had to leave behind various items, including hammers, scoops, and even human waste. In total, 96 bags of human waste were left behind. Number 4: The Space Launch System The Space Launch System SLS is NASA's big dream machine for exploring space. It's a giant, super-powered rocket inspired by the legendary Saturn 5. The SLS is built to carry really heavy stuff way out there where Earth's
gravity ends. The interesting thing about the SLS is that it's not all brand new. It's kind of a mixtape of NASA's greatest hits. It borrows a lot of its tech and smarts from past missions, like those trusty main engines from the old space shuttle program. Those engines have been there flying countless missions with hardly any hiccups. And because they've already proved themselves, using them again saves a ton of money compared to making all-new engines. Some of the same companies that worked on the mighty Saturn 5 are still in the game today. Boeing,
for example, is a big player, leading the charge as the main contractor for the SLS. The SLS is a time traveller, tracing America's journey into space from the Saturn program in the '60s to today. And its mission is to boldly go where no one has gone before like sending humans back to the Moon and even onward to Mars.
Number 3: Private Space Exploration Effort In recent decades, the space exploration scene has undergone a remarkable transformation with the rise of private space companies. Instead of relying solely on NASA, companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance have taken centre stage. They've crafted powerful rockets capable of venturing deep into space, challenging NASA's long-held dominance in space transportation. SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, which debuted in 2018, is hailed as the mightiest operational rocket ever built. But it's not
alone in the game. Others like United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin are also in the race, developing heavy-lift rockets that can rival NASA's own Space Launch System SLS. While these private rockets might not match the sheer brute force of the SLS, they pose serious competition. Some even suggest that these private companies could render NASA obsolete in rocket development. However, NASA begs to differ. Instead of seeing these companies as adversaries, NASA views them as partners in a shared mission. NASA envisions a future where both sectors work hand in hand,
leveraging each other's strengths to achieve common goals. For instance, NASA plans to enlist commercial companies to construct and operate lunar vehicles. However, public perception of space exploration has evolved. While NASA continues to advocate for its vision of space exploration, there's a growing scepticism among Americans about the necessity and importance of returning to the Moon. Some argue that NASA should prioritise addressing urgent global challenges
like climate change, leveraging its expertise in satellite technology and scientific research. Number 2: The Race for Resources Beyond Earth As people from different countries and private businesses show more interest in exploring space, many wonder why we're doing it and what good it can bring to humanity. One big idea is whether becoming a spacefaring species can make life better for us all. People are talking a lot about mining in space, especially on
the moon. There are some good reasons why this could happen in the next few decades. One thing people are excited about mining on the moon is a substance called helium-3. This stuff is pretty rare on Earth, but it's all over the moon. Helium-3 could be a game-changer because it can be used in really clean nuclear reactions. These reactions could help make energy, treat diseases, and detect radiation. The moon's surface is covered in a layer of loose stuff called regolith
and It's packed with helium-3. That makes it seem pretty attractive to try and get it out. But it's not just helium-3 that's got people interested. The moon is full of all sorts of useful stuff like metals—iron, titanium, aluminum, and more. These metals are everywhere on Earth, but getting them from the moon could be easier and could help set up bases there. From these minerals,
we can make oxygen, hydrogen, and water, which are essential for life and fueling rockets. The moon has rare Earth elements, which are super important for making gadgets and batteries. These elements aren't rare on Earth, but they're tricky to find and dig up because they're spread out in the ground. If we could mine them on the moon, it might be better for the environment and give us a more reliable source of these valuable resources. Lots of countries, like China, America, Europe,
India, and Russia, are interested in mining on the moon. Even private companies are eyeing up the chance to get in on the action. But here's the thing: there aren't any rules about mining in space. Existing space laws don't say much about who can own what or who can dig where. So, if we do start mining on the moon, we'll have to figure out who gets to do what and who owns what they find. If we do decide to go back to the moon, it probably won't just be a quick visit. It'll likely be for a long time, maybe even to set up homes there. Number 1: Haunting Encounter With Celestial Melody During the final journey to the Moon before the historic moon landing, something incredibly strange occurred - a strange sound of music.
Apollo 10 embarked on its mission on May 18th to 26th 1969, just a month before the official lunar landing. This mission was essentially a practice run, orbiting the Moon in preparation for the upcoming landings. Everything appeared to be going smoothly until an eerie incident took place. As the astronauts traversed the dark side of the Moon, they experienced something truly peculiar.
It's been speculated that they heard mysterious sounds like music emanating from the void of space. Some have even suggested that these sounds resembled an otherworldly orchestra, prompting thoughts of extraterrestrial involvement. Despite the astonishment of the astronauts, the occurrence remained under wraps for nearly half a century, until NASA disclosed the recordings in 2016. The astronauts' reactions were captured in their own words. They described the sounds as reminiscent
of "outer space-time music," expressing their bewilderment at the peculiar auditory phenomenon. These mysterious melodies were akin to a haunting, alien serenade, echoing through the vastness of space. What made this encounter even more perplexing was the timing and location. The sounds manifested at the furthest point of the Moon from Earth, a region where communication with NASA was temporarily severed. In that remote expanse, isolated from terrestrial transmissions, the astronauts found themselves enveloped in the enigmatic melody, unable to ascertain its origin or purpose. Despite numerous speculations and hypotheses, the true nature of these celestial harmonies remains shrouded in mystery. Was it merely a natural phenomenon, an echo of
cosmic vibrations, or perhaps an encounter with extraterrestrial intelligence? The questions linger, inviting speculation and fascination, as humanity continues to explore the depths of space and unravel the mysteries of the cosmos. What do you believe is the reason why NASA has not returned to the moon? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section. And if you enjoyed watching this video, make sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to the channel.
2024-05-30 19:45
