On October 4, 1957, the USSR opened the doors to the Universe for mankind by launching the world's first artificial Earth satellite. This small aluminum ball with four antennae mustaches shattered the myth of the impoverished, backward, bastard Russia, which is intensely exaggerated in the West, about Russia, which, by the way, won the Second World War a dozen years ago! True, as US President Dwight Eisenhower said, he does not understand why such a fuss has risen in all countries around some piece of iron in the sky. Although it was, of course, a good mine for a bad game. The Americans became very upset that it was not their power that opened the space age. And when, on April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin, the first cosmonaut, smiled from orbit, the United States was alarmed in earnest.
To the moon
America was eager to restore its shaken prestige.
On May 25, 1961, US President John F. Kennedy issued an address to the nation in which he stated:
- We fly to the moon not because it is easy, but because it is difficult. We must land a man on the moon before the end of this decade and bring him back safely.
Eight years later, the United States fulfilled the president's wishes. Millions of people worked hard in thousands of businesses, the entire program until 1973 cost taxpayers $ 25 billion.
On July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 spacecraft launched towards the Moon.
Promotional video:
The spacecraft included the Columbia crew compartment and the Eagle (Eagle) lunar module. The ship was piloted by three: Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins. It is noteworthy that on July 13 (!) The USSR, trying in a desperate attempt to defend priority, launched an unmanned station "Luna-15". This "lunar scoop" was supposed to automatically collect 100 grams of lunar soil and deliver the "ball" with the sample to the territory of the Soviet Union several hours earlier than the United States would have done. The Americans protested - they say, this mission threatens the lives of American astronauts on the not completely investigated routes near Selena (well, how can the vehicles of different countries collide?). Our diplomats hastened to calm down, they say, everything is calculated. Unfortunately, Luna-15 died at the intermediate finish: on July 21, the station crashed into a lunar mountain.
The eagle landed on the moon
On July 20, Apollo successfully entered a circumlunar orbit. The two began to prepare for the historic action. Armstrong and Aldrin went to Eagle.
- Neal is a great silent man, - then his wife Janet told, smiling. - If he says "yes" - it means that he enthusiastically agrees, if he says "no" - fiercely argues. When he proposed to me, I immediately agreed. I was afraid that the next proposal would have to wait ten years. And also - he is very calm. As if without nerves.
Such was the person who was to be the first to set foot on another heavenly body.
Aldrin worried that he was not entrusted to become the pioneer of the moon. The resentment was compounded by the fact that he is an Air Force officer and Armstrong is a civilian pilot.
Competition is always strong between pilots. However, the exit hatch was still designed for only one.
Michael Collins, left in splendid isolation, shook hands with his comrades: - Do not forget to grab the moonstones. And - come back in time! "See you …" Neal said simply, and both of them smiled.
"Eagle" (the lunar compartment, outwardly similar to a fat insect - "spider") undocked. And immediately he hurried down, where only 150 kilometers away, bristling with peaks of peaked mountains, Selena was waiting. The lunar landing site was selected in advance, based on images from automatic stations - the Sea of Tranquility. Of course, this lifeless plain was called the sea only conditionally - the temperature drops on the Moon from +120 in the light to -150 in the shade, and, of course, no atmosphere.
Suddenly, on the astronauts' console, all information was erased from the computer display, and a yellow key blinked.
“Programming error,” Armstrong reported calmly, as always. And Aldrin hastily added: - Error 12-02. Give information - are we landing on the moon or not? The crew did not practice this situation on simulators.
The 25-year-old operator of the Center, Steve Bales, answered him, stuttering with excitement (the first lunar landing of mankind is at stake, and the computer scientist could not be mistaken!):
- You can continue.
… At the very surface, Armstrong took control: there are too many boulders on the way, the "spider" could turn over when landing.
- Neil, there is 50 seconds of fuel left! - reminded Aldrin.
- I'm sitting down.
Dust rose as if the Eagle was racing through a flying mist.
“Houston,” Neal reported back to Earth.
- This is the Sea of Tranquility Base. The Eagle landed on the moon.
- Congratulations! - responded from the Control Center. - Here, we have a lot of happy people. All of America and more than a billion people on the planet saw the landing live.
- Do not forget another one nearby, above, - Michael Collins reminded of himself, sweeping in "Columbia" in lunar orbit, over the module. - I really didn't see it on TV.
The program now relied on sleep and rest. But how can you sleep when there she is, Selena, right next door! The flight program was immediately replayed, and the exit to the moon began soon, after the mandatory check of the spacesuits.
Among the silence
Neal dropped to his knees and so, with his back forward, hunched over with difficulty, squeezed into the hatch. With the soles of his thick boots, he groped the top step of the ladder, straightened up with relief. Slowly turning his hands, he went down, then could not resist, jumped low, up to the hatch (the force of gravity on the Moon is six times less than on Earth!):
- Nice little jump! I just checked the return to the first step.
Armstrong stepped off the ramp to the lunar surface with the words:
- This is a small step for man, but a giant leap for mankind.
The soil turned out to be brownish (however, the color depended on the height of the Sun above the horizon), fine-grained, free-flowing like powder, at the same time sticking together into lumps. After 15 minutes, Aldrin joined Armstrong, already accelerating a little. Neal got into a conversation out of excess.
- I can freely toss the dirt shoe. I see the marks of my shoes. Getting around is not difficult. The engine did not make any crater (holes, recesses. - Author's note).
A couple in snow-white spacesuits collected about 20 kilograms of sand and stones, hoisted the American flag (and immediately saluted their native banner, clumsily pressing gloves to the pressure helmets). We talked for a minute with the President of the United States. We tried different types of movement in Selena - walking, fast running. jumping. We came to the conclusion that it is easier to move with the usual step Then they installed a laser corner reflector (in order to record with particular accuracy changes in the Moon's orbit and distance to the Earth) and a seismometer (in case of moonquakes).
Among other things, they left a miniature flag of the USSR on the moon, as a sign of respect for the power that discovered the star paths. The Americans were well aware that it was only thanks to the "space race" that the "Eagle" was standing on this lifeless plain. As Neil Armstrong said about Yuri Gagarin:
- He called us all into space.
… When the tired astronauts returned "home" - to the tiny room of the "spider", their spacesuits became gray-white-black from the omnipresent dust. They took off their helmets with pleasure. And then we felt a sharp, distinct smell. He reminded Armstrong of the smell of wet ash in the fireplace, and Aldrin of gunpowder after the shot. It was the scent of the moon.
On the surface of the eternal satellite of the Earth, medals with the image of Yuri Gagarin were left. Vladimir Komarov, Virgil Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee (unfortunately the deceased space heroes).
And also a sign with the inscription (in English, of course): “Here people from planet Earth first set foot on the moon. July 20, 1969 from the birth of Christ. We came in peace on behalf of all humanity."
Further - the start, and seven minutes later the "Eagle" went into the assembly orbit, where they were eagerly awaited by the "Columbia" with Collins. After docking and opening the hatch, Aldrin handed Michael the samples:
- Take care of these million dollar boxes!
A subtle hint of the financial and scientific value of multiple containers.
After the triumph
Back on Earth, the Apollo 11 crew (with their spouses) traveled to dozens of countries.
It was not only educational and exciting, but also extremely tiring.
One night, in a hotel room, Janet sadly told her husband:
“You know, Neil, I remember well the name of this city. But … what country is this?
Vladimir Grakov. Magazine "Secrets of the XX century" No. 22 2011