WORLD OF SCIENCE
Lunar landscape
DR. T. V. PADMA
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The crew of Apollo 8 were the first to see the moon so close.
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There was a lot of anxiety in the summer of 1968. The second unmanned test of the Saturn V Moon rocket had encountered a lot of problems and a hundred separate defects had been detected in the Lunar Module. It seemed that the deadline for lunar landing by the end of the decade, as announced by Kennedy, would not be met.
Then, George Low, the engineering genius who oversaw the development of the Apollo spacecraft, decided to send the command module into lunar orbit, even as the lunar module was being readied. There were reports that the Soviet Union would soon be sending a cosmonaut round the Moon, which created a sense of urgency in the U.S.
Weightless
s scared that there might be some hitch. He prayed only for a chance to go!
The launch went well except for a few moments of concern and soon Apollo 8 was in the translunar void. It was going towards the Moon and inside the craft the crew experienced weightlessness. At first they could not enjoy it but soon they were all floating about!
On Dec 24 Apollo 8 started its Lunar Orbit Insertion Burn. After it began, there was no radio contact with the earth. Apollo 8 slipped behind the Moon. It occurred on schedule and suddenly it was all dark. The sky seemed full of stars.
The Moon was orbited 10 times. The Apollo 8 crew were the first humans to see the Moon at close. Lovell and Anders were fascinated, as they witnessed the first Earth-rise! Now, at last, Borman became anxious about getting back.
On December 25 past midnight Apollo 8 returned to the Earth safe and sound.
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