(ORDO NEWS) — What dangers did American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin face, and what was hidden from humanity for a long time? It’s time to get acquainted with the most interesting and intriguing facts.
Astronauts change their mind about going to the moon
The flight of astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin was not without adventure. The Eagle lunar module, which had both astronauts, separated from the spacecraft Columbia, which had Collins. The reason for this was the pressure that was not completely relieved.
About 9 minutes before landing, Armstrong already knew that they would fly past the intended place. According to the calculations of the astronauts, they should have moved about 5 kilometers off course, but missed by 6.
The adventure did not end there. Due to the long flight, the Eagle’s onboard system overheated. This hampered the astronauts as they were distracted by numerous emergency signals. In addition, communication with the Mission Control Center was periodically interrupted.
However, everything ended in success. When the Orel had about 30 seconds of fuel left, the MCC cleared the landing. At this point, Armstrong smoothly steered the ship to a makeshift landing site and the Eagle landed.
The spaceship could explode
At a time when the astronauts moved away from the desired course, the pressure of the spacecraft increased due to overload. Despite the fact that the engine was turned off, the alarm still warned of high pressure. The astronauts were preparing for the worst, as everything pointed to the formation of an ice plug.
NASA understood that the situation was an emergency and if the pressure continued to rise, the ship could explode. However, everything turned out well. While Armstrong and Aldrin were given the necessary instructions, the ice plug melted and everything returned to normal on its own.
What is moon dust hiding?
Moon dust is very small but solid particles. The dust size can be up to 0.1 mm. If the particle diameter is larger, then it is no longer dust, but sand. Lunar dust in its structure is very different from the earth. While walking around the moon, Armstrong discovered that there was no wind on it.
In their original state, dust particles have sharp edges, but on Earth they are sharpened by the wind and become relatively harmless. However, on the Earth’s satellite, dust always remains sharp, and this is its danger.
Astronaut Harrison Schmitt once accidentally came into contact with lunar dust, after which he began to sneeze and severe eye irritation.
This phenomenon is not only harmful to the human body, it can also damage spacesuits, block camera lenses and damage equipment. When a person walks on the lunar surface, dust clouds rise up and acquire a positive charge. Then, like metal particles on a magnet, they stick to astronauts’ spacesuits and other items.
The scent of the moon
While preparing astronauts to fly to the moon, NASA was puzzled by its surface. No one knew what would happen after the ship landed: what if it failed?
Everything worked out well. The surface was solid, but the astronauts were struck by something else. While Armstrong was making his rounds on the moon, lunar dust stuck to him and he carried it to the ship. After some time, Armstrong stated that the moon had a smell similar to burning or the smell of wet ashes.
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