Off we go again.

** NOTE ** This blog is due for a database and plugin upgrade, so at some point over the next 48 hours there may be intermittent periods of down time while I go through the boring technical stuff. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

“apollo 10 command module”

The CM for Apollo 10 was named Charlie Brown by the crew, to go with the LM Snoopy. Following these overly lighthearted names, NASA decided more appropriate names should be used in future – leading to the raft of grand sounding, but rather lacking in personality, spacecraft names of subsequent missions.

“are any of the men from Apollo 8 still alive”

Yes, all of them.

Commander: Frank Borman, now 81.

Command Module Pilot: Jim Lovell, now 81.

Lunar Module Pilot: Bill Anders, now 76.

The Apollo 8 crew celebrate the 40th anniversary of their mission in 2008.

“apollo space suit spec”

For everything you could ever possibly need to know, visit ApolloSpacesuits.com – a wonderful blog written by a “frustrated wannabe astronaut” as he attempts to reproduce the spacesuits (and succeeds!)

“how bad were the apollo 1 astronauts burned”

Well, how very macabre.

• Gus Grissom suffered third degree burns on a third of his body.
• Ed White suffered third degree burns to a quarter of his body.
• Roger Chaffee suffered third degree burns to a quarter of his body.

The fire had melted most of Grissom and White’s spacesuits and had caused substantial damage to Chaffee’s. The cause of death, however, was asphixiation.

The remnants of the Apollo 1 Command Module following the fire.

“bart sibrel comment on lro photos”

As yet, I am not aware of any comment from Bart Sibrel on the LRO photographs – and nor do I hold my breath for another round of his nonsense. When he does decide to speak out, I’ll write everything up here.

“wally schirra astronaut”

Wally Schirra was one of the Original 7, who also flew on Apollo 7 as Commander. I don’t usually select actual astronaut names from the search terms to use for these posts, as they are simply too vague to account for, but in this case it is worth mentioning Wally’s own website: wallyschirra.com, which covers everything one could need to know on Schirra’s astronaut career and life.

(I am working on finding space on the main page for a links section; part of the aforementioned database and tech upgrade will include looking at this.)

“why did the apollo 1 fire spread so quickly”

The atmosphere was pressurised for space flight, using 100% oxygen. In these conditions, the metal inside the Command Module can burn like kindling. Velcro was also used excessively in the spacecraft (intended as a method of securing objects when weightless), and Velcro is a particularly flammable substance. Add these two issues together, and you’ve got one of the most explosive environments for a fire imaginable.

“lro ocean of storms”

The Ocean of Storms, the landing site for Apollo 12, was photographed slightly later than the original LRO photographs due to the location of the site. Here is one of the shots of Pete’s Parking Lot, 2009:

LRo photograph of the Apollo 12 landing site, the Ocean of Storms.

“why do people believe the moon hoax”

Isn’t that the key question? Something to which I can only guess, but from time spent reading forums and the like discussing the lunar landing hoax, the following reasons seem to circulate:

• People believe the theories, such as the flag waving and the C rock, promoted by of Bart Sibrel, Jack White et al.
• There is a natural distrust of the US Government and all associated with it, therefore NASA are grounds for suspicion.
• Misplaced scientific belief.
• Lack of continuation in the space programme, in terms of landings on other planets, following Apollo 17.