Monthly Archives: August 2011

Two out of three chutes carry Apollo 15 astronauts home safe

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-Vd75Ptg9I
Apollo 15 Splashdown

(Saturday, August 7, 1971, 4:46pm EDT) — The astronauts of Apollo 15 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean today and brought to a safe conclusion their successful 12-day moon-exploring mission, which space agency officials called an “epic scientific voyage.” During Earth re-entry and descent, however, one of the three parachutes failed to open fully. As a result, descent velocity was 2.8mph faster than planned, but the crew was unharmed.

Astronaut takes a first walk in deep space to retrieve film


1971: Apollo 15 (NASA)

(Thursday, August 5, 1971) — Working with surprising speed and ease, astronaut Alfred M. Worden wrapped up Apollo 15’s spectacular lunar expedition in high style today with man’s first walk in deep space to retrieve priceless film of the moon.

Reagan fires 11,000 striking air traffic controllers


Aug. 5, 1981: Air Traffic Controllers Strike

(Wednesday, August 5, 1981) — U.S. President Ronald Reagan today fired more than 11,000 air traffic controllers who ignored his order to return to work. Nearly 13,000 controllers walked off the job Aug. 3 after talks with the Federal Aviation Administration collapsed.

Apollo 15 begins long trip home after launching lunar satellite


1971: Apollo 15 (NASA)

(Wednesday, August 4, 1971) — Apollo 15 tonight fired its main engine behind the moon and blasted out of lunar orbit on the way home to earth just after dropping off a small satellite designed to orbit the moon for at least a year.

Astronauts leave Moon and dock safely


1971: Apollo 15 (NASA)

(Monday, August 2, 1971, 1:11 p.m. ET) — Apollo 15 astronauts David R. Scott and James B. Irwin rocketed from the moon today and linked up with their mother ship, a first step home with a 230-pound cargo of lunar secrets won from that battered vault of space history. The launch followed a third and final walk on the moon where Scott paid tribute to the 16th century Italian scientist Galileo Galilei and his discovery about falling objects in gravity fields.

Spacemen find precious rock at crater


1971: Apollo 15 (NASA)

(Sunday, August 1, 1971) — Two Apollo 15 explorers radioed jubilantly today from a steep lunar mountainside that “we found what we came for,” a crystal-filled rock believed formed close to the time of the moon’s very creation. Continue reading Spacemen find precious rock at crater