The forgotten astronaut of Apollo - the man who stayed in the command vehicle and circled the moon when Armstrong and Aldrin came down to the ground, was interviewed by several websites, here are some of his answers to interesting questions
40 years after the first man landed on the moon, the astronauts and heads of the space program were interviewed to discuss the past, present and future. A NASA press release quoted Collins, the commander of the Apollo command vehicle, as saying that he feels fortunate to have flown the historic flight, but that the astronauts are not celebrities or heroes just because of their unique and dangerous work.
Far from being a household name, Michael Collins remains an unknown figure, and is sometimes called the forgotten astronaut of Apollo 11. Today, at age 78, he reminisces and fondly refers to his role in the first moon landing without anger or greed toward Armstrong or Aldrin, both of whom had problems. As a result of their sudden rise to global consciousness.
Despite their success in the tasks assigned to them and the public enthusiasm it caused, Collins admits that he was paranoid and felt that Apollo 11 would be a failure, and due to the unreliability of the launch engine from the moon, he might return to Earth alone, and remain a marked man.
According to Collins, in an interview with Nancy Atkinson published on the RT website, Collins tells about the intense feelings of isolation and loneliness when he disappeared behind the moon. "I do not deny that there was a feeling of invention in a remote and isolated place. This was forced upon me due to the disconnections in the radio connection whenever I disappeared behind the moon. I am alone now, truly alone, and isolated from all the life I know. "
When you orbited the moon alone, I was the loneliest person in the universe, were you really lonely?
Collins. "No. I felt very far from being alone or abandoned. I felt like I took part in all the things that happened on the lunar soil. I know I'd be a liar or a fool if I said I had the best seat of the Apollo seats, but I can calmly and honestly say that I was happy with what I had. This mission was built for three people, and I can say that I was just as essential as the other years. I wouldn't say I didn't feel lonely. It was imposed on me due to the fact that radio contact with Earth was lost every time I disappeared behind the moon. I was lonely at these moments and completely cut off from all known life.
What is the strongest memory you have of Apollo 11?
Observing the earth from a great distance. I honestly believe that if the world's political leaders could see the earth from a distance of 150 thousand km, their view could change. The all-important boundaries become invisible, and the debate will be silenced. The tiny ball will continue to spin, ignoring its internal division and presenting a unified face that will cry out for uniform understanding and homogeneous treatment. The earth must be as it appears - blue and white. Not capitalist or communist - not rich or poor, not bigoted and jealous.
Did you have the best seat on Apollo 11?
No. But I settled for that, it was an honor for me.
In another interview, published on Space.com, Collins was asked if the space program encouraged young people to be interested in careers in math and science? Do you recommend that children prefer these options?
Yes and no. We definitely have a problem nationally with kids wanting to go for money instead of what is considered a nerdy career. Other countries overtake us in the quality and quantity of math and science graduates, and this can hurt us in the long run, but a humanistic education, especially English, is a good starting point regardless of the later specialization.
Despite the important role he played in Apollo 11, which was the most heroic because it required solitude and isolation, Collins was always shy and stayed away from public exposure, and from the phenomenon of what we call today - celebrity. "At the age of 78, some things in today's society bother me, for example the adoration of celebrities and the inflation of the term heroism."
When asked if he would fly to the moon again like he did 40 years ago, Collins said: "Yes."
Collins also shares in the environmental concern, to which he was exposed in orbit around the moon. "When we flew to the moon, the population of the earth was 3 billion people, today it has more than doubled and is moving towards 8 billion. I don't think this growth is sustainable or healthy. The loss of habitats, the pollution of the oceans, the accumulation of waste products - this is no way to treat the planet.
For an interview in Russia Today
On the same topic on the science site
- Operation Apollo increased environmental awareness
- LRO photographed the landing sites of the Apollo spacecraft
- The routine of the astronauts on the moon
- A museum without visitors
- The tension that preceded the landing
- inflate in space
- Neil Armstrong in Israel: Those who do not take risks do not progress
- Neil Armstrong to students in Haifa: Go study math and science
7 תגובות
To Mushko - in order to see the Earth from a distance of 400 thousand kilometers, they had to pass through 150 thousand kilometers from the Earth on the way. This is roughly the point from which the entire Earth can be seen at once.
"They could see the Earth from a distance of 150 thousand". To the best of my knowledge, the distance of the moon from the earth is about 400 thousand km!!!!!!
Was he wrong or was he telling the truth (in the opinion of conspiracy buffs?)
He says they weren't heroes he probably doesn't know what went on here while he was 365,000 km away or he doesn't know how to tile himself and the rest of the crew enough
So right about the population explosion..