Word: descent
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...real story is the extent to which Americans of Latin descent are in the mainstream of Western life. Come out and see for yourself...
Like Christopher Columbus and the other explorers who set out in search of new worlds, the Apollo 11 astronauts face experiences never before encountered by men. They are cool, pragmatic technicians, superbly trained for their flight and thoroughly familiar with their spacecraft. But they will be attempting the first descent to the moon, the first exploration of its surface, the first lift-off back into space. It is not unlikely, then, that beneath their composed exteriors, they share some of the doubts and even fears felt by their predecessors...
...flight into a simple earth-orbital mission or a quick loop around the moon. A more calamitous equipment failure could cause Apollo 11 to crash into the moon or leave the craft stranded in lunar orbit. But from the moment that Houston radios, "We are go for PDI [powered descent initiation]," Armstrong and Aldrin will be blazing a new trail. They will have begun man's first descent to the surface of another celestial body...
Tracking landmarks through the front windows of the lunar module (LM) as it flies face down, the astronauts will fire their descent engine when the craft is 50,000 ft. above the moon and 300 miles east of the planned landing site in the Sea of Tranquillity. Its forward velocity slowed by the blasting engine, the LM will begin dropping closer to the lunar surface. At 39,250 ft., the craft will begin rolling into a face-up position, pitching into an upright attitude at the same time. Twelve minutes later, its rate of fall slowed from...
...Aldrin will scoop up scientifically interesting rocks, while Armstrong photographs each site and takes notes about the specimens. Armstrong will also thrust a core sampler as far as 12 in. into the soil to collect subsurface samples uncontaminated by the exhaust from the LM's descent engine. Up to 60 lbs. of documented rocks will then be placed in a seeond aluminum sample box, along with core samples and the aluminum solar particle collector, and sealed...