"That is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

[Fraeybol]

A very odd quotation. Note that "man" and "mankind" mean essentially the same thing, the only difference is that "mankind", unlike "man", is a collective noun which can be treated either as a singular or a plural word (whereas "man" is singular always). The meaning is the same; therefore this quotation is identical to saying this: ". . . one small step for mankind, one giant leap for mankind." Is this "quote-worthy"? I do not think that it is. What Neil Armstrong ought to have said, therefore, is this: "That is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

Don't you think?

I think that the Americans really "screwed up" here (as one disposed to Americanisms would state it) on the whole man-on-the-moon propaganda stunt. (For landing on the moon is really not amazing, is really quite easy in comparison to the achievements of the Soviets; it simply looks better. It was a stunt of propaganda: a much needed one. But this is beside the point.)

[Balamut]

Debate about this is blasphemy for our american friends

that the original text was to have been exactly as you stated, comrade Fraeybol, with the definite article included.

What is of vastly more importance is WHY the United States did not take the next step, colonizing and industrializing the Moon- why?

As you point out, the achievements of the Soviet space program were of comparable or greater difficulty. America had the industrial and scientific capacity to continue, but did not.

Thank you for this provocative topic.

PEACE,T.

[ArtRambo]

They never really went to the Moon. The technology that put a Man on the Moon went on to create 'Star Wars' and the Star Trek movies. The Apollo craft was just like the Soyuz. The technology that went to the Moon has disappeared while the current Space Station is based on Soviet technology. Moscow has the Cosmos and Gagarin Statues, but there are no monuments to Apollo in Washington because they would outlast the myth. Laika on Vostok 2 flew higher than any Cosmonaut or Astronaut since.

[Laptoper]

It’s widely known he messed up the message he presented to the public. He meant to say, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." But instead he said

"That's one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind." Inadvertently changing the meaning he intended to convey.

You all have most likely noticed the long delay between "man" and "one". The majority of people thought that the delay was just to allow the magnitude of his statement to be understood better. However during that time he was really deciding if he should repeat the sentence or just continue it. See even the best of us humans make mistakes. He was nervous and messed up the line. This incident is good evidence against conspiracy theorists.

[Asole]

I just have one quesiton, I hope someone can answer it. Why is the flag flying on the pictures when there is no wind on the moon?

[Greg_P]

The flag is flying because it is in a frame that holds it out to look that way.

If going to the moon is so easy, why didn't the Soviets do it?

Yes, the USSR did some amazing things. So did the USA. Russia and the USA continue to do amazing things. I was at home in the summer of 1969 between high school and college. I also had a telescope. What I saw convinced me that we DID go to the moon since I watched it myself at night.

We still have the technology, and I'm sure Russia does, too. What we asked ourselves after DOING it was, "What do we need to do there the next time we go to the moon?"

We have yet to answer that one. It has no atmosphere and relatively few minerals we need. The cost to retrieve a few samples of lunar dust is staggering.

So, I ask YOU, if the U.S.A. or Russia were going to the moon tomorrow, what task would justify the cost?

A manned station on the moon might help astronomy, but where is the real gain to mankind? Research MIGHT lead to new medicine or new strains of existing medicine in the lower gravity, but can we justify the outlay for the possible return?

In my mind, the answer is still, "I can't justify going back to the moon at this time."

So, what is your opinion?