Sep 19, 2012

Below is the text from Neil Armstrong’s descent to the surface of the moon on 20 July 1969: Listen to the audio: Neil Armstrong steps onto the surface of the moon Neil Armstrong:I’m at the foot of the ladder. The LM footpads are only depressed in the surface about 1 or 2 inches, although the surface appears to be very, very fine grained, as you get close to it. It’s almost like a powder. Down there, it’s very fine. Neil Armstrong:I’m going to step off the LM now. Neil Armstrong:That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Neil Armstrong:And the—the surface is fine and powdery. I can—I can pick it up loosely with my toe. It does adhere in fine layers like powdered charcoal to the sole and sides of my boots. I only go in a small fraction of an inch, maybe an eighth of an inch, but I can see the footprints of my boots and the treads in the fine, sandy particles. Bruce McCandless:Neil, this is Houston. We’re...