Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin complains about current U.S. lunar ability

[rooster59]

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin complains about current U.S. lunar ability

By Steve Holland

 

Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin smiles as U.S. President Donald Trump honors him, Michael Collins and their family members during an Apollo 11 moon landing 50th anniversary commemoration in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., July 19, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When President Donald Trump asked Buzz Aldrin, the second human ever to walk on the moon, what he thought about the United States' current ability to operate in space 50 years after the Apollo 11 mission, the ex-astronaut had a ready response.

 

"Actually, I've been a little disappointed over the last 10 or 15 years," Aldrin told Trump on Friday.

 

With the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing being celebrated this week, Trump brought into the Oval Office the surviving astronauts from that mission, Aldrin and Michael Collins, and relatives of the late Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon.

 

Trump, a strong supporter of a U.S. mission to Mars, quizzed Aldrin and the others, including NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, in a way that suggested he would like to skip a moon mission on the way to embarking to Mars. He questioned whether the United States should use the moon as a jumping-off point to Mars, which is the current plan, or simply go straight to the red planet.

 

Aldrin said the U.S. space programme achieved so much 50 years ago, but that the recent era had been more troublesome, disappointing him.

 

Aldrin said the United States' current plan for the next moonshot does not allow for significant maneuverability of the spacecraft while in lunar orbit.

 

Trump turned to Bridenstine and asked him, "How do you feel about that, Jim?"

 

“We’re working on it, as a matter of fact,” said Bridenstine.

 

He told Trump the Orion capsule being developed with the aim of getting to the moon in five years would attach to a small module in orbit around the moon, acting as a small space station.

 

Trump asked Bridenstine to take account of Aldrin's concerns.

 

"Well, I'd like to have you also listen to the other side," Trump told him. "Because some people would like to do it a different way. So you'll listen to Buzz and some of the other people."

 

"Yes, sir," Bridenstine said.

 

Trump asked Collins his opinion on whether to go to the moon first or just go straight to Mars. Collins, 88 and gripping Trump's desk for balance, had a ready reply: "Mars direct."

 

"It seems to me Mars direct, who knows better than these people?" said Trump.

 

Said Aldrin: "You're impatient."

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Leslie Adler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-20

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[Blackheart1916]

Yeah don't worry about universal health care for everyone in the world's biggest economy, let's go to Mars!!!

[rabas]

1 hour ago, Blackheart1916 said:

Yeah don't worry about universal health care for everyone in the world's biggest economy, let's go to Mars!!!

Let's go! We can get  to Mars on $10 billion/year. That's equivalent to just 24 hours of US Health care costs. 

 

 

[Tug]

Let’s explore the sea first it’s close and a far greater pay off

[Matzzon]

2 hours ago, Blackheart1916 said:

in the world's biggest economy

Let´s just say that GDP is not everything, when it comes to compare different nationalities capacity regarding money. To find out the real thing you must also compare national debt to GDP per capita.

[Kiwiken]

3 hours ago, Blackheart1916 said:

Yeah don't worry about universal health care for everyone in the world's biggest economy, let's go to Mars!!!

I think the plan is to deport all the illegals to Mars. The poor to Mars and everyone who does not agree with them. Then America will be great again.

[Lucius verus]

Why waste money going to Mars?

We know there is nothing on it.

Going to the greatest depths of the ocean would be far more interesting although more dangerous.

The only real thing of interest with space is designing things that can grab asteroids that are full of rare earth metals including gold.

[newatthis]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Aldrin said the U.S. space programme achieved so much 50 years ago, but that the recent era had been more troublesome, disappointing him.

Why is it troublesome, disappointing? Trying to keep up with Hollywood, are you?

You've f&*(^%$#d up many countries in the last 50 years, why do you want to do the same to other planets?

There's still lots of countries on this planet you can play around with if you're getting bored; leave the rest of the universe alone.

[Pilotman]

I admire what he did 50 years ago, but the guy has been a lose cannon for years and off his trolley for much of it.  His behaviour pre the flight of 11 was unacceptable and it's a miracle that Neil Armstrong put up with him and didn't bump him off the flight. Gossip says that the only reason he didn't get bumped was that Jim Lovell would have taken his place and missed his own chance at command and Neil didn't want to do that to Jim.   Aldrin should keep quiet and retire gracefully, but grace has never been his strong point.  As Mike Collins said of him 'Buzz is more upset about not being the first man on the moon then he is happy that he was the second'.  

[DrTuner]

Wow, he actually looks like the one from Toy Story.

[DrTuner]

6 hours ago, Blackheart1916 said:

Yeah don't worry about universal health care for everyone in the world's biggest economy, let's go to Mars!!!

That's right, if the human race is going to survive, we need to go to the stars. This planet is going to be eaten up by overpopulation. 

 

Just tell me where to sign up.

[DougSunee]

2 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I admire what he did 50 years ago, but the guy has been a lose cannon for years and off his trolley for much of it.  His behaviour pre the flight of 11 was unacceptable and it's a miracle that Neil Armstrong put up with him and didn't bump him off the flight. Gossip says that the only reason he didn't get bumped was that Jim Lovell would have taken his place and missed his own chance at command and Neil didn't want to do that to Jim.   Aldrin should keep quiet and retire gracefully, but grace has never been his strong point.  As Mike Collins said of him 'Buzz is more upset about not being the first man on the moon then he is happy that he was the second'.  

Aldrin as I recall reading campaigned long and hard to be the first man on the moon, one of his reasons for going first was that as mission commander Armstrong should control the mission from the lunar module. 

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, DougSunee said:

Aldrin as I recall reading campaigned long and hard to be the first man on the moon, one of his reasons for going first was that as mission commander Armstrong should control the mission from the lunar module. 

yes that's apparently true, but two things were against that argument.  The Commander was on the door side of the LM and it would have taken a lot of manoeuvring for them to change places in full space suits.  Later LMs , after 12 I think, were slightly larger.  Plus, the vehicle had stopped flying, was on the ground.  After that, protocol dictated that the Captain leaves first, same as John Young did on the first shuttle flight. He left first, followed by Bob Crippen.  Aldrin was just a very sore loser. 

[Sujo]

5 hours ago, Kiwiken said:

I think the plan is to deport all the illegals to Mars. The poor to Mars and everyone who does not agree with them. Then America will be great again.

Would need one hell of a wall.

 

But they would never send the poor. Without the poor, there wouldnt be the rich.

[DougSunee]

3 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I admire what he did 50 years ago, but the guy has been a lose cannon for years and off his trolley for much of it.  His behaviour pre the flight of 11 was unacceptable and it's a miracle that Neil Armstrong put up with him and didn't bump him off the flight. Gossip says that the only reason he didn't get bumped was that Jim Lovell would have taken his place and missed his own chance at command and Neil didn't want to do that to Jim.   Aldrin should keep quiet and retire gracefully, but grace has never been his strong point.  As Mike Collins said of him 'Buzz is more upset about not being the first man on the moon then he is happy that he was the second'.  

That’s as I recall it. 

 

[Enoon]

 

 

[Enoon]

7 hours ago, Kiwiken said:

I think the plan is to deport all the illegals to Mars. The poor to Mars and everyone who does not agree with them. Then America will be great again.

 

I think the plan is to take the few "good people" to their "Elysium" on Mars, while the rest of humanity gets left behind on the Trash Planet.

 

 

[Andrew65]

Training for astronauts took place in the Arizona desert, tells us everything?!

 

Aren't we quite sure that there's nothing (worth having) on the Moon, and almost certainly nothing on Mars either.

There is the argument about technology being developed.

[Basil B]

12 hours ago, rabas said:

Let's go! We can get  to Mars on $10 billion/year. That's equivalent to just 24 hours of US Health care costs. 

 

 

So what are the benefits of going to the Moon again?

Might as well just open it up for space tourism, the Trump Sea of Tranquility Golf Resort where even a rookie golfer could easily hit a ball 2,000 yards...

[tifino]

7 hours ago, DrTuner said:

Wow, he actually looks like the one from Toy Story.

 

you are right on the buzzer with that! 

except his head is even bigger!

 

[Rimmer]

A conspiracy troll post has been removed also a reply

 

A further nonsense post from the same troll has been removed

[Stargeezr]

Going to the moon first and having a colony there , makes sense , because Mars is far more

hostile with dust storms, and is a long trip to get there. The radiation from the long trip will

be hard to deal with as well. Learning how to survive on the moon is very valuable for making sure

the equipment required is all tested. Lack of patience could equal more deaths and no success,

My opinion of course. Buzz was on the first lander on the moon, the first trip to also get back to

earth. Maybe he wanted to be first to step on the moon, but he was a pretty quick 2nd person to

walk on the moon.

Geezer