All it's july 21 so this post will be lunar, no choice.At the occasion of the 40th anniversary of moon manned landing, we've received some good surprises since a few weeks:
On july the 3rd the Jodrell Bank Observatory (University of Manchester) released an original audio recording of their radio-telescope capturing signals from Apollo 11 and soviet mission Luna 15, on the july 21 1969.
Sovietics, in a last attempt, launched Luna 15, an unmanned mission, on the 13th of july three days before Apollo 11. With the purpose of landing it on the lunar surface and collect soil before the Americans.
After 52 orbits around our satelitte, on the 21st the Jodrell's team in Manchester could hear Luna 15 probe descending to the ground, then the signal diseappeared, bringing to the conclusion that the probe arrived too fast and crashed onto the Sea of crisis.
Article and audio: How US was nearly pipped to first moon rock samples.
This piece of audio recalls a drama that we haven't heard so much about, that the stellar race was being played till the last day!But this one migh have brought a beginning of collaboration between the two ennemies nations:
After Luna 15 launch, Henry Kissinger asked astronaut John Borman who had some good contacts at the Soviet Academy of Sciences, to find out urgently what where their intentions.
Boorman called and head of academy Mstislav Keldysh fairly sent back the orbits area planned for Luna 15, and ensured that they will not interfere with Apollo 11 trajectories.
And for finish, the audio of the Eagle's landing:
Photos credits: Jodrell Bank observatory-Bbc; Luna 15-Nasa
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