Heads Up! - ABC Thursday 9:30 - Tank on the Moon

[Omaroo]

Should be a great show - all about the Russian Lunokhod remote surveyors.

[DavidU]

Ta Chris:thumbsup:

[Omaroo]

Don't forget this tonight... :thumbsup:

[Dennis]

Hi Chris

Whoops! I missed this one so I double posted – better safe than sorry though eh!

Thanks Chris!

Cheers

Dennis

[Omaroo]

Too right Dennis. This is something that has always interested me, yet I've never before now seen nor heard of a documentary of any kind. Russian records being released, I guess that some lucky historian grabbed them with both hands. Can't wait to see it tonight. :thumbsup:

[danielsun]

Thanks for the heads up guys, just about to wind down from a huge day so perfect timing to put my feet up and enjoy the show.:thumbsup:


Cheers Daniel.

[mbaddah]

What a brilliant documentary it was! Thanks Chris for pointing it out...
Must find a place to purchase it :)

[Omaroo]

Absolutely right Moh - what a great show. I come away with the impression that the Russians were way ahead of the Americans in many ways. Whilst Armstrong and Aldrin battled 1201 errors on their way down to the surface, the Lunokhod lander did it all by itself. The vehicles were incredibly sophisticated by any standards. Brilliant!

[erick]

Caught the last 40 mins. That was very interesting.

[RobF]

Thanks Chris. Great show.

There was a show on the Russian space program 1-2 years ago, for which I can't remember the name sorry, but it was a series that described the Russian space program in detail, without any of the cold war propaganda. When we were kids we were really only fed the american side of course, but these guys did amazing work of their own. I believe they did sort out their rocket in the end, although the choice to use some exotic fuels cost quite a bit of time.

Just incredible what these guys were doing 50 years ago!! :eyepop:

[astroron]

It seems like it was a good show Chris,:) Did you record it:question:
cheers

[Omaroo]

I did Ron, but you can see it on ABC's iView! :)

http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/view/468222

[astroron]

Chris I do not have the band width to watch tv or much about anything else on my computer , it is not much faster than Dial up plus I only have very limited download:sadeyes:
Cheers
Ron

[Omaroo]

Dang it Ron :( If I still had a DVD recorder that my ex-wife decided to scarper off with I'd record it and send it up to you. Sorry :sadeyes:

[astroron]

Thanks Chris :thanx: this is the price we pay for Dark Sky's:D no TV and Crap broadband:sadeyes:

[Dennis]

Hi Ron

I didn't watch the program last night but we did record it on our DVD Recorder. I can't say on a public forum that I am able to burn it to a DVD as that action may infringe copyright. However, PM me your address just in case I want to send you something that looks similar to, and plays like, a DVD!:)

Cheers

Dennis

[astroron]

Sent :)
Cheers :thumbsup:

[multiweb]

That was very cool. Enjoyed it thoroughly. :thumbsup:

[gary]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for providing the heads up on this documentary. There was some excellent
archival footage, some good interviews and nicely done animations. Really worth
watching and the Chernobyl connection at the end was fascinating.



Though the Lunokhods were a technical triumph, it is also worth remembering the
large number of failures the Soviets had in attempting unmanned soft landings
during the same period that saw the Americans driving the Lunar Rover around
and Alan Shepard hitting a golf ball.

For example, you my remember the mystery and secrecy that surrounded
the orbiting of the Moon by Luna 15 at exactly the same time Apollo 11 was
orbiting. Everyone was wondering what the Soviets were up to. The drama
of this event continued up to just a few hours before Armstrong and Aldrin
lifted off from the Moon in the ascent stage of the Eagle when Luna 15
impacted into the Lunar surface. At the time, TASS simply reported that
it had completed its mission. The reality was that it had failed. Its real mission
had been to attempt to soft land, retrieve a sample and return it to Earth,
thus trumping the Americans. Likewise the Soviets had failed in missions in
February and July of 1969 prior to that and failed three more times after Luna 15.
It wasn't until Luna 16 in Sept of 1970 that the Soviets managed to retrieve
100g of moon dust. By then, Apollo 11 had retrieved 21.5kg and Apollo 12
had retrieved 34.3kg.

In the period up to Apollo 11, the Americans had already achieved five
successful unmanned soft landings on the Moon whilst the Soviets
had achieved none.

Then there was the ill-fated N1, the Soviets answer to the Saturn V.
When the second N1 exploded on 3rd July 1969, it also took out the launch
tower. With an estimated blast equivalent to about 6 kilotons, it has the dubious
distinction of possibly being the largest non-nuclear explosion to ever be caused
by man.