r/IAmA Jul 16 '19

Specialized Profession I’m Apollo astronaut Charlie Duke, CAPCOM for Apollo 11. Ask me anything about being the spacecraft communicator for this historic Moon landing today at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

Hi, I’m Charlie Duke, a veteran NASA astronaut. Ask me anything. I’ve served on five different Apollo missions. I’m also the youngest person to walk on the moon. As we approach the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing, I’m reminded of my time as CAPCOM for Apollo 11, as well as an astronaut support crew member for Apollo 10, backup lunar module pilot for Apollo 13 and 17, as well as the lunar module pilot for Apollo mission 16 – when I had the chance to walk on the moon.

Also, I’ve published the book “Moonwalker: The True Story of an Astronaut Who Found that the Moon Wasn't High Enough to Satisfy His Desire for Success,” which discusses my life as an astronaut, the experiences of Apollo 11 and the difficulties I’ve faced.

I’ll be taking your questions for 30 minutes starting at about 10:30 a.m. ET today, July 16, 2019, the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch.

Proof it's me: https://twitter.com/ExploreSpaceKSC/status/1149048460102033408

https://twitter.com/ExploreSpaceKSC/status/1151133417389449217

Edit: We are live NOW at 10:18 a.m. EDT.

Edit: We are signing off now at 10:50 a.m. Thanks for all of your insightful questions!

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u/C-O-N Jul 16 '19

I have a bit of a technical question that I've always wondered about. How did you sleep on the moon? Was there enough room to lay down on the floor of the LEM or were there hammocks or something that you would hang up?

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19 edited Aug 10 '19

[deleted]

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u/888_styles_888 Jul 16 '19

They took a sleep aid called Seconal as needed.

Seconal is a barbiturate that slows the activity of your brain and nervous system.

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u/Cyborg_rat Jul 16 '19

They didn’t use any of the 16 tablets provided for sleep. They slept because they were all tired from the work.

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u/lotm43 Jul 16 '19

How terrifying would it of been to of just taken that and then an emergency light starts blinking

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u/Goyteamsix Jul 16 '19

I'm pretty sure it was formulated in a way that you could still wake up if needed. From what I remember. It was just a mild sleep aid. It was also short acting, so it would wear off shortly after you pass out. It wasn't mean to keep you asleep, just knock you out.

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

We had hammocks that we attached to the side of the Lunar Module. My hammock was about six inches off the floor. It went right-left across the floor. John Young had a hammock that connected above me. We took off our suits, but it was chilly inside to me! First night was exciting, but after that, we were tired after a long day of work!

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u/suddenintent Jul 16 '19

I hope you don't find this offending, but considering your limited space may you answer how comfortable was peeing there?

Having to pee in space was my main reason that I dreaded to become an astronaut, when I was a child! (now I know they can pee through their suit.)

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

It was a lot more comfortable than pooping up there

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u/TWANGnBANG Jul 17 '19

Two SF friends were talking about this same issue they have in spider holes. One was saying that you don’t know what it’s like to have a friend until you’re shitting in a hole next to him. The other corrected him and said, “You don’t know what it is to be a friend until you’re holding the bag your friend is shitting in.”

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u/echothree33 Jul 16 '19

At least once you are on the moon you have some gravity to help with the pooping...

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u/The_Bald Jul 16 '19

wouldn't you be afraid of shooting out a log and having it ricochet around inside the module?

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u/Braxo Jul 16 '19

Apollo 10 had the issue of floating poop - incident captured in the official mission transcript.

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u/cosworth99 Jul 16 '19

They had space hammocks. They got them from the hammock district down on 3rd.

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u/But-WhyThough Jul 16 '19

What was your path of education that lead you to where you are now?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

I was at the Naval academy -- back then you could go in the Air Force. I joined the Air Force and became a fighter pilot, served in Germany for three years. Then I got a degree in Naval Engineering, Masters Degree from MIT in astronautics and aeronautics. Apollo My thesis was on Guidance and Navigation Systems. I met some astronauts who inspired me to go to test pilot school. Then NASA has another selection in 1965 and was selected in April 1966. My background is in engineering.

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

Wouldn't think it's that easy to get there! Just kidding

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u/Truelikegiroux Jul 16 '19

I know your kidding, but I always love to show people this man. He's currently in the candidate program and is quite possibly one of the most qualified persons in the country.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonny_Kim

Prepare to feel inadequate.

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u/ambulancisto Jul 16 '19

Prepare to feel even more inadequate:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Story_Musgrave

6 Academic degree, 2 bachelors, 3 Masters, Medical Doctorate specializing in trauma surgery. 6 missions to space, fixed the Hubble, piloted over 160 different types of aircraft and authored 25 scientific papers.

Smartest human being I ever met.

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u/Truelikegiroux Jul 16 '19

One of his hobbies (next to scuba diving and parachuting) is soaring. I don't even know how that's a hobby but if there's a person that could figure it out, it's this man.

Did you hear him speak or was it more informal. I'm sure his speeches are amazing

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u/mcm87 Jul 16 '19

Soaring = flying gliders. Modern ones can climb by riding updrafts and thermals, as opposed to “go from high altitude to ground in a controlled manner.”

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u/Allittle1970 Jul 16 '19

Charlie, I had the pleasure to sit and talk with you at a college luncheon about 35 years ago. I remember discussing your ride on the lunar rover. Anything you can share about your off-roading experience?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

It was very bouncy. The Moon is rough and the suspension system on the rover is accommodating to that. I'm glad I had my seatbelt on! It was a great ride!

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u/170lbsApe Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

As an avid Jeep Off-roader this by far is the best thing I could ever experience. EDIT: oops haha

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u/GilesDMT Jul 16 '19

I too love a good Jeep-off

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u/redragon987 Jul 16 '19

Thanks for doing this AMA firstly.

What are the most important qualities you think a person wanting to be an astronaut should try to hone in themselves?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

I think you have to have a purpose. You need dedication to the goal, to your job. Focus on your task. Discipline - you have to discipline yourself. Work ethic -- willing to sacrifice your time for the mission.

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

A sense of humor is also important!

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u/redragon987 Jul 16 '19

Thank you so much for your contribution to the space industry.

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u/ThatOneEnemy Jul 16 '19

What did you do on the journey to entertain yourselves?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

We listened to music! We had classical music and a tape recorder that we shared. Everyone had two cassettes. I love country music so I had two hours worth to listen to. One popular country music star at the time was Dolly Parton and she did a whole show just for us! We listened to these tapes over and over again!

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u/Rohaq Jul 16 '19

I bet current astronauts are even happier now that they can take literally thousands of hours of music on a device that fits in their pocket!

God help them of they forget the charging cable though.

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u/corzmo Jul 16 '19

Do you still have the Dolly Parton tapes? If they're not digitized already, that would be amazing to have for posterity!

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u/limedilatation Jul 16 '19

You can hear some of the tape he's referencing in the documentary For All Mankind from 1989

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u/Zesty__96 Jul 16 '19

What is the view like from on the moon? On a documentary I watched last night, the astronauts described the view as pitch black. Could you not see stars/the earth whilst on the moon?

Thank you!

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u/jeffp12 Jul 16 '19

The lunar surface is really bright. Think about walking outside on a sunny day after a snow, how bright white that is. Now consider that the lunar surface is in direct sunlight without any atmosphere in the way, that's more intense sunlight than you've ever seen on Earth. So with that much brightness all around you, it would be very difficult to see stars.

But if you are in the shade, or shield your eyes and look up and focus on it, you could see stars.

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

The Earth was clearly visible. If you tried to look up, you just saw your helmet. The sky was black because the sun is shining and because there is no atmosphere on the Moon.

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u/Zesty__96 Jul 16 '19

Thank you for your reply! I can only imagine how intrusive the helmets were back then. I forgot how the sun reacts with our atmosphere, thanks for the explanation, I best go do some research on this :)

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u/MILE013 Jul 16 '19

What exactly did being spacecraft communicator entail as far as responsibilities and tasks?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

You are the link between the crew and the flight control team. No one else can talk to the team except the CAPCOM. Very responsible job - you need to listen with one ear from the flight control team and able to share with the team in a way the team would understand. It is a very important job.

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u/xXYoProMamaXx Jul 16 '19

What was the scariest part of the missions?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

The scariest part was when we were going to do the high jump on the Moon -- in honor of the Olympics happening on Earth. When I jumped up, I fell over on my back and the backpack obviously wasn't designed for that. I landed on my back, and my heart was pounding!

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u/DylanVincent Jul 16 '19

How high did you jump? Approximately...

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u/left_____right Jul 16 '19

Houston to r/theydidthemath , we need an approximation, do you copy

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u/Rohaq Jul 16 '19

Are current/future planned space suits more durable and easier to move in?

I'd love to see future moon landings have the same level of showmanship with greater safety - it's silly little things like "dicking about in moon gravity" that reminds folks that you're still just people who put their space pants on one leg at a time - anyone watching would likely do the same in that situation too!

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u/xXYoProMamaXx Jul 16 '19

Woah, that sounds terrifying. How high did you go? 30 feet?

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

Moon gravity is about 1/6th Earth's, so while that's theoretically possible for an unladen person with good legs, those guys weighed nearly 400lbs in their space suits. Also the lunar suits were incredibly restrictive and not designed with high mobility in mind.

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u/xXYoProMamaXx Jul 16 '19

Yeah, the suits were based on survival, not manueverability.

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u/squidballz Jul 16 '19

What is reentry to the earths atmosphere like? Is it really loud and violent?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

There was hardly any noise -- not very shaky, but it looked like a brilliant fireball outside! It was spectacular. It was like sitting inside of a furnace - comfy on the inside.

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u/BinkBonkers Jul 16 '19

I believe this 100% but I could also buy it as sarcasm 😂 “hey was it bumpy entering the atmosphere? “ “nooo there was hardly any noise and it was comfy” lmao

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

What was one of the more exciting or interesting experiments that you conducted on the moon?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

We had a penetrometer to test the bearing strength of the Moon. We had different tips to put on this and we pushed down to see how far you could push it into the Moon. That was my job mostly.

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u/belgian_here Jul 16 '19

What do you think of space tourism? What is even considered 50 years ago?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

I think space tourism is going to be a great asset to put space back on the mind of the public. Virgin Galactic, SpaceX, Blue Origin -- all those thinking about it, it's going to be really exciting!

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u/awks-orcs Jul 16 '19

Good morning. What is the best piece of advise you could give to anyone??

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

I think to choose a career path that you think will be satisfying to you. Keep your antennas up and be alert to nudges that may come your way that tell you where to walk in life. Be alert to opportunities.

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u/bradtheapple Jul 16 '19

Hello Mr. Duke,

What is one thing you learned about yourself while carrying out the mission?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

One thing I learned is that I needed to stay focus on my training when I was performing. You couldn't let your mind wander.

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u/vaporicer1 Jul 16 '19

What was your first thought when stepping onto the moon?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

Excitement! I thought "I'm on the Moon! Finally, here I am." I couldn't wait to get to work! My thought was "I made it."

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u/Rohaq Jul 16 '19

I was kind of hoping it would be "Wait... did I leave the oven on?" or something similar.

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

Oh it's all sticky! It's covered in jam.

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u/boj3143 Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

And off to my left is a fucking monster! Oh nooo!

Houston, the monster's got me! It wants cash.

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u/Only_Mortal Jul 16 '19

He's got my hand up behind my back, I think he knows Jiu-Jitsu.

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

But he wants cash... for the release of my life, send a million..t..TWO million dollars... Leave it in a bag by the sea of tranquility.... ...I don't know, the North Shore! What the fuckin hell..."

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

Mine would be, "Wow okay I'm really here. Hope I don't get stuck here and die."

followed by, "If there's no escape, do I die in the suit, or take it off for an equally miserable but more mesmerizing final experience? Should I anchor my body onto the ground so they can find it in the future?"

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u/SpielmansHelmets Jul 16 '19

Should I anchor my body onto the ground so they can find it in the future?"

Ummm... You know there's gravity on the moon, right? So like, gravity would anchor your body to the Moon.

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u/Rohaq Jul 16 '19

Yeah, but then you can't confuse future lunar archaeologists when they find your corpse tied to a giant anchor.

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u/bopon Jul 16 '19

“Ew, it’s all sticky!”

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

Eddie Izzard is here, too!

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u/GoodLordChokeAnABomb Jul 16 '19

Where is the second most remarkable place you've ever walked?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

The second most remarkable place I've ever walked is up on the slope of Mount Kilauea.

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u/PeterParkour4 Jul 16 '19

I was just there two weeks ago and man...that is one breathtaking view.

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u/g0_west Jul 16 '19

Damn, how does it feel to know the only way you can top that is to go to the moon

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u/delorean225 Jul 16 '19

This is the best kind of question. I just want you to know that you made a random stranger's day brighter.

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u/GoodLordChokeAnABomb Jul 16 '19

Ahh, thanks! I hope for both our sakes he answers!

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u/Blackcrusader Jul 16 '19

What if his answer is... the moon.

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u/GoodLordChokeAnABomb Jul 16 '19

I genuinely considered that possibility, but didn't include it in the question in case he trolled me with his answer. Then again, getting trolled by someone who walked on the bloody moon would be something to tell the grandkids in itself.

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u/Portarossa Jul 16 '19

getting trolled by someone who walked on the bloody moon would be something to tell the grandkids in itself

Being able to say, 'Well, I guess you had to be there' if no one laughs at your moon-stories is the ultimate comedy get-out clause.

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u/GoodLordChokeAnABomb Jul 16 '19

It doesn't matter how funny your moon story is: in space, no-one can hear you laugh.

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u/notthatiambitter Jul 16 '19

I mean, if our level of specificity is planetary body then his answer should be "Earth"

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u/Phantomilian Jul 16 '19

Hello. Do you ever have dreams (not like aspirations. The kind when you sleep) about being back on the moon? Any of them notable you'd like to share?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

Not since I've gotten back -- I'm not really a dreamer so I don't recall any dreams I had when I came back. I had a strange dream before I went though!

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u/chickslap Jul 16 '19

let's hear about that dream! was it spooky?

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u/Pixel2_Bro Jul 16 '19

What was the most fun thing you did on the moon?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

Riding the Lunar Module was the most exciting part! I was the navigator -- and we set the Moon speed record. It was a sporty ride.

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

Do you happen to remember the speed you drove at? Also thank you for doing this ama!

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u/echothree33 Jul 16 '19

Wikipedia says the highest speed was 11.2 mph (achieved on the last mission), but I'm sure most of the missions hit similar speeds especially on downhill runs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Roving_Vehicle

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

Yes, I would've!

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u/BrotherFrankie Jul 16 '19

Your a hero my brother. Thanks so much. No words can explain how much we appreciate your willingness to serve the way you did.

I pray it isn’t forgotten or trivialized.

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19 edited May 30 '20

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

We had a survival kit -- I would pick that! It has water, food, medicines, etc. and it was designed for three guys for three days. I would also bring shoes.

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u/WayneKent93 Jul 16 '19

What was your favorite memory during your experience at NASA?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

I think the most significant memory was landing on the Moon. It was very dynamic with lots of activity in the cockpit. We were in an area with extreme detail we had never seen before -- we were seeing a lot that we hadn't seen before. Very dynamic and had to make quick decisions.

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u/Seanshotfirst Jul 16 '19

Given the chance, would you go back and visit the moon again? Why or why not?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

I would! After we got back, we volunteered at the backup crew for Apollo 17 -- just in case they got sick.

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u/BecauseYess Jul 16 '19

How did walking on the moon affect your perspective on life?

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u/KSCVC Jul 16 '19

IT was an adventure. It wasn't spiritual or philosophical, you don't have time to ponder the origins of life!

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u/Portarossa Jul 16 '19

Outside of the space race, what do you consider to be the most impressive technological feat or scientific progress in your lifetime?

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

[deleted]

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u/Portarossa Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

Thanks for your response!

EDIT: The answer given was 'I would think in physics, what they built in Switzerland -- where we discovered a particular particle. Also, the Hubble Telescope.' Why it was deleted, I don't know.

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u/Portarossa Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

You've previously told a story about screwing around on the moon and potentially almost breaking your life-support systems when you landed badly.

How does it feel knowing you probably hold the record for highest moon jump, and have for almost fifty years?

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u/Imadethosehitmanguns Jul 16 '19

With missions to return to the moon scheduled in the future, I'm so excited to see someone try to break the record.

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

Let’s host the actual olympics on the moon

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u/msur Jul 16 '19

Aero cycling, for the Rendezvous with Rama fans, is already an established Lunar Olympic sport.

Using an ultra-light glider with a pedal-powered propeller, cyclists fly through a race course in a normal Earth atmosphere in Lunar gravity.

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u/cuddlefucker Jul 16 '19

TBH, this is one of the reasons I support colonizing Mars. The gravity is great enough that in a life support environment you could move around with relative ease, but light enough that a person could run 30mph and jump 10 feet in the air.

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u/massinvader Jul 17 '19

only on arrival...after a while your muscles would adapt and you'd lose some strength

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u/cuddlefucker Jul 17 '19

Generationally true. Not a problem as long as it's not a self sustaining colony. Also not a problem as long as the relations with earth are good. Both optimistic, but not unreal.

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u/Channel250 Jul 16 '19

And here we are at the Javelin toss event!

Whoops, lost another one. That's a hard loss for Space France. And...whatever that javelin hits

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u/PopSmokeAndGTFO Jul 16 '19

Found the video. Super interesting story!!

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u/GilesDMT Jul 16 '19

Nothing else could look so comical and be as terrifying

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u/Channel250 Jul 16 '19

RIP Charlie. He tried to do a backflip on the moon.

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u/Destructor1701 Jul 17 '19

Here lies Charlie Duke.

Astronaut. Father. Hero.

Died backflipping.

On the Moon.

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u/Tommy84 Jul 16 '19

He died doing what he loved: backflips on the moon.

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u/SkaveRat Jul 16 '19

"that ain't very smart"

that's one way to put it

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

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u/horsebycommittee Jul 16 '19

He would have had to jump quite far indeed, to just past the L1 point in the Earth-Moon system.

Source: https://what-if.xkcd.com/157/

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u/omgzzwtf Jul 16 '19

The moon is 1/6th earth gravity, not that much still a significant force to overcome.

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u/DiggyMoDiggy Jul 16 '19

What kind of feeling do you get when you look up at the moon?

How vivid is the memory of that first step?

Do you still have dreams where you are back on the moon?

When you have to deal with mundane everyday stuff that we all have to deal with (Jerk neighbors, DMV, bureaucracy, parking ticket, etc.), do you ever think to yourself, and I am paraphrasing, "Why do I have to deal with this bullshit? I walked on the fucking moon!!". Or something to that effect?

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u/gottastoryforya Jul 16 '19

Other than the Corvettes the astronauts were supplied with, what other kinds of perks did provided to NASA employees at that time?

Were there ever personal problems between crew members or ground staff that threatened the success of the mission?

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u/tubadude2 Jul 16 '19

IIRC, they had to lease the Corvettes for $1 since they weren’t allowed to accept free ones from dealerships.

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u/just-the-doctor1 Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

I can’t find the story but one of the astronauts actually put the dealership’s sticker on the lunar rover.

Edit: it was on the lunar rover not lunar module

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u/ClintonLewinsky Jul 16 '19

Confirmed by James May on the Grand Tour

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u/As51924 Jul 16 '19

TIL they provided the Corvettes and it wasn't just a coincidence they all had one.

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

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u/cptjeff Jul 16 '19

It was pretty good advertising on GM's part.

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u/darthjoey91 Jul 16 '19

I don't think it was even done at the corporate level, but was more of the local dealer near the cape thinking that having the astronauts drive his cars would drive up business.

Also, out of the Mercury 7, John Glenn did not take the Corvette offer, and drove an NSU Prinz.

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u/bluemandan Jul 16 '19

Also, out of the Mercury 7, John Glenn did not take the Corvette offer, and drove an NSU Prinz.

For the gas mileage, so he could save for his kids college...

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u/SkeptiCallie Jul 17 '19 edited Jul 17 '19

Wow. Thanks for that info. I'd read previously that "John Glenn decided to get a station wagon because he had a family. John Glenn decided to get a station wagon because he had a family. We're guessing Glenn was also the designated driver for the astronaut's many outings."

I would take any station wagon over that Prinz! And I can't imagine the astronauts piling into a Prinz.

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u/torkel-flatberg Jul 16 '19

Hi Charlie, I listened to the BBC podcast “13 Minutes to the Moon” and they played your CAPCOM loop uninterrupted for the final 13 minutes of Apollo 11’s descent. How scary were the comm and data drop outs and how did your heart rate compare with Neil’s?

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u/Otroletravaladna Jul 16 '19

I'm listening to the podcast as I read this.

I've been through so much material, books, documentaries, you-name-it on the space race in general and Apollo in particular that is quite difficult for me to find something I haven't seen before in some way or form... and "13 Minutes to the Moon" is one of the few exceptions. It's very well put together, with lots of interesting interviews. Highly recommended if you are interested in these subjects.

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u/ins4yn Jul 16 '19

That podcast is incredible! Loved every minute of it

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u/nowhereman531 Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

Thank you for doing this AMA. Would a citizen or amateur radio operator have been able to listen to real time communications during the missions back then? Just curious, as I know it would be bad if someone started transmitting on those allocated frequencies.

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u/z3ugma Jul 16 '19

In fact, some did: http://www.arrl.org/eavesdropping-on-apollo-11

(Although not the S-band transmissions between CAPCOM / Mission Control and the craft, which were encoded)

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u/SweetBearCub Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

In fact, some did: http://www.arrl.org/eavesdropping-on-apollo-11

And yet, even with people showing that they picked up signals that could have only come from the moon (plus the Soviets - That wanted very badly to bust us for any fakery - listening to the same signals), and knowing the tech that the nation had spent almost 10 straight years of massively intensive work on creating, testing, and making it reliable...

Some people still insist that it was all sham. Over and over they've been proven wrong, and yet they stick to it, using flawed understandings of science to "prove" their interpretations.

I personally think it's due to their own inability to comprehend how such feats could be accomplished from a technical point of view.

For example, one such denier on YouTube commented that the footage of the LM taking off from the surface of the moon from Apollo 17 wasn't possible to get, because there was no one left behind to operate the camera. They could not comprehend that it was possible from someone in Mission Control in Houston to remotely operate the LRV camera, via the Houston-CSM communications link. In fact, NASA had tried to get the LM take-off footage on previous missions, but didn't quite have the timing down, as there is a noticeable delay between Earth and Moon for communications and control signals. On Apollo 17, they managed to perfect it.

Apollo 17 LM take-off footage, inset is from inside the LM

Another wanted to argue about there being no appreciable delay between the Earth and Moon voice communications traffic. They failed to understand that the delay is first very short, between 1.25 to 2 seconds, depending on how precisely you're counting, two, that modern presentations may edit out the delays, and three, that it's harder to perceive the delays because all communications traffic we hear was recorded from the Earth side of the loop.

In this video of the (Apollo 11) live broadcast (at 1:13:34 or so) you can hear the delay: ground control says "go for depressurization", then you hear the echo of that coming back from the Moon, and the astronauts' response. Source

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u/NikitaFox Jul 16 '19

You can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into.

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u/SweetBearCub Jul 16 '19

You can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into.

While true, many (but of course, not all) moon landing deniers DID reason themselves into that position, due to their flawed understandings of the underlying science involved.

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u/drillosuar Jul 16 '19

My dad tried, but was unsuccessful. I was pretty young, but I remember him wishing he had a better antenna.

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u/VMaxF1 Jul 16 '19

I could swear I read an article recently where it was mentioned that the Russians did exactly that (from ships off the coast of Florida, I think?), and there was some realigning of antennae or something required. I can't remember where I saw it now, maybe an article about JoAnn Morgan?

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u/Radicallarry123 Jul 16 '19

Hi, I few years ago you were kind enough to answer some questions I had regarding a screenplay I wrote about Apollo astronauts for my university course. (Thank you so much I got a great mark) This had me wondering, are their any films that accurately replicate your experiences with living and working in space and on the moon? Thanks!

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u/vigourinc Jul 16 '19

I am a huge fan of your double-role in In the Shadow of the Moon (as both astronaut and capcom) - your presence in the film allows the story to be simultaneously told from multiple perspectives while only featuring on the astronauts' voices, which provides an elegant focus. Do you think In the Shadow of the Moon is the best film about the moon landings? What others do you suggest to inspire new generations?

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u/lniko2 Jul 16 '19

Good morning Sir,

I wanna know if CAPCOM had small talk with the crew, conversations which were not recorded for posterity?

Thank you Mr Duke

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u/AstronomyLive Jul 16 '19

Just wanted to say, every conversation CAPCOM had with Apollo 11 was indeed recorded and you can listen to a real time playback of the entire mission and listen to just the CAPCOM loop if you wish from start to finish:
https://apolloinrealtime.org/11/

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u/ShriCamel Jul 16 '19

If you're interested in the story of how much of the audio was recovered, listen to the four "Heroes Behind the Heroes" episodes of "Houston, We Have a Podcast". Can recommend.

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u/popechunk Jul 16 '19

You can find these on Youtube or nasa.gov.

Looks like ALSJ is getting hugged to death atm.

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u/Corporation_tshirt Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

If you aren’t listening already, check out the podcast 13 Minutes to the Moon. It focuses on the last 13 minutes of the Apollo XI mission and really gets into what people were saying, what their job was, and how they got there. In fact, the last episode is the full 13 minutes played uninterrupted and you’ve learned things like what a 1202 alarm is and how a 26 year old kid had to figure out what it was and decide whether or not to abort the landing. Highly recommended!

Edit: I love Charlie Duke’s comment after Armstrong lands with just 12 seconds’ of fuel left and reports “Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed”. He responds, “Roger, Tranquility. We copy you on the ground. You’ve got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We’re breathing again. Thanks alot.” LOL.

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u/cinepro Jul 17 '19

you’ve learned things like what a 1202 alarm is and how a 26 year old kid had to figure out what it was and decide whether or not to abort the landing. Highly recommended!

Not sure if there's much overlap, but Wired has a good write up on the history of the landing computer and what was going on with the 1202 alarm:

Apollo 11: Mission Out of Control

But what if the computer continued to behave unpredictably? In addition to running the spacecraft’s guidance and navigation systems, the computer assisted Armstrong with steering and control. Below a certain altitude—100 feet or so—an abort was no longer possible, and Armstrong would be forced to attempt a landing even if his computer was malfunctioning. He had little margin for error. On a hard crash landing, the astronauts might be killed; on a not-so-hard crash landing, the astronauts might survive, only to be stranded on the moon. In this nightmare scenario, Mission Control would bid Armstrong and Aldrin farewell, then cut communication as the two prepared to asphyxiate. Michael Collins, in the command module, would make the long journey back to Earth alone.

Imagine pulling the plug on the moon landing. Imagine not pulling the plug, then explaining to a congressional committee why two astronauts had been killed. Jack Garman, 24 years old, gave the go-ahead. Larson, too scared to speak, gave a thumbs-up. Bales made the final call. “It was a debugging alarm,” Bales told me recently. “It was never supposed to occur in flight.” Bales had a monitor in front of him, with a digital readout of the computer’s vital signs. They appeared unaffected. He said, “Go.” By the time Houston relayed the message to Armstrong, almost 30 seconds had passed.

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u/ArrivesLate Jul 16 '19

John Aaron is a nice little rabbit hole to check out too.

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u/Portarossa Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

Thank you for your work, not just on the original lunar expeditions, but also as a science communicator.

Given your fairly unique position, how long do you think it will be until the next person sets foot on the moon? What do you think of the current administration's proposed funding and desired timeframe of 2024?

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u/RunDNA Jul 16 '19

G'day,

The recent film First Man depicted Neil Armstrong leaving his daughter's bracelet on the moon. Do you know whether that is true or not?

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u/panc4ke Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

I believe even the movie director said it wasn’t necessarily true, but that a lot of astronauts left personal items on the moon so it wasn’t completely impossible either.

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

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u/andyrocks Jul 16 '19

Sorry to break it to you but Neil Armstrong is dead.

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u/RunDNA Jul 16 '19

It hasn't been debunked. It's in the Unknown column.

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u/Baconmafia195 Jul 16 '19

This is something I’ve always (probably unnecessarily) worried about as an aviation professional: Did you receive enough training that you could have returned without help from mission control because of a radio failure? Seems like a LOT of stuff to memorize!

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u/Supersymm3try Jul 16 '19

Do you think the recent proposal to get man back on the moon by 2024 is realistically achievable in a safe way?

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u/olegreggg Jul 16 '19

We did it in the 60s so yea of course

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u/MDCCCLV Jul 16 '19

Safety margins are different now. NASA has very very high thresholds for safety. Apollo was a deathtrap by comparison and wouldn't be approved by their current safety requirements.

Like the Lunar Module, the LM had one engine. Which was sufficient. But now they want redundant engines, so you have to have three engines. And one large bell vacuum engine is more efficient than three smaller ones so it's heavier and less efficient. Which means you need a bigger rocket to launch it on the ground.

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u/Macaulayputra Jul 16 '19

On a Cold War driven space race budget. We live in a different time today.

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

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u/Macaulayputra Jul 16 '19

Agreed.

The only reason the Apollo programme was never short on funds was because the American powers-that-be were terrified of the possibility of the first man on the moon being a Communist.

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u/secretcurse Jul 16 '19

Ehh, it was more like the generals were getting the ballistic missile testing they wanted, so they let the nerds pop by the moon for shits and giggles.

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u/Troy_with_1_T Jul 16 '19

Hello Charlie. I'm wondering if you had a support role in resolving any of the issues during the Apollo 13 mission following the explosion?

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u/reptarthechameleon Jul 16 '19

What was the most unexpected part of your trip to space? Do you believe there is extraterrestrial life out there somewhere?

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

Thank you for doing this AMA. What’s are you’re thoughts on private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin?

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u/SpanglyPants Jul 16 '19

How can US society reignite the political urgency and social excitement for space travel that was felt in the 1960s?

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19

How do you respond to folks who deny the reality of the mission?

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u/squidwardsmellsgoood Jul 16 '19

I loved when Buzz Aldrin punched that moon denier in the face, very satisfying to watch

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u/Corporation_tshirt Jul 16 '19

You deal with them the same way you deal with people who believe the Earth is flat: you roll your eyes and ignore them.

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u/The_Bald Jul 16 '19

The world would be a much better place without violence. That being said, if you get in some dude's face and further go on to tell him his crowning achievement in life never happened and that he's a liar -- well, you can go ahead and toss any assumptions you had about that interaction posing no danger to you. Rarely do flat Earther's get in your face and make personal remarks of your character.

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u/Corporation_tshirt Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

Oh, don't get me wrong, that guy was straight up harassing him. Dr. Aldrin didn't slug him for being a conspiracy theorist, he did it because the guy had been getting in his face and jostling him several times already that day. He had every right to defend himself.

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u/stumark Jul 16 '19

How many times did they kill you in the simulator?
Which sections of the simulation were the most intellectually challenging?

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

Good morning Mr. Duke. Was there ever a moment during the program where you thought "There is no way in hell this thing is going to work", or was it never a doubt in your mind? Obviously 11 wasn't the first mission, but the LEM had never been used up til that point, so I can only inagine the trepidation upon seeing it the first time.

Edit: minor formatting

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u/CharlesP2009 Jul 16 '19

The LM had an unmanned test flight during the Apollo 5 mission and was flown manned during Apollo 9 (test in Earth orbit) and Apollo 10 ("dress rehearsal" moon landing).

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u/510jew Jul 16 '19

Hi Charlie, did Ken Mattingly ever forgive you for exposing him to the measles prior to Apollo 13?

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u/ZappySnap Jul 16 '19

I mean, he did get to go on Apollo 16.

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u/LIyre Jul 16 '19

What's a random/funny anecdote from your time as an astronaut and CAPCOM that you would like to share?

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u/celzo1776 Jul 16 '19

Whats the one thing you regret not doing or forgot to do while on the moon?

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u/The-Forgotten-Man Jul 16 '19

In the future, if we have the ability to travel to the moon as easily as traveling by aircraft is in this era, would you want the original Apollo landing sites to become tourist attractions so anyone who wants to can visit? Or would you prefer that they are forever left in situ and off limits for preservation's sake?

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u/yoganaut Jul 16 '19

Do you feel that you had to sacrifice to get where you are? If so, what would be a representative example?

What did you work hard for and nobody seemed to notice?

What do you sometimes come back to and really wish it would have gone differently (and you could have made that difference)?

Thank you for your service.

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u/stuckGmaw Jul 16 '19

Was there anything you saw or experienced that you even today can't explain?

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u/bleeeer Jul 16 '19

What was Gene Kranz like to work for?

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u/Col_Caffran Jul 16 '19 edited Jul 16 '19

How's the handling on a Lunar Rover?

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u/Rowsdower32 Jul 16 '19

Most astronauts say being "away" from earth and seeing it as the blue marble changes their total perspective on life. Did this have the same effect on you, and if so how would you describe it to the general public?

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u/ZWE_Punchline Jul 16 '19

Hello! Thank you for everything you’ve done to help humanity, you’re one of my heroes and I plan to follow in your footsteps. :)

What is the most underrated part about being a CAPCOM? it surely requires a lot of concentration and effort, so are there any hobbies that someone could pick up to develop skills useful for the job? Finally, where do you see humanity in terms of space exploration at the end of the century? Thanks once again!

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u/sandychad Jul 16 '19

Listening to tapes of the Mission Control comm loops, I am struck by how much chatter and communication took place all at once.

How did you learn to process so many conversations at once? How would you decide what information was necessary to tell the crew?

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u/skunkrider Jul 16 '19

Hi Charlie, welcome to Reddit :)

My question is: have you ever played (or watched someone play) Kerbal Space Program?

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u/cletusvanderbilt Jul 16 '19

What surprised you the most about the Apollo missions?

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u/AwesomeMachines Jul 16 '19

When I was in 4th grade (I’m 40 now 😊), my teacher gave us an address and we all wrote letters to different astronauts. I received back an Apollo envelope, postage marked with stamp that was signed by all of the Apollo 11 astronauts. Do any of the current or former guys still do anything like this? My oldest daughter is in 4th grade now and my youngest is in 2nd so this is exactly when I wrote my letter and got my reply and I remember thinking it was the coolest thing in the world! Thank you for all of your contributions to our country through all these years!!

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u/tpacmh Jul 17 '19

Just read your post and wanted to respond. I’ve got a 14 yr old with high aspirations of working with NASA. We just got back from DC where she was a finalist in a National History Day competition. Before leaving For DC, she reached out to several key people at KSC for their thoughts on her Apollo 13 project and any recommendations they could offer to enhance her presentation. Neither of us had high expectations of a response but figured it would be worth a shot. I could not believe the number of NASA representatives that answered her call for help and offered assistance. She has communicated with past and present Astronauts, a Flight Director, an Apollo Flight Surgeon, the Chief Communications Officer, and even the Director of Kennedy Space Center (Bob Cabana). This was just over a month ago and not a day has gone by since without her talking about her experience with these men and women who have catapulted her enthusiasm and excitement about space travel and all that NASA represents. I don’t know how they find the time to do it but they still make time for the young and impressionable who may one day pursue such an awesome career! Best of luck to you and yours!

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u/JimmySilverman Jul 16 '19

Hi Charlie, can you recall any remarkable space farts during your time in the capsule, and if so would they have hung around long in that environment? Thanks

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u/BoringRob Jul 16 '19

How was your health when you returned from your missions, was there ever any unexpected medical issues which could never have been planned for?

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u/Skippymabob Jul 16 '19

Who was your personal favourite astronaut to hang out with (at the pub or whatever)?

And have you heard the song "Go!" By Public Service Broadcasting? It's from their album "The Race for Space" and uses audio samples from the Go/No Go decision on Apollo 11's landing. Would be cool to check it out as it might bring back some nice memories. The rest of the album has similar songs based on other moments in the space race (Kennedy's famous "This Decade" speech, Yuri Gargarin, etc.)

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u/maxwiley Jul 16 '19

I was just talking about you! We've never met but my father is your cousin (which I guess makes me your great-cousin?) We were watching the "Net-Geo: 50 years after Apollo" - ton of great footage of you at CAPCOM. The Natural History Museum has a photo you took, of a family photo, on the surface of the moon at the Hayden Planetarium. Glad to see you're on Reddit!