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Computer Analysis Sets NASA History Straight
Ellis D. Tripp writes, "A computer analysis has upheld Neil Armstrong's version of the first words spoken on the lunar surface. The word 'a' was dropped due to a communications glitch, and Armstrong has been accused of flubbing his words since the historic 1969 landing. The corrected statement was 'That's one small step for *A* man, One giant leap for mankind.'"
Absolutely true. And there's also no reason why there needs to be an "a" in there anyway. It still makes complete sense the way it has come down through the ages: "One small step for Man; one giant leap for Mankind". "One small step for a man; one giant leap for Mankind" sounds awkward and trite. "Man" in this context stands in for the human animal; "Mankind" for human society.
This way makes a lot more sense though. Without the indefinite article, man and mankind are more or less synonymous.
Weren't the first words spoken on the lunar surface:
"Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."
I always prefer it anyway - it doesn't sound like some crap written by a PR wanker.
"and surely the communications glitch was a part of history too, so it should be remembered that way IMHO."
I remember it as a quote that didn't make sense. In context, "man" == "mankind". It would have been silly to say "That's one small step for mankind, one giant leap for mankind".
Ever since I learned that Armstrong contended that the "a" was lost, the quotation made sense and IMHO it's one of the most profound statements ever uttered... unless you drop the "a". Let's try to correct the error and remember what he REALLY said.
The fact that the record was incorrect for 40 years should be a footnote.
mod parent underrated
Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
> I doubt this will ever become realised in the mainsteam concious, it's been ingrained on the entire world and I don't think there is anyone (english speaking) who wouldn't be able to quote it. I don't think it's ever really been an issue of dropping the 'a', the line gains memorability for that. At the end of the day I think this research will end up as a nice section of trivia somewhere, but we will all remember the quote that came through on that day, and surely the communications glitch was a part of history too, so it should be remembered that way IMHO.
What's sad is that it hasn't turned out to be a giant leap for mankind after all, but rather the high-water point of a short-term venture we haven't had the will to follow through on.
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
Problem is that, after the moon, the learning curve for landing on heavenly bodies jumps a bit. Gets a little hairier after Mars, too.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120570/quotes
The part about Collins jokingly saying Armstrong had no balls always gave me a chuckle. :)
Grammer Nazis - I mod you "troll" unless you actually add something on-topic. Yes, I know I have mispellings in my sig.
Nope, it's a noisy channel, and good ol' midwest boy that Neil is, he slurs it a litte:
"That's one small step f'r a man" etc. And then Walter Cronkite tells everybody he said "for man", and everyone believes it.
If the channel is slightly noisy, you can "hear" whatever you think you're going to hear in it. Consider how often people misperceive song lyrics into something totally different. Once Cronkite told them that - and it hit the headlines that way - that's what people think they hear. Try hearing it as "step f'ra man".
-- Alastair
Landings aren't hard. It's the landing safely part that's tricky.
Now if only they could find the original Apollo mission tapes
"Computer analysis" my ass.
Obama likes poor people so much, he wants to make more of them.
Can someone else tell me where exactly the 'a' went? Glitches in analog equipment don't just drop 'a's without an obvious gap.
Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
People laugh at that now, but maybe in a few centuries people will wonder why this mentality persisted for so long.
Which mentality is that? The presumably sexist mentality or the mentality that takes a simple quote out of context?
It's a mistake to judge the past by the standards of today.
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.