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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.'"
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.
> 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
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