Duh.

[Sue Sanders]

Apologies if such a thread has been done before, but last night, I had one of those 'Of course, how stupid of me' moments!

I watched 'In the Shadow of the Moon' on telly last night , and for the first time, realised that it was a separate module that took Buzz and Neil to the surface whilst Mike Collins stayed up orbiting the moon in (to use a Dinosism) the spacecraft proper.

Up til that 'revelation', I had always thought it terribly unfair. How very stoic of Mike to be only a step ladder's length away from the moon's surface but to dutifully stay put whilst the others got to have all the fun just because someone needed to be in charge of the module and make sure the other two could get back in alright. Couldn't they have just let him pop down the steps and have a quick jump about after they'd got back in?

That's 4 decades worth of DUH I've been harbouring there!!

[Phil Reynolds]

I watched 'In the Shadow of the Moon' on telly last night , and for the first time, realised that it was a separate module that took Buzz and Neil to the surface whilst Mike Collins stayed up orbiting the moon in (to use a Dinosism) the spacecraft proper.

That's... pretty brave of you to admit.

[Ian Volante]

Apologies if such a thread has been done before, but last night, I had one of those 'Of course, how stupid of me' moments!

I watched 'In the Shadow of the Moon' on telly last night , and for the first time, realised that it was a separate module that took Buzz and Neil to the surface whilst Mike Collins stayed up orbiting the moon in (to use a Dinosism) the spacecraft proper.

Up til that 'revelation', I had always thought it terribly unfair. How very stoic of Mike to be only a step ladder's length away from the moon's surface but to dutifully stay put whilst the others got to have all the fun just because someone needed to be in charge of the module and make sure the other two could get back in alright. Couldn't they have just let him pop down the steps and have a quick jump about after they'd got back in?

That's 4 decades worth of DUH I've been harbouring there!!

Hmm, he didn't even get to the surface? I thought he remained in the Eagle, so went to the surface but didn't step out? Does this mean I get to add my duh as well?

[David Williams]

While your interest is up, watch Apollo 13, and realise just how clever what they did was.

[Ian Volante]

While your interest is up, watch Apollo 13, and realise just how clever what they did was.

Again? Do I really have to?

I've become so utterly bored of Hollywood disaster films over the years.

[Sue Sanders]

While your interest is up, watch Apollo 13, and realise just how clever what they did was.

Oh yeah, seen that two or three time. Gripping. Also seen 'The Dish' and documentaries both promoting and debunking the 'fake moon landings' conspiracy, so I'm not totally uninformed about the moon missions; my dad's a retired fighter pilot so he's got a healthy interest too. I just really hadn't thought about the separation of the Eagle from the 'mothership'. Thus the magnitude of the 'DUH'!!
I have to admit to another illusion that the film last night dissolved for me. Yuri Gagarin was only in space for 15 minutes of a 108 minute trip. Without really stopping to think about it, I'd always imagined some sort of overnight trip with Yuri bunking up for the night whilst the spacecraft was on autopilot. You know, a sort of mid-week space 'minibreak'.

[Alec Rivers]

You know, a sort of mid-week space 'minibreak'.

Apparently you can get that at any Travelodge — The accommodation is said to be other-worldly and the food poisoning can leave you feeling pretty spaced out.

[Phil Reynolds]

Hmm, he didn't even get to the surface? I thought he remained in the Eagle, so went to the surface but didn't step out? Does this mean I get to add my duh as well?

I'm afraid it does. FTR: Collins remained in the command module Columbia while Aldrin and Armstrong descended to the surface in the lunar excursion module Eagle.

There's actually a pretty good description of the mission on Wikipedia.

[Ian Volante]

Hmm, he didn't even get to the surface? I thought he remained in the Eagle, so went to the surface but didn't step out? Does this mean I get to add my duh as well?

I'm afraid it does. FTR: Collins remained in the command module Columbia while Aldrin and Armstrong descended to the surface in the lunar excursion module Eagle.

There's actually a pretty good description of the mission on Wikipedia.

That does clear up the vague mystery I've always had with it, as in if he was there, why couldn't he have just stepped out for a minute and have one of the others watch the screens or whatever!