Post by Bob B. on Nov 15, 2010 10:38:34 GMT -4
Here's a page that has been brought to my attention:
markmccoy.com/wp/2010/11/13/moon-landing-hoax-missing-shielding-from-pads/
In short, the guy claims there are no photos of the LM-5 (Apollo 11) with Mylar insulation on the footpads except for those of it sitting on the Moon. This "inconsistency" he claims is evidence of a hoax.
Of course many of the pre-flight photos are of the LM in an incomplete state of assembly or just a training mock-up. I discount all those because it is irrelevant to the final article as it was stowed and ready for flight.
There are also several photos of LM-5 in lunar orbit prior to descent that shows the Mylar insulation on the footpads, so his claim that only the lunar surface photos show the insulation is clearly false. He also mistakenly shows a photo of LM-3 (Apollo 9) in Earth orbit and claims it is LM-5 on the way to the Moon with no insulation on the footpads. I also don't believe his claim that uninsulated footpads can be seen in the pre-extraction photos of the LM.
So what we know for sure is (A) there is no insulation on the footpads of LM-5 in the pre-flight assembly photos, and (B) there is insulation on the footpads in all the in-flight photos. So somewhere between A and B the insulation was installed.
The only photo the guy shows that is somewhat intriguing is 69-HC-441, which shows the bottom of the LM inside the SLA as it being hoisted for mating to the Saturn V. We see the footpads covered in clear plastic and they do appear to be uninsulated. Of course we know this can't be the final stowed condition of the LM because somebody had to remove the plastic covering. Since someone had access to remove the plastic, they could also had access to install the insulation. Perhaps the footpad insulation was added last to avoid possible damage to it.
We also know that workmen could get inside the SLA as demonstrated by photo 69-HC-730, which is a photo of the front landing leg taken inside the SLA prior to installation of the commemorative plaque (unfortunately the footpad is not visible).
So basically this guy has nothing but some before and after photos without any knowledge of the steps taken in between. In typical HB fashion he latches on to this alleged inconsistency as evidence for some type of hoax.
This guy's claim doesn't bother me at all because there was ample time and opportunity between the before and after photos for the insulation to be installed. My only question is, does anybody know specifically when and where the insulation was installed and why it was done in that way? Similar photos from Apollo 12 seems to show the insulation installed prior to mating with the launch vehicle.
markmccoy.com/wp/2010/11/13/moon-landing-hoax-missing-shielding-from-pads/
In short, the guy claims there are no photos of the LM-5 (Apollo 11) with Mylar insulation on the footpads except for those of it sitting on the Moon. This "inconsistency" he claims is evidence of a hoax.
Of course many of the pre-flight photos are of the LM in an incomplete state of assembly or just a training mock-up. I discount all those because it is irrelevant to the final article as it was stowed and ready for flight.
There are also several photos of LM-5 in lunar orbit prior to descent that shows the Mylar insulation on the footpads, so his claim that only the lunar surface photos show the insulation is clearly false. He also mistakenly shows a photo of LM-3 (Apollo 9) in Earth orbit and claims it is LM-5 on the way to the Moon with no insulation on the footpads. I also don't believe his claim that uninsulated footpads can be seen in the pre-extraction photos of the LM.
So what we know for sure is (A) there is no insulation on the footpads of LM-5 in the pre-flight assembly photos, and (B) there is insulation on the footpads in all the in-flight photos. So somewhere between A and B the insulation was installed.
The only photo the guy shows that is somewhat intriguing is 69-HC-441, which shows the bottom of the LM inside the SLA as it being hoisted for mating to the Saturn V. We see the footpads covered in clear plastic and they do appear to be uninsulated. Of course we know this can't be the final stowed condition of the LM because somebody had to remove the plastic covering. Since someone had access to remove the plastic, they could also had access to install the insulation. Perhaps the footpad insulation was added last to avoid possible damage to it.
We also know that workmen could get inside the SLA as demonstrated by photo 69-HC-730, which is a photo of the front landing leg taken inside the SLA prior to installation of the commemorative plaque (unfortunately the footpad is not visible).
So basically this guy has nothing but some before and after photos without any knowledge of the steps taken in between. In typical HB fashion he latches on to this alleged inconsistency as evidence for some type of hoax.
This guy's claim doesn't bother me at all because there was ample time and opportunity between the before and after photos for the insulation to be installed. My only question is, does anybody know specifically when and where the insulation was installed and why it was done in that way? Similar photos from Apollo 12 seems to show the insulation installed prior to mating with the launch vehicle.