What have we learnt from moon exploration?

[Mars_Admirer]

Hi,

I followed a link from this forum to Apollo Archive site. Truly fascinating! I spent a couple of hours just clicking through the photo albums of Apollo 11 landing, etc.

What I want to know is: is there any online resource that comprehensively documents the benefits and insights gained from all these moon expeditions?
Is all that knowledge gained in public domain or is it secretly safeguarded?

What were the experiments conducted, what were the findings and discoveries, how has it benefited mankind? How were the experiments planned in the first place, for what purpose, whether the results were in tune with expectations, so on.

Also, why were the astronauts quarantined in Hornet 3 module after splashdown? What are biological isolation suits?

What did we learn overall from the moon expeditions, and how is it going to help us actually? Was it necessary to go to the moon to learn what we did? Did we learn anything unexpected / surprising thanks to the landing?

Thanks,

[The_Radiation_Specialist]

What I want to know is: is there any online resource that comprehensively documents the benefits and insights gained from all these moon expeditions?
Is all that knowledge gained in public domain or is it secretly safeguarded?

Why would it be secretly safegaurded? see below

What were the experiments conducted, what were the findings and discoveries, how has it benefited mankind? How were the experiments planned in the first place, for what purpose, whether the results were in tune with expectations, so on.

Sure it benefited mankind, the rock samples brought back ar still being studied and have answered many questions about the age, origin and formation of the moon.
I just Googled "apollo experiments" and the first page I got is I think what you are looking for http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/HumanExplor...Cat/apollo.htm

Also, why were the astronauts quarantined in Hornet 3 module after splashdown? What are biological isolation suits?

there was a 0.00001 % chance that there was a deadly virus on the moon which would spread and kill all humans. Personally, I think the quarantine was useless because if such virus got through the thick space suit of the astronauts, then it could easily get out of the quarantine walls as well. But they just did it to be safe After I think Apollo 14 the quarantine was wisely put away

What did we learn overall from the moon expeditions, and how is it going to help us actually? Was it necessary to go to the moon to learn what we did? Did we learn anything unexpected / surprising thanks to the landing?

Apart from the scientific reason (rock sample, experiments, weightlessness affect on body), you have to realise that if there was no space race, the whole apollo program would not have taken place. The major motive of the Apollo missions was political, it was to "beat" the Soviets. I think if the space race had continued, we would already have seen people walking on mars.

Hope that helps

[ToSeek]

Top Ten Scientific Discoveries Made During Apollo Exploration of the Moon

[Denis12]

Where can i find the apollo archive site? Thanks. Denis.

[Grey]

Top Ten Scientific Discoveries Made During Apollo Exploration of the Moon

And in addition to the specific discoveries made by exploring the Moon itself, there were of course a whole host of technological and scientific developments made just in the process of creating a vehicle that could get us there and back.

[Nethius]

Top Ten Scientific Discoveries Made During Apollo Exploration of the Moon

Nice Link!


Denis12, I think he may have been using this link...

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo.html

Here is another great link regarding the moon

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary.../moonpage.html



.edit to fix link

[Jason Thompson]

Personally, I think the quarantine was useless because if such virus got through the thick space suit of the astronauts, then it could easily get out of the quarantine walls as well.

It wouldn't need to penetrate the suits because after the EVA the astronauts took them off, thereby coming into contact with whatever was on the outside of the suit.

But they just did it to be safe

Actually they primarily did it to bow to public and political pressure. No-one inside NASA seriously believed there was any chance of biological contamination from the Moon. However, prior to exploration various outlandish theories were presented, and some people latched onto the idea of such contamination and put pressure on NASA to take measures to avoid it.

That NASA did not really take the idea seriously can be seen by the implementation of the isolation. The recovery party simply opened the capsule door after splashdown and tossed in the isolation suits, then closed the door. Of course this would give any airborne virus or bacteria an opportunity to enter the Earth's atmopsphere and breach the quarantine. The astronauts donned the suits inside the capsule, so if they had conaminated the surfaces of the capsule interior they could easily contaminate the outside of the suits. Then they walked along a red carpet past a crowd of people before entering the quarantine trailer. If they were really concerned they would surely have devised a method of leaving the astronauts inside the capsule util they could winch it aboard a carrier and put the whole capsule in quarantine before the door was even opened.

After I think Apollo 14 the quarantine was wisely put away

Yes, after three successful missions with uncontaminated crews NASA finally, gladly, kicked the quarantine out.

It's a good example of public pressure forcing NASA to do something they would not normally have done. It's similar in some respects to the Atomic Energy Commission insisting that measures be taken to direct the Apollo 13 LM to the deepest part of the ocean because it had a nuclear power generator on board for the experiments package. Never mind the fact that it had been designed to be contained in such a way that it would survive flight, re-entry or explosion of the launch vehicle on the pad without spreading radioactive material everywhere.

[ToSeek]

That NASA did not really take the idea seriously can be seen by the implementation of the isolation. The recovery party simply opened the capsule door after splashdown and tossed in the isolation suits, then closed the door. Of course this would give any airborne virus or bacteria an opportunity to enter the Earth's atmopsphere and breach the quarantine. The astronauts donned the suits inside the capsule, so if they had conaminated the surfaces of the capsule interior they could easily contaminate the outside of the suits. Then they walked along a red carpet past a crowd of people before entering the quarantine trailer. If they were really concerned they would surely have devised a method of leaving the astronauts inside the capsule util they could winch it aboard a carrier and put the whole capsule in quarantine before the door was even opened.

It's pretty obvious from this image that that was the original plan, but my recollection is that the astronauts walked down the steps and into the front door of the isolation trailer, rather than through the plastic tunnel.