The Technical Challenges of Planting a US Flag on the Moon

Like everything else in the Apollo 11 program, the construction, transportation and raising of the American flag on the moon was carefully thought out and planned. In 1992, Anne M. Platoff presented a paper to the annual conference of the American Vexillological Association on the topic. She covered in detail how NASA engineers ensured that the flag planting went smoothly:

Work on the lunar flag assembly began about three months prior to the Apollo 11 mission. Robert Gilruth, Director of the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) (footnote 8) and a member of the Committee on Symbolic Activities, asked Jack Kinzler, Chief of Technical Services Division at MSC, for ideas regarding the EVA. Kinzler suggested that a full-size U.S. flag could be deployed using a specially designed flagpole. He drew up a preliminary sketch (Fig. 2) and the idea was presented to the committee. Working with Deputy Division Chief Dave McCraw, he worked out the details of the lunar flag assembly over several days. The design was based on a number of engineering constraints. For example, to compensate for the lack of an atmosphere on the lunar surface, the flag assembly included a horizontal crossbar to give the illusion of a flag flying in the breeze. (footnote 9) 

Two other major constraints were the weight of the assembly and the stowage space required. The team designed the entire assembly to be as lightweight as possible -- when completed it weighed only 9 pounds and 7 ounces. They reduced the size of the package by developing a two-part telescoping pole apparatus with a telescoping crossbar. It was also necessary to design a flagpole that could be easily assembled and deployed by astronauts wearing space suits. Space suits used for the lunar surface EVA were pressurized to approximately 3.7 pounds per square inch and, as a result, the amount of force that the astronauts could apply with their gloved hands was limited and their range of movement was restricted (Fig. 3). 

Link -via Ace of Spades HQ | Photos: NASA


Comments (2)

Newest 2
Newest 2 Comments

If you read further (or know your moon history) you know that the Apollo 11 flag is the only one *not* standing... Buzz Aldrin saw it fall over, and its lack of a shadow has been confirmed by a moon surveyor satellite.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Oh I got an awful present last year from my husband's idiot uncle. I draw, and apparently they think that just b/c I draw, I'll like anything that has to deal with that. Even if the present is for small children. I'm 30yo, and they got me this frickin How to Draw the Disney Princesses crap.
I couldn't even fake liking the present. I just felt insulted.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
One Christmas I gave a woman a "How to host a murder" game. Four years later she gave it back to me, still in it's original packaging. She had no idea I was the one who gave it to her. She regifted my present. How awkward...
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
The worst present I ever gave anyone was 10 years ago at Christmastime. I had asked my son daily for 2 months what he wanted for presents and he kept putting me off. So I bought him a helium tank and a bag of balloons. Mothers can be so cruel...
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
The description states that that deer/candelabra thingy as a gift, but why is the picture of the item in a store? Sounds like someone took a picture in the store, and made up a story to go with it.

I was hoping for more fantastic ones at the link, but most were unremarkable and just plain crap. The Elvis duck was bizarre, but nothing beat the one you showed here.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Login to comment.
Email This Post to a Friend
"The Technical Challenges of Planting a US Flag on the Moon"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More