Before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin knew they would be the first to walk on the moon, they took crash courses in geology at the Grand Canyon and a nearby impact crater that is the most well-preserved on Earth.
Northern Arizona has had deep ties to the Apollo missions: Every moon-walking astronaut trained here, and a crater on the moon was even named in honor of the city of Flagstaff.
“It’s a really interesting and unique part of our history, and it’s really cool to think that this relatively small town in northern Arizona played such a big role in the Apollo missions,” said Benjamin Carver, a public lands historian at Northern Arizona University.
Today, astronaut candidates still train in and around Flagstaff, which is among many cities celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing on July 20, 1969.
Full Coverage: Moon landing anniversary
They walk in the same volcanic cinder fields where the U.S. Geological Survey intentionally blasted hundreds of craters from the ground to replicate the lunar surface, testing rovers and geology tools.
Scientists used early photos of the moon taken from orbit and re-created the Sea of Tranquility with “remarkable accuracy” before Apollo 11 landed there in 1969, the Geological Survey said.
Astronauts studied moon mapping at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff where Pluto was discovered and peered at their eventual destination through telescopes at various northern Arizona sites.
The region’s role in moon missions is credited to former Geological Survey scientist Gene Shoemaker, who moved the agency’s astrogeology branch to Flagstaffin 1963. It wasn’t long before Shoemaker guided Armstrong and Aldrin on hikes at Meteor Crater as he pushed to ensure NASA would include geology in lunar exploration.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A TOP ENERGY STRATEGIST IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. AND HE HAS THE DATA TO BACK THAT UP
When it comes to energy, Jarand Rystad is the numbers guy. The former McKinsey Company partner founded Oslo-based Rystad Energy, an independent research and energy intelligence company that sells data and analysis on oil, gas, coal and renewable forms of energy.
CHINA ANNOUNCES MORE SUPPORT FOR ECONOMY BUT HOLDS BACK ON MAJOR SPENDING PACKAGE
China’s economic planning agency outlined details of measures aimed at boosting the economy this week but refrained from major spending initiatives.
GOOGLE SAYS IT WILL STOP LINKING TO NEW ZEALAND NEWS IF A LAW PASSES FORCING IT TO PAY FOR CONTENT
Google said it will stop linking to New Zealand news content and will reverse its support of local media outlets if the government passes a law forcing tech companies to pay for articles displayed on their platforms.
FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND TIKTOK USERS IN EUROPE GET FORUM TO CHALLENGE SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT DECISIONS
Social media users in the European Union will soon have a new forum to challenge decisions by platforms to remove posts and videos for breaking their rules or leave up others that may violate them.
'JOKER 2' STUMBLES AT BOX OFFICE AMID POOR REVIEWS FROM AUDIENCES AND CRITICS
“Joker: Folie à Deux” is the No. 1 movie at the box office, but it might not be destined for a happy ending.
CONTROL THE PATH AND POWER OF HURRICANES LIKE MILTON? FORGET IT ,SCIENTISTS SAY
Hurricanes are humanity’s reminder of the uncontrollable, chaotic power of Earth’s weather.
JUDGE RULES THE FTC CAN PROCEED WITH ANTITRUST LAWSUIT AGAINST AMAZON, TOSSES OUT FEW STATE CLAIMS
A federal judge said the Federal Trade Commission can proceed with its landmark antitrust lawsuit against Amazon. But, he also gave the company a small victory by tossing out a few claims made by states involved in the legal fight.
HYUNDAI HAS BEGUN PRODUCING ELECTRIC SUVS AT ITS $7.6 BILLION PLANT IN GEORGIA
Hyundai has begun producing electric SUVs in Georgia less than two years after breaking ground on its sprawling, $7.6 billion manufacturing plant west of Savannah.
A SPACECRAFT IS ON ITS WAY TO A HARMLESS ASTEROID SLAMMED BY NASA IN A PREVIOUS SAVE-THE-EARTH TEST
A spacecraft blasted off Monday to investigate the scene of a cosmic crash.
FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS GOOGLE TO OPEN ITS ANDROID APP STORE TO COMPETITION
A federal judge this week ordered Google to tear down the digital walls shielding its Android app store from competition as punishment for maintaining an illegal monopoly that helped expand the company’s internet empire.