Astrogeology, Shoemaker, Cinder Lakes, and the Moon

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Lunar Landing having begun July 20 and continuing through July 2019, in Flagstaff, AZ — what better time exists to expose a true, raw, behind-the-scenes account of Astrogeology’s (Astro) involvement in the Apollo Era and spare no gritty details?

Only part of the story can be told when touring space-training land marks where Astro’s geologists trained the astronauts, or at STEM activities, where our scientists are sharing their lunar expertise community-wide, or at their talks when a limitation must be set on everyone’s time.

You can find the location of the Apollo 11 landing site in Astro’s maps of the Moon, but the gift of the five senses that brings this 50-year-old story of our involvement in color—cannot be fully realized in them. Millions watched the Apollo 11 moon landing on television, in 1969, and even it answers only certain questions however witnesses important firsts in which proud America was successful.

We make no excuse for providing our neighbors and others in the world in-depth information regarding our involvement in the Apollo missions. We take this time to pull from our digital bookshelf an Open File Report written by Jerry Schaber, a retired geologist employed by Astro, who helped train the astronauts, and who spares no details in USGS Open File Report 2005-1190, The U.S. Geological Survey, Branch of Astrogeology—A Chronology of Activities from Conception through the End of Project Apollo (1960-1973), regarding our involvement.

You are cordially invited to indulge this free gift now, and find out details of our involvement without time limitations as a factor.

By Janet Richie