Re: What's wrong with this picture?

From: Christopher M. Jones (marmiteNOTSPAM_at_dualboot.net)
Date: 08/28/04 

Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2004 07:02:14 -0500

Pat Flannery wrote:

> Other than the immediate response of "Lots!", try to list _all_ the
> little problems inherent in it:
> http://sun3.lib.uci.edu/~jsisson/gifs/spacema.gif
> Starting with choosing CO2 as your breathing gas, and the fact that the
> Sun shines on the Moon from a different direction than it does on Earth.

Well, let's see...

First, there don't appear to be any valves or regulators
on the astronaut's air supply. I guess maybe he runs his
suit at 1600 psi or somesuch. It's also odd that the hose
simply goes from the tank to the suit without there being
any special fittings on the suit, I don't think that would
work too well.

Second, the biggest error is that the suit obviously has
no positive pressure from within, it conforms to the
astronaut's body. Which either meins the Moon has a
substantial atmosphere or the artist didn't know what
inflated suits look like.

Third, the rocket is parked WAY too close to those big
rocks for safety.

Fourth, the design of that rocket would require a
tall ladder to reach the cabin. I presume it's on the
other side. I also presume that they tried to save
weight on the vehicle by not installing any windows on
this side.

Fifth, the spacecraft/rocket appears to have no RCS,
nor a high gain antenna. The "spire" on top of the
rocket may be an omni-directional, low gain antenna,
but it's hard to say for certain.

Sixth, the Earth does not have a proper phase. It
appears very slightly brighter on one side than the
other, but the night-time side is still lit.

Seventh, you can clearly make out a great many stars
in the sky, when in reality they would be too dim to
see if your eyes (or film) were adjusted to view the
very bright lunar landscape.

I'll take the space walker also in the picture as
artistic license.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Whats wrong with this picture?
    ... suit at 1600 psi or somesuch. ... the rocket is parked WAY too close to those big ... rocket may be an omni-directional, low gain antenna, ... very bright lunar landscape. ...
    (sci.space.shuttle)
  • Re: Whats wrong with this picture?
    ... suit at 1600 psi or somesuch. ... the rocket is parked WAY too close to those big ... rocket may be an omni-directional, low gain antenna, ... very bright lunar landscape. ...
    (sci.space.history)