In The Event of Moon Disaster

[Webb]

The podcast

What if Apollo 11 had crashed?

[Apex]

The very last thing everyone on the planet would have needed at that time in history was a moon landing disaster.  But they made it, and for awhile the world was distracted from its ongoing stuff.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that the LEM take off from the moon's surface was not a total, absolute 100% certainty regarding the engines starting up again.  Anything on that?

[Webb]

I haven't researched it but as I recall the LM ascent engine was a simple reaction of 2 chemicals.  The only thing that could possibly go wrong would be one or both of the valves failing to open.

[B-Valvs]

[quote]The very last thing everyone on the planet would have needed at that time in history was a moon landing disaster.

[machineman9]

[quote]The button that turned the engine on broke. They had to shove a metal pen in the switch to complete the circuit and light it.

[Al_Fallujah]

Can't they use a Bobbie Pin?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCl6RCGkPuo

Skip to 06:15.

[DaveSims]

I wonder if there was a contigency plan in case they were stranded on the moon.  You know...a way to end it peacefully instead of starving to death on the moon.

[beaky]

[quote]I wonder if there was a contigency plan in case they were stranded on the moon.