This is Houston. Abort -

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Rated: E · Fiction · Scientific · #2362422

A 60-second communication lapse leaves the moon landing unaborted

This was the auto-landing programmed in for the so-called Sea of Tranquility on the moon’s dusty surface, and Neil Armstrong was just about to disable the autopilot.
“This is Houston. Abort –” The communication cut off for 60 seconds as Armstrong steered the Eagle. The Eagle lunar landing module was flying through a field of meteorites, each one as large as a Volkswagen, centered around a massive crater. Spider-like, it skittered through the air, spending almost the last of its fuel, and landed on smooth dust, as circulating water kept the two men cool in the 200-degree Fahrenheit lunar day.
“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed,” Armstrong said.
“Roger, Tranquility. We copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We’re breathing again.”


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Module_Eagle
*Author's note: The quotes at the end are actual quotes. The "abort" quote is imagined for today's Writer's Cramp contest, which asks us to imagine there was a 60-second communication lapse during this event.
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