They were produced at a 1:1 scale to duplicate a small area of the proposed landing site. The distribution and size of the craters were also carefully calculated. The number of explosives used and the depth to which they were buried were carefully calculated to create craters of precise dimension. Engineers dug into the basaltic rock and used explosives to create craters. NASA selected a 500-foot square site northeast of Flagstaff, near the famous San Francisco peaks and just south of the Sunset Crater volcano, for its geological similarities to The Sea of Tranquillity, where the Apollo 11 Lunar Module was scheduled to land. The Explorer, a lunar rover vehicle simulator, at Cinder Lake Crater Field, 1969. Below is an itinerary of the places in Flagstaff which play a vital part in astronaut training.įirst, stop at the Flagstaff Visitor Center for maps and other area information, check out the official Lunar Legacy souvenirs, and snap a selfie with a life-size astronaut. You don’t have to be an aerospace engineer, astronomer, or sci-fi fan to be excited about experiencing a little of the preparation and training that went into putting a man on the Moon. Immerse Yourself in Flagstaff’s Lunar Legacy Please call or visit their website for information on reopening. Due to COVID-19, Lowell Observatory and the Astrogeology Science Center are closed. The anniversary celebration also included an exhibition of lunar rover prototype Grover the Geological Rover at the local Astrogeology Science Center. Many milestones achieved in astronaut science training, instrument development, and lunar mapping occurred in the Flagstaff area.Ģ019 marked the 50 th anniversary of the lunar landing and the city of Flagstaff honored the landmark achievement with a year-long celebration which included tours at Meteor Crater and telescope viewings and exhibits at Lowell Observatory as well as lectures and space-themed movies. This feat was possible only with years of preparation.
Over the next three years, 11 other people explored the Moon’s surface. Neil Armstrong’s first step onto the Moon on July 20, 1969, remains one of humankind’s grandest achievements. The otherworldly geography found in the Flagstaff area resembles the craters of the moon’s surface and, beginning in 1963, astronauts including Armstrong, Frank Borman, Pete Conrad, Jim Lovell, John Young, James McDivitt, Elliot See, Edward Shite, and Thomas Stafford trained here. GEOLOGICAL Survey team Dick Wiser, left, John Hendricks, Bill Tinnin, and Putty Mills at Cinder Lake Crater Field with the Explorer, a lunar rover vehicle simulator, in 1968.
History is made every day by their brilliant team of researchers.U.S. Lowell Observatory carved out a niche for many discoveries including Pluto. Flagstaff’s low light pollution and commitment to enforcing stargazing-friendly lighting restrictions make it the ideal destination to explore the night skies.ĥ0,000 years-old Meteor Crater was left as the result of a meteorite (estimated to be about 150 feet across and weighing several hundred thousand tons) striking the Earth with a force 150 times greater than an atomic bomb explosion.įor more than 125 years, Lowell Observatory has connected people to the universe, through education, exploration and discovery. On October 24th, 2001, the City of Flagstaff became the World’s First International Dark Sky City a designation awarded by the International Dark Sky Association. No, seriously! From discovering Pluto and training astronauts to walk on the moon, to becoming the FIRST International Dark Sky City, Flagstaff has a rich lunar legacy. Flagstaff is a stellar destination with experiences truly out of this world.
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