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Originally Posted by tdn
The first question is one I think I alreay know the answer to, but I have never heard anyone actually say it, so here goes: When the CM turned around and extracted the LM, did they bring everything to a full stop first? Or did they do so while still hurtling along at great speeds?
Second question: The onboard computer had readouts in two columns marked "noun" and "verb." Wassem? Are those like command and argument? Was it, like, some crazy Mac thing?
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Ah, "hurtling", one of the media's favorite words, with connotations of barreling along almost completely out of control.
No, as Glom mentioned, all of the equipment was in trans-lunar trajectory initially going at 25,000 MPH. Ever drive in traffic where everyone's going 65 MPH? If you're a passenger, focus at the car next to you (don't do this if you're the driver). Block out the background. It will seem as though the car next to you is not moving. Relative to you it isn't.
Ditto for the LM, CSM, and S-IVB. All going the same velocity, so relative to each other, not moving.
Relative to the Earth and Moon, they're all going (initially) 25,000 MPH. BTW, they had slowed to about 2800 MPH by the time they reached the transition zone where the Moon's gravity became stronger than the Earth's, about 202,000 miles from Earth. :wink: