The first thing planned after landing on the Moon was not to step outside.
The Door That Stayed Closed After Landing
On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11’s lunar lander ‘Eagle’ landed on the lunar surface.
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin arrived on the moon, and Michael Collins was orbiting the moon in the command module.
Many people think that as soon as the lander arrived, the doors would open and the astronauts would step right out.
But even after landing, Eagle's doors remained closed for a long time.
Apollo 11 had a flight plan drawn up before departure.
The plan didn't just specify when to move the rocket.
It was organized in chronological order, including when the astronauts would check equipment, eat, sleep, and move to other spacecraft.
Armstrong and Aldrin had separate jobs to do on the lunar module and Collins had separate jobs to do in the command module.
The Rest Period in the Original Timeline
According to the original plan, Armstrong and Aldrin would have landed on the moon, checked their equipment, and had a meal.
The plan was to spend the next few hours resting, then wake up and prepare for a lunar mission.
Putting on a spacesuit and going outside immediately after a long flight could be dangerous.
Even after moving from the lunar surface, the two still had to pack up their equipment, take off again, and meet up with Collins.
So rest time was also an important part of the mission.
Moving the Moonwalk Ahead of Rest
However, after landing, the two decided to explore the moon first rather than take their planned break.
Armstrong suggested to ground control in Houston that it would be a good idea to delay rest and move up the schedule for going out.
Houston granted this request.
Rest has been moved back in the timetable, and getting ready to go out has been brought forward.
Changing the plan did not mean the astronauts could open the hatch immediately.
The two men had to connect life support to the spacesuit and check communication status.
They still had to prepare cameras and equipment and safely depressurize the lander.
Preparation, which was scheduled for about 2 hours, actually took about 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Continuing the Mission on a Revised Timeline
The door was opened about 6 hours and 30 minutes after landing on the moon.
Armstrong exited the narrow doorway and climbed down the ladder.
And he became the first human being to set foot on the surface of the moon.
The schedule for walking on the moon was advanced, but the rest that was lost did not disappear.
The two men returned to the lander after completing their exploration and packed up their equipment. The flight plan then included another break.
Apollo 11's timetable changed after reaching the moon.
However, Armstrong and Aldrin were not the only ones aware of the changes.
Collins and Earth missions orbiting the Moon also had to be aware of the changed order. Only then could the next communication, spacecraft takeoff, and the meeting of the two spacecraft be continued.
In work with multiple people, if one schedule changes, the subsequent order also changes.
If your appointment is brought forward, you need to prepare faster, and you need to find time to get back to work that has been put off.
If you remain with your initial plan, you will be able to see what has changed.
By checking the changed time and things to do together, you can continue without missing the next step even if you are in a different place.
Apollo 11's plans also changed once on the moon.
The change did not just stay in the minds of the two people, but became a new schedule that the spacecraft and Earth could confirm together.
The moment a shared schedule changes, a new timeline begins for everyone moving together.
ILJI TIME STORIES · 07
