GBH Openvault
NOVA; To the Moon; Interview with Michael B. Duke, aerospace scientist and Principal Investigator for the Apollo Lunar Sample program, part 2 of 2
Part of To the Moon Interviews.
1998
Michael B. Duke, aerospace scientist and Principal Investigator for the Apollo Lunar Sample program, is interviewed about the scientific discoveries from the Apollo program. Duke explains what CREEP is, and talks about why we should study the moon in order to learn more about the Earth and the history of the solar system, and talks about the potential for using the moon's resources on the Earth. Duke explains his feelings when handling lunar samples in the laboratory, and talks about the Genesis rock that Dave Scott discovered as the highlight of Apollo 15, as well as the orange soil discovered on Apollo 17. Duke also talks about various theories of the moon's origin, including the hot and cold theories of the moon, and what the samples prove about the moon's creation, and explains the trade of lunar samples with Russia, and how NASA distributed samples to various laboratories. Lunar samples are shown, and Duke explains the security and documentation procedures for the use of the lunar samples, and talks about the properties of the rocks that he displays. There is no audio for the final 2 minutes of the interview.
- Series
- NOVA
- Program
- To the Moon
- Program Number
2610
- Title
Interview with Michael B. Duke, aerospace scientist and Principal Investigator for the Apollo Lunar Sample program, part 2 of 2
- Series Description
NOVA is a general-interest documentary series that addresses a single science issue each week. Billed as "science adventures for curious grown-ups" when it first aired in March, 1974, NOVA continues to offer an informative and entertaining approach to a challenging subject. It is also one of television's most acclaimed series, having won every major television award, most of them many times over.
- Program Description
Alan Binder, former Principal Investigator of NASA's Lunar Prospector mission, is interviewed about the Lunar Prospector. Binder says that if moon travel became viable again, he would want to go to the moon, but says that in order to get financial and public support for space exploration, scientists need to sell the science of the moon. Another option, according to Binder, is to make travel to the moon commercially viable, and lists many benefits of going to the moon, including using it as a fuel source, or colonizing the surface for human habitation (audio cuts out from 00:07:30 - 00:09:00). Binder explains the work of the Lunar Prospector and talks about the necessity of having computers to do a lot of the work. On Apollo, Binder calls the program the most significant event of the 21st century, and talks about the roles of the Apollo program, the Clementine spacecraft, and hte Lunar Prospector. The interview ends with Binder's views on his relationship with NASA, which he characterizes as being needlessly bound up in beaurocracy and red tape.
- Duration
0:22:20
- Asset Type
Raw video
- Media Type
Video
- Subjects
- Apollo
- Space
- Moon
- American history
- Gemini
- Astronaut
- Creators
- WGBH Educational Foundation (Producing Organization)
- Contributors
- Duke, Michael B., 1935- (Interviewee)
- Rights Summary
Rights Holder: WGBH Educational Foundation
- Citation
- Chicago: “NOVA; To the Moon; Interview with Michael B. Duke, aerospace scientist and Principal Investigator for the Apollo Lunar Sample program, part 2 of 2,” 1998, GBH Archives, accessed April 19, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_9854773A8F8944A18A2C8BAA3538B400.
- MLA: “NOVA; To the Moon; Interview with Michael B. Duke, aerospace scientist and Principal Investigator for the Apollo Lunar Sample program, part 2 of 2.” 1998. GBH Archives. Web. April 19, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_9854773A8F8944A18A2C8BAA3538B400>.
- APA: NOVA; To the Moon; Interview with Michael B. Duke, aerospace scientist and Principal Investigator for the Apollo Lunar Sample program, part 2 of 2. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_9854773A8F8944A18A2C8BAA3538B400