# Apollo 2019: What steps would we change **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2019, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apollo-2019-what-steps-would-we-change/837306 "2019-07-19T14:46:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apollo-2019-what-steps-would-we-change/837306/81 "2019-09-10T12:35:27Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I wasn’t aware that they almost died. Armstrong was a damn good pilot. There is probably better technology now, I wonder if there was a gyroscope failure on that mission. Three rings spin in a gyroscope, and if two of them move to together, the gyroscope is locked and the spacecraft cannot manuver. There may be electronic versions now that do not lock. [Gimbal lock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimbal_lock) is a real issue with mechanical gyros, but as **joema** has explained, that wasn’t the problem on Gemini 8. [Ring laser gyros](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_laser_gyroscope) are indeed immune to the gimbal lock problem, since they don’t actually have any gimbals. ---
**Author:** ![joema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@joema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joema)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apollo-2019-what-steps-would-we-change/837306/82 "2019-09-10T14:03:59Z")
The Gemini 8 case and the so-called “checklist errors” on Apollo 10 and 11 are examples of how modern computers could possibly improve safety. In Gemini and Apollo it was up to the astronauts to set many switches and enter sometimes hundreds of DSKY keyboard commands. There was very little error checking. A wrong switch position could have killed them and in Apollo 10 it nearly did. With Gemini 8 a modern on-board computer would be constantly monitoring all switch positions and various “talk back” indicators. A stuck thruster would have instantly been identified. Just like some modern fighter planes take control from the pilot to keep from hitting the ground, a modern crewed spacecraft would likely try to auto-stabilize itself or automatically shut down a stuck thruster. In Apollo 10 a modern computer would have likely identified the PNGS/AGS switch position error, or maybe avoided the error through automation. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apollo-2019-what-steps-would-we-change/837306/83 "2019-09-11T20:18:20Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Some of the unused lunar modules were sold for scrap. I wonder what they went for. Hope they removed the gold foil first!! Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![pdhenry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pdhenry/32/5561_2.png) [@pdhenry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pdhenry)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apollo-2019-what-steps-would-we-change/837306/84 "2019-09-11T21:08:05Z")
> [@joema](#): > > It is true computers are now much more powerful but I’m not sure that alone would make a major functional difference in a modern “Apollo” project. Except for being able to say “Man on the Moon” we probably would not send astronauts to the moon for exploration in 3019, IMO. The comms transit times are short enough to permit near-real time control of an unmanned lander and explorer (and we’ve learned enough from the Mars lander programs to automate landing and semi-autonomous nav). Landing, looking around for a few hours, grabbing some samples and returning home? Exceot for bragging rights we’d send a robot or three instead of humans. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apollo-2019-what-steps-would-we-change/837306.md?page=4)