Something Not Known Before

[krpalmer]

I knew that today is the anniversary of Apollo 11's landing on the moon, but perhaps hesitated to think about it too much, supposing it might be tricky to strike just the right tone. I did, though, take a look at its Wikipedia article linked off the main page, and there noticed a new tidbit of information. From what I'd read before, I'd supposed the awareness that this mission was to be significant had led straight off to seeking command and lunar module call signs more dignified (not to mention patriotic) than Gumdrop and Spider or Charlie Brown and Snoopy, but the article claimed an early document used "Snowcone" and "Haystack." I followed the link and downloaded a "Technical Information Summary" from the George Marshall Space Flight Center that, along with using those call signs, included some pleasingly hand-lettered drawings. The cover page had June 25, 1969 typed on it, so I do wonder now how close things came to being that little bit different.