NOVA; Interview with William K. Hartmann, Senior Scientist Emeritus at the Planetary Science Institute, part 2 of 3 : To the Moon
Description:
William K. Hartmann, Senior Scientist Emeritus at the Planetary Science Institute, is interviewed about the origins of the moon. Hartmann describes the collaborative work between the United States and Russia that took place in the early 1970s in order to determine the origins of the moon, as the lunar samples returned from Apollo missions. Hartmann explains early theories of the moon's creation, and explains how understanding the moon's history helps scientists understand the age and origin of other planetary bodies. During the Apollo program, the landing sites were specifically chosen to get a sample of a variety of locations that would help scientists determine the origins of the moon so that they could have a comprehensive picture of the moon's landscape. Hartmann ends by describing the legacy of Apollo as helping us understanding the history of the moon in tandem with the Earth, and says that humans should go back to the moon in order to keep learning more. This remarkably crafted program covers the full range of participants in the Apollo project, from the scientists and engineers who promoted bold ideas about the nature of the Moon and how to get there, to the young geologists who chose the landing sites and helped train the crews, to the astronauts who actually went - not once or twice, but six times, each to a more demanding and interesting location on the Moon's surface. "To The Moon" includes unprecedented footage, rare interviews, and presents a magnificent overview of the history of man and the Moon. To the Moon aired as NOVA episode 2610 in 1999.
