Is the Eagle still flying?

[Ninthace]

The Eagle may not have landed again (https://www.newscientist.com/article/2285309-part-of-the-apollo-11-spacecraft-may-still-be-in-orbit-around-the-moon/).

[Nige321]

Paywall clickbait...

[wiggy]

Paywall clickbait...

?

The research/paper the New Scientist refers to credible and has already been subject of discussion in other places such as specialist spaceflight forums.

FWIW the author is well known is in spaceflight history circles and has academic credentials so it’s maybe worth a read.

Direct link here that allows you to download the paper in e.g. pdf format free of charge.

https://arxiv.org/abs/2105.10088

[TURIN]

Scott Manley has done a very informative video on this.
Worth a look.

https://youtu.be/dBHbLV7xEhc

[wiggy]

Agreed, Good video…

The follow on question is there a possibility that the Apollo 16 LM ascent stage, Orion, is also still in Lunar orbit?

The intent for Orion (same intent as that for the LMs on all the post Apollo 11 missions) was after the crew had left it in lunar orbit it was to be deliberately crashed onto the Moon to trigger seismic events for the seismometers left on the surface to register. Problem on 16 was there was err…switches pigs made by the crew pre vacating the cabin that meant the vehicle couldn’t be controlled from the ground post jettison. The assumption therefore was that just like Eagle, it’s orbit would have decayed over the course of a year or so…now?

It’s orbit had different parameters to Eagle, especially it’s inclination so it will have had a different exposure to the Moon’s gravitational field, but who knows…..may be a project for several rainy days. :bored: