How Duct Tape Saved Apollo 17's Moon Buggy

Ant points out a story spotted on Boing Boing in which NASA "shares a story that turns back the clock 36 years to reveal the "key roll of duct tape in the Apollo program." The quality of the photographs from the moon always grabs me, and the duct-taped fender here is no exception.

The voids...

[dauthur]

You can't hear duct tape rip in the vacuum of space. That is a sad fact.

Re:Duct Tape

[CastrTroy]

Can we fix the broken CSS on the idle section with some duct tape?

Key Roll?

[tit0.c]

Key Roll of Duct Tape or Key Role?
I guess both are valid...

US Government Olive Drab Duct Tape

[MichaelCrawford]

My father [geometricvisions.com] was a civil service engineer at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, where he worked on the electrical systems of submarines.

One day he found a roll of duct tape lying around somewhere on a sub that was in for repair. It didn't appear as if anyone was using it.

However, one was not permitted to just remove stuff left lying around - someone might still be needing it.

So dad went through the proper channels, which involved filing a form in which he requested the removal of the duct tape. This had to be signed by his manager. I don't remember clearly, but maybe it had to be signed by his manager's manager.

Once the paperwork was all squared away, someone was sent in to the sub to remove the roll of duct tape - only to find that it wasn't there anymore!

Your tax dollars at work!

Re:Duct Tape

[Schwartzboy]

Actually, I thought that it went "If you can't duck it..." and then ends with a two-word suggestion that I'm very very glad they didn't have to do to the moon buggy. I would think that it'd be physically impossible to do and not at all fun unless the buggy was, in fact, really cute.

like the force

[moderatorrater]

light side, dark side, holds the universe together, blah blah blah. Unfortunately, George Lucas ruined this joke, since duct tape isn't made my symbiotic microorganisms living inside everything.

Filthy astronauts.

[Rob T Firefly]

They also used duct tape to fix the stereo, so they could keep driving their moon buggies through our neighborhoods at all hours of the night playing that theme from "2001" real loud.

Three things you need to fix anything

[cwills]

The three things you need to fix anything in the universe.

1. Duct Tape
2. WD-40
3. A Hammer

• If it moves and it shouldn't - use Duct Tape
• If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40
• If neither of those work, use the hammer

Re:Duct Tape

[jellomizer]

yes. place duct tape over spoys that dont display correctly. Or put the tape over your eyes and refesh the page. Now the CSS will display correctly or not but that if find just as long as you don't measure the results (by peaking)

Re:Duct Tape

[Anonymous Coward]

"If you can't fix it with duct tape, then it's broken."

You forget about WD40.

If it moves and is not supposed to, use Duct Tape.
If it doesn't move and is supposed to, use WD40.

If both of those fail, then I guess you can savely assume it's broken.

It's like the Force

[Deadstick]

...it has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

rj

Re:like the force

[somersault]

I'm sorry to crush your dreams, but the force is purely a nepotistic force. Unless your dad was a Dark Lord of the Sith, the force will not be strong with you. The only thing you will be able to foresee is a life serving fries at McDonalds to the one handed children of Sith Masters.

Actually, the midichlorians thing really got me too :( I like your explanation. Darn parasitic midichlorians..

Re:Duct Tape

[sayfawa]

The technical expression I prefer is "If it's not duct, it's fucked"

Re:Key Roll?

[Major Blud]

Depending on who you ask, I think it's "GNU/Tape".

Re:photos

[noidentity]

It's especially impressive considering the pictures were taken on Earth. *ducks*

Re:Three things you need to fix anything

[Thelasko]

If the hammer doesn't work, get a bigger hammer.

Always be worried when you see someone that works with computers carrying a 30 pound sledge hammer with a big smile on his/her face.

You're right, I looked it up

[sm62704]

Duct tape [uncyclopedia.org]

"Silence is golden, duct tape is silver coincidence, I think NOT!" ~ Oscar Wilde

Duct Tape has amazing adhesive propertiesDuct Tape is the preferred material for Tuxedo construction. It is also a mystical force with a light side and a dark side. It is said to bind the Universe together, and this, combined with the moral duality of the substance, has made it a coveted object of power and worship among several religions, including the Druids(otherwise known as Jedi.) In fact, the bible states that on the third day, God invented Duct Tape.

The Duc(k)t Tape Conspiracy
Duct tape is, obviously, made of ducks. Only an idiot would say it's not. However, nobody is completely sure just how the factoris make it. Some say that after the cute little duckies hatch they are ground into powder, which is mixed with water and forms a glue. Others say they don't know. Whatever the method, duct tape is made of ducks.

Re:Duct Tape

[AragornSonOfArathorn]

Duck Tape is only for taping ducks back together, or to each other. Why tape ducks together, you ask? Why not?

Any other use is unsupported by the manufacturer.

Re:Duct Tape

[Anonymous Coward]

Wrong, wrong, wrong! The steps of determining brokeness:

1: If it moves and is not supposed to, use Duct Tape.
2: If it doesn't move and is supposed to, use WD40.
3: If neither 1 nor 2 apply, hit it with a hammer.
4: ???
5: It is broken.

Re:like the force

[Chris Burke]

light side, dark side, holds the universe together, blah blah blah. Unfortunately, George Lucas ruined this joke, since duct tape isn't made my symbiotic microorganisms living inside everything.

Well at least now we know why he came up with them.

He probably considered the duct tape joke to be infringing on his Star Wars IP rights, and since the courts wouldn't take him seriously, he took other steps.

Well played, Lucas. Well played.

Re:Back when we really had a Pioneer program

[Dmala]

Yeah, that too. Just think, a statue of myself, arm outstretched, reaching for the stars. I'd probably have a high school named after me.

Awesome. And I will totally send my kids to Smooth Wombat High.

Re:Duct Tape

[Zencyde]

Ew. I don't think ANYONE claimed to be fucking McGyver. Why such accusations?

Re:Duct Tape

[Anonymous Coward]

Even duct tape works backwards in Antarctica!

Re:Duct Tape

[brunokummel]

Schrodinger, is that you?

Yes and No!