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Apollo U.S. flags still standing on the moon

TORSTEN BLACKWOOD/AFP/GettyImages

A new series of pictures of the moon show five of the six American flags put up by the Apollo crews 40 years ago are still standing.

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by Kai Ryssdal
Marketplace for Monday, July 30, 2012

This final note today, just 'cause I'm a bit of a space geek.

Later this week, NASA's gonna make its latest and much balleyhoo-ed attempt to land a rover on Mars. Go look up "seven minutes of terror" on YouTube to see how dicey it's gonna be.

But this item caught my eye today. A new series of pictures of the moon that show five of the six American flags put up by the Apollo crews 40 years ago are still standing.

The one that's fallen down? The first one, Apollo 11.

About the author

Kai Ryssdal is the host and senior editor of Marketplace, public radio’s program on business and the economy. Follow Kai on Twitter @kairyssdal.
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Bill Woods's picture
Bill Woods - Jul 30, 2012

Armstrong & Aldrin didn't realize how strongly the exhaust from their ascent rocket would blow close to the LEM.
Later missions were at pains to avoid repeating the mistake by placing their flags farther away.

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