Apollo 11 and Fundamental Science

A. De Rújula

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arXiv · 2005.09332

Apollo 11 and Fundamental Science

A. De Rújula

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Abstract

Half a century after a man first set foot on the moon it is interesting to revisit the occasion with a measure of hindsight. From the point of view of basic science the greatest achievement concerned the implementation of the Nordtvedt test, a precise check of Einstein's strong equivalence principle. A particle physicist may bravely interpret the result as a precise measurement of the triple-graviton coupling. Other not so profound experiments were also (unofficially) made in Apollo flights, such as a long-distance test of ESP (yes! extra sensory perception). From a sociopolitical point of view the lesson concerns the feats that can be achieved by a determined and united country... or more than one.

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A. De Rújula. 2020-05-19. Apollo 11 and Fundamental Science. https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.09332

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