Apollo 11 and Fundamental Science
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.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2005.09332,
title = {Apollo 11 and Fundamental Science},
author = {A. De Rújula},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2005.09332},
year = {2020}
}
Comments
12 pages, 5 figures. Extended version of an article published in Inference