Apollo 10 has a Moon Music Mystery

On May 22, 1969, as the Apollo 10 spacecraft orbited the Moon, the crew reported hearing strange music-like sounds coming through their headsets. Astronauts Eugene Cernan, Thomas Stafford, and John Young were on board the spacecraft and were the first humans to orbit the Moon at such a low altitude. While they were making their pass, they noticed an odd noise that lasted almost an hour.

The crew reported the incident to NASA, and although they had a recording of the sound, it was never released to the public. The Apollo 10 mission was a dress rehearsal for the Apollo 11 moon landing, and NASA didn’t want the public to become concerned about the strange sounds the astronauts had heard. However, in 2008, the recording was declassified and made public.

The sound the Apollo 10 crew heard was eerie and otherworldly. It was described as a “whistling” sound, almost like a space wind, that lasted for almost an hour. The crewmembers initially thought it might be interference from their own communications equipment, but they quickly ruled that out. They even turned off their equipment, but the sound persisted.

When the recording was released to the public, many people were intrigued by the mysterious sound. Some people believed it was evidence of extraterrestrial life or proof of a conspiracy theory. However, NASA officials have a more plausible explanation for the sound.

According to NASA, the sound heard by the Apollo 10 crew was likely caused by interference between the LM (lunar module) and CSM (command/service module) radios. The two radios were on different frequencies, and when they were too close together, they could interfere with each other, causing the strange whistling sound. The LM was orbiting the Moon at a low altitude, which put it closer to the CSM than it had been on previous missions. This proximity caused the interference, and the result was the eerie sound heard by the astronauts.

While the explanation from NASA seems plausible, some people remain skeptical. They point out that the sound heard by the Apollo 10 crew lasted for almost an hour, which is a long time for a radio interference. Others point out that the sound was not present during other Apollo missions, even when the LM and CSM were in close proximity.

Despite the controversy surrounding the sound, it remains a fascinating piece of space history. The Apollo 10 mission was a crucial step in the journey to the Moon, and the strange sound heard by the crew adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already fascinating story. Whether the sound was caused by radio interference or something more mysterious, it’s a reminder of the mysteries that still exist beyond our planet.

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