Apollo 12 Mission Report

310 Pages·2015·8.49 MB·English

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RITA M RAPP i
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NA1'10NAALE RONAUTICSA ND SPACEA DMINISTRATION
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APOLLO1 2 MISSIORNE PORTi
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MANNED SPACECRAFTC ENTER
HOUSTON,TEXAS
MARCH1 970
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APOLLO SPACECRAFI' FLIGHT HISTORY
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Mission Spacecraft Descri:J2tion Launch date Launch site
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PA-l BP-6 Firstp ad abort Nov.7 .1 963 White SWlds _.,. ,�
Missiel Range, �-
N. Mex. �
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A-001 BP-12 Transonic abort May 13,i 964 White Snnds
MissilRean ge,
N. Mex.
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AS-101 BP-13 Nominall aunch and Mey 28,1 964 CapeK ennedy,
exite nvironment Fla.
AS-102 BP-15 Nominalla unchan d Sept.1 8,1 964 CapeK eunedy,
e.xi t environment Fla.
A-002 BP-23 Maximumd ynamic Dec. 8, 1964 WhiteS Hnds
pressuraeb ort 1-:issiRlaneg e,
N. Mex.
AS-103 BP-16 Micormeteoroid Feb.1 6,1 965 CapeK ennedy,
experiment Fla.
A-003 BP-22 Low-altitudaeb ort Mey 19,1 965 White Sands
(plannehdi gh- MissilRea nge,
altitudaeb ort) N. Mex.
AS-104 BP-26 Micrcmeteoroid Mey 52. 1965 CapeK ennedy,
experimeanndt Fla.
servicmeo dule
BCS launch
environment
PA-2 BP-23A Seconpda d abort June2 9,1 965 WhiteS Hnds
MissilRea nge,
N. Mex.
AS-105 BP-9A Micrometeoroid Ju:cy 30,1 965 CapeK ennedy,
experimenantd Fla.
servicmeod ule
RCSl aunch
environment
A-Oo4 SC-002 Power-ont umbling Jan. 20, 1966 WhiteS o.nds •
boundarayb ort Missiel Range,
N. Mex.
----- --�- --- ·-··� AS-201 4lC-{)09 -S"upercir�acru-·--- --- --·-Teb: ·216669; · -----·-CapKee nnedy, ..
entryw ithh igh Fla.
heatr ate
AS-202 SC-011 Super eir cular Aug.2 5,1 966 CapeK ezmedy,
entryw ith high Fla.
heatl oad
(Cotninueidn sidbe ackc over)
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MSC-01855
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12MI SSIORNE PORr
APOLLO
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PREPARBEYD
MissionE valuatino Team
APPROVEDB Y
JamesA .M cDivitt
Colnoe,lU SAF
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Manage,r ApollSop accerf atP rogamr
NATIONAAELR OUNTAICASN DS PACAED MINISTRAITON
MANNEDSP AECCRAFT CENTER
HOUSTO,N
TEXAS
March 1970
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CONTENTS
Section Page
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1.0 SUMMARY 1-1
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2.0 INTRODUCTION 2-1
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3.0 LUNASRU RFAECXPEL ORTAION 3-1
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3.1 APOLLOL UNARS URFAECXPEE RIMENPTASC KAGE 3-2
3.2 SOLAWRI NDC OMPOSITEIXPOENR IMENT 3-24
3.3 LUNAGREO LOGY . . 3-25
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3.4 EXAMINATIOONF R ETURNESDA MPLES 3-41
3.5 PHOTOGRAPHY 3-41
• • • • • • • • • •
3.6 MULTISPECTPRHAOTLO GRAPHY EXPERIMENT 3-43
4.0 LUNADRE SCEANTN DL ANDING 4-1
• • • • •
4.1 LANDINGS ITSEE LEICOTN 4-1
• • •
4.2 DESCEGNUTI DANEC AND CONTROL 4-4
4.3 LANDINSGI TCEO ORDINATES 4-25
5.0T RAJECI'ORY 5-1
6.0 LUNARD UST 6-1
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6. 1 DUSETF FECOTNSL ADNINVGI SIBILITY 6-1
6.2 CONTAMINTAIOONF T HES PCAECRJ�A TMOSPHERE 6-5
COMMANDA NDS ERVIMCOED ULPEE RFORMANCE 7-1
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7.1 STRUCTURANADL MECHANICALS YSTEMS 7-1
7.2 ELECTRICPAOLW ER 7-2
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7.3 COMMUNICATIEOQNUSI PMENT 7-3
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7.4 --- CRYONGIECS TORAG·-;·E -;: .---;- -_--. 7-4
7.5 INSTRUMETNITOAN 7-5
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7.6 GUIDAN,CN EAVITGIAO,NA NDC ONTROL 7-6
7.7 REACITONC ONTROL 7-14
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7.8 SERVIPCREO PULSION 7-15
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7.9 ENVIRONMENTCAOLN TRSOYLS TEM 7-16
71.0 CRESWT TAION 7-18
7.11 CONSUMABLES 7-19
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Section Page
8.0 LUNARM ODULE PERFORMANCE • • • • • • • . 8-1
8.1 STRUcrURALA ND MECHANICALS YSTEMS 8-1
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' 8.2 ELECTRICAPLO WER• • • • 8-2 ..
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8.3 COMMUNICATIONSEQ UIPMENT 8-2
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R..AD.AR • • • • • • • • •
8.5 INSTRUMENTATION 8-3
8.6 GUIDANCEA ND CONTROL 8-4
8.7 REACTIONC ONTROL. 8-12
8.8 DESCENT PROPULSION • 8-12
8.9 ASCENTP ROPULSION 8-15
8.01 ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS YSTEM 8-17
8.11 CID:W STATION• . • . . . . . 8-18
8.21 EX1'RAVEHICULAMRO BILITYU NIT 8-19
8.31 CONSUMALBES 8-22
PILOTS'R EPORT 9-1
9.1 TRAINING. . 9-1
92. LAUNCH. • • 9-1
9.3 EARTHO RBIT 9-2
9.4 TRANSLUNAIRN JEcriON 9-3
9.5 TRANSLUNAFRL IGHT 9-3
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LUNARO RBITI NSERTION 9-4
9.7 LUNARM ODULE CHECKOUT 9-4
9.8 DESCENT ORBITI NSERI'ION 9-5
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i 9. 9 POWERED DESCENT 9-6
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' 9.01 LlJNASRU RFACEA CTIVITY• • • •. 9-7
. ; 91.1 ABCENT,R ENDEZVOUSAN,D DOCKING 9-22
9.21 LUNARO RBITA CTIVITIES 9-25
9.31 THANSEARTIHN JEcriON 9-27
9.41 THANSEARTHF LIGHT 9-28
9.51 ENTRYA ND LANDING 9-28
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Section Page
10.0 BIOMEDICALE VALUATION 10-1
"' . 10.1 BIOINTSRUMENTATIONA NDP HYSIOLOGICADLA TA 10-1
10.2 MEDICALO BSERVATIONS 10-4
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10.3 EXTRAVEHICUALACTRI VITIES 10-7
10.4 PHYSICEAXAMILNA TIONS 10-7
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10.5 LUNAR CONTAMINATIONA NDQ UARANTINE 10-10
11.0 MISSIOSNU PPORPTE RFORCMEA N 11-1
11.1 FLIGTH CONTROL 11-1
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11.2 NETWOPREKR FORMANCE .. 11-2
11.3 RECOVEORPYE RATIONS 11-2
12.0 ASSESSMENOTF MI SSIOONB JECTIVES 12-1
12.1 PHOTOGRAPOHFSC ANDIDATEEXP LORATISOINT ES 12-1
12.2 TELEVISCIOOVNE RAGE 12-2
13.0 LAUCNHV EHICSLUEMMA RY 13-1
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14.0 ANOMASLUYMMA RY 14-1
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14.1 COMMAND ANDS ERVIMCODEU LES 14-1
14.2 LUNAMRO DULE 14-41
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14.3 GOVERNMEFNUTR NISEHQEUDI PMENT 14-50
15.0 CONCLUSIONS 15-1
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APPENDAI X-V EHICDLEES CRIPTIONS A-1
A.1 COMMANDA NDS ERVIMCODEU LES A-1
A.2 LUNARM ODULE A-1
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A.3 EXPERIMENETQ UIPMENT A-2
---- --�- -------�---- --- -�-4-- ----MA-S-S PRPOERTIES A-8
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APPENDBI -X SPACECRHAIFTS TORIES B-1
APPNEDIXC POSTFLITGEHSTT ING C-1
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APPENDDI X- DATAA VAIALBILITY D-1
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APPENDEI X-MI SSINO REPOSRUTP PLEMENTS E-1
APPENDFI X-G LOSSARY F-1
1--1
1.0S UMMARY
TheA poll1o2mi ssino providae dw ealtshci eonft iifniofcrm atioinn
thiss igni,fcianstt eopf d etailleunard exlportaino.T hee mpalceedx prei­
mentwsi t,h expcetede quipmoepnreta titomine o f1 yea,rw ileln able
:an
scienitfico "bsteriovnaso ft hel unar surfaceen vireonnmtan d determination
ofs tructurpaelr turatbinos. Thism issin odemsotnrattehed c apbailiftoyr
a percisni loandin,g rae quirefmoernp tr oceedtiomn ogr se peciifcan d
• roughleunra rs urfacleo catihoanvnsig p atricluars cienitfici nterest ..
The spacvee ihcel,w itah c reowf C harlCeosn r,aJ dr,. C ommanrd;e
RihcarFd. G ord,oC nommandM odulPei loantd; AlanL .B ean,L unarM odule
Pilto;w as launchefdr oKme nnedyS paceC etne,rF lroid,aa t1 1:22:a0m.0.
es.t..( 16:22G:.0m0.. )tNo vbeemr1 4, 1699. The actiiveistd urinega 1�th­
orbicth eck,ot urtanlsu::airn jecnt,ani do translaunrc oaswte rsei milar
tot hosoef A poll1o1, e xecptf ort he scpiela atetntni goivetno v eri:f'y­
inga lls pacefctrs aysteasm sa r euslto fl ightnsitnrg5 .kinsgp atchee
vehicalte3 6.5s econds ansd ecn5od2s . noAn -free-rtertalurnunnsa r
trajoercytp rofiwlase u sefdo rt he firstti mien t heA poll1o2m issino.
Thes pae.crcafwtas inseritnetdao 186.8- by6 26.- milleuna ro rbit
ata bout8 3-1h/o2ur s. Two revotliunosl atera secnodm aneuvre wasp �r­
formetdo a chieav 6e6. 1-by5 43.- miloer b.i tThei nitli cahekcouot f
lunamro dulsey smtsed uritnrg anlsunarc oasantd inl unaro rbiwta ss at­
isafcotr.y Ata bou1t0 4h ours,t he Comamndeanrd the LunarM odulPei lot
entertehed l unarm odulteop reparfeo rd escentt ot he lunars urfcae.
Thet wos pacefctrw earuned eckeadta bout1 08h ours, and descent
orbiitn sertwiaso pne rformaetda prpoxitmeayl 109-1h/o2ru s. Oneh our
latre,a precisni loandign wasa ccmoplisehdu sinagu tomiacgt uindca,e
witshm alDl� ualc orreocntsai pplieidnt he finaplh aesso fd ecsent.
Thes paceLcfrtteo uchdeodw na t1 103:2: 3 6i nt he Oceano fS torm,sw ith
landincgo ordinoaft3 e.s2d e greseosu tlha tuidte an2d3. 4d egreweess t
longdietr uEe!rfecnedt oS urveyoIrI I SitMea p,F irsetd iti,o dantedJ an­
uary1 968.O neo ft heo bjetciveosf t he Apoll1o2m issiwoasn t oa chiee v
a prceisni loandinngear theS_urv eyor spacec,rw ahifcthha dl anded
III
---� ___ _ _ _ onA pirl2 0,1.9 6.7 The Apoll1o2 l andipnogi nwta s5 35f eeftr otmh e
Surveoyr
III.
Threeh oursa ftelran din,gt he crwmeenb eganp repatriaonfso re gress
and egrseesica bou2t h oursl ate.r Ast heC ommadnerd ecsendteodt hes.u r­
fac,eh ed epyleodt he modurlizaede quipmsetnwotag e assembl,yw hichpe r­
mittetdr anmHissni oof cotleolrie svin opicteurs. Thet eliesvino camera,
howeevr,w ass busequentldyam age.d Aftert he LunarM odulPei lohta d
descentd)(et dhe surfacean d erecttehed s olawri ncdo mptoi,sofino ilt,he,
credwe ploytEhe� dA pollunlaor s urfaecpxee reinmtpGa cgkea. Ont he re­
turnt rvaers,et he crecwo llecat ceodr teu-bes oislp eicmeannd adtdiional
1-2
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surfacseamp le.s Also,an Apolleor ecbtlea S-anbd antennwaas depleody
fort he firstti me. Thed uratino oft he firsetx tvreahciulaarc tviity
periwoasd 4 hours.
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" ., Followniga 7-hourr espter io,dt he seocnde xtvreahciular. activity
• periboedg an wpirtehp tarinao fort he geolotgyr vaerse.D ocumeendts am­
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ple,s core-tubseamp le,st renc-hsiet sample,s and -ganasalysissamp les
werceo lelcteodnt he travrese to tShureve yoIrI Is pacefct.r aThe crew
I photograanpdh reedm ovpeardt sfr omt he Surveoyr. Followtihen gr eturn
trvaerse,t hes olarw incdom poistoinf oli was retreide.vT hes econedx ­
trvaehciualra ctiivtyp eriloadts ed3 -3/h4o urs. Cremwo iblityan d port­
f ablel ifseu pposryts topeemr taino,as inA pollo wereex clelentthr ough­
11,
outt he tota7-lh our 46-mineuxtrtea vheicaurlp erioAdp.pr oxtimeyal
74.p7o unds lounfa rm ateriawle rceo lclteedf orr eturn teoar th,as w ell
ast heS urevyopra trs.
Theas cents tgael ifteodf ft he lunars urfacaet 1 42 horus. Aftera
nominarle ndveozuss euqenc,te he twsop acecrwearftde ockaetd 1 45-1/2
horus. Theas cents tgaew asj ettisnoedf ollowing tcrraneswf eandr was
maneuvreedb yr emotceo ntrtooli mpacotn t he lunsaru rfa;ci empact
occurdr aet 1h5o0u raspp roxtimealy4 0mi lesf rotmh e Apoll1o2 l anding
siet.
Aftera preiodo fe xtenslianvdem artkra ckianndg phootgrpahy,t rans­
earthi njetcino waasc cmoplsihed wittheh s ervciep ropuilnos engiante
172-1h/o2ur s. Thel unaro rbitp hotopghyr waasc ondeucdust inga 500mm-
logn-rangleen st oo btaimnap pinangd trianingd ataf orf uutrem issinso.
Durintgr ansearht coast,t wos malmlid coures corcrtienosw ere exe­
cutde,an d the entrys equencweas nomral.T hec ommand modluanldede in
the PacfiicO ceana t2 44-1h/o2ur s. The landincgo ordtien,sa asd eter­
minedf rotmh eo nobarcdmo ptue,rw er1e5 d egre5e2sm intuess outh lati­
tudane d 165 degre1e0smi nutewse slto gnitud.e Afetrl andin,gp recua­
tinost oa void lunaro rganibsamc cko-ntnamiatino wereem pleody.T he
cre,wt he lunar tmeairal samples, and thes pacreacfwte rseb useuqently
transpotredt ot heL unarR eceiivngL abortaory.
2-1
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2.0I NTRODUCTION
The Apolol 12 missionw as the twelfthi n a serieso f flights using
Apollofl ight hardwarean d was the secondl unar landing. The purpose
of the missionw as to perform a precisel unarl anding and to conducat
specifics cientifiecxp lorationo f a designateldan ding site in the
Ocean of Storms.
Sincet he performance of the entires pacecraftw as excellentt,h il5
reportd iscusseso nlyt he systemsp erformancet hat significantlyd iffe:red
from that of previousm issions.B ecauset hey were unique to Apollo1 2,
the lunar surfacee xperimenst, the precisionl andingo perationan,d lu::-�ar
dustc ontaminationa re reported in sections3 ,4 ,an d 6,r espectively.
A comple:tanea lysis of all flightd ata is not possiblew ithint he
time allowed for preparatioonf thisr epo!t. Therefore,r eports upple­
mentsw illb ep!u blishefdo r certainA pollo1 2s ystems analyses,a s shown
in appendix:E: . Thisa ppendix also lists the currents tatuso f all Apolol
missions upplementse,i ther published oinr preparation. other supple­
b<!
ments will publishedas the need is identified.
In thisr eport, all actualt imesp rior to earth lanadrien eg lapsed
timef romr angez ero,e stablisheads the integrals econd befolrief t-of.f
Range zero for thism issionw as 16:220:0G ..mt.,N ovebmer 14,1 96.9
Greenwicmhe 1m time is used for all timesa fter eart�l anding as well as
for the discussionosf the experimentlse ft on the lunars u:rface. All
referencetso mileaged istance are in nauticalmi l es.
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3-1
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3.0L UNAR SURFAECXPELO RATION
Thiss ection cnotains a disucsisono ft he formaelxp erimenctosn ­
ductefdo rA polloan d prestesna preliinmary labortaoryas sessmenotf
l2
returnesd amples. The expeirmentdis sucssedi nculdetsh oseas socaited
witthhe Apollol unars urfacee xperimpeanctaksg ean d the solarw inedo m­
poistino,l unarg eolo,gy lunar surfacpeh otopghry,a and multispetcrla
phtoography experimentTsh,e e valutainosi nt hiss etcino areb aseodn
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thed aat receidvuerdni gt he firsltun ard ey. finaelx perimreen­t
All
sultwsi lble p ulibshedi na spearatseic necer eportw hetn he detilaed
analysesar e completaepp endiEx .
( )
Lunars urfacseic etnifica citvities were perofrmde essnetailyl as
plannewdi thtihne alloetdtt imep eroid.s Threeh oursa f'terl andin,gt he
crebwe ganp reptarinaosf ore gressan d thef irsttra vreseo ft he lunar
surfa.c eDuritnghe firsetx rtaviechulara ctivipetiyro ,dw hichl asted
4 hour,ts he creawcc mpolisehdt he folwlinog:
a. Deploytehdem odulzareide quipmsetnowtg aeas sembly,w hcihp er­
mittetdr ansmisison ofc olotree lvisin opicturoefst he Commanddeerse cnd­
ingt hel unarm odluel adder
b. Tranfserread c ontingseunrcfya scamep le tot he lunarm odule
c.E recttehed s olarw incdmo positni fooil
d. Colcltede ac or-etueb soils pceimeannd addtiinoals urfacseam ples
e.De plyoedt heA pollloun ars urfaecxep erimpeankctasg feo ran ex­
tendecdol lectino ofl unars cietniifcd atavi a a radoi link.
The epxereinmtpsa cakgei nculdde ac olcdta hodeg age,l unaar s urfcaem ag­
netmeote,r paas svies eismomteera, s olawri nsdp ercomtetre,a duts de­
tetcoran,d a suprtahermali no detcetor.A breifd escirptni ooft hee x­
pereinmte quipmenti sp resetnedi na ppenxdi A. Ceraitn diffciutlieisn
deplnoygti he equipment menatroien edi nt hiss etcino anda redi scussed
ingr eaterd etaiil ns ection 14.3.A nomaelisi nt he opreationo ft he
equipmesnintc ea ctviatino area los mentoinde,b ut then ature ancdua se
ofe acehx preiemntan omayl wilble s ummazreid ina laters ciencer eport
apepndiEx.
( )
Folwlionag 7-hourre stp eroid,t he seconedx rtavheiculaarc tviity
periboedg anw itphr eptarinaosf ort heg eolotgyr vaerseT.he duratino of
the secnode xrtavheicualra ctiyv iwtas3 -3/h4o urs, durinwgh ciht he crew
acocmplsihedt he folwliong: