Apollo 14 Voice Transcript Pertaining to the Geology of the Landing Site

151 Pages·2010·4.76 MB·English

by  Norman G. Bailey

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APOLLO 14 VOICE TRANSCRIPT
PERTAINING TO THE GEOLOGY OF THE LANDING SITE
APOLLO 14 VOICE TRANSCRIPT
Pertaining to the geology of the landing site
by
N.G. Bailey and G.E. UIrich
U.S. Geological Survey
Branch of Astrogeology
Flagstaff, Arizona
1975
BIBLIOGRAPHICOATA II. Her"" ~"'USGS-GO-74-028 12• l. Rec'picIU':; .\.cceSSitln~().
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1975
Apollo 14Voice Transcript
Pertaining to the geology of the landinlj- site 6.
7. Authoris) e.PerformingOrsaniz:uionRepe,
N. G. Bailey andG. Eo Ulrich No.
9. PerformingO'f.anizatioRN..meand Address JO.Projecc/Task.'\rorkUnitNo.
U. S. Geological Survey
Branch of Astrogeology
11.Conuact/GrantNo.
601 East Cedar Avenue
Flagstaff, Arizona 86001
12.SponsorinlOr&llniz..tion Nameand Address U. TypeofReport"Period
COTered
Same Final
16. ,
15.SupplementaryNote.
This is ApolloVoice Transcript Volume No. 3 of a series to be produced for each of
the 6 manned lunar landings.
16. Absuacls /
This document is an edited record of the conversations between the Apollo 14
astronauts andmission control pertaining to the geology of the landing site.
It contains all discussions andobservations documenting the lunar landscaoe,
its geologic characteristics. the rocks andsoils collected, andthe lunar surface
photographic record alongwith supplementary remarks essential to the continuity
of events during the mission. This transcript is derived from audio tapes and the
NASA Technical Air-to-Ground Voice Transcription and includes time of transcription,
and photograph andsample numbers. The report also includes a glossary, landing
site map, andsample table.
17. Kcy"oldsaoJ DocumentAnalys!lll. Us. Descriptors
Astrogeology 0302
Astronauts 0509
Lunar bases 2201
Lunar craters 0302
Lunar crust 0302
Lunar dust 0302
Lunar geology 0302
Lunar photography 1405,0301
Lunar rock 0302
Lunar topography 0302
171..Idendficrs/Open..EndedTerms
Apollo 14
03/8 Astronomy andAstrophysics, Astrophysics
17c. COSATIFicl\1 C,t\)Uf 22//\ Space Technology, Astronautics
18.RAueilleahaisllacbyl~et.HLt'omt·ntthe public. Available from NTIS 19.SRee~c~u~r~ilty4..,1«0.15~5.("rhnis 21. N1o4.7ofPliges
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CONTENTS
Paqe
Introduction. 2
Acknowledgments 2
Glossary of terms, abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols 3
Explanation of keywordlng 6
Geologic condensation of the Apollo 14 voice transcript 8
Descent • • • ••• 8
LM Window 10
EVA I •• 18
Between EVAs 58
EVA 2 • 68
Pre LIftoff 132
• • • • • • • • • •.• • • • • e
Separate Communications Between CMP and Houston. 142
References • 147
ILLUSTRATION
Figure I. Apollo 14 landing site showing LM location and area traversed by astronauts during EVAs • 7
TABLE
Table I. Apollo 14 sample listing cross-referenced to Apollo Elapsed Times. 144
INTRODUCTION
The third manned lunar landing took place on February 4, 1971 when the Lunar Module Antares
landed in the Fra Mauro region of the Moon. The first of the two planned extravehicular activities
(EVAs) lasted 4 hours and 49 minutes and the second [VA lasted 4 hours and 20 minutes. This
document is an edited record of the commentary between astronauts Alan B. Shepard and Edgar O.
Mitchell at fra Mauro and capsule communicators (capcomsl Bruce McCandless and Fred W. Halse, Jr.
in Houston during the descent, landing, and 33-hour lunar stay time. It is a condensation hopefully
of all the verbal data having geologic slRniflcance. All discussions and observations documenting
the lunar landscape, Its geologic characteristics, the rocks and soils collected, and the
photographic record are retained along with the supplemental remarks essential to the continuity of
Bvents during the mission. We have deleted the words of mechanical housekeeping and engineerinq
data while attempting not to lose the personal and philosophical aspects of the exploration.
The sources of this verbal transcriot are the complete audio tapes recorded during the EVAs and
the Technical Alr-to-Ground Voice Transcription prepared by NASA. The voice record Is listed
chronologically with each Individual comment preceded by the day, hour, minute and second in Apollo
Elapsed Time (AET) when the statement was made. Apollo Elapsed Time Is the true mission-elapsed
time from time of liftoff from Cape Kennedy which occurred at 4:03:02 p.m. E.S.T. on January 31,
1971.
figure I shows the landing site area that was described, sampled and photographed by the Apollo
14 crewmen.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The assistance of Apollo 14 astronauts Alan B. Shepard, Jr. and Edgar O. Mitchell and,
capcoms Bruce McCandless and fred W. Halse, Jr. who reviewed their respective portions of the
transcript Is gratefully acknowledged. R. l. Sutton, U. S. r~ologlcal Survey gave valuable
assistance with the sample and p'hoto IndeXing. The cover Illustration and figure I were prepared by
R. E. Sabala, U. S. Geological Survey. Thanks are due to Cyndee Condit and Mary Hopper for
their able communication with the WYlBUR text-edltlnq program on the National Institutues of Health
Computer System which made possible the efficient edltinq and reproduction of the transcript. This
project was supported by NASA Order No. WI3,672.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS. ABBREVIATIONS. ACR~lYMS. AND SYMBOLS
APOLLO 14 CREW
CC Capsule Communicators. Capcom (Bruce McCandless during EVA I. Fred W. Halse. Jr.
during EVA 2. other astronauts during other time periods
CDR Commander (Alan B. Shepard. Jr.)
CMP Command Module Pilot (Stuart A. Roosa)
LMP Lunar Module PIlot (Edgar D. Mitchell)
AET Apollo Elapsed Time - since launch from earth (days-hrs-mlns-secs)
ALSEP Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package
BULK Bulk Sample - weigh bag filled with soil and rocks from the vicinity of the LM
CCIG Cold Cathode Ion Gage Experiment (CCGE)
CONT Contingency Sample - bag of soIl and rocks collected early during the first EVA
COMP Comprehensive Sample - scoop soil and "walnut"-slze rock fragments collected from
an area approximately I meter In area
CORE Drive tube coring device for collecting soil samples
CPLEE Charged-Particle Lunar Environment Experiment
CSC Lunar Close-up Stereo Camera, "GoId Camera"
CSM Command and Service Module. "Kitty Hawk"
DAC Data Acquisition Camera
DOC Documented Sample - soil 'and/or rocks that are documented by photography before and
after sampling
DPS Descent Propulsion System
EMU Extravehicular Mobility Unit - lunar surface space suit worn by the astronauts
durlnq EVAs
ETI3 Equipment Transfer Ba~ for transport of items between LM hatch and lunar surface
3
GLOSSARY CONPlJ.
EVA Extravehicular Activity - activities on the surface
FSR football-Sized Rock
Hycon One of the cameras used in the Command Module
ISA Interim Stowa~B Assembly
l and A (display at the Cape) landing and Analysis
LEC Lunar Equipment Conveyor
LM lunar l-bdule, "Antares"
LPO landing Pad Data
lPM lunar Portable Ma~netometer
lRRR (LR cubed) laser Ran~ln~ Retroreflector
Mag/Mags Magazine/Magazines - ohotoqraphlc
MESA. Modularized Equipment Stowage Assembly - a storaoe area on the lM that contains
science eQuipment
MET Modularized Equipment Transporter
MIN Minimum
MSSC Magnetic Special Sample Container
PAN Panorama of 70 mm photoqraphs
PHO Photographic reference In !ranscrlpt keywordlng
PLSS Portable life Support System - backpack on EVA space suit
PSE, rSEP Passive Seismic Experiment
(;LOSSARY CONT'D.
RTG Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator
SAMP Sample reference in transcript keywordin~
SESC Special Environmental Sample Container
SEQ Scientific Equipment Bay
SIDE Solar Ion Detection Experiment
SRC Sample Return Container, "Rock Box"
SWC, Solar Wind Solar-Wind Composition experiment
Strut One of four leqs on the lM
Plus-Z Strut Forward leg on which the ladder is mounted
Mlnus-Z Strut Rear leg of lM
Plus-Y Strut Right leg of LM
Minus-Y Strut left leg of the LM
TDS Thermal Degradation Sample
TRENCH Trench Sample - Documented samples obtained from bottom to top of a trench
UHT Universal Handlln~ Tool
llllll Garbled or cllpoed transmission
Deletions between statements of statements that are not oeologically relevant
Pause by speaker
Interruption by another speaker, or abrupt termination of a recordino
(words) Explanation of words probably said that were oarbled during transmission
(words?) Exolanation of words oossibly said that were ~arbled during transmission
5
EXPLANATION OF KEYWOHDING
The purpose of the keywords enclosed in parantheses to the riqht of the transcript is to inform
the reader of either the phase of the mission WESCHH. BETWEEIJ EVAs. etc.) durlnq which the
'itatements were made, or the particular location or station (LM. ALSEP. Ci etc,] where the speaker
was. or between Nhlch locations (Lr~ALSEP, C-Ci etc.) the speaker was traversing. There are also
separate sample (SAMP xxxxx) and photo (PHO xx xxxxx) keys to denote the particular samples and
photos either beinq described or taken at that particular moment. Normally, where both sample and
photo keys occur In the same line. the photo numbers are cross-indexed to the sample numbers in that
line. The occasional exceptions can be Inferred from the context of the transcript -- AET 05 12 16
35 -- where the double core sample numbers are not necessarily referenced to any of the pan photo
numbers keyed In the same line. Where remarks In tne beginning of a statement were not either
specifically or generally about the sampling or photo9raphy mentioned later In the same statement;
the keywordlng was placed In the particular line containing the first mention of the referenced
activity as with PIID 65 9209-15 In the statement made at 04 13 52 40.
Because the taking of specific photos was not always mentioned. we have keyed all photos known
to show a sample or Its location In the first line that contains sample keywordlng at the time the
sample was collected.
Photo keys placed In the lines that signify deletion of non-relevant statements show
Ii. _.Ii
when those particular photos were taken even though not mentioned.
Conventions used in keyword sample and photo numbering:
SAMP CONT 14001·12 Sample Contingency 14001 throuqh 14012 Inclusive
SAMP 14082, 84 - Sample numbers 14082 and 14084
SAW 1430'31 - Tentative Identification of the sample mentioned
SAMP1 - Sample possib.'y collected but stili unldentlf-Ied
PHO 65 9202-06 • Magazine 65, frames 9202 through 9208 Inclusive
PHO DAC - Photographic reference to the Data Acquisition Camera
PHO CSC 77 10357-58 - Photographic reference to the Close-up Stereo Camera - magazine
77, frames 10357 through 10358 I~cluslve
6
Deportment of the Interior
United Slates Geological Survey
ThismapwascompliedfromL0 3frame
H133,transformedtoanennroxrrnare
orthographicvrewbvdisplacingIeature
Imagesas8tuncttonof knowncameratilt
andtopographyasportrayedonasmall
scaletopographicmap(LunarTopographic
Photomap.FraMauro,hyMappmgSCiences
Leborntorv,NASAMSC.3rdedition,
November,1970)
o 1000
I I I I
Approximate coordinates of LM:
3.675°5 Latitude, 17.467°W Longitude
Figure I. Apollo 14 landing site showing LM location and area traversed by astronauts during EVAs.
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