On the Moon with Apollo 17, a Guidebook to Taurus-Littrow

124 Pages·2008·21.55 MB·English

by  Gene Simmons

August 2008 Publication Note

“On the Moon with Apollo 17” was prepared by Gene
Simmons, MSC Chief Scientist, for use as a Guidebook to
Taurus-Littrow, the landing area for the mission. Where
possible, the original color or black and white images were
substituted for the printed halftone images. The remaining
images were carefully converted to continuous tone
replicas. The original document was provided by Ed
Fendell, Apollo Flight Controller.

This PDF version was produced by Bill Wood. The
original pages were scanned with an Epson Expression
10000XL, using Silverfast AI Studio, to produce high
quality 480 pixel per inch, 48-bit images, for further
processing. Each page image was straightened and cleaned
up in Photoshop CS3 prior to producing 300 pixel-per-inch
EPS page images. Adobe Acrobat 9 Professional was used
to prepare the final PDF edition. The document is made
searchable by using Adobe ClearScan.

Bill Wood was a Unified S-Band Lead Engineer at the
Goldstone Apollo MSFN station during the lunar missions.
Ed Fendell was the Head, Apollo Communications
Sections, Flight Control Operations Branch at JSC during
most of the Apollo missions. Both are now retired in
Barstow, California and Houston, Texas, USA.

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CONTENTS
Page
PREFA CE__ __ ____________________________________________________________ _ V
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDEBOOK___ ____________________________________ _ VII
INTRODUCTIO_N_____ ___________________________________________________ _ 1
LANDIN G SITED ESCRIPTIO___N _______________________________________ _ 7
DescriptoifoR no ckU nit__s___ _________________________________________ _ 8
SurfacFee atur__e_ s__ __________________________________________________ _ 12
LUNAR ROVINGV EHICLE_-____________________________________________ _ 17
SURFA CE SCIENCEA CTIVITEIS _ ___ ___________________________________ _ 21
TraversDee script_i_o__n___s___ ________________________________________ _ 21
LunarS urfacSec ientific ExperainmdeH natrsd war___e _____________________ _ 22
Apollo LuSnuarrf acEex perimenPtasc kag(eA LSEP_)_ ________________ _ 23
HeatF lowE xperime(nHtF E)____ ___________________________________ _ 27
LunarS urfacGer avimet(eLrS G_)___ ________________________________ _ 30
LunarA tmospherCiocm positiEoxnp erime(nLtA CE)____ ______________ _ 31
Lunar EjeacntdaM eteoritEexsp erimeInLtE AM)___ ___ _______________ _ 32
LunarS eismiPcr ofiliEnxgp erime(nLtS P_)____ _____________________ __ _ 34
LunarG eologEyx perime(nLtG E)___ __________________________ _ 35
SoiMle chanicEsx perime(nStM E)___ ________________________________ _ 43
SurfacEel ectriPcraolp ertEixepse rime(nStE P_)__ ____________________ _ 46
LunarT raversGer avimetEexrp erime(nLtT G)__ __ ___________________ _ 48
LunarN eutroPnr obe Experi(mLeNnPt) ___ __________________________ _ .50
CosmicR ay DetectEoxrp erime(nCtR D)__ __ ________________________ _ 51
INTRODUCTIONT O ORBITALS CIENCE_-______________________________ _ 53
ORBITALS CIENCEA CTIVITEIS __ ______________________________________ _ 57
LunarO rbitSacli entiEfxipce rimenatnsd H ardwar__e____ __________________ _ 57
PhotograpThaisck sa ndE quipmen(tP TE)__ _________________________ _ 58
TheL aserA ltimet(eLrA )____ _______________________________________ _ 61
ApollLou narS oundeErx perime(nAtL SE_)____ ___ ____________________ _ 61
InfrarSecda nninRga diomete(rI SR_)___ ___________________________ __ _ 65
FarU ltravioSlpeetc trometer __(_F_U___S___)___ ____________________ _ 67
S-BandT ranspond(eSrB T_)___ _____________________________________ _ 70
WindowM eteoroiEdx perimen(tW ME)_ _____________________________ _ 72
THE CREW_ __ ___________________________________________________________ _ 73
WHAT WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT THE MOON_ __ ________________________ _ 77
Introduct___io___n___ _________________________________________________ _ 77
Whatt heR ocksT ellU _s_ ______________________________________________ _ 77
Whatt heL unarS urfacEex perimenTtesl lU s_ ________________ __ __________ _ 82
Whatt heO rbitEalx perimenTtesl lU s_ ___ _______________________________ _ 84
BIBL IO GR APH Y _________________________________________________________ _ 87
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATION__S_ __________________________________ _ 90
GLOSSAR_Y__ ____________________________________________________________ _ 92
TABLES___ ____________________________________________________________ __ _ 97
Table1 .T imelionefA poll1o7 M issioEnv ent__s___ __________ _____________ _ 97
Table2 .L RV ExploratiTorna vers__e___s _______________________________ _ 97
Table3 .A LSEP Timel_i_ n___e___ ______________________________________ _ 104
Table4 .A pollo SciEexnpceer ime_n___t___s___ __________________________ _ _ 105
Table5 .A pollo SciPernicnec ipIanlv estigaatnodrI sn strumeCnotn tract__o_ r_ s 106
Table6 .S cientiEfiqcu ipmenStu pplie_r_ s___ _________________________ ____ _ 110
iii
iv
PREFACE
TheA polPlroo grbaemg,u bnyN ASA 1i9n6 w0a,sg iveinm petbuys
PresiJdoehnFnt. K enneodnyM ay2 51,9 6w1h,e hne d edictahtiNesad t ion
to exploroaftt hiMeooo nn s tating:
Nowi s ttihmteeo t akleo ngsetrr itdiesmf,eo arg renaetwA merican
enterprifsoetr,h iNtsai tmieto on taa kcel elaeraldyri onlgie ns pace
achiev,ew mheincithnm anyw ays hmoalytd h kee yt oo urf utuorne
Earth.
The1 1m annAepdo lmlios sionesa cmwhae jrsoetr e ipnms a 'nsc onquest
of spAapcoel1.l7 o- schedfuollreua dn cohn D ecem6b-emra rtkhsee n do f
as eroifes sc ifeinectx ipaltooirnisn w himcahn fi rst woanl ktMehodeo inn h is
effotrtol earn mortheUe n aibvoeuirtnws hei chhel ievs.
Throughhiosuttmo arojyr,s ciendtsiicfoivceh raivebese e n rtehseuo lft
worbky o npee rson-aos rm aglrlo uopfp eoe-p-alndo nllya tweerrs eh ared
witthh gee nepruabll Tihcen. e wldysic oveirnefdo rmwaatsti roand itionally
communibcyasc tieedn tiints htfeso romft echnicaolr a dprdaepsemsraesds e
befosrcei engtriofiucp s.
TheA polmlios nssid orasticchaalnlgpyea dro tfts h ipsr ocMeislsnl.s oi fo
peoptlher ougthhoweuo tr "ldp articiinps aotmeedt "ho gefr eatsecsite ntific
discovoefor uiareg seT .h es peaedn dc omprehernespiovrpetr ionvgi bdye d
modercno mmunoincsa-ttihrtoeuligeshvi roand,i aon,dp rnit--gpaevoep le
everywihnet rhweeo rl"di nstkannotw"l edcgoen certnhieenx gp erioefn ces
ouars tronoantu htes MSocoine.an ncdsec ienhtaivsbete seen x potsoet dh e
publeiytceh rougthhopeur to groefts hsle u neaxrp eriimnea nw tasyn ever
befosreee Wne. h avhea da ne vegrr owirnegs poinlysi titobe xplain more
aboouutsr c ieTnhciebs.o okilsiet n tentdome ede at p arotft harte spio­ns
biiltIyn.t hper eftaoOc net hMeo owni tAhp ol1l5oI,w ro:t e
Nevebre foirnme a n'hsi sthoarisyt b een pofsosmrio brtlehe a an
fewp eoplwei ttnome asjsos rc iendtiisfciocvY eertwi ietseh.a cAhp ollo
misstioot nhM eo ons'usr fmaiceln,ls oi fop eoptlher ougthhoweu otr ld
cawna tcthhr outgehl evtihsaeitc oinv iotfti heaess tronTahueut nsd.e r­
standbiytn hgve i ewetrh ooasfce t ivaintdhi iess soefsn hsaer iinnt gh e
scienetxitcfieicm eonftt h mei ssaierog nre atilnyc rewahseetndh eirsae
geneurnadle rstoafnt dhisenc gi enatnidef nigci neaesrpienYcget tsf .o r
mosotfu s, utshudea iclsu ssairocenl usod ewdi tjha rgon.
My purpoisnwe r ittihnigs new giusti ogd ievbieons o ikm ptleer ms
informaabtoituohtnAe p lol1o7 mitsost ihMoeon o sno t haott hecrassn h are
witmhe t heex cmietneotf t hsec ienetxiopfirlca toifot nh Tea uurs-Littrow
areoaft hMeo on.
Manpye ophleel pmeepd r eep artghuiisd ebRoiockh.Ba arldd wGionr,d on
TevehdlJa,o hSn. K ennoJyr,a. n, dG eorEgsee nwceoielntl eebda ckground
materRieaxCl l.i cnoeo radtieandl alr tJ.e rrEylm oreN,o rmaTni llReary,
v
BruneaBua,r baMraat elasnkdiB ,o yMdo uncder emwo sotf t heo riginal
sketcAhnedsr.eP wa tneasnkdMy i kDeu keea cphr ovisdeevden reawpl h oto­
graphs. WJaerffnreaerny dU elC lanthoenl pmeeds elepchttoo graopfh s
lunraorc kTsh.em anuscwraisip mtp rogvreeda atsl yra e sulcto momfe nts
by:W illiMaume hlbeErdgwearr,Wd o lfe, RoberJta cSkPc ahrmk,ie trt,
GeorAgbeb ,eDy ouWga rdJ,a cSke viHeerr,Wb a ngT,e rrTyo ddS,h eila
MurphRyu,ta hn dD aviFdi ttenr,Gm eaorge EsFelnowyRedoi bneo,rn Js,i m
HeadD,o n BeaPtettieMera, s oJno,h Pno merWoiyl,l iVaamg tR,i chard
NaylaonrdR,o bL eppzLeurd.By e najmiann tdh MeS CP hotogrTaecphh­ic
noloDgiyv ispiroonv itdheeedx celplheontto grparpihniotcfs t,we onr king
agaivnesrtsy h odreta dl.Ti ona eloslft hepseeo pIl eex,pe srmsy t hanks.
Thea ccuraancdry e adaboiflt ihgteu yi debwoeorikem probvyet dh e
commeantnsdc orrecmtaidobeny st hfeo llopweirnsguo pnostn h see ction
dealwiintgth h eeixrp eriMmaernLkta ngsJeotshe,Wp ehb beOrt,tB oe rg,
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RobeKrotv acWhi,l liMaume hlbeDragveirSd,t rangMwaanyi,Tk a lwani,
DonB unretFtr,e Ddo ylReo,b eKratu lRao,g ePrh ill(iofprAs L SE),a nd
WilliSajmor egnT.h ehierl ipsg reaatplpeyrc iated.
Andfi nalals yp ecnioatolef t hantkoms y w ifMea rJya nweh on ootn ly
suggeismtperd ovetmoet nhttese xbtu,tp e rsevtehrreodut ghhte y pionfg
several drafts.
GENSEI MMONS
Winche,sM taesrsachusetts
Octob1e9r7 2
vi
HOW TO USE THIGSU IDEBOOK
Excelcloemnmte nthaarvibeee se n avaoivletareb lleev fiosrie oanc h
previoAupso lmlios sion. bHeocwaeouvfste ehri e,n creased ocfot mhpel exity
surfoapceer atbieognisn nwiintAghp olloa nde1 s5p ecbieaclalouyfs t eh e
greaatmeoru onftt imdee vottoes dc ieancctei vIib teileiste,hv aaetw ritten
guide bweow uelldc obmyet dhi en terveisetweoedfAr p ol1l7oT. h em aterial
in thigsu ideibison otke ntdobe eud s eidn conjwuintcthth oieto hne r material
showonv etre levision.
Thes cience oafct thaiesv tirtoionenast u htsesu rfaarcdeei vibdeetdw een
"xeperimeanntd"s t"r avse.rF"so ert hee xperimtehneat sst,r onauts setup
equipmoentn hte Mtohoacnto lldeacttaasn d( egnelrlayt)ra nstmhideta st a
bactkoE atrhT.h eseex periamredene tssc ribed tbhsreei ceflt"yiL ounin na r
SurfaSccei enEtxipfeirci maenndHt asr dwea.Tr"h er eadneere ndo tr ead
aboaulttl h dee taoifel asc ehx periomnef nitrr seta diQnugi.ft rea nktlhya,t
sectiisso onm ewlhoantb gu rta thceorm plaentdIe h ,a vceh soetno k eeipt
int hper esfeonrtsom thayto um ayr eftoe rth ien diviedxupaelr iamse nts
yowui sIhd .ore commend stchasinesnc itnbigeo fnot rhfieer sEtx tVreah icular
Activ(iEtAVy) i no rdeto ru ndersstoamntedh inagb oueta cohf t he
experiments.
Mosotf t haes trontaiumotens t 'h leu nsaurr fwaiclebl es peonntt he
travearsleoswn hgi cthhe dye scrtihgbeee o lofgeiact uorfte hsle a ndsiintge ,
collreocctsk hso,po itc tudrreicsvo,ert eu bsea,n sdo o nT.h es ect"iTorna verse
Descriptaig ounistd"oet hiosas cet ivIittt eileilsngs. e netrearltm hste h ings
the astwrioldnloao unet asct hr aveIrtss heo.ub leud s eidnt hsea mwea yt hat
afl exiibtlien efroaarrv ya cant tiroitph rouNgehwE ngland bweuo sueldd.
Refteori td uritnhgte r aveBrustde on. o ttr tyor eaidti ng redaett baeiflo re
thter averse.
Thes ect"iLounn Gaero loEgxpye rimesnhto"ub ledr eabde fotrhee
traverseTsh ebryeeog uwi inl.fil n dd escriopftt ihoteno sot lhsaa tr ues ed,
thvea riouso fpk hiontdosg traakpehansn,s d o o nI.nt hsee ct"iWohnaW te 've
LearnAebdo utth Meo ony,o"uw ill bfinrdid eifas cuosfst ihonene wi nfor­
matiaobno luutn scaire nIcb ee.l ieve thoaftt h apstee rcutwsiiaolhlnle lp
youu ndersbteatnttdeh vrea rieoxupse riamnedsn utrsf parcoec edures.
Ani mptoarnpta rotft higsu ideibsooc ko ncewrinte"hdo rbsictiaeel.n "c
Byo britsacli eInm ceea,tn h osscei eancctei vdiotniieens s p arcaet htehra n
ont hleu nsaurr faTcheeo. ri btaelx periwmeinlptlrs o banbtolb yec overed
etxensiovnte ellye vBiustit ohdnea. t oab taionnte hdle a tsf ewm issiaornes
excitthianIttg h iynokmu a yw isthok nowwh aitbs e idnogn oenA pol1l7o.
so
A genedrsiaclu ssoifto hnse c ienwtoirftkiob c ed onei sg iviennt hseec tion
"IntroducOtriboint al SAcnidte hneicnent . h"se e ct"iOornb iStcaile nce
to
Activiytoiwue islf,li"n t dhe ex periamnedtn htesoi brj ecdteisvcersYi obue d.
vii
may nott orw eiastdhh esseec ttihornosu agtoh n es ittRiantgh.Ie r,h ave
inclutdheecdmh ieffloyyr o urre ferwehnecnnee eded.
Finalylouys ,h ouklndo twh aat g lossaa lriys,ta corfo naynmdss o me
tablaeriesn cluidnte hdre e aorft hgeu idebIoe oxkpe.ct th dee finitainodn s
shodrits cussbiefo onusni dnt hgel osswairlhyle lipn underssotmaen ding
to
of ttehre mansd c oncenpotws c ionm mounsi en t hsec ienetxipfilco roaft ion
thMeo onA.c ronyamrsseh orustu,a plrloyn coeuanbalbebv,ri eatisouncashs,
NASAL,M ,a ndA LSEPI.nt wtoa blIe slt,ih spete opalnedc ompatnhiaets
havbeu itlhtse c ienetqiufiipcmI e tnhti.tn hkee x teonftt h pea rticipation
int hsec ienptairofitfct hAep olPlroo gmmma yi nteyroeusIt.n a nother,
Il itshtae c tivoiftt hiaees st ronaateu atcssht atailoontn hgte r ave.r ses
viii