Apollo 17: The NASA Mission Reports

by Robert Godwin (Editor), United States, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Staff (Contribution by)

Overview

It was just past midnight in the early morning hours of December 7th 1972 when the last manned Saturn V roared from the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center. Strapped into the crowded Command Module were Commander Eugene Cernan. Command Module a Pilot Ron Evans and Lunar Module Pilot/Geologist Harrison Schmitt. Their destination was a steep sided lunar valley on the edge of the Sea of Serenity, known as Taurus-Littrow. What this crew hoped to do was increase man's store of knowledge about our nearest celestial neighbor by taking along a trained scientist for the first time. Harrison "Jack" Schmitt was a fully qualified geologist who had been the man who contributed to all of the Apollo astronaut's geological training. Now it would be his turn to witness first-hand the geology of another world. Accompanying Schmitt was another astronaut "rookie", CMP Ron Evans, who would be left in lunar orbit to map out the moon in unprecedented detail. Presiding over this highly trained crew was veteran Gemini and Apollo astronaut Gene Cernan, returning to the moon for a second time this time with the intention of living there for three days. sApollo 17 was the culmination of man's greatest programme of exploration. An unparallelled triumph of planning and technology flown by a team of professionals with expert precision. This book contains many of the internal NASA documents from this extraordinary voyage made commercially available for the first time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781926592022
Publisher:	Collector's Guide Publishing, Inc.
Publication date:	08/01/2009
Series:	Apogee Books Space Series Series
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Robert Godwin is the founder of Collector's Guide Publishing, the editor of the NASA Mission Reports series, and the author of The Illustrated Collector's Guide to Led Zeppelin and The Making of Led Zeppelin's IV. He lives in Burlington, Ontario.

Table of Contents

	Introduction	6
	Editor's Introduction	10
	Press Kit
	Comparison of Lunar Science Before & After Apollo	13
	Apollo 17 Mission Objectives	18
	Launch Operations	19
	Countdown	20
	Launch Windows	21
	Ground Elapsed Time Update	22
	Launch and Mission Profile	23
	Launch Events	24
	Mission Events	26
	EVA Mission Events	29
	Apollo 17 Landing Site	37
	Lunar Surface Science	38
	S-IVB Lunar Impact	38
	Alsep	39
	SNAP-27	41
	Heat Flow Experiment	43
	Lunar Ejecta and Meteorites	43
	Lunar Seismic Profiling	43
	Lunar Atmospheric Composition Experiment	46
	Lunar Surface Gravimeter	46
	Traverse Gravimeter	46
	Surface Electrical Properties	47
	Lunar Neutron Probe	48
	Soil Mechanics	49
	Lunar Geology Investigation	50
	Lunar Geology Hand Tools	52
	Long Term Surface Exposure Experiment	53
	Lunar Orbital Science	56
	Lunar Sounder	56
	Infrared Scanning Radiometer	59
	Far-Ultraviolet Spectrometer	59
	Gamma Ray Spectrometer	60
	Panoramic Camera	60
	Mapping Camera	60
	Laser Altimeter	61
	CSM/LM S-Band Transponder	61
	Apollo Window Meteoroid	61
	Medical Tests and Experiments	62
	Visual Light Flash Phenomenon	62
	Biocore	62
	Biostack	62
	Cardiovascular Conditioning Garment	63
	Skylab Mobile Laboratories Field Test	63
	Food Compatibility Assessment	63
	Engineering/Operational Tests & Demonstration	63
	Heat Flow and Convection	63
	Skylab Contamination Study	64
	Lunar Roving Vehicle	64
	General Description	65
	Mobility System	65
	Crew Station	66
	Power System	67
	Navigation System	67
	Thermal Control	67
	Stowage and Deployment	67
	Lunar Communications Relay Unit	72
	Television & Ground Commanded Television Assembly	73
	Photographic Equipment	74
	Astronaut Equipment	75
	Space Suit	75
	Personal Hygiene	77
	Survival Kit	77
	Medical Kits	77
	Crew Food System	77
	Apollo 17 Menu	78
	Saturn V Launch Vehicle	81
	Apollo Spacecraft	83
	Launch Escape System	83
	Command Module	83
	Service Module	83
	Spacecraft-LM adapter Structure	83
	Lunar Module	83
	Crew Biographies	86
	Spaceflight Tracking & Data Support Network	91
	NASA Communications Network (NASCOM)	91
	Environmental Impact of Apollo/Saturn V Mission	93
	Program Management	94
	Conversion Table	96
	Tables and Illustrations
	Site Science Rationale	18
	Apollo 17 Flight Profile	22
	Comparison of Apollo Missions	23
	Apollo 17 Descent Orbit Insertion Maneuvers	24
	Apollo 17 Lunar Orbit Insertion	25
	Apollo 17 CSM/LM Landing Events	25
	Powered Descent Vehicle Positions	27
	Apollo 17 Approach Phase	28
	Field of View	28
	Film Retrieval from the SIM Bay	29
	Apollo 17 Crew Post Landing Activities	29
	Apollo 17 Recovery	31
	Apollo 17 VS Apollo 16 Operational Differences	31
	Apollo 17 LRV Traverses	32
	View From Commander's Window	33
	Apollo 17 Lunar Surface Timeline	33
	Apollo 17 Traverse Station Timeline - EVA 1	34
	Apollo 17 Traverse Station Timeline - EVA 2	34
	Apollo 17 Traverse Station Timeline - EVA 3	35
	Apollo 17 EVA 1 Timeline	35
	Apollo 17 EVA 2 Timeline	36
	Apollo 17 EVA 3 Timeline	36
	Apollo 17 Near LM Lunar Surface Activity	37
	Schematic of Taurus-Littrow Landing Site	38
	Geologic Map of Apollo 17 Landing Site	39
	S-IVB/IU Impact	40
	Apollo 17 ALSEP Deployment	41
	Apollo Lunar Surface Science Mission Assignments	42
	Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment	44
	LSPE Charge Deployment in LM Area	45
	LSPE Charge Deployment Plan	45
	Apollo 17 Traverse Gravimeter	47
	Surface Electrical Properties Experiment	48
	S-229 Lunar Neutron Probe	49
	Apollo 17 LRV Traverses	50
	Lunar Geology Sample Containers	54
	Lunar Geology Equipment	54
	Comparison of Lunar Surface Activities	56
	Apollo Orbital Science Mission Assignments	57
	Apollo 17 SIM Bay	58
	Apollo 17 Lunar Sounder Configuration	58
	Apollo Lunar Orbit Photographic Coverage	61
	Lunar Field Geology Equipment Stowage on LRV	68
	LRV Deployment Sequence	69
	Hand Controller	70
	LRV Wheel	70
	LRV Crew Station Components - Control & Display Console	71
	LRV Components and Dimensions	71
	LRV Without Stowed Payload	72
	Apollo 17 Television Events	74
	Extravehicular Mobility Unit	76
	Saturn V Launch Vehicle	82
	Command Module/Service Module	84
	Lunar Module	85
	Tracking Stations	93
	Pre-Mission Operation Report
	Summary of Apollo/Saturn Flights	99
	NASA OMSF Mission Objectives for Apollo 17	100
	Primary Objectives	100
	Mission Operations	100
	Launch Through Translunar Injection	101
	Translunar Coast Through Lunar Orbit Insertion	101
	Descent Orbit Insertion Through Landing	102
	Landing Site (Littrow Region)	102
	Lunar Surface Operations	104
	EVA Periods	104
	First EVA Period	104
	Second and Third EVA Periods	105
	Lunar Orbit Operations	105
	Post-LM Jettison Lunar Orbit Science	109
	Transearth Injection Through Landing	109
	Post-Landing Operations	110
	Flight Crew Recovery	110
	CM and Data Retrieval Operations	110
	Alternate Missions	110
	Earth Orbit	110
	Lunar Orbit	111
	CSM/LM (Operable DPS)	111
	CSM/LM Inoperable DPS	111
	CSM Alone	111
	CSM Alone (From Landing Abort)	111
	Experiments, Detailed Objectives, In-Flight Demos & Op. Tests	111
	Experiments	112
	Detailed Objectives	115
	Inflight Demonstration	115
	Operational Tests	116
	Mission Configuration and Differences	117
	Flight Crew Data	119
	Mission Management Responsibility	120
	Abbreviations and Acronyms	120
	List of Figures
1	Apollo 17 Flight Profile	101
2	CSM/LM Landing Events	103
3	Apollo 17 Landing Site	104
4	Taurus-Littrow LRV Traverses	105
5	Near LM Lunar Surface Activity	106
6	Apollo 17 ALSEP Deployment	106
7	Apollo 17 EVA-1 Timeline	107
8	Apollo 17 EVA-2 Timeline	108
9	Apollo 17 EVA-3 Timeline	108
10	Apollo 17 Prime Crew	119
	List of Tables
1	Launch Windows	100
2	TV and Photographic Equipment	118
	Post Mission Operation Report
	NASA OMSF Mission Objectives for Apollo 17	122
	Primary Objectives	122
	Assessment of the Apollo 17 Mission	122
	Introduction	123
	Prelaunch	123
	Launch, Earth Parking Orbit & Translunar Injection	123
	Translunar Coast	123
	Lunar Orbit Insertion and S-IVB Impact	124
	Descent Orbit Undocking Powered Descent & Landing	125
	Lunar Surface	125
	Ascent, Rendezvous, Docking, and LM Impact	126
	Transearth Injection and Coast	126
	Entry and Landing	127
	Astronaut Recovery Operations	127
	Command Module Retrieval Operations	127
	Systems Performance	127
	Flight Crew Performance	127
	Surface Science	128
	Experiment Summary	130
	Inflight Science	130
	List of Tables
1	Objectives & Experiments Primary Objectives	135
2	Apollo 17 Achievements	136
3	Powered Flight Sequence of Events	136
4	Mission Sequence of Events	137
5	Translunar and Maneuver Summary	138
6	Lunar Orbit Summary	139
7	Lunar Orbit Summary	139
8	Transearth Maneuver Summary	140
9	Consumables Summary	141
10	LSP Explosive PKG Events	142
11	SA-512 Launch Vehicle Discrepancy Summary	143
12	CSM 112 Disrecpancy Summary	143
13	LM 12 Discrepancy Summary	143
14	Lunar Roving Vehicle Discrepancy Summary	143
15	Crew/Equipment Discrepancy Summary	143
	Technical Crew Debriefing
1.0	Suiting and Ingress	145
2.0	Status Checks and Countdown	145
3.0	Powered Flight	146
4.0	Earth Orbit and Systems Checkout	150
5.0	TLI Through S-IVB Closeout	150
6.0	Translunar Coast	152
7.0	LOI, DOI, Lunar Module Checkout	154
8.0	Activation Through Separation	156
9.0	Separation Through LM Touchdown	157
9.1	Command Module	157
9.2	Lunar Module	158
10.0	Lunar Surface	160
10.1	First EVA, Massif	161
10.2	Second EVA, South Massif	165
10.3	Third EVA, North Massif	166
11.0	CSM Circumlunar Operations	169
12.0	Lift-Off, Rendezvous, and Docking	172
13.0	Lunar Module Jettison Through TEI	175
14.0	Transearth Coast	178
15.0	Entry	182
16.0	Landing and Recovery	186
17.0	Training	188
18.0	Command Module Systems Operations	197
19.0	Lunar Module Systems Operations	202
19.1	PGNCS	204
19.2	AGS	204
19.3	Propulsion System	205
19.4	Reaction Control System	205
19.5	Electrical Power System	206
19.6	Environmental Control System	206
19.7	Telecommunications	207
20.0	LRV Operations	212
21.0	EMU Systems	214
22.0	Flight Equipment	214
22.1	CSM	214
22.2	LM	216
23.0	Flight Data File	217
23.1	CSM	217
23.2	LM	217
23.3	Charts and Maps	218
23.4	General Flight Planning	218
23.5	Preflight Support	219
24.0	Visual Sightings	220
25.0	Premission Planning	221
26.0	Mission Control	222
27.0	Human Factors	223
27.1	Preflight	223
27.2	Flight	223