Dec 10 1972
From The Space Library
Nimbus 5 (Nimbus-E) meteorological satellite was success-fully launched by NASA from Western Test Range at 11:56 pm EST by two-stage, thrust-augmented Thor-Delta booster. Satellite entered near polar orbit with 1101.3-km (684.3-mi) apogee, 1089.5-km (677.0-mi) perigee, 107.2-min period, and 99.95° inclination. Solar array lock-on and three-axis stabilization were achieved as planned. Activation was proceeding. Nimbus 5 carried new and improved instruments to extend observation into cloudy areas and higher altitudes, making first vertical temperature and water vapor measurements through clouds of earth's atmosphere. Assigned primary objectives were to improve and extend capability for vertical sounding of temperature and moisture in atmosphere with particular regard to altitude coverage and cloud interference, providing nearly total global coverage for first time, and to demonstrate improved thermal mapping for 10 wks. As secondary objectives spacecraft would determine feasibility of using passive microwave remote sensing techniques to obtain earth observational data and would demonstrate capabilities of improved selective chopper radiometer (SCR), provided by United Kingdom, to obtain atmospheric soundings. Butterfly-shaped 769-kg (1695-lb) satellite carried six meteorological and earth resources experiments: scR; infrared temperature profile radiometer (ITPR) ; Nimbus E microwave spectrometer (HEMS) ; electrically scanning microwave radiometer (ESMR) ; surface-composition mapping radiometer (SCMR) ; and temperature-humidity infrared radiometer (THIR).
Nimbus 5 was sixth of seven spacecraft designed to provide atmospheric data for improved weather forecasting. With added sophistication program had grown to include wide range of earth sciences. Sensors aboard Nimbus 5 would map Gulf Stream off east coast of U.S. and Humboldt Current off west coast of South America. By knowing locations of streams, shipping interests could make substantial saving. Nimbus 5 would also provide information about El Nino-change in Humboldt Current. El Nino had been causing great economic damage by warming coastal waters, killing nutrients and fish. Nimbus 2 (launched May 15, 1966, with design life of 6 mos) had returned data for 32 mos, for detailed study of effect of water, carbon dioxide, and ozone on earth's heat balance. Vertical temperature measurements of Nimbus 3 (launched April 14, 1969) had been termed by meteorologists as one of most significant events in meteorological history, providing worldwide atmospheric information. Six of nine experiments on Nimbus 4 (launched April 8, 1970) could still provide atmospheric data. Nimbus program was managed by Goddard Space Flight Center under NASA Office of Applications direction. (NASA proj off; GSFC proj off; NASA Release 72- 234)
Ninety U.S. and foreign scientists would participate in Mariner Jupiter/ Saturn 1977 (MJS77) mission, NASA announced. Group, chosen by NASA from more than 200 scientists who had submitted proposals in response to April invitation, represented 32 institutions in U.S. and abroad. France, Sweden, Germany, and United Kingdom were represented, Scientists had been grouped into 11 investigation areas. Each area would be represented in MJS77 Science Steering Group responsible for overall science program. MJS77 would launch two Mariner space-craft in 1977 to fly by Jupiter and Saturn. (NASA Release 72-239)
Walter S. Sullivan, New York Times science editor, commented in article on conclusion of Apollo program as Apollo l7, final mission launched Dec. 7, neared lunar orbit insertion; "In the spaceflight community one senses sadness at the finality of this mission, but resignation to the inevitable, rather than bitterness. The scientists are already so glutted with data and specimens that some say it will take years of study to formulate the questions that should be asked by experiments on future landings, be they manned or unmanned." (NYT, 12/10/72)
Apollo program had been "project of peace, producing knowledge that has been and will be made available to all nations and to all peoples," New York Times editorial said. "No doubt men and women of many other nations will some day rocket across the cosmic tracks that Apollo pioneered. Americans can be proud that this country led the way, and did .so with the goal of making space a zone of peace, not a new arena for fratricidal war among nations." (NYT, 12/10/72, 10)
Houston Post editorial described Apollo 17 nighttime launch: "The star- studded sky exploded so violently and in such huge dimensions that it seemed as though a vast reflecting curtain, blended with the night, had been hung directly behind the Apollo 17 launch rocket with the specific role of casting all that fire and light right back over the audience. The climax was reached at the beginning. The drama dwindled swiftly to the view of a bright star fading farther and farther away as it headed toward the moon. An author could write tomes about the space program, but he couldn't write one line about the nighttime launch of an Apollo and get away with it." (H Post, 12/10/72)
December 10-16: Apollo 17 entered lunar orbit with 315-km (195.7-mi) apolune and 97-km (60.3-mi) perilune after 398-sec LOI burn at 88:54 GET (2:47 pm EsT Dec. 10). Cernan announced: "America has arrived on station for the challenge ahead."
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S-IVB 3rd stage impacted on lunar surface at 89:39 GET (3:32 pm EST Dec. 10) at 4° 12' south latitude and 12° 18' west longitude. Impact was recorded by Apollo 12, 14, 15, and 16 seismometers. Evans described crew's excitement at reaching vicinity of moon: "We're breathing so hard, the windows are fogging up." Schmitt interrupted running commentary on lunar topography with shout: "Hey I just saw a flash on the lunar surface!" When assured by Mission Control that impact of possible small meteor would have been masked on seismometers by S-IVB 3rd-stage impact, Schmitt groaned: "Just my luck." Cernan-who had orbited moon during May 18-26, 1969, Apollo 10 mission-described sight as "still just as impressive."
Descent orbit insertion (DOI-1) was performed at 90:31 GET. CSM and LM undocked and separated on schedule at 107:48 GET. Circularization maneuver placed CSM in orbit with 129-km (80.2-mi) apolune and 100-km (62.1-mi) perilune.
DOI-2, at 109:50 GET, inserted LM into orbit with 111-km (69.0-mi) apolune and 11-km (6.8-mi) perilune. Powered descent was initiated and Challenger touched down on Taurus-Littrow site at 113:02 GET (2:55 pm EST Dec. 11).
Cernan descended LM ladder four hours later, at 117:02 GET, and said: "As I step off at the surface at Taurus-Littrow, I'd like to dedicate the first step of Apollo 17 to all those who made it possible." Schmitt, first geologist to walk on moon, followed and asked, "Hey, who's been tracking up my lunar surface?" Cernan said surrounding hills looked like "wrinkled skin of an old, old, 100-year-old man."
Astronauts deployed Lunar Roving Vehicle. Cernan made short test drive and said, "Hallelujah, Houston! Challenger's baby is on the roll."
As Cernan and Schmitt set up TV equipment, Cernan called to Schmitt: "Hey, Jack, just stop. You owe yourself 30 seconds to look up over the South Massif and look at the Earth." Schmitt replied: "What? The Earth? You seen one earth, you've seen them all." Cernan unfurled U.S. flag on lunar surface while Schmitt took his picture. Cernan said, "It's got to be one of the most proud moments of my life." Flag had "flown in the MOCR [Mission Operations Control Room] since Apollo 11. And we very proudly deploy it on the Moon, to stay for as long as it can, in honor of all those people who have worked so hard to put us here and to put every other crew here and to make the country, the United States and mankind, something different than it was."
While preparing to traverse to Apollo lunar surface experiment package site, Cernan inadvertently knocked extension off of LRV right rear fender and repairs were made with tape. Astronauts crossed to ALSEP site, where they deployed ALSEP. Color TV camera beamed live telecast to earth.
LRV fender again fell off during traverse to Steno Crater, lunar station 1A. Crew deployed surface electrical properties experiment and explosive packages during 7-hr 12-min lunar surface exploration. First EVA ended at 124:13 GET.
Second EVA began 1 hr 20 min late, at 140:35 GET (6:28 pm EST Dec. 12). Cernan and Schmitt, on instructions from Mission Control, improvised replacement for lost LRV fender extension. Four chronopaque maps were taped together and held in place by two portable utility lamp clamps. "Call me the little old fender maker," Cernan said.
Cernan and Schmitt visited lunar stations 2, 2A, 3, 4, and 5. They deployed explosive packages, obtained photos, and collected and documented soil samples. At station 4, Shorty Crater, Schmitt shouted: "There is orange soil! It's all over! Orange!" Cernan confirmed finding: "Jack that is really orange. It's been oxidized." Schmitt dug trench and extracted sample which he described to Mission Control: "An essential portion of the zone ... actually has a crimson hue, or red hue. Outside of that it's orange. And outside of that, it's gray." Scientists on ground immediately speculated that soil might have originated from volcanism on moon as recently as 100 million yrs earlier. If so, it would contradict "dead moon" theory that moon had always been cold and inert. Dr. Robin P. Brett, head of MSC Geochemistry Branch, told press, "What we save been witnessing may be one of the most significant finds of Apollo geology."
Schmitt revisited ALSEP site to verify that lunar surface gravimeter had been leveled properly. EVA-2 ended at 148:35 GET (2:05 am EST Dec. 13), after 7 hrs 37 min. Total distance covered during second EVA was 19 km (12 mi).
Third EVA began 50 min late at 163:35 GET (5:26 pm EST Dec. 13). Cosmic ray detector was retrieved before start of traverse to prevent exposure to low-energy solar protons from small solar flare. Cernan and Schmitt took black and white and color photos and collected 66 kg (145.9 lbs) of samples. Samples included blue-gray breccias, fine- grained vesicular basalts, crushed anorthositic rocks, and soils. EVA-3 ended at 170:48 GET (0:41 am EST Dec. 14), after 7 hrs 16 min. During EVA-3 Evans, orbiting in GSM 113 km (70 mi) above lunar surface, identified series of volcanic domes in Aitken Crater, on moon's far side.
Before entering Challenger for last time, Cernan and Schmitt stepped before TV cameras. Cernan said: "To commemorate not just Apollo 17's visit to the Valley of Taurus-Littrow but as an everlasting commemoration of what the real meaning of Apollo is to the world, we'd like to uncover a plaque that has been on the leg of our space-craft." He read inscription: "Here man completed his first exploration of the Moon, December 1972 A.D. May the spirit of peace in which we came be reflected in the lives of all mankind." Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, congratulated astronauts from Mission Control at MSC and conveyed Godspeed message from President Nixon. As astronauts boarded LM, Cernan said: "I believe history will record that America's challenge of today has forged man's destiny of tomorrow. And, as we leave the moon at Taurus-Littrow, we leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind. God speed the crew of Apollo 17."
Total time for three EVAs was 22 hrs 5 min 4 sec, during which Cernan and Schmitt traveled 35 km (22 mi) in LRV, collected 115 kg (250 lbs) of samples, and took 2120 photos. Good-quality TV trans-mission was received throughout Eves. Astronauts depressurized LM and discarded excess equipment. LM lifted off lunar surface at 188:02 GET (5:55 pm EST Dec. 14). TV cameras in CSM provided excellent picture in Mission Control as LM approached. Cernan in LM said, "Good to see you ... , It's been a good trip." Evans replied, "Good to have you all back up here." Observing that "America and Challenger are . , . good tight Navy formation," Cernan told Evans, "Command module Iooks as good as the day they put it on the pad." Evans answered, "And, you know, so does Challenger."
CSM and LM docked in lunar orbit at 190:17 GET and Cernan and Schmitt transferred to csM with samples and equipment. LM ascent stage was jettisoned as planned. Impact of stage on lunar surface at 195:57 GET was recorded by four Apollo 17 geophones and Apollo 12, 14, 15, and lb ALSEPS. Explosive packages were detonated and events were picked up by lunar seismic profiling geophones. Flash and dust from EP 7 explosion were seen on W. Insertion into trajectory for earth began at 236:42 cur, after csM's 147 hrs 48 min in lunar orbit.
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