Aug 13 1971
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (1MB PDF)
Dr. Charles A. Berry, MSC Director of Medical Research and Operations, described Apollo 15 crew's medical status to press at use. Astronauts James B. Irwin and David R. Scott had suffered brief periods of irregular heart rhythm on moon, probably as a result of extreme fatigue. Irwin also had dizzy spells in space. Arythmic heart-beats and dizziness had not been disclosed to press earlier, Dr. Berry said, because tests were still being conducted and complete information was not known. Until Aug. 13 Irwin was still suffering from effects of weightlessness; he still had mild dizzy spells and, when lying prone, felt as if his bed were tilted downward about 30°. Astronaut Alfred M. Worden's medical data during transearth coast EVA had been close to predicted, and Worden was adjusting better than Scott and Irwin. None of the three, however, had returned to preflight norms, but there was "no medical danger" as far as crew was concerned. "Things from past space flights were all going in a pattern and now suddenly these guys don't fit the pattern." In assessing astronauts' return to normal it was important to note how Apollo 15 differed from previous manned space flight missions. Important factors were longer time spent on lunar surface, longer lunar orbit stay time, and longer time spent in 100% oxygen atmosphere. Heartbeat irregularities, which had lasted about 10 heartbeats, were usually associated with fatigue, low potassium level, and increased adrenalin flow-all of which were present in astronauts. Because of fatigue levels of which astronauts were often unaware, flight surgeons were considering recommending that first EvAS on Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 be shortened. (Transcript; AP, NYT, 8/14/71, 1)
NASA announced selection of Apollo 17 prime and backup crews. Prime crewmen were Eugene A. Cernan (commander), Ronald E. Evans (CM pilot), and scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt (LM pilot). Backup crewmen were David R. Scott, Alfred M. Worden, and James B. Irwin. Apollo 17 would be launched in December 1972 on 12-day lunar-landing mission with 68-hr lunar surface stay time. (NASA Release 71-149)
New York Times editorial noted that U.S. planned to cut back on Apollo program to fund space station and shuttle while U.S.S.R. Salyut 1 was already in orbit: "In effect, the unique American capability to land men on the moon is being abandoned ahead of the original schedule so that this country can concentrate on an attempt to compete with what already exists under Russian auspices. To make it even more bizarre, when and if both countries have rival manned space stations in orbit, each is likely to suspect the other of using these installations for military as well as civilian purposes. This is a prospect that liter-ally borders on lunacy." (NYT, 8/13/71, 26)
August 13-14: New York Times published series of three articles by Apollo 15 astronauts describing the July 26-Aug. 7 lunar-landing mission. Astronaut David R. Scott said excitement of being on moon came in waves: "They are gentle swells, the kind that stop you, buoy you, but never sweep you off course. The wave enveloped me the moment our lunar module, Falcon, cleared the peaks of the Apennines and pitched over for our final descent to the moon." Greatest thrill had been discovery of anorthosite rock: ". . I radioed to mission control, `I think we found what we came for.' I must confess that the sight of that rock, sitting there millions of years waiting for our arrival, set off another wave of excitement for me. It triggered an emotion much like finding The Easter Egg. You know, there are lots of eggs spread across the lawn, but there's only one golden one, and there it was-The Golden Egg." Astronaut James B. Irwin said, although others might describe moon as barren and desolate dead world, "it can be a beautiful one to anyone who loves the mountains of earth. . When I first climbed down the ladder . . . I was really taken back by those mountains [that] almost encircled Hadley Base. They seemed so close and so tall. But the real surprise was that the mountains, at first sight, were not grey or brown as I had expected. They were golden. Looking to the south and east, I saw the reflection of the early morning sun glancing off the mountains, especially Hadley Delta, giving them a glow of gold. It seemed like a friendly place, which surprised me... . you would have thought we would have felt a little lost, a little out of place. But no, I felt that I was where I should be. I knew exactly what to do, after more than a year of training, and I felt right at home." Astronaut Alfred M. Worden compared orbiting moon in CSM with "riding in a free air balloon, floating over the countryside. You are suspended. You have no sensation of motion unless you look down and see the lunar landscape sweeping below you. At times, I thought of myself as a bird, soaring without sound, seemingly detached from all that is below. . . one of the most important observations from Apollo 15, as far as I'm concerned, is the apparent evidence of a great deal more volcanic activity in the moon's past. In our training we studied and discussed volcanoes . but I guess I wasn't really prepared for the magnitude of the volcanic evidence I saw on the moon." (NYT, 8/13/71, 1; 8/14/71, 1)
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