Introductory Remarks: The Apollo 14 Mission

Abstract

To set the context of our current exploration of the Moon, it is well to recall: Apollo 11 landed near the equator and was capable of affording the astronauts only a few hours on the lunar surface; Apollo 12 checked out pin-point landing which then permitted going to more difficult, nonequatorial sites; in Apollo 14 enlarged propellant tanks permitted some 42 kg of samples to be brought back. Three more Apollo missions follow Apollo 14. The Apollo missions, complemented by unmanned missions to the various planets, form a program to explore the solar system.

Captain Scherer will elaborate on the significant increase in Apollo capability in the last three missions. Of note are the lunar heat flow experiments, the lunar surface gravimeter, and, for Apollo 15, the laser ranging retroreflector which will be three times the area of and four times as efficient as retroreflectors in the previous Apollo missions. In the lunar orbital equipment will be the sub-satellite with instruments for measuring various physical properties of the Moon and its environment. Also noteworthy is the lunar sounder, for Apollo 17, which will use radar for probing a large fraction of the lunar surface to considerable depth.

Hardware changes will allow the astronauts to remain on the lunar surface for up to 66 hrs – an increase of 100%; thus the landed scientific payload may be doubled to approximately 550 kg. Increased range and efficiency of surface operations will result from improved suit mobility, an improved life support system, and a Lunar Roving Vehicle capable of up to 90 km traverses. Changes in the Command and Service Modules will allow for up to 16 days total flight duration.

We will again welcome proposals for analysis of the new samples, but now that the initial exploratory work has been done we intend to be far less duplicative in choosing proposals to support. We are particularly pleased with the growing attention being given by the scientific societies to the results of lunar research.

In the last talk of this series, Mr. Burke will describe some of the future possibilities that have been studied for exploration of the Moon and planets. We will particularly welcome suggestions as to how to improve the value of future missions.