APOLLO BY THE NUMBERS: 


A Statistical Reference 

by 

Richard W. Orloff 

NASA History Division 


Office of Policy and Plans 


NASA Headquarters 


Washington, DC 20546 


NASA SP-2000-4029 


2000 


For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 


Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: (202) 512-1800 Fax: (202) 512-2250 


Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-000 I 


ISBN 0-16-050631-X 
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data 

Orloff, Richard W., 1948­

Apollo by the Numbers: A Statistical Reference I by Richard W. Orloff. 


p. cm- (NASA History Series) 

"NASA SP-2000-4029:' 

Includes bibliographical references. 

1. Project Apollo (U.S.) 2. Project Apollo (U.S.)- Statistics. 3. Space flight to the Moon. 4. Moon-Exploration. 

II. Series. 

TL789.8.U6 A564 2000 

629.45'4'00973-dc21 00-0
during World War II. 

It was agonizing; CNN anchor and senior correspondent Judy Woodruff said of the selection process. 

Probably historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., best summarized the position of a large number of individuals polled. "The one 

thing for which this century will be. remembered 500 years from now was: This was the century when we began the exploration of space." He noted that Project Apollo gave many a sense of infinite potential. "People always say: If we could land on 

the Moon, we can do anything;' said Maria Elena Salinas, co-anchor at Miami-based Spanish-language cable network Univision, 

who also made it her first choice. 

Perhaps because of his long life, Schlesinger has looked toward a positive future, and that prompted him to rank the lunar 

landing first. "I put DNA and penicillin and the computer and the microchip in the first 10 because they've transformed civilization. Wars vanish;' Schlesinger said, and many people today cannot even recall when the Civil War took place. "Pearl Harbor 

will be as remote as the War of the Roses;' he said, referring to the English civil war of the 15th century. And there's no need 

to get hung up on the ranking, he said. "The order is essentially very artificial and fictitious," he said. "It's very hard to decide 

the atomic bomb is more important than getting on the Moon:' 

There have been many detailed historical studies of Project Apollo completed in the more than thirty years since the first lunar 

landing in 1969. The major contours of the American sprint to the Moon during the 1960s have been told and retold many 

times, notably in several books in the NASA History Series, and by William Burroughs, Andrew Chaikin, and Charles Murray 

and Catherine Bly Cox. All provide he end of the decade through the first lunar landing on July 20, 1969, on to the last of six 

successful Moon landings with Apollo 17 in December 1972, NASA carried out Project Apollo with enthusiasm and aplomb. 

With the passage of time, the demise of the Soviet Union, the end of the Cold War, and the subsequent opening of archives on 

both sides of the space race, however, there are opportunities not present before to reconsider Project Apollo anew. 

While there have been many studies recounting the history of Apollo, this new book in the NASA History Series seeks to draw 

out the statistical information about each of the flights that have been long buried in numerous technical memoranda and historical studies. It seeks to recount the missions, measuring results against the expectations for them. 

This work appears in the NASA History Series as a Special Publication (SP) in the Reference Works section, SP-4000, of the 

series. Works in this section provide information, usually in dictionary, encyclopedic, or chronological form, for use by NASA 

personnel, scholars, and the public. This new publication captures for the use of all detailed information about Apollo and its 

unfolding during the 1960s and early 1970s. 

Roger D. Launius 

Chief Historian 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

October 2, 2000 

Foreword 0 
Research for this work started in 1988, when the author discovered that, despite the number of excellent books that focused 

the drama of events that highlighted Apollo, there were none that focused on the drama of the numbers. 

It may be impossible to produce the perfect Apollo fact book. For a program of the magnitude of Apollo, many NASA Cen

and contractors maintained data files for each mission. As a result, the same measurements from different sources vary, som

times significantly. In addition, there are notable errors and conflicts even within official NASA and contractor documents. I

order to minimize conflicts, the author sought original documents to create this work. Some documents were previously una

able to the public, and were released only following the author's petitions through the Freedom of Information Act. 

This book is separated into two parts. The first part contains narratives for the Apollo 1 fire and the 11 flown Apollo missio

Included after each narrative is a series of data tables, followed by a comprehensive timeline of events from just before liftof

just after crew and spacecraft recovery. The second part contains more than 50 tables. These tables organize much of the da

from the narratives in one place so they can be compared among all missions. The tables offer additional data as well. The r

er can select a specific mission narrative or specific data table by consulting the Table of Contents. 

Event times in this work are expressed mostly as GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and GET (Ground Elapsed Time). Local U.

Eastern time, in which all missions were launched, is included only for significant events. In regular usage, GMT does not u

colon between the hours and minutes; however for the convenience of readers of this work, most of whom are in the Unite

States, where time is expressed as "OO:Oo': the colon is included. 

The term "GET" (Ground Elapsed Time), used for manned U.S. spaceflights prior to the Space Shuttle, was referenced to "R

Zero;' the last integral second before liftoff. With the first launch of the Shuttle, NASA began using the term "MET" (Missio

Elapsed Time), which begins at the moment of solid rocket booster ignition. The format for GET used here is hhh:mm:ss.ss

(e.g., hours:minutes:seconds). Example: 208:23:45.343, with "GET" excluded and assumed in order to avoid confusion with G

Some other abbreviations used frequently in this work include: 

B.S.: Bachelor of Science degree M.S.: Master of Science degree 

CM: Command Module MET: Modular Equipment Transport (used only on Apoll

CMP: Command Module Pilot NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

CSM: Command and Service Module(s) (combined structure) Ph.D.: Doctor of Philosophy degree 

GH2: Gaseous Hydrogen Sc.D.: Doctor of Science degree 

LH2: Liquid Hydrogen S-IB: Saturn IB launch vehicle 

LM: Lunar Module S-IVB: Saturn IV-B launch vehicle 

LMP: Lunar Module Pilot SM: Service Module 

LOX: Liquid Oxygen SPS: Service Propulsion System 

LRV: Lunar Rover Vehicle (used on Apollos 15, 16, and 17) 

Trivia buffs will have a field day with the data published here, and it's a sure bet that a few readers will disagree with some 

it. However, it is a start. Enjoy! 

Comments and documented potential corrections are welcomed. Mail inquiries should be sent to Richard Orloff, Apollo by 

Numbers, c/o NASA History Division, NASA Headquarters, Mail Code ZH, Washington, DC 20546, U.S.A. 

Richard W. O

October 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
specific sources will find them listed in the bibliography which appears at the end of this work. In a few cases, it was necessary 

to include information from copyrighted works, and the author acknowledges those cases as follows: 

The source for some of the astronaut biographical data is Who's Who In Space: The International Space Year Edition, by 

Michael Cassutt, although most information was derived from NASA biographies. 

The primary source for descriptions of the mission emblems is the official NASA text that accompanied each emblem. 

However, additional information has been used from Space Patches From Mercury to the Space Shuttle, written by Judith Kaplan 

and Robert Muniz. Another source is Dick Lattimer's unpublished draft of Astronaut Mission Patches and Spacecraft Callsigns, 

available at the time of this writing at Rice University's Fondren Library. 

The source for the COSPAR designations for the various Apollo spacecraft and launch vehicle stages once on orbit is the 

R.A.E. Table of Earth Satellites 1957-1986. 

The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the following people for helping to locate original NASA documents, 

images and other information, and for checking the transcript for errors. 

Becky Fryday, formerly Media Services, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center; Bunda L. Dean, formerly Lyndon B. Johnson Space 

Center; Dale Johnson, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center; Daryl L. Bahls, The Boeing Company; David Ransom, Jr., 

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA; J.L. Pickering, Normal, IL; Ricky Lanclos, Nederland, TX; Dr. Eric M. Jones, editor of the Apollo 

Lunar Surface Journal Internet Web site; Dr. John B. Charles, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center; Florastela Luna, Lyndon B. 

Johnson Space Center; Gary Evans, TRW; Gordon Davie, Edinburgh, Scotland; Janet Kovacevich, Lyndon B. Johnson Space 

Center; Joan Ferry and Lois Morris, Woodsen Research Center, Rice University; Joey Pellarin Kuhlman, formerly Lyndon B. 

Johnson Space Center; Kenneth Nail, formerly John F. Kennedy Space Center; Kipp Teague, Lynchburg, VA; Lee Saegesser, formerly NASA Headquarters; Lisa Vazquez, formerly Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center; Mike Gentry, Lyndon B. Johnson Space 

Center; Margaret Persinger, Kennedy Space Center; Oma Lou White, formerly George C. Marshall Space Flight Center; Paulo 

D'Angelo, Rome, Italy; Philip N. French and Jonathan Grant, NASA Center for Aerospace Information; Robert Sutton, 

Chantilly, VA; Robert W. Fricke, Jr., Lockheed Martin; Ruud Kuik, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Dr. David R. Williams, 

National Space Data Center, GSFC; Hayes M. Harper, Downers Grove, IL; Lt. Col. George H. Orloff USA-RET, Oakhurst, NJ; 

Harald Kucharek, Karlsruhe, Germany; Kay Grinter, Kennedy Space Center; and Louise Alstork, Stanley Artis, Steve Garber, 

Hope Kang, Roger Launius, Warren Owens, and Michael Walker, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. 

Acknowledgments 8 
This book is dedicated to 

ROBERT W. FRICKE, JR. 

Lockheed Martin/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 

Bob started working in the space program during Project Mercury. He's seen it all, and his insights have been invaluable 

making this book come to life. In fact, it was Bob's gift to me of a copy of the Apollo Program Summary Report more t

decade ago that helped give birth to the concept of Apollo by the Numbers. During those years, Bob has continued to be 

source of information, inspiration, and above all, a dear friend. 

In recognition of the fact that he has worked on post-mission reports for more than 100 U.S. piloted spaceflights, NASA 

sented Bob with the coveted "Silver Snoopy" award for his outstanding achievement. 

Richard W. 

Octobe

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
Acknowledgments 

Dedication 

Apollo I 


The Fire 

Apollo 7 


The First Mission: Testing the CSM in Earth Orbit 

Apollo 8 


The Second Mission: Testing the CSM in Lunar Orbit 

Apollo 9 


The Third Mission: Testing the LM in Earth Orbit 

Apollo 10 


The Fourth Mission: Testing the LM in Lunar Orbit 

Apollo II 


The Fifth Mission: The First Lunar Landing 


Apollo 12 


The Sixth Mission: The Second Lunar Landing 

Apollo 13 


The Seventh Mission: The Third Lunar Landing Attempt 

Apollo 14 


The Eighth Mission: The Third Lunar Landing 

Apollo IS 

The Ninth Mission: The Fourth Lunar Landing 

Apollo 16 


The Tenth Mission: The Fifth Lunar Landing 

Apollo 17 


The Eleventh Mission: The Sixth Lunar Landing 

Statistical Tables 

General Background 

Crew Information-Earth Orbit and Lunar Orbit Missions 

Crew Information-Lunar Landing Missions 

Apportionment of Training According to Mission Type 

Apollo Training Exercises 

Capsule Communicators (CAPCOMS) 

Support Crews 

Flight Directors 

Apollo Space Vehicle Configuration 

Designations 

v 


vi 


13 


31 


51 


71 


89 


Ill 

135 


159 


183 


211 


239 


266 


267 


268 


269 


269 


270 


271 


272 


273 


274 


Table of Contents 0 
Launch Weather 279 

Launch Weather 280 

Apollo Program Budget Appropriations 281 

Call Signs 282 

Mission Insignias 283 

Ground Ignition Weights 284 

Ascent Data 285 

Earth Orbit Data 286 

Saturn Stage Earth Impact 287 

Launch Vehicle Propellant Usage 288 

Launch Vehicle Propellant Usage 289 

Launch Vehicle Propellant Usage 290 

Translunar Injection 291 

S-IVB Solar Trajectory 292 

S-IVB Lunar Impact 293 

LM Lunar Landing 294 

LM Descent Stage Propellant Status 295 

LM Ascent Stage Propellant Status 296 

LM Ascent and Ascent Stage Lunar Impact 297 

Extravehicular Activity 298 

Lunar Surface Experiments Package Arrays and Status 299 

Lunar Surface Experiments 300 

Lunar Surface Experiments 301 

Lunar Orbit Experiments 302 

Geology and Soil Mechanics Tools and Equipment 303 

Lunar Subsatellites 304 

Entry, Splashdown, and Recovery 305 

Entry, Splashdown, and Recovery 306 

Selected Mission Weights (lbs) 307 

Command Module Cabin Temperature History 308 

Accumulated Time in Space During Apollo Missions 309 

Apollo Medical Kits 310 

Apollo Medical Kits 311 

Crew Weight History 312 

lnflight Medical Problems in Apollo Crews 313 

Postflight Medical Problems in Apollo Crews 314 

NASA Photo Numbers for Crew Portraits and Mission Emblems 315 

Bibliography 317 

Photo Credits 323 

The NASA History Series 325 

Index 329 

Apollo by the Numbers 
APOLLO 1 


The Fire 

The Apollo 1 crew (1. tor.): Ed White, Gus Grissom, 

Roger Chaffee (NASA S66-30236). 

Author's Note: None of the crew member photos in this chapter were taken on the day of the fire. These photos are used 

strictly to provide examples of training activities. 

Background 

The first piloted Apollo mission was scheduled for launch 

on 21 February 1967 at Cape Kennedy Launch Complex 

34. However, the death of the prime crew in a command 

module fire during a practice session on 27 January 1967 

put America's lunar landing program on hold. 

The crew consisted of Lt. Colonel Virgil Ivan "Gus" 

Grissom (USAF), command pilot; Lt. Colonel Edward 

Higgins White, II (USAF), senior pilot; and Lt. 

Commander Roger Bruce Chaffee. (USN), pilot. 

Selected in the astronaut group of 1959, Grissom had been 

pilot of MR-4, America's second and last suborbital flight, 

and command pilot of the first two-person flight, Gemini 

3. Born on 3 April 1926 in Mitchell, Indiana, Grissom was 

40 years old on the day of the Apollo 1 fire. Grissom 

received a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Purdue 

University in 1950. His backup for the mission was 

Captain Walter Marty "Wally" Schirra (USN). 

White had been pilot for the Gemini 4 mission, during 

which he became the first American to walk in space. He 

was born 14 November 1930 in San Antonio, Texas, and 

was 36 years old on the day of the Apollo 1 fire. He 

()

Chaffee was training for his first spaceflight. He wa

15 February 1935 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and 

years old on the day of the Apollo 1 fire. He receiv

B.S. in aeronautical engineering from Purdue Unive

1957, and was selected as an astronaut in 1963. His 

was Ronnie Walter "Walt" Cunningham. 

The Accident 

The accident occurred during the Plugs Out Integra

Test. The purpose of this test was to demonstrate a

vehicle systems and operational procedures in as ne

flight configuration as practical and to verify system

bility in a simulated launch. 

Grissom being checked out in Apollo 1 pressure 

(NASA S66-58023). 

The test was initiated at 12:55 GMT on 27 January 

After initial system tests were completed, the flight 

entered the command module at 18:00 GMT. The c

mand pilot noted an odor in the spacecraft environ

control system suit oxygen loop and the count was 

18:20 GMT while a sample of the oxygen in this sy

was taken. The count was resumed at 19:42 GMT w

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
Communication difficulties were encountered and the 

count was held at approximately 22:40 GMT to troubleshoot the problem. The problem consisted of a continuously live microphone that could not be turned off by the 

crew. Various final countdown functions were still performed during the hold as communications permitted. 

By 23:20 GMT, all final countdown functions up to the 

transfer to simulated fuel cell power were completed and 

the count was held at T-10 minutes pending resolution of 

the communications problems. 

Grissom, Chaffee, and White during Apollo 1 training 

(NASA S66-49181). 

From the start of the T-10 minute hold at 23:20 GMT 

until about 23:30 GMT, there were no events that appear 

to be related to the fire. The major activity during this 

period was routine troubleshooting of the communications 

problem; all other systems were operating normally. There 

were no voice transmissions from the spacecraft from 

23:30:14 GMT until the transmission reporting the fire, 

which began at 23:31:04.7 GMT. 

During the period beginning about 30 seconds before the 

report, there were indications of crew movement. These 

indications were provided by the data from the biomedical 

sensors, the command pilot's live microphone, the guidance 

and navigation system, and the environmental control system. There was no evidence as to what this movement was 

or that it was related to the fire. 

electrocardiogram indicated some muscular activity for 

several seconds. Similar indications were noted at 23:30:39 

GMT. The data show increased activity but are not indicative of an alarm type of response. By 23:30:45 GMT, all of 

the biomedical parameters had reverted to the baseline 

"rest" level. 

Apollo 1 commander Grissom (1.) inspects the CM during a visit to North American Aviation in 1966 (NASA 

S66-40760). 

Beginning at about 23:30 GMT, the command pilot's live 

microphone transmitted brushing and tapping noises 

which were indicative of movement. The noises were similar to , those transmitted earlier in the test by the live 

microphone when the command pilot was known to have 

been moving. These sounds ended at 23:30:58.6 GMT. 

Any significant crew movement would result in minor 

motion of the command module as detected by the guidance and navigation system; however, the type of movement 

could not be determined. Data from this system indicated a 

slight movement at 23:30:24 GMT, with more intense activity beginning at 23:30:39 GMT and ending at 23:30:44 GMT. 

More movement began at 23:31:00 GMT and continued 

until loss of data transmission during the fire. 

Increases of oxygen flow rate to the crew suits also indicated movement. All suits had some small leakage, and this 

leakage rate varied with the position of each crew member 

in the spacecraft. Earlier in the Plugs Out Integrated Test, 

the crew reported that a particular movement, the nature 

of which was unspecified, provided increased flow rate. 

Apollo I 0 
This was also confirmed from the flow rate data records. 

The flow rate showed a gradual rise at 23:30:24 GMT 

which reached the limit of the sensor at 23:30:59 GMT. 

At 23:30:54.8 GMT, a significant voltage transient was 

recorded. The records showed a surge in the AC Bus 2 

voltage. Several other parameters being measured also 

showed anomalous behavior at this time. 

Beginning at 23:31:04.7 GMT, the crew gave the first verbal 

indication of an emergency when they reported a fire in 

the command module .. 

Emergency procedures called for the senior pilot, occupying the center couch, to unlatch and remove the hatch 

while retaining his harness buckled. A number of witnesses 

who observed the television picture of the command module hatch window discerned motion that suggested that the 

senior pilot was reaching for the inner hatch handle. The 

senior pilot's harness buckle was found unopened after the 

fire, indicating that he initiated the standard hatch-opening 

procedure. Data from the Guidance and Navigation System 

indicated considerable activity within the command module after the fire was discovered. This activity was consistent with movement of the crew prompted by proximity of 

the fire or with the undertaking of standard emergency 

egress procedures. 

Apollo 1 crew training (NASA 67-HC-21). 

Personnel located on adjustable level 8 adjacent to the 

command module responded to the report of the fire. The 

pad leader ordered crew egress procedures to be started 

and technicians started toward the White Room which surrounded the hatch and into which the crew would step 

upon egress. Then, at 23:31:19 GMT, the command module ruptured. 

[D Apollo by the Numbers

All transmission of voice and data from the spacecraft terminated by 23:31:22.4 GMT, three seconds after rupture. 

Witnesses monitoring the television showing the hatch 

window report that flames spread from the left to the right 

side of the command module and shortly thereafter covered the entire visible area. 

Flames and gases flowed rapidly out of the ruptured area, 

spreading flames into the space between the command 

module pressure vessel and heat shield through access 

hatches and into levels A-8 and A-7 of the service structure. These flames ignited combustibles, endangered pad 

personnel, and impeded rescue efforts. The burst of fire, 

together with the sounds of rupture, caused several pad 

personnel to believe that the command module had 

exploded or was about to explode. 

The immediate reaction of all personnel on level A-8 was 

to evacuate the level. This reaction was promptly followed 

by a return to effect rescue. Upon running out on the 

swing arm from the umbilical tower, several personnel 

obtained fire extinguishers and returned along the swing 

arm to the White Room to begin rescue efforts. Others 

obtained fire extinguishers from various areas of the service structure and rendered assistance in fighting the fires. 

Three hatches were installed on the command module. The 

outermost hatch, called the boost protective cover (BPC) 

hatch, was part of the cover which shielded the command 

module during launch and was jettisoned prior to orbital 

operation. The middle hatch was termed the ablative hatch 

and became the outer hatch when the BPC was jettisoned 

after launch. The inner hatch closed the pressure vessel wall 

of the command module and was the first hatch to be 

opened by the crew in an unaided crew egress. 

The day of the fire, the outer or BPC hatch was in place 

but not fully latched because of distortion in the BPC 

caused by wire bundles temporarily installed for the test. 

The middle hatch and inner hatch were in place and 

latched after crew ingress. 

Although the BPC hatch was not fully latched, it was necessary to insert a specially-designed tool into the hatch in 

order to provide a hand-hold for lifting it from the command module. At this time the White Room was filling 

with dense, dark smoke from the command module interior and from secondary fires throughout level A-8. While 

some personnel were able to locate and don operable gas 

masks, others were not. Some proceeded without masks 
Visibility in the White Room was virtually nonexistent. It 

was necessary to work essentially by touch since visual 

observation was limited to a few inches at best. A hatch 

removal tool was in the White Room. Once the small fire 

near the BPC hatch had been extinguished and the tool 

located, the pad leader and an assistant removed the BPC 

hatch. Although the hatch was not latched, removal was 

difficult. 

The personnel who removed the BPC hatch could not 

remain in the White Room because of the smoke. They left 

the White Room and passed the tool required to open 

each hatch to other individuals. A total of five individuals 

took part in opening the three hatches and each made several trips into the White Room and out for breathable air. 

The middle hatch was removed with less effort than was 

required for the BPC hatch. 

The inner hatch was unlatched and an attempt was made 

to raise it from its support and to lower it to the command module floor. The hatch could not be lowered the 

full distance to the floor and was instead pushed to one 

side. When the inner hatch was opened intense heat and a 

considerable amount of smoke issued from the interior of 

the command module. 

Apollo 1 crew members inspect equipment before fire 

(NASA 566-40472). 

When the pad leader ascertained that all hatches were 

open, he left the White Room, proceeded a few feet along 

the swing arm, donned his headset and reported this fact. 

From a voice tape it has been determined that this report 

were opened and the two outer hatches removed approximately five minutes after the report of fire or at about 

23:36 GMT. 

Medical opinion, based on autopsy reports, concluded that 

chances of resuscitation decreased rapidly once consciousness was lost (about 15 to 30 seconds after the first suit 

failed) and that resuscitation was impossible by 23:36 GMT. 

Cerebral hypoxia due to cardiac arrest resulting from myocardial hypoxia caused a loss of consciousness. Factors of 

temperature, pressure, and environmental concentrations of 

carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and pulmonary 

irritants were changing extremely rapidly. It was impossible 

to integrate these variables on the basis of available information with the dynamic physiological and metabolic conditions they produced in order to arrive at a precise time 

when consciousness was lost and death supervened. The 

combined effect of these environmental factors dramatically 

increased the lethal effect of any factor by itself. 

Visibility within the command module was extremely poor. 

Although the lights remained on, they could be perceived 

only dimly. No fire was observed. Initially, the crew was not 

seen. The personnel who had been involved in removing 

the hatches attempted to locate the crew without success. 

Throughout this period, other pad personnel were fighting 

secondary fires on level A-8. There was considerable fear 

that the launch escape tower, mounted above the command module, would be ignited by the fires below and 

destroy much of the launch complex. 

Shortly after the report of the fire, a call was made to the 

fire department. From log records, it appeared that the fire 

apparatus and personnel were dispatched at about 23:32 

GMT. After hearing the report of the fire, the doctor monitoring the test from the blockhouse near the pad proceeded to the base of the umbilical tower. 

The exact time at which firefighters reached Level A-8 is 

not known. Personnel who opened the hatches unanimously stated that all hatches were open before any 

firefighters were seen on the level or in the White Room. 

The first firefighters who reached Level A-8 stated that all 

hatches were open, but that the inner hatch was inside the 

command module when they arrived. This placed arrival 

of the firefighters after 23:36 GMT. It was estimated on the 

basis of tests that seven to eight minutes were required to 

Apollo I OJ 
When the firefighters arrived, the positions of the crew 

couches and crew could be perceived through the smoke but 

only with great difficulty. An unsuccessful attempt was made 

to remove the senior pilot from the command module. 

Initial observations and subsequent inspection revealed the 

following facts. The command pilot's couch (the left 

couch) was in the "170 degree" position, in which it was 

essentially horizontal throughout its length. The foot 

restraints and harness were released and the inlet and outlet oxygen hoses were connected to the suit. The electrical 

adapter cable was disconnected from the communications 

cable. The command pilot was lying supine on the aft 

bulkhead or floor of the command module, with his helmet visor dosed and locked and with his head beneath the 

pilot's head rest and his feet on his own couch. A fragment 

of his suit material was found outside the command module pressure vessel five feet from the point of rupture. This 

indicated that his suit had failed prior to the time of rupture (23:31:19.4 GMT), allowing convection currents to 

carry the suit fragment through the rupture. 

The senior pilot's couch (the center couch) was in the 

"96 degree" position in which the back portion was horiwntal and the lower portion was raised. The buckle releasing the shoulder straps and lap belts was not opened. The 

straps and belts were burned through. The suit oxygen 

outlet hose was connected but the inlet hose was disconnected. The helmet visor was dosed and locked and all 

electrical connections were intact. The senior pilot was 

lying transversely across the command module just below 

the level of the hatchway. 

The pilot's couch (the couch on the right) was in the 

"264 degree" position in which the back portion was horiwntal and the lower portion dropped toward the floor. All 

restraints were disconnected, all hoses and electrical connections were intact and the helmet visor was closed and 

locked. The pilot was supine on his couch. 

From the foregoing, it was determined that in all probability the command pilot left his couch to avoid the initial 

fire, the senior pilot remained in his couch as planned for 

emergency egress, attempting to open the hatch until his 

restraints burned through. The pilot remained in his couch 

resulting force on the hatch. Thus the inability of 

sure relief system to cope with the pressure increa

the fire made opening the inner hatch impossible 

after cabin rupture. After rupture, the intense and 

spread fire, together with rapidly increasing carbon 

ide concentrations, further prevented egress. 

Whether the inner hatch handle was moved by th

cannot be determined because the opening of the 

hatch from the White Room also moves the handl

the command module to the unlatched position. 

Immediately after the firefighters arrived, the pad 

duty was relieved to allow treatment for smoke in

He had first reported over the headset that he cou

describe the situation in the command module. In 

manner he attempted to convey the fact that the c

dead to the Test Conductor without informing the 

people monitoring the commlinication channels. U

reaching the ground the pad leader told the docto

the crew was dead. The three doctors proceeded t

White Room and arrived there shortly after the ar

the firefighters. The doctors estimate their arrival t

been at 23:45 GMT. The second pad leader report

medical support was available at approximately 23

GMT. The three doctors entered the White Room 

determined that the crew had not survived the he

smoke, and thermal burns. The doctors were not 

with breathing apparatus, and the command mod

contained fumes and smoke. It was determined th

ing could be gained by immediate removal of the 

The firefighters were directed to stop removal effo

When the command module had been adequately 

the doctors returned to the White Room with equi

for crew removal. It became apparent that extensive 

of suit material to melted nylon from the spacecraf

make removal very difficult. For this reason it was 

to discontinue removal efforts in the interest of acc

investigation and to photograph the command mod

the crew in place before evidence was disarranged. 

Photographs were taken and the removal efforts r

at approximately 00:30 GMT, 28 January. Removal 

crew took approximately 90 minutes and was com

about seven and one-half hours after the accident. 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
mand pilot, and considerably below the level of his couch. 

Once initiated, the fire burned in three stages. The first 

stage, with its associated rapid temperature rise and 

increase in cabin pressure, terminated 15 seconds after the 

verbal report of fire. At this time, 23:31:19 GMT, the command module cabin ruptured. During this first stage, 

flames moved rapidly from the point of ignition, traveling 

along debris traps installed in the command module to 

prevent items from dropping into equipment areas during 

tests or flight. At the same time, Velcro strips positioned 

near the ignition point also burned. 

The fire was not intense until about 23:31:12 GMT. The 

slow rate of buildup of the fire during the early portion of 

the first stage was consistent with the opinion that ignition 

occurred in a zone containing little combustible material. 

The slow rise of pressure could also have resulted from 

absorption of most of the heat by the aluminum structure 

of the command module. 

The original flames rose vertically and then spread out 

across the cabin ceiling. The debris traps provided not only 

combustible material and a path for the spread of the 

flames, but also firebrands of burning molten nylon. The 

scattering of these firebrands contributed to the spread of 

the flames. 

By 23:31:12 GMT, the fire had broken from its point of 

origin. A wall of flames extended along the left wall of the 

module, preventing the command pilot, occupying the left 

couch, from reaching the valve that would vent the command module to the outside atmosphere. 

Although operation of this was the first step in established 

emergency egress procedures, such action would have been 

to no avail because the venting capacity was insufficient to 

prevent the rapid buildup of pressure due to the fire. It 

was estimated that opening the valve would have delayed 

command module rupture by less than one second. 

The command module was designed to withstand an internal pressure of approximately 13 pounds per square inch 

above external pressure without rupturing. Data recorded 

during the fire showed that this design criterion was exceeded late in the first stage of the fire and that rupture occurred 

at about 23:31:19 GMT. The point of rupture was where the 

floor or aft bulkhead of the command module joined the 

telemetry at 23:31:22.4 GMT. 

Apollo 1 CM after the fire (NASA S90-35348). 

Rupture of the command module marked the beginning of 

the brief second stage of the fire. This stage was characterized by the period of greatest conflagration due to the 

forced convection that resulted from the outrush of gases 

through the rupture in the pressure vessel. The swirling 

flow scattered firebrands throughout the crew compartment, spreading fire. This stage of the fire ended at 

approximately 23:31:25 GMT. Evidence that the fire spread 

from the left side of the command module toward the 

rupture area was found on subsequent examination of the 

module and crew suits. Evidence of the intensity of the fire 

includes burst and burned aluminum tubes in the oxygen 

and coolant systems at floor level. 

This third stage was characterized by rapid production of 

high concentrations of carbon monoxide. Following the 

loss of pressure in the command module and with fire 

now throughout the crew compartment, the remaining 

atmosphere quickly became deficient in oxygen so that it 

could not support continued combustion. Unlike the earlier stages where the flame was relatively smokeless, heavy 

smoke now formed and large amounts of soot were 

deposited on most spacecraft interior surfaces as they 

Apollo I [2J 
the start of the third stage. consultants inspected the exterior of Spacecraft 012

External view of fire damage to the Apollo 1 CM (NASA 

S67-21295). 

Although most of the fire inside the command module 

was quickly extinguished because of a lack of oxygen, a 

localized, intense fire lingered in the area of the environmental control unit. This unit was located in the left 

equipment bay, near the point where the fire was believed 

to have started. Failed oxygen and water/glycol lines in this 

area continued to supply oxygen and fuel to support the 

localiZed fire that melted the aft bulkhead and burned 

adjacent portions of the inner surface of the command 

module heat shield. 

The Investigation 

Immediately after the accident, additional security personnel were positioned at Launch Complex 34 and the complex was impounded. Prior to disturbing any evidence, 

numerous external and internal photographs were taken of 

[D Apollo by the Numbers 

Internal view of fire damage to the Apollo 1 CM 

S67-21294). 

A series of close-up stereo photographs of the com

module was taken to document the as-found condi

the spacecraft systems. After the couches were remo

special false floor with removable 18-inch transpare

squares was installed to provide access to the entire 

of the command module without disturbing eviden

detailed inspection of the spacecraft interior was th

formed, followed by the preparation and approval b

Board of a command module disassembly plan. 

Command module 014 was shipped to NASA Kenn

Space Center (KSC) on 1 February 1967 to assist th

Board in the investigation. This command module 

placed in the Pyrotechnics Installation Building and 

used to develop disassembly techniques for selected 

ponents prior to their removal from command mo

012. By 7 February 1967, the disassembly plan was 

operational. After the removal of each component, 

graphs were taken of the exposed area. This step-by

photography was used throughout the disassembly 

spacecraft. Approximately 5,000 photographs were t

All interfaces such as electrical connectors, tubing j

physical mounting of components, etc. were closely 

inspected and photographed immediately prior to, 

and after disassembly. Each item removed from the 

mand module was appropriately tagged, sealed in c
wiring tests had progressed to a point which allowed moving the command module without disturbing evidence. 

The command module was moved to the Pyrotechnics 

Installation Building at KSC, where better working conditions were available. 

With improved working conditions, it was found that a 

work schedule of two eight-hour shifts per day for six days 

a week was sufficient to keep pace with the analysis and 

disassembly planning. The only exception to this was a 

three-day period of three eight-hour shifts per day used to 

remove the aft heat shield, move the command module to 

a more convenient workstation and remove the crew compartment heat shield. The disassembly of the command 

module was completed on 27 March 1967. 

Cause of the Apollo I Fire 

Although the Board was not able to determine conclusively 

the specific initiator of the Apollo 204 fire, it identified the 

conditions that led to the disaster. These conditions were: 

1. A sealed cabin, pressurized with an oxygen atmosphere. 

2. 	An extensive distribution of combustible materials in the cabin. 

3. Vulnerable wiring carrying spacecraft power. 

4. 	Vulnerable plumbing carrying a combustible and corrosive 

coolant. 

5. Inadequate provisions for the crew to escape. 

6. Inadequate provisions for rescue or medical assistance. 

Having identified these conditions, the Board addressed the 

question of how these conditions came to exist. Careful 

consideration of this question led the Board to the conclusion that in its devotion to the many difficult problems of 

space travel, the Apollo team failed to give adequate attention to certain mundane but equally vital questions of 

crew safety. The Board's investigation revealed many 

deficiencies in design and engineering, manufacture, and 

quality control. 

glass. The new hatcf could be opened from inside in seven 

seconds and by a Pf d safety crew in 10 seconds. Ease of 

opening was enhanfed by a gas-powered counterbalance 

mechanism. 'the se ond major modification was the 

chan. ge in the lauln p.ad spacecraft caoin atmosphere for 

pre-launch testing om 100 percent oxygen to a mixture 

of 60 percent oxyge and 40 percent nitrogen to reduce 

support of any co bustion. The crew suit loops still carried 100 p.er.cent oxygen. After launch, the 60/40 mix was 

gradually replaced 'fith pure oxygen until cabin atmosphere reached 100 wercent oxygen at 5 pounds per square 

inch. This "enriched air" mix was selected after extensive 

flammability tests 1various percentages of oxygen at varying pressures. 

Other changes incl ded: substituting stainless steel for aluminum in high-pre sure oxygen tubing, armor plated 

water-glycol liquid !line solder joints, protective covers over 

wiring bundles: stor age. ~ox~s built of ~~mi~um, re~lace­ ment of matenals tf mmim1ze flammability, mstallatwn of 

fireproof storage co tainers for flammable materials, 

mechanical fastener substituted for gripper cloth patches, 

flam. eproof coatin~Jon wire connections, replacement of 

plastic switches wi .. rmetal ones, installation of an emergency oxygen syste~ to isolate the crew from toxic fumes, 

and the inclusion o a portable fire extinguisher and 

fire-isolating panels in the cabin. 

also made at Launch Complex 34. 

changes to the White Room for 

the new uici\-c,petiin!g spacecraft hatch, improved 

&refighting emergency egress routes, emergency 

access to the purging of all electrical equipment 

in the White with nitrogen, installation of a 

hand-held wa,ter and a large exhaust fan in the White 

and fumes out, fire-resistant paint, 

structural members to provide easier 

access to the cn<lrP,rr<1 f+ and faster egress, addition of a 

water spray system cool the launch escape system (the 

solid propellants be ignited by extreme heat), and 

the installation of water spray systems along the 

egress route from spacecraft to ground level. 

Apollo I [TI 
Apollo I Spacecraft History 

EVENT 

Fabrication of spacecraft 012 at North American Aviation, Downey, CA. 

Basic structure completed. 

Installation and final assembly of subsystems c�mpleted. Critical design reviews 

completed. Checkout of all subsystems initiated, followed by integrated testing 

of all spacecraft subsystems. 

Customer acceptance readiness review completed. NASA issued certificate of 

flightworthiness and authorized spacecraft to be shipped to KSC. 

Command module received at KSC. 

CM-012 mated with service module in altitude chamber. Alignment,

subsystems and system certification tests and functional checks performed.

First combined systems tests completed. 

Design certification document issued which certified design as flightworthy, 

pending satisfactory resolution of open items. 

First piloted test at sea level pressure to verify total spacecraft system operation 

completed. 

Unpiloted test at altitude pressures using oxygen to verify spacecraft system 

operation. 

Piloted test with flight crew completed. 

Second piloted altitude test with backup crew initiated, but discontinued 

when failure occurred in oxygen system regulator in spacecraft environmental 

control system. Regulator removed and found to have design deficiency. 

Apollo program director conducted recertification review which closed out 

majority of open items remaining from previous reviews. 

Sea level and unpiloted altitude tests completed. 

Piloted altitude test with backup flight crew completed. 

Command module removed from altitude chamber. 

Spacecraft mated to launch vehicle at Cape Kennedy Launch Complex 34. Various tests 

and equipment installations and replacements performed. 

� Apollo by the Numbers

DATE 

Aug 1964 

Sept 1965 -

Mar 1966 

Aug 1966 

26 Aug 1966 

Sept 1966 

1 Oct 1966 

7 Oct 1966 

13 Oct 1966 

15 Oct 1966 

19 Oct 1966 

21 Oct 1966 

21 Dec 1966 

28 Dec 1966 

30 Dec 1966 

3 Jan 1967 

6 Jan 1967 
Plugs Out Integrated Test initiated when power applied to spacecraft. 27 Jan 1967 12:55 

Following completion of initial verification tests of system operation, command 

pilot entered spacecraft, followed by pilot and senior pilot. 18:00 

Count held when command pilot noted odor in spacecraft environmental 

control system suit oxygen. Sample taken. 18:20 

Count resumed after hatch installed. 19:42 

Cabin purged with oxygen. 19:45 

Open microphone first noted by test crew. 22:25 

Count held while communication difficulties checked. Various final countdown 

functions performed during hold as communications permitted. 22:40 

From this time until about 23:53 GMT, flight crew interchanged equipment 

related to communications systems in effort to isolate communications problem. 

During troubleshooting period, problems developed with ability of various ground 

stations to communicate with one another and with crew. 22:45 

Final countdown functions up to transfer to simulated fuel cell power completed 

and count held at T-10 minutes pending resolution of communications problems. 

For next 10 minutes, no events related to fire. Major activity was routine 

troubleshooting of communications problem. All other systems operated 

normally during this period. 23:20 

First indication by either cabin pressure or battery compartment sensors of 

a pressure increase. 23:21:11 

Command pilot live microphone transmitted brushing and tapping noises, 

indicative of movement. Noises similar to those transmitted earlier in test 

by live microphone when command pilot was known to be moving. 23:30 

No voice transmissions from spacecraft from this time until transmission 

reporting fire. 23:30:14 

Slight increase in pulse and respiratory rate noted from senior pilot. 23:30:21 

Data from guidance and navigation system indicated undetermined type of 

crew movement. Gradual rise in oxygen flow rate to crew suits began, 

indicating movement. Earlier in Plugs Out Integrated Test, crew reported that an 

unspecified movement caused increased flow rate. 23:30:24 

Senior pilot's electrocardiogram indicated muscular activity for several seconds. 23:30:30 

Additional electrocardiogram indications from senior pilot. Data show increased 

activity but were not indicative of alarm type of response. More intense crew 

activity sensed by guidance and navigation system. 23:30:39 

Crew movement ended. 23:30:44 

All of senior pilot's biomedical parameters reverted to "rest'' level. 23:30:45 

Variation in signal output from gas chromatograph. 23:30:50 

First voice transmission ended. 23:31 :10 

Fire broke from its point of origin. Evidence suggests a wall of flames extended 

along left wall of module, preventing command pilot, occupying left couch, from 

reaching valve which would vent command module to outside atmosphere. 

Original flames rose vertically and spread out across cabin ceiling. Scattering 

of firebrands of molten burning nylon contributed to spread of flames. It was 

estimated that opening valve would have delayed command module rupture 

by less than one second. 23:31:12 

Cabin pressure exceeded range of transducers, 17 pounds per square inch absolute 

(psia) for cabin and 21 psia for battery compartment transducers. Rupture and 

resulting jet of hot gases caused extensive damage to exterior. 23:31:16 

Apollo I@] 
Beginning of final voice transmission from crew. Entire transmission garbled. 

Sounded like, "They're fighting a bad fire-let's get out. Open 'er up:' Or, "We've 

got a bad fire-let's get out. We're burning up:' Or, "I'm reporting a bad fire. 

I'm getting out:' Transmission ended with cry of pain, perhaps from pilot. 

Command module ruptured, start of second stage of fire. First stage marked 

by rapid temperature rise and increase in cabin pressure. Flames had moved 

rapidly from point of ignition, traveling along net debris traps installed to 

prevent items from dropping into equipment areas. At same time, Velcro 

strips positioned near ignition point also burned. 

End of final voice transmission. 

All spacecraft transmissions ended. Television monitors showed flames spreading 

from left to right side of command module and shortly covered entire visible area. 

Telemetry loss made determination of precise times of subsequent occurrences 

impossible. 

Third stage of fire characterized by greatest conflagration due to forced convection 

from outrush of gases through rupture in pressure vessel. Swirling flow scattered 

firebrands, spreading fire. Pressure in command module dropped to atmospheric 

pressure five or six seconds after rupture. 

Command module atmosphere reached lethal stage, characterized by rapid production 

of high concentrations of carbon monoxide. Following loss of pressure, and with 

fire throughout crew compartment, remaining atmosphere quickly became deficient 

in oxygen and could not support continued combustion. Heavy smoke formed and 

large amounts of soot deposited on most spacecraft interior surfaces. Although oxygen 

leak extinguished most of fire, failed oxygen and water/glycollines supplied oxygen and 

fuel to support localized fire that melted aft bulkhead and burned adjacent portions of 

inner surface of command module heat shield. 

Fire apparatus and firefighting personnel dispatched. 


Attempts to remove hatches. 


Pad leader reported that attempts had started to remove hatches. 


Hatches opened, outer hatches removed. Resuscitation of crew impossible. 


Pad leader ascertained all hatches open, left White Room, proceeded a few 


feet along swing arm, donned headset and reported this fact. 

Firefighters arrived at Level A-8. Positions of crew couches and crew could be 

perceived through smoke but only with great difficulty. Unsuccessful attempt 

to remove senior pilot from command module. 

Doctors arrived. 


Photographs taken, and removal efforts started. 


Removal of crew completed, about seven and one-half hours after accident. 


Command module 014 shipped to KSC to develop disassembly techniques for 


selected components prior to their removal from command module 012. 

Disassembly plan fully operational. 

Command module moved to pyrotechnics installation building at KSC, where 

better working conditions available. 

Disassembly of command module completed. 

27 Jan 1967 

28 Jan 1967 

1 Feb 1967 

7 Feb 1967 

17 Feb 1967 

27 Mar 1967 

23:31:1

23:31:1

23:31:2

23:31:2

23:31:2

23:31:3

23:32 

23:32:0

23:32:3

23:36 

23:36:3

23:40 

23:43 

00:30 

07:00 

QD Apollo by the Numbers 
APOLLO 7 


 

I 


The First Mission: 


Testing the CSM in Earth Orbit 

The Apollo 7 crew (1. to. r.): Donn Eisele, Wally Schirra, 

Walt Cunningham (NASA S68-33744). 

Background 

Twenty-one months after the Apollo 1 fire, the United 

States was ready to begin the piloted phase of the Apollo 

program. The primary objectives of the first mission were: 

• to demonstrate CSM and crew performance; 

• to demonstrate crew, space vehicle, and mission support facilities 

performance; and 

• to demonstrate CSM rendezvous capability. 

The crew members were Captain Walter Marty "Wally" 

Schirra, Jr. [shi-RAH] (USN), commander; Major Donn 

Fulton Eisele [EYES-lee] (USAF), command module pilot; 

and Ronnie Walter "Walt" Cunningham, lunar module pilot. 

Selected in the original astronaut group in 1959, Schirra 

had been pilot of the fifth (third orbital) Mercury mission 

(MA-8) and command pilot of Gemini 6-A. With 

Apollo 7, Schirra would become the first person to make 

three trips into space. Born 12 March 1923 in Hackensack, 

New Jersey, Schirra was 45 years old at the time of the 

Apollo 7 mission. Schirra received a B.S. degree from the 

U.S. Naval Academy in 1945. His backup for the mission 

was Colonel Thomas Patten Stafford (USAF). 

Eisele and Cunningham were each making their first spaceflight. Born 23 June 1930 in Columbus, Ohio, Eisele was 

p 

Watts Young (USN). 

Born 16 March 1932 in Creston, Iowa, Cunningham 

36 years old at the time of the Apollo 7 mission. He 

received a B.A. in physics in 1960 and an M.A. in ph

in 1961 from the University of California at Los Ange

He was selected as an astronaut in 1963. His backup 

Commander Eugene Andrew "Gene" Cernan (USN). 

The capsule communicators (CAPCOMs) for the mis

were Stafford, Lt. Commander Ronald Ellwin Evans (

Major William Reid Pogue (USAF)2, John Leonard "J

Swigert, Jr. [SWY-girt], Young, and Cernan. The supp

crew were Swigert, Evans, and Pogue. The flight direc

were Glynn S. Lunney (first shift), Eugene F. Kranz (

shift), and Gerald D. Griffin (third shift). 

The Apollo 7 launch vehicle was a Saturn IB, an "upr

Saturn, designated SA-205. The mission also carried t

designation Eastern Test Range #66. The CSM combi

was designated CSM-101 and formed the first block 

configuration spacecraft flown, that is, with the capab

to accommodate the LM and other systems advancem

Launch Preparations 

The countdown began at 19:00 GMT on 6 October 

There were three planned holds. The first two, at T-7

hours for six hours and at T-33 hours for three hour

allowed sufficient time to fix any spacecraft problems

final hold, at T-6 hours, provided a rest period for th

launch crew. Six hours later, the clock resumed at 

09:00 GMT, 11 October 1968. 

The final countdown proceeded smoothly until T-10 

utes when thrust chamber jacket chilldown was initia

for the launch vehicle S-IVB stage. The procedure too

longer than necessary and would have required a rec

of the clock to T-15 minutes if the proper temperatu

were not reached in time for initiation of the automa

countdown sequence. As a result, a hold was called a

minutes 15 seconds, and lasted for 2 minutes 45 seco

Postlaunch analysis determined that chilldown would 

occurred without the hold, but the hold was advisabl

real-time to meet revised temperature requirements. A

14:56:30 GMT, the countdown resumed and continue

liftoff without further problems. 

I Eisele died of a heart attack I December 1987 in Tokyo, japan (Houston Chronicle, 3 Dec 1987, p. 8). 

2 Pogue replaced Major Edward Galen Givens, jr. (USAF), who died in an automobile accident in Pearland, TX, on 6 june 1967. Givens had been selected in the astronaut cla

1966 (Houston Chronicle, 8 jun 1967). 

Apollo by the Numbers 
A large high pressure system centered over Nova Scotia 

caused high easterly surface winds at launch time. The 

upper winds, above 30,000 feet, were light from the west. 

Surface wind speeds were the highest observed for any 

Saturn vehicle to date. A few scattered clouds were in the 

area. Cumulonimbus clouds covered 30 percent of the sky 

with a base at 2,100 feet, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 82.9° F, relative humidity 65 percent, dew point 70.0° 

F, barometric pressure 14.765 lb/in2

, and winds 19.8 knots 

at 90° from true north measured by the anemometer on 

the light pole 59.4 feet above ground at the launch site. 

Ascent Phase 

Apollo 7 was launched from Launch Complex 34 at Cape 

Kennedy, Florida (USAF Eastern Test Range). Liftoff 

occurred at Range Zero time of 15:02:45 GMT (11:02:45 

a.m. EDT) on 11 October 1968, well within the planned

launch window of 15:00:00 to 19:00:00 GMT.

The ascent phase was nominal. Moments after liftoff, the 

vehicle rolled from a launch pad azimuth of 100° to a flight 

azimuth of 72° east of north. The first stage provided continuous thrust until center engine cutoff at 000:02:20.65. 

The outboard engine shut down 3.67 seconds later at an 

Earth-fixed velocity of 6,479.1 ft/sec. Cutoff conditions were 

very close to prediction. 

The S-IB was separated from the upper stage at 000:02:25.59, 

followed 

occurred 

by S-NB engine ignition at 000:02:26.97. Cutoff 

at 00:10:16.76, with deviations from the planned 

trajectory of only 2.3 ft/sec in velocity and 0.054 n mi in 

altitude. The S-NB burn time of 469.79 seconds was within 

one second of prediction, and all structural load limits were 

well within design tolerances during ascent. 

The maximum wind conditions encountered during ascent 

were 81 knots at 172,000 feet. Wmd shear in the high 

dynamic pressure region reached 0.0113 sec-1 in the pitch 

plane at 48,100 feet. The maximum wind speed in the 

high dynamic pressure region was 30.3 knots from 309° at 

44,500 feet. 

The probable impact of the spent S-IB was determined 

from a theoretical, tumbling, free flight trajectory. Assuming 

the booster remained intact during entry, the impact 

occurred in the Atlantic Ocean at latitude 29.76° north and 

longitude 75.72° west, 265.01 n mi from the launch site. 

At 000:10:26.76, the spacecraft entered Earth orbit, defined 

as S-IVB cutoff plus 10 seconds to account for engine tailoff and other transient effects. At insertion, conditions 

were: apogee and perigee 153.7 by 123.3 n mi, inclination 

31.58°

, period 89.70 minutes, and velocity 25,538.6 ft/sec. 

Apollo 7's Sa.rum 1B lifts off from Cape Canaveral Pad 

34 (NASA S68-48788). 

The international tiesignation for the· spacecraft upon 

achieving orbit was 1968-089A and the S-IVB was designated 1968-0898. J 

lnflight Activities 

The crew adapted quickly and completely to the weightless 

environment. TI1ere were no disorientation problems associated with movement inside the CM nor looking out the 

windows at Earth. In fact, an attempt by the lunar module 

pilot to induce li'ertigP or motion sickness by movement of 

the head in all directions at rapid rates met with negative 

results. Early in th� mission, however, the crew reported some 

soreness of their b,Jck muscles in the kidney area. The soreness was relieved by exercise and hyperextension of the back. 

Prior to separation from the S-NB, a 2-minute 56-second 

manual takeover qf attitude control from the launch vehicle 

stage was perfo�d at 002:30:48. The crew exercised the 

3 RAE Table of Earth Satellites 1957-1986, pps. vii, and viii. The international Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) na, given all satellites a designation based on the year of 

launch (first four digits) and number of successful launches during that year (next three digits). In COSPAR terminology. the letter A usually refers to the instrumented spacecraft, 

B to the rocket, and C, D, E, etc. to fragments. 

Apollo? [ID 
manual S-NB/IU orbital attitude control capability. This consisted of a test of the dosed loop spacecraft/launch vehicle 

control system by performing manual pitch, roll, and yaw 

maneuvers. The control system responded properly. After 

completion of the test, the crew switched attitude control 

back to the automatic launch vehicle system which resumed 

the normal attitude timeline. By the time the CSMJS-NB 

separated at 002:55:02, venting of S-NB propellants had 

raised the orbit to 167.0 by 125.3 n mi 

One objective of Apollo 7 was to perform a "sating'' of the 

S-NB stage by lowering pressure in the propellant tanks and

high-pressure bottles to a level that would permit safe rendezvous· and simulated docking maneuvers. The sating was

scheduled to take place in several stages. First, the LH2 tank

safing was to be performed by three pre-programmed venting.5; however, four additional ventings were required because

the pre-programmed ones did not adequately safe the tank

under the orbital conditions experienced. The first venting

occurred at 000:10:17, and the final one ended at 005:11:15.

The seven ventings totaled 3,274.1 seconds. Second, a liquid

oxygen dump was initiated at 001:34:28 and lasted 721.00 seconds. Third, a cold helium dump was performed at 001:42:28

and again at 004:30:16, lasting 2,868.00 and 1,199.99 seconds,

occurred 

respectively. Finally, a stage control sphere helium dump

at 003:17:33, but was terminated by ground command after 2,967 seconds to save the remaining helium for

control of the LH2 tank vent-and-relief valve. Safing, however,

was adequately accomplished.

During the second revolution the crew observed that one of 

the spacecraft/IM adapter panels on the S-NB was deployed 

only 25° instead of the normal 45°

. It had opened fully, but a 

retention cable designed to prevent the panel from dosing 

had become stuck and the panel had partially dosed. This 

· was not a problem because the panels would be jettisoned on

future missions. By the 19th revolution, the panel had moved

to the full open position.

In order to establish conditions required for rendezvous with

the S-NB, a 16.3-second phasing maneuver was performed at

003:20:09 using the service module reaction control system.

This resulted in an orbit of 165.2 by 124.8 n mi

The phasing bum was intended to place the spacecraft

. 76.5 n mi ahead of the S-NB. However, the S-IVB orbit 

decayed more rapidly than anticipated during the six subsequent revolutions. An additional phasing maneuver of 

17.6 seconds was performed at 015:52:00 to obtain the 

desired conditions. The resulting orbit was 170.21 by 

123.01 n mi. 

0 Apollo by the Numbers

Rendezvous operations with the S-IVB stage (NASA 

AS07-03-1541). 

At 014:46, it was reported that the commander had developed a bad head cold, which had begun about one hour 

after liftoff, and that he had taken two aspirins. The next 

day, the other two crew members also experienced head cold 

symptoms. This condition, which continued throughout the 

mission, caused extreme discomfort because it was very 

difficult to clear the ears, nose, and sinuses in "zero g' conditions. Medication was taken, but the symptoms persisted 

At 023:33, the spacecraft commander canceled the first television transmission, scheduled to begin in 20 minutes. 

Annoyed that mission control had added two bums and a 

urine dump to the crew's workload while they were testing a 

new vehicle, and still suffering from a cold, Schirra reported 

that, " ... lV will be delayed without further discussion .. :' 

Two service propulsion system firings were required for 

rendezvous with the S-IVB. The first firing, a 9.26-second 

corrective combination maneuver at 026:24:55, was necessary to achieve the desired 1.32° phase and 8.0 nautical 

mile altitude offset so that the second firing would produce 

an orbit coelliptic with that of the S-IVB. The result was 

an orbit of 194.1 by 123.0 n mi. During this period, the 

sextant was used to track the S-IVB, which was visible in 

reflected sunlight. The 7.76-second firing at 028:00:56 

occurred when the spacecraft was 80 n mi behind and 

7 .8 n mi below the S-IVB, and created a more circularized 

orbit of 153.6 by 113.9 n mi. 

The two firings achieved the desired conditions for the 

46-second rendezvous terminal phase initiation, which
and final closure to within 70 feet of the tumbling S

IVB. 

Stationkeeping was performed for 25 minutes starting at 

029:55:43 in an orbit ot 161.0 by 122.1 n mi, after which a 

5.4-second service module reaction control system posigrade maneuver removed the CSM from the vicinity of the 

S-IVB stage. The crew maneuvered the CSM around the 

S-IVB in order to inspect and photograph it. 

The rendezvous maneuver was important because it 

demonstrated the ability of the spacecraft to rendezvous 

with the LM (represented by the S-IVB) if the ascent stage 

became disabled after leaving the lunar surface. However, 

the crew reported that the manually-controlled braking 

maneuver was frustrating because no reliable backup ranging information was available, as would be the case during 

an actual rendezvous with the LM. 

The next 24-hour period was devoted to a sextant calibration test at 041:00, two attitude control tests at 049:00 and 

050:40, and two primary evaporator tests at 049:50 and 

050:40. In addition, the crew performed a rendezvous navigation test, using the sextant to track the S-IVB visually to 

a distance of 160 n mi at 044:40 and to 320 n mi at 

053:20. The crew later reported sighting the S-IVB at a 

range of nearly 1,000 n mi. 

To ensure maximum return from Apollo 7, it was planned 

to complete as many primary and secondary objectives as 

possible early in the flight, and, by the end of the second 

day, more than 90 percent had been accomplished. 

Three tests of the rendezvous radar transponder were performed. This system would be essential for docking the 

LM ascent stage to the CM after liftoff from the lunar surface. The first two tests occurred at 061:00 and 071:40. The 

third was performed during revolution 48 at 076:27, when 

the ground radar at White Sands Missile Range, New 

Mexico, acquired and locked onto the spacecraft transponder at a range of 390 n mi and tracked it to 415 n mi. 

At 071:43, the first of seven television transmissions began 

and lasted for seven minutes. It was the first live television 

transmission · from a piloted American spacecraft. The crew 

opened the telecast with a sign that read "From the lovely 

Apollo room high atop everything." They then aimed the 

camera out the window as the spacecraft passed over New 

Orleans and then over the Florida peninsula. The orbital 

motion of the spacecraft was evident. 

from the Apollo 7 crew during 

tPIE·vi~.ihn transmission (NASA S68-50713). 

nr.~m "l lc1rm system was fired six additional times 

um>.>1VJf1. The third firing, at 075:48:00 (advanced 

original plan), was a 9.10-second 

"v'""J'f~ u by the stabilization and control system. 

performed early to increase the backup 

""~'"V'"''1 of the service module reaction control 

lovl'erme: the perigee to 90 n mi and placing it in 

hell)Isph,ere. The resulting orbit was 159.7 by 

a three-hour cold soak of the service 

control system was performed. The 

"''"''"'"'+u the spacecraft and exposed one side 

for a period of time to lower the temU1\J u•v• the effects of the cold space environcharacteristics of the system were better 

random, drifting flight, because the 

u<.•- <.. «->'- was less than predicted. 

whether the environmental control syscoating had degraded was conducted 

097:00. Results indicated that the solar 

radiator panel tested was within prevalidated the system for lunar flight. 

transmission started at 095:25 and 

The program included a tour of 

mcludlllg various controls, a demonstration of the 

an attempt to show water condensation 

a major problem associated with the 

This problem was anticipated in the 

cabin because cold coolant lines from the radiator to 

Apollo? 0 
the water overboard. Experiment S005 (Synoptic Terrain 

Photography) began at 098:40, using a hand-held modified 

70 mm Hasselblad 500C camera. The photographs were 

used to study the origin of the Carolina bays in the United 

States, wind erosion in desert regions, coastal morphology, 

and the origin of the African rift valley. Near-vertical, highsun-angle photographs of Baja California, other parts of 

Mexico, and parts of the Middle East were useful for geologic studies. Photographs of New Orleans and Houston 

were generally better for geographic urban studies than 

those available from previous programs. 

Mission commander Wally Schirra (NASA AS07-04-1582). 

Areas of oceanographic interest, particularly islands in the 

Pacific Ocean, were photographed for the first time. In 

addition, the mission obtained the first extensive photographic coverage of northern Chile, Australia, and other 

areas. Of the 500 photographs taken of land and ocean 

areas, approximately 200 were usable, and, in general, the 

color and exposure were excellent. The need to change the 

film magazines, filters, and exposure settings hurriedly when 

a target came into view, and to hold the camera steady, 

accounted for the improper exposure of many frames. 

The purpose of Experiment S006 (Synoptic Weather 

Photography) was to photograph as many as possible of 27 · 

basic categories of weather phenomena, and began at 

099:10. The camera was the same used for Experiment S005. 

Of the 500 photographs taken, approximately 300 showed 

clouds or other items of meteorological interest, and approximately 80 contained features of interest in oceanography. 

Categories considered worthy of additional interest included 

flights. The photographs of Hurricane Gladys and Typ

Gloria, taken on 17 October and 20 October 1968, res

tively, were the best-to-date views of tropical storms. Im

sharpness of photographs for this experiment ranged f

fair to excellent, again affected by the difficulty in hold

the camera steady. Regardless, ocean swells could be re

from altitudes near 100 n mi. 

Example of Synoptic Terrain Photography: India, N

Tibet, and Himalayas from 126 n mi altitude (NAS

AS07-ll-1980). 

The third television transmission began at 119:08 and 

ed about ten minutes. It featured a demonstration of 

to prepare food in space, in particular a package of d

fruit juice reconstituted with water. The telecast also 

showed the process of vacuuming water that had acc

lated on the cold glycol lines. Various controls at the 

mander's workstation were also viewed. 

The fourth service propulsion system firing, at 120:43

was performed to evaluate the minimum-impulse cap

of the service propulsion engine. It lasted only 0.48 se

and produced an orbit of 156.7 by 89.1 n mi. 

A tour of the CM, the fourth television transmission

began at 141:11. The crew trained their camera on d

on window 1 and on optical site markings used to m

ure pitch angle on window 2. Panning around the sp

craft, the camera gave viewers a look at sleep stations

stowage areas, helmet bags and pressure suit hoses. T

commander also demonstrated weightlessness by blow

on a floating pen to control its motion. By 141:27, th

crew had signed off and the transmission signal had 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
Example of Synoptic Weather Photography: a view of 

Hurricane Gladys over the Pacific Ocean at an altitude 

of 99 n mi (NASA AS07-07-1877). 

During this time, the S-IVB stage continued to orbit the 

Earth. It impacted the Indian Ocean at 09:30 GMT on 

18 October. The estimated impact point was latitude 8.9° 

south and longitude 81.6° east. 

A fifth service propulsion system firing was performed to 

position the spacecraft for an optimum deorbit maneuver 

at the end of the planned orbital phase by allowing at least 

two minutes of tracking by the Hawaii ground station if 

another orbit were required. This occurred at 165:00:00.42. 

To ensure verification of the propellant gauging system, the 

firing duration was increased from the original plan. 

CMP Walt Cunningham peers out the spacecraft window (NASA AS07-04-1584). 

transearth flight on future missions, 

ne•cessar1'1 to put the spacecraft into a slow 

an even external temperature. 

passive thermal control, was tested 

at 167:00 and next at 212:00. 

another spacecraft 

the instrument 

and the display i<Pvlnm::.rti 

ended with the crew '"p'"'"'""'' 

performed during the eighth day, 

the second minimum-impulse 

maneuver. At the the apogee was 234.6 n mi and the 

perigee was 88.4 n This firing lasted 0.50 seconds and 

was directed nnt-n.t-f'll:>r,P because no change in orbit was 

desired. 

transmission, starting at 213:10, the 

1 out the window and gave ground 

controllers a view the Florida peninsula. They then 

turned the camera the spacecraft to show off the 

beards they had during the mission. 

Carnarvon, 

Analysis of data rnr1r>rmP•t1 the flare would have no effect 

on the spacecraft crew. However, this exercise proved to 

be an excellent of the systems and procedures 

that would be used the event of a solar flare during a 

was followed by the seventh 

firing, a 7.70-second maneuver at 

the spacecraft perigee at the propand recovery, and lowered the orbit 

r ..,..v,..um transmission, starting at 236:18 and 

lasting for about 1 minutes, the crew showed off their 

beards again, and seeing several jet contrails far 

below them over Gulf Coast. They also described the 

bands of color by the day air glow above the Earth. 

Apollo? 0 
LMP Donn Eisele poses for a photo (NASA AS07-04-1583). 

The midcourse navigation program, using the Earth horizon and a star, could not be accomplished because the 

Earth horizon was indistinct and variable. The air glow 

was about three degrees wide and had no distinct boundaries or lines when viewed through the sextant. This problem seemed to be associated with the spacecraft being in a 

low Earth orbit. Using this same program on lunar landmarks and a star, however, the task was very easy to perform. Lunar landmarks showed up nearly as well as Earth 

landmarks. Stars could be seen at 10° and 15°, and greater, 

from the Moon. 

Sextant/star counts and star checks and star/horizon sightings 

were made throughout the mission; lunar landmark/star 

sightings were attempted at 147:00. 

Recovery 

The final day of the mission was devoted primarily to 

preparations for the deorbit maneuver. This was accomplished by the eighth SPS firing, an 11.79-second eighth 

service maneuver at 259:39:16 over Hawaii, during the 163rd 

orbit. During the final orbit, the apogee was 225.3 n mi, the 

perigee was 88.2 n mi, the period was 90.39 minutes, and 

the inclination 29.88°. 

Because of their cold symptoms, there was a considerable 

amount of discussion about whether the crew should wear 

helmets and gloves during entry. With helmets on, it might 

be impossible to properly clear the throat and ears as 

increasing gravity drew mucus down from the head area, 

where it remained during zero gravity conditions. It was 

profiles. The command module reentered the Eart

atmosphere (400,000 feet altitude) at 259:53:26 at 

ty of 25,846 ft/sec. Trajectory reconstruction indic

the service module impacted the Atlantic Ocean a

260:03:00 at a point estimated to be latitude 29° n

longitude 72° west. During entry, three objects-th

the service module, and a 12-foot insulation disk 

the two-were tracked simultaneously and were a

ed visually. 

The parachute system effected a soft splashdown o

in the Atlantic Ocean southeast of Bermuda at 11:1

GMT (07:11:48 a.m. EDT) on 22 October 1968. M

duration was 260:09:03. The impact point was 1.9 

from the target point and 7 n mi from the recover

U.S.S. Essex. The splashdown site was estimated to 

tude 27.63° north and longitude 64.15° west. After 

down, the CM assumed an apex-down flotation att

was successfully returned to the normal flotation p

within 13 minutes by the inflatable bag uprighting 

During this period, the recovery beacon was not vi

voice communication with the crew was interrupte

The crew was retrieved by helicopter and was abo

recovery ship 56 minutes after splashdown. The C

recovered 55 minutes later. The estimated CM we

splashdown was 11,409 pounds, and the estimated 

traveled for the mission was 3,953,842 n mi. 

After splashdown, Wally Schirra exits the comm

module with the aid of a Navy support team m

(NASA S68-49529). 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Apollo 7 crew safely aboard recovery ship U.S.S. Essex 

following successful mission (NASA S68-49744}. 

At CM retrieval, the weather recorded onboard the Essex 

showed light rain showers, 600-foot ceiling; visibility 2 n mi; 

wind speed 16 knots from 260° true north; air temperature 

74° F; water temperature 81° F; with waves to 3 feet from 

260° true north. 

The CM was offloaded from the Essex on 24 October at 

the Norfolk Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia, and the 

Landing Safing Team began the evaluation and deactivation procedures at 14:00 GMT. Deactivation was completed 

at 01:30 GMT on 27 October 1968. The CM was then 

flown to Long Beach, California and trucked to the North 

American Rockwell Space Division facility at Downey, 

California for postflight analysis. 

Conclusions 

The Apollo 7 mission was successful in every respect. All 

spacecraft systems operated satisfactorily, and all but one of 

the detailed test objectives were met. As an engineering test 

flight, Apollo 7 demonstrated the performance of the 

orbital safing experiment, the adequacy of attitude control 

in both the manual and automatic modes, and that the 

vehicle systems could perform for extended periods in 

orbit. For the first time, a mixed cabin atmosphere consisting of 65 percent oxygen and 35 percent nitrogen was used 

aboard an American piloted spacecraft. All previous flights 

had used 100 percent oxygen, a procedure changed as a 

result of recommendations made by the Apollo 1 fire 

investigation board. Another "first" was the availability of 

hot and cold drinking water for the crew as a by-product 

of the service module fuel cells, an important element for 

piloted lunar excursions. Consumables usage was maintained at safe levels, and permitted the introduction of 

additional flight activities toward the end of the mission. 

The following conclu ions were made from an analysis of 

post-mission data: 

1. 	The results of the Apo o 7 mission, when combined with results of 

previous missions an ground tests, demonstrated that the CSM 

was qualified for ope tion in the Earth orbital environment and 

was ready for tests in e cislunar and lunar orbital environments. 

2. 	The concepts and op rational functioning of the crew/spacecraft 

interfaces, including rocedures, provisioning, accommodations, 

and displays and co trois, were acceptable. 

3. 	The overall thermal alance of the spacecraft, for both active 

and passive element , was more favorable than predicted for the 

near-Earth environ ent. 

4. 	The endurance requ red for systems operation on a lunar mission was demonstra ed. 

5. 	The capability of pe forming rendezvous using the CSM, with 

only optical and on oard data, was demonstrated; however, it 

was determined tha ranging information would be extremely 

desirable for the ter inal phase. 

6. Navigation techniqf s in general were demonstrated to be adequate for lunar mis ions. Specifically: 

a. 	Onboard naviga ion using the landmark tracking technique 

proved feasible · Earth orbit. 

b. Th< Eruth hm n ""' not =hk "" "!'!"' m"'"""''"' m 

low Earth orbit with the available optics design and techniques. 

c. 	 Although a deb is cloud of frozen liquid particles following 

venting obscure star visibility with the scanning telescope, it 

could be expect d to dissipate rapidly in Earth orbit without 

significantly co taminating the optical surfaces. 

d. 	Star visibility d ta with the scanning telescope indicated that 

in cislunar spa e, with no venting and with proper spacecraft 

orientation to ield the optics from the Sun and Earth or 

Moon light, co stellation recognition would be adequate for 

platform inerti orientation. 

e. 	Sextant star vi ibility was adequate for platform realignments 

in daylight usi g Apollo navigation stars as close as 30° from 

the Sun line-o sight. 

Apollo? 0 
8. 	Mission support facilities, including the Piloted Space Flight 

Network and the recovery forces were satisfactory for an Earth 

orbital mission. 

Apollo 7 Objectives4 

Launch Vehicle Primary Detailed Objectives 

1. To demonstrate the adequacy of the launch vehicle attitude control system for orbital operation. Achieved. 

2. 	To demonstrate S-IVB orbital sating capability. Achieved. 

3. 	To evaluate S-IVB J-2 engine augmented spark igniter line 

modifications. Achieved. 

Launch Vehicle Secondary Detailed Test Objectives 

1. 	To evaluate the S-IVB/instrument unit orbital coast lifetime 

capability. Achieved. 

2. 	To demonstrate command and service module piloted launch 

vehicle orbital attitude control. Achieved. 

Spacecraft Primary Objectives 

1. 	To demonstrate command and service module and crew performance. Achieved. 

2. 	To demonstrate crew, space vehicle, and mission support facilities performance. Achieved. 

3. 	To demonstrate command and service module rendezvous capability. Achieved. 

Spacecraft Primary Detailed Test Objectives 

1. 	Pl.6: To perform inertial measurement unit alignments using 

the sextant. Achieved. 

2. 	Pl.7: To perform an internal measurement unit orientation determination and a star pattern daylight visibility check. Achieved. 

3. P1.8: To perform onboard navigation using the technique of the 

scanning telescope landmark tracking. Achieved. 

4. 	Pl.lO: To perform optical tracking of a target vehicle using the 

sextant. Achieved, during rendezvous. 

all required modes were demonstrated, all rates were no

6. 	Pl.l3: To perform guidance navigation control system 

service propulsion system and reaction control system 

maneuvers. Achieved, at various times during the missi

7. 	Pl.l4: To evaluate the ability of the guidance navigation 

system to guide the entry from Earth orbit. Achieved, d

8. 	PUS: To perform star and Earth horizon sightings to 

an Earth horizon model. Not achieved. On the two occ

attempted, the Earth horizon was indistinct and variabl

defined boundaries or lines, thus precluding obtaining t

sary data. 

9. 	Pl.l6: To obtain inertial measurement unit performan

the flight environment. Achieved, in conjunction with t

measurement unit alignment checks. Two pulse integrat

lous accelerometer bias tests were also performed. 

10. 	P2.3: To monitor the entry monitoring system during 

propulsion velocity changes and entry. Achieved, duri

service propulsion service burn and entry. 

11. 	P2.4: To demonstrate the stabilization control system 

and manual attitude controlled reaction control syste

vers. Achieved, except for testing the high and auto rat

12. 	P2.5: To demonstrate the command and service mod

lization control system velocity control capability. Ach

13. P2.6: To perform a manual thrust vector control takeove

14. 	P2.7: To obtain data on the stabilizationcontrol system

ity to provide a suitable inertial reference in a flight e

ment. Achieved, during the zero-g phase of the mission 

the fourth service propulsion system burn and prior to 

separation. Desired data during the boost phase was no

15. P2.10: To accomplish the backup mode of the gyro d

coupler-flight director attitude indicator alignment u

scanning telescope in preparation for an increment v

maneuver. Achieved, although there was a problem wi

flight director attitude indicator in the latter part of th

16. 	P3.14: To demonstrate the service propulsion system 

impulse burns in a space environment. Achieved, dur

fourth and sixth service propulsion burns. 

4 Apollo objectives and their level of achievement for all flights are derived from mission reports and from Boeing's final flight evaluation reports for Apollo 7, 8, 9, and 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
18. 	P3.l6: To monitor the primary and auxiliary gauging system. 

Achieved, during the fifth service propulsion burn. 

19. 	P3.20: To verify the adequacy of the propellant feed line thermal control system. Achieved, by the demonstration of normal 

operation and the cold soak test. 

20. 	P4.4: To verify the life support functions of the environmental 

control system. Achieved. 

21. 	P4.6: To obtain data on operation of the waste management 

system in the flight environment. Achieved. 

22. 	P4.8: To operate the secondary coolant loop. Achieved, and 

included daily redundant component tests. 

23. 	P4.9: To demonstrate the water management subsystems operation in the flight environment. Achieved, throughout the mission, 

despite a problem with the chlorination procedure and some 

hardware problems. 

24. 	P4.l0: To demonstrate the postlanding ventilation circuit operation. Achieved. 

25. 	P5.8: To obtain data on thermal stratification with and without 

the cryogenic fans of the cryogenic gas storage system. 

Achieved. Although only two of the three stratification tests were 

successful and part of the third test was accomplished (the rest 

was deleted), sufficient data were obtained. 

26. 	P5.9: To verify automatic pressure control of the cryogenic tank 

systems in a zero-g environment. Achieved. 

27. 	P5.l0: To demonstrate fuel cell water operations in a zero-g 

environment. Achieved. 

28. 	P6.7: To demonstrateS-band data uplink capability. Achieved. 

29. 	P6.8: To demonstrate a simulated command and service module overpass of the lunar module rendezvous radar during the 

lunar stay. Achieved, during the 48th revolution. 

30. 	P7.l9: To obtain data on the environmental control system primary radiator thermal coating degradation. Achieved, from 

092:37 to 097:00. 

31. 	P7.20: To obtain data on the block II forward heat shield thermal protection system. Achieved, during entry. 

service module/ iloted Space Flight Network S-band communication system. A ieved. 

34. 	P20.ll: To obtai data on all command and service module 

consumables. Ac ieved. 

35. 	P20.l3: To perfo m a command and service module active rendezvous with th S-IVB. Achieved. 

36. 	P20.l5: To obtai crew evaluation of intravehicular activity in 

general. Achieve 

Spacecraft SeconL Detailed Test Objectives 

1. Sl.l1: To monitor e guidance navigation control systems and 

displays during Ia nch. Achieved. 

2. 	S3.l7: To obtain ata on the service module reaction control 

subsystem pulse nd steady state performance. Achieved. 

3. 	S7.24: To obtain ata on initial coning angles when in the spin 

mode as used du ing transearth flight. Partially achieved. The 

first of three tests as accomplished. A pitch control mode was 

also accomplished but was not planned prior to launch. The third 

test was deleted ( e crew objected because they expected excessive 

cross-coupling). 

4. S7.28: To obtain qonllm;md and service module vibration data. 

powered flight, and deorbit. 

5. S20.9: To manual out-of-window command and service 

qm:manon for retrofire. Achieved, by two tests. 

crew controlled manual S-IVB attitude 

the launch vehicle propellant pressure disaat!qua~ to warn of a common bulkhead reversal. 

photographs of the command module renwu"1r.wc during discrete phases of the mission. 

the second and third ofJour scheduled tests 

data on propellant slosh damping following 

v•vvw<uv•• system cutoff and following reaction control 

Achieved, by three tests. 

Apollo 7 0 
voice communications with the Manned Space Flight Network. 

Achieved, throughout the mission and during recovery. 

12. 	S20.20: To evaluate the crew optical alignment sight for docking, rendezvous, and proper attitude verification. Achieved, 

throughout the mission and in conjunction with deorbit attitude. 

13. 	S7.21: To obtain data on the service module lunar module 

adapter deployment system operation. Achieved. 

Experiments 

1. 	SOOS (Synoptic Terrain Photography): To obtain elective, high 

quality photographs with color and panchromatic film of selected land and ocean areas. Achieved. OJ the more than 500 photographs obtained, approximately 200 were usable for the purposes 

of the experiment. The objective of comparing color with 

black-and-white photography of the same areas was not successful 

because ofproblems with focus, exposure, and filters. 

2. 	S006 (Synoptic Weather Photography): To obtain selective, high 

quality color cloud photographs to study the fine structure of 

Earth's weather syst.em. Achieved. In particular, excellent views of 

Hurricane Gladys and Tjphoon Gloria were obtained. The color 

3. 	M006: To establish the occurrence and degree of bone d

alization during long spacdlights. Aehieved, by preflight a

flight x-ray studies of selected bones of crew members. 

4. 	MO11: To determine if the space environment fosters an

lar changes in human blood. Achieved, by comparison of

and postflight crew blood samples. 

5. M023: To measure changes in lower body negative press

evidence of cardiovascular deconditioning resulting from 

longed weightlessness. Achieved, by preflight and postflig

ical examinations. 

Test Objectives Added During Mission 

1. Pitch about Y axis. Achieved. 

2. 	Optics degradation evaluation. Achieved. 

3. 	Sextant/horizon sightings. Not achieved. Erroneous proced

were given to the crew. 

4. Three additional S-band communication modes. Achieve

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
Individual and combined CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 18 Mar 1968 

Saturn IB stage delivered to KSC. 28 Mar 1968 

Saturn IV-B stage delivered to KSC. 7 Apr 1968 

Saturn IB instrument unit delivered to KSC. 11 Apr 1968 

Integrated CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 29 Apr 1968 

CM #101 and SM #101 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 29 May 1968 

CM #101 and SM #101 delivered to KSC. 30 May 1968 

CM #101 and SM #101 mated. 11 Jun 1968 

CSM #101 combined systems test completed. 19 Jun 1968 

CSM #101 altitude tests completed. 29 Jul1968 

Space vehicle moved to Cape Kennedy Launch Complex 34. 9 Aug 1968 

CSM #101 integrated systems test completed. 27 Aug 1968 

CSM #101 electrically mated to launch vehicle. 30 Aug 1968 

Space vehicle overall test completed. 4 Sep 1968 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test completed. 17 Sep 1968 

Space vehicle flight readiness test completed. 25 Sep 1968 

Apollo 7 Ascent Phase 

Space 

Fixed Space 

Earth Space Flight Fixed 

Fixed Fixed Event I Geocentric Path Heading 

Event GET Altitude Range Velocity Velocity ouratior Latitude Longitude Angle Angle 

(hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (n mi) (ftlsec) (ftlsec) (deg E) (deg N) (deg E) (deg) (EofN) 

Liftoffli 000:00:00.36 0.019 0.000 0.0 1,341.7 I 28.3608 -80.5611 0.06 90.01 

Mach 1 achieved 000:01:02.15 4.120 0.753 1,039.1 1,960.1 28.3649 -80.5477 29.63 86. 70 

Maximum.dynamic pressure 000:01:15.5 6.567 1.933 1,459.4 2,408.8 28.3708 -80.5264 31.64 83.65 

S-IB center engine cutoff 000:02:20.65 30.626 29.184 6,264.7 7,394.5 123.64 28.5090 -80.0349 27.09 75.87 

S-IB outboard engine cutoff 000:02:24.32 32.678 32.418 6,479.1 7,616.8 147.31 28.5252 -79.9765 26.55 75.78 

S-IBIS-IVB separation7 000:02:25.59 33.389 33.561 6,472.1 7,612.6 28.5310 -79.9558 26.32 75.79 

S-IVB engine cutoff 000:10:16.76 123.167 983.290 24,181.2 25,525.9 469.79 31.3633 -61.9777 0.00 85.91 

Earth orbit insertion 000: 10:26.76 123.177 1,121.743 24,208.5 25,553.2 31.4091 -61.2293 0.005 86.32 

5 There are conflicts in NASA literature regarding the history of Apollo hardware. Where conflicts exist, the author has use the dates that appear to be most logical. The sources for 

these events are: Apollo Program Summary Report (JSC-09423); Stages To Saturn: A Technological History of Saturn/Apoll Launch Vehicles (SP-4206); and the Saturn V Flight 

Evaluation Report for each mission. 

6 Altitude on the launch pad is measured at the instrument unit for all Apollo missions. 

7 Only the commanded time is available for this event. 

Apollo? 0 
Apollo 7 Earth Orbit Phase 

Space 

Fixed Event Velocity 

GET Velocity Duration Change Apogee Perigee Period Inclination 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (n mi) (n mi) (mins) (deg) 

Earth orbit insertion 000:10:26.76 25,553.2 152.34 123.03 89.55 31.608 

Separation of CSM from S-IVB 002:55:02.40 25,499.5 170.21 123.01 89.94 31.640 

1st rendezvous phasing ignition 003:20:09.9 25,531.7 167.0 125.3 89.99 31.61 

1st rendezvous phasing cutoff 003:20:26.2 25,525.0 16.3 5.7 165.2 124.8 89.95 31.62 

2nd rendezvous phasing ignition 015:52:00.9 25,283.1 165.1 124.7 89.95 31.62 

2nd rendezvous phasing cutoff 015:52:18.5 25,277.4 17.6 7.0 164.7 120.8 89.86 . 31.62 

1st SPS ignition 026:24:55.66 25,289.9 164.6 120.6 89.86 31.62 

1st SPS cutoff 026:25:05.02 25,354.0 9.36 204.1 194.1 123.0 90.57 31.62 

2nd SPS ignition 028:00:56.47 25,446.5 194.1 123.0 90.57 31.62 

2nd SPS cutoff 028:01 :04.23 25,357.2 7.76 173.8 153.6 113.9 89.52 31.63 

Terminal phase initiation ignition 029:16:33 25,327.1 153.6 113.9 89.52 31.63 

Terminal phase initiation cutoff 029:17:19 46 17.7 

Terminal phase finalize (braking) 029:43:55 154.1 121.6 89.68 31.61 

Terminal phase end 029:55:43 25,546.1 708 49.1 161.0 122.1 89.82 31.61 

Separation ignition 030:20:00.0 25,514.1 161.0 122.1 89.82 31.61 

Separation cutoff 030:20:05.4 25,515.1 5.4. 2.0 161.0 122.2 89.82 31.61 

3rd SPS ignition 075:48:00.27 25,326.1 159.4 121.3 89.77, 31.61 

3rd SPS cutoff 075:48:09.37 25,273.9 9.10 209.7 159.7. 89.5 89.17 31.23 

4th SPS ignition 120:43:00.44 25,661.2 149.4 87.5 88.94 31.25 

4th SPS cutoff 120:43:00.92 25,670.6 0.48 12.3 156.7 89.1 89.11 31.24 

5th SPS ignition 165:00:00.42 25,519.3 146.5 87.1 88.88 31.25 

5th SPS cutoff 165:01:07.37 25,714.9 66.95 1,691.3 244.2 89.1 90.77 30.08 

6th SPS ignition 210:07:59.99 25,354.7 234.8 88.5 90.59 30.08 

6th SPS cutoff 210:08:00.49 25,354.6 0.50 14.2 234.6 88.4 90.58 30.07 

7th SPS ignition 239:06:11.97 25,864.6 228.3 88.4 90.24 30.07 

7th SPS cutoff 239:06: 19 .67 25,866.4 7.70 220.1 229.8 88.5 90.48 29.87 

8th SPS ignition ( deorbit) 259:39:16.36 25,155.3 225.3 88.2 90:39 29.88 

8th SPS cutoff 259:39:28.15 24,966.5 11.79 343.6 

0 Apollo by the Numbers
Apollo 7 Timeline

E v e n t

G E T

( h h h :m m :s s )

G M T

T im e

G M T

D a te

C ountdow n sta rte d at T-101 hours. -101:00:00 19:00:00 06 Oct 1968

Scheduled 6 -h o u r hold at T-72 hours. -072:00:00 00:00:00 08 Oct 1968

C ountdow n resum ed at T-72 hours. -072:00:00 06:00:00 08 Oct 68

Scheduled 3 -hour hold at T-33 hours. -033:00:00 21:00:00 09 Oct 1968

C ountdow n resu m ed at T-33 hours. -033:00:00 00:00:00 10 Oct 1968

T erm inal countdow n started. -018:00:00 14:30:00 10 Oct 1968

Scheduled 6 -h o u r hold at T-6 hours. -006:00:00 03:00:00 11 Oct 1968

T erm inal countdow n started. -006:00:00 09:00:00 11 Oct 1968

Crew ingress. -002:27 12:35 11 Oct 1968

U nscheduled 2 -m in u te 45-second ho ld to com plete propellant chilldow n. -000:06:15 14:53:45 11 Oct 1968

C ountdow n resu m ed at T-6 m inutes 15 seconds. -000:06:15 14:56:30 11 Oct 1968

G uidance reference release. -000:00:04.972 15:02:40 11 O ct 1968

S-IB engine sta rt com m and. -000:00:02.988 15:02:42 11 O ct 1968

Range zero. 000:00:00.00 15:02:45 11 Oct 1968

All holddow n a rm s released (1st m otion) (1.21 g). 000:00:00.17 15:02:45 11 Oct 1968

Liftoff (um bilical disconnected). 000:00:00.36 15:02:45 11 Oct 1968

Pitch a n d roll m aneuver started. 000:00:10.31 15:02:55 11 Oct 1968

Roll m an eu v er ended. 000:00:38.46 15:03:23 11 Oct 1968

M ach 1 achieved. 000:01:02.15 15:03:47 11 Oct 1968

M axim um b en d in g m o m en t achieved (7,546,000 lbf-in). 000:01:13.1 15:03:58 11 Oct 1968

M axim um dynam ic pressure (665.60 lb/ft2). 000:01:15.5 15:04:00 11 Oct 1968

Pitch m aneuver ended. 000:02:14.26 15:04:59 11 Oct 1968

S-IB m ax im u m total in ertial acceleration (4.28 g). 000:02:20.10 15:05:05 11 Oct 1968

S-IB center engine cutoff. 000:02:20.65 15:05:05 11 Oct 1968

S-IB o u tb o ard engine cutoff. 000:02:24.32 15:05:09 11 Oct 1968

S-IB m ax im u m E arth-fixed velocity. 000:02:24.6 15:05:09 11 Oct 1968

S-IB/S-IVB separation com m and. 000:02:25.59 15:05:10 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB engine ignition com m and. 000:02:26.97 15:05:12 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB ullage case jettisoned. 000:02:37.58 15:05:22 11 Oct 1968

L aunch escape tow er jettisoned. 000:02:46.54 15:05:31 11 Oct 1968

Iterative guidance m ode initiated. 000:02:49.76 15:04:54 11 O ct 1968

S-IB apex. 000:04:19.4 15:06:54 11 Oct 1968

S-IB im p act in th e A tlantic Ocean (theoretical). 000:09:20.2 15:12:05 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB engine cutoff. 000:10:16.76 15:13:01 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB m ax im u m total in ertial acceleration (2.55 g). 000:10:16.9 15:12:45 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB safing ex perim ent— S tart 1st LH2 tan k vent. 000: 10:1737 15:13:02 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB safing ex p erim en t— Tank passivization valve open. 000:10:17.56 15:13:02 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB m ax im u m E arth-fixed velocity. 000:10:19.3 15:12:54 11 Oct 1968

E arth o rbit insertion. 000:10:26.76 15:13:11 11 Oct 1968

O rbital navigation started. 000:10:32.2 15:13:17 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB safing ex perim ent— S tart LOX tan k vent. 000:10:47.17 15:13:32 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB safing ex perim ent— E nd LOX ta n k vent. 000:11:17.17 15:14:02 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB safing ex perim ent— E nd 1st LH2 ta n k vent (approxim ate due to d a ta dropout). 000:31:17:36 15:34:02 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB safing ex p erim en t— S tart 2 n d LH2 ta n k vent. 000:54:06.95 15:56:52 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB safing ex perim ent— E n d 2 n d LH2 ta n k vent. 000:59:06.95 16:01:52 11 Oct 1968

Start o f tw o-m inute pow er failure in M ission C ontrol C enter started. No loss of com m unications. 001:18:34 16:21:19 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB safing ex perim ent— LOX d u m p started. 001:34:28.96 16:37:14 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB safing ex p erim en t— LOX ta n k non-propulsive vent valve open (u n til e n d o f m ission). 001:34:38.95 16:37:24 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB safing ex perim ent— S tart 3rd LH2 ta n k vent. 001:34:42.95 16:37:28 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB safing ex perim ent— S tart 1st cold helium dum p. 001:42:28.95 16:45:14 11 Oct 1968

S-IVB safing ex perim ent— E n d 3rd LH2 ta n k vent. 001:44:42.95 16:47:28 11 Oct 1968

Apollo 7
S-IVB safing experiment-LOX dump ended. 

S-IVB sating experiment-End 1st cold helium dump. 

Manual takeover of S-IVB attitude control started. 

Manual takeover-Pitch maneuver started. 

Manual takeover-Pitch maneuver ended. 

Manual takeover-Roll maneuver started. 

Manual takeover-Roll maneuver ended. 

Manual takeover-Yaw maneuver started. 

Manual takeover- Yaw maneuver ended. 

Manual takeover of S-IVB attitude control ended. 

Window photography. 

Separation of CSM from S-IVB. 

S-IVB sating experiment-Start 4th LH2 tank vent. 

S-IVB sating experiment-End 4th LH2 tank vent. 

S-IVB sating experiment-Start stage control sphere helium dump. 


1st rendezvous phasing maneuver ignition. 


1st rendezvous phasing maneuver cutoff. 


S-IVB sating experiment-Start 5th LH2 tank vent. 

S-IVB sating experiment-End stage control sphere helium dump. 

S-IVB safing experiment-End 5th LH2 tank vent. 

S-IVB sating experiment-Start 2nd cold helium dump. 

S-IVB sating experiment-Start 6th LH2 tank vent. 

S-IVB safing experiment-End 6th LH2 tank vent 

S-IVB safing experiment-End 2nd cold helium dump. 

S-IVB sating experiment-Start 7th LH2 tank vent. 

S-IVB sating experiment-End 7th LH2 tank vent. 

Hydrogen stratification test. 


2nd rendezvous phasing maneuver ignition. 


2nd rendezvous phasing maneuver cutoff. 


Y-Pulse Integrating Pendulum Accelerometer test. 


S-IVB optical tracking. 


Oxygen stratification test. 


1st SPS ignition (NCC/corrective combination maneuver-initiation of rendezvous sequence). 


1st SPS cutoff. 


2nd SPS ignition (NSR/coelliptic maneuver). 


2nd SPS cutoff. 


S-IVB optical tracking. 


Terminal phase initiation ignition. 


Terminal phase initiation cutoff. 


Midcourse correction. 


Terminal phase finalize (braking). 


Terminal phase end/start station-keeping. 


Separation maneuver ignition. 


Separation maneuver cutoff. 


Sextant calibration test. 


Sextant tracking of S-IVB started. 


Sextant tracking of S-IVB ended at 160 n mi. 


Attitude hold test. 


Primary evaporator test. 


Primary evaporator test. 


Attitude hold test. 


001:46:29.96 

002:30:16.95 

002:30:48.80 

002:31:22 

002:32:15 

002:32:22 

002:32:51 

002:33:01 

002:33:31 

002:33:44.80 

002:45 

002:55:02.40 

003:09:14.48 

003:15:56.11 

003:17:33.95 

003:20:09.9 

003:20:26.2 

004:05:47.27 

004:07:01.27 

004: 10:08.43 

004:30:16.96 

004:43:55.85 

004:49:01.73 

004:50:16.95 

005:08:58.99 

005:11:15.43 

013:28:00 

015:52:00.9 

015:52:18.5 

022:30 

025:10 

025:14:00 

026:24:55.66 

026:25:05.02 

028:00:56.47 

028:01:04.23 

028:20 

029:16:33 

029:17:19 

029:30:42 

029:43:55 

029:55:43 

030:20:00.0 

030:20:05.4 

041:00 

044:40 

045:30 

049:00 

049:50 

050:30 

050:40 

16:49:15 

17:33:02 

17:32:45 

17:34:07 

17:35:00 

17:35:07 

17:35:36 

17:35:46 

17:36:16 

17:35:45 

12:17 

17:57:47 

18:11:59 

18:18:41 

18:20:19 

18:22:54 

18:23:11 

19:08:32 

19:09:46 

19:12:53 

19:33:02 

19:46:40 

19:51:46 

19:53:02 

20:11:44 

20:14:00 

04:30:45 

06:54:45 

06:55:03 

13:32 

16:12 

16:16:45 

17:27:40 

17:27:50 

19:03:41 

19:03:49 

19:22 

20:19:18 

20:20:04 

20:33:27 

20:46:40 

20:58:28 

21:22:45 

21:22:50 

08:02 

11:42 

12:32 

16:02 

16:52 

17:32 

17:42 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

11 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

12 Oct 

13 Oct 

13 Oct 

13 Oct 

13 Oct 

13 Oct 

13 Oct 

13 Oct 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
Apollo 7 Timeline

Event

GET

(hhh:mm:ss)

GMT

Time

GMT

Date

Sextant track in g o f S-IVB started. 052:10 19:12 13 Oct 1968

Sextant track in g o f S-IVB e n d ed at 320 n m i. 053:20 20:22 13 Oct 1968

R endezvous ra d ar tran sp o n d er test. 061:00 04:02 14 Oct 1968

R endezvous ra d ar tran sp o n d er test. 071:40 14:42 14 Oct 1968

1st television tran sm issio n started. 071:43 14:45 14 Oct 1968

1st television tran sm issio n ended. 071:50 14:52 14 Oct 1968

3rd SPS ignition (to p osition an d size orbital ellipse). 075:48:00.27 18:50:45 14 Oct 1968

3rd SPS cutoff. 075:48:09.37 18:50:54 14 Oct 1968

R endezvous ra d ar tran sp o n d er test. 076:27 19:29 14 Oct 1968

R adiator d egradation test started. 092:37:00 11:39:45 15 Oct 1968

2 n d television tran sm issio n started. 095:25 14:27 15 Oct 1968

2 n d television tran sm issio n ended. 095:36 14:38 15 Oct 1968

R adiator surface coating deg rad atio n test ended. 097:00 16:02 15 Oct 1968

H ydrogen stratification test. 098:11 17:13 15 Oct 1968

E xperim ent S005 photography. 098:40 17:42 15 Oct 1968

E xperim ent S006 photography. 099:10 18:12 15 Oct 1968

W indow photography. 101:10 20:12 15 Oct 1968

3rd television tran sm issio n started. 119:08 14:10 16 Oct 1968

3rd television tran sm issio n ended. 119:18 14:20 16 Oct 1968

4 th SPS ignition (m in im u m im pulse b u rn ). 120:43:00.44 15:45:45 16 Oct 1968

4 th SPS cutoff. 120:43:00.92 15:45:45 16 Oct 1968

Star/horizon sightings. 124:00 19:02 16 Oct 1968

Oxygen stratification test. 131:52 02:54 16 Oct 1968

4 th television tran sm issio n started. 141:11 12:13 17 Oct 1968

4 th television tran sm issio n ended. . 141:27 12:29 17 Oct 1968

L unar la n d m a rk star sightings. 147:00 18:02 17 Oct 1968

S-IVB im p act (theoretical). 162:27:15 09:30:00 18 Oct 1968

5th SPS ignition (to position a n d size orbital ellipse). 165:00:00.42 12:02:45 18 Oct 1968

5th SPS cutoff. 165:01:07.37 12:03:52 18 Oct 1968

Passive th erm al control test started. 167:00 14:02 18 Oct 1968

Passive th erm al control test ended. 167:50 14:52 18 Oct 1968

Service propulsion cold so ak test started. 168:00 15:02 18 Oct 1968

Service propulsion cold so ak test ended. 171:10 18:12 18 Oct 1968

5th television transm ission. 189:04 12:06 19 Oct 1968

M orse code em ergency keying test started. 190:36:06 13:38:51 19 Oct 1968

M orse code em ergency keying test ended. 190:43:01 13:45:46 19 Oct 1968

Oxygen stratification test. 198:27:00 21:29:45 19 Oct 1968

6 th SPS ignition (m in im u m im pulse b u rn ). 210:07:59.99 09:10:45 20 Oct 1968

6 th SPS cutoff. 210:08:00.49 09:10:45 20 Oct 1968

Passive th erm al control test (pitch procedure) started. 212:00 11:02 20 Oct 1968

Passive th erm al control test ended. 212:50 11:52 20 Oct 1968

6 th television transm ission. 213:10 12:12 20 Oct 1968

Star/horizon sightings. 213:30 12:32 20 Oct 1968

H ydrogen stratification test. 227:12 02:14 21 Oct 1968

O ptics deg rad atio n test started. 228:30 03:32 21 Oct 1968

Solar Particle A lert N etw ork Facility at C arnarvon rep o rted class IB solar flare. 231:08 06:10 21 Oct 1968

7th television tran sm issio n started. 236:18 11:20 21 Oct 1968

7th television tran sm issio n ended. 236:29 11:31 21 Oct 1968

7th SPS ignition (tim e anom aly adjust for deorbit b u rn ). 239:06:11.97 14:08:57 21 Oct 1968

7th SPS cutoff. 239:06:19.67 14:09:04 21 Oct 1968

W indow photography. 242:30 17:32 21 Oct 1968

Apollo 7
8th SPS ignition (deorbit burn). 

8th SPS cutoff. 

CM!SM separation. 

Entry. 

Communication blackout started. 

Communication blackout ended. 

Maximum entry g force (3.33 g). 

SM impact in the Atlantic Ocean. S-band contact with CM by recovery aircraft. 

Drogue parachute deployed. 

Main parachute deployed. VHF voice contact with CM established by recovery forces. 

Splashdown (went to apex-down). 

Inflation of flotation bags started. 

CM returned to apex-up position. 

VHF recovery beacon signal received by recovery aircraft. 

VHF voice communication with CM reestablished. 

CM sighted by recovery helicopter. 

Swimmers and flotation collar deployed. 

Flotation collar inflated. 

CM hatch opened. 

Crew aboard recovery helicopter. 

Recovery ship at CM. Crew aboard recovery ship. 

CM aboard recovery ship. 

Crew departed recovery ship. 

Crew arrived at Cape Kennedy. 

CM offloaded at Norfolk Naval Air Station. 

Saling team started CM deactivation. 

Deactivation of CM completed. 

259:39: 16.36 

259:39:28.15 

259:43:33.8 

259:53:26 

259:54:58 

259:59:46 

260:01:09 

260:03 

260:03:23 

260:04:13 

260:09:03 

260:18 

260:22 

260:23 

260:24 

260:30 

260:32 

260:41 

260:45 

260:58 

261:06 

262:01 

285:54 

288:43 

310:58 

370:28 

10:42:01 

10:42:13 

10:46:18 

10:56:11 

10:57:43 

11:02:31 

11:03:54 

11:055 

11:06:08 

11:06:58 

11:11:48 

11:20 

11:24 

11:25 

11:26 

11:32 

11:34 

11:43 

11:47 

12:00 

12:08 

13:03 

12:56 

15:45 

14:00 

01:30 

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

22 Oc

23 Oc

23 Oc

24 Oc

24 Oc

27 Oc

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
The Secon Mission: 


Testing the CSM in Lunar Orbit 

The Apollo 8 crew (l. to. r.): Bill Anders, Jim Lovell, 

Frank Borman (NASA S68-53187). 

Background 

Apollo 8 was a Type "C prime" mission, a CSM piloted 

flight demonstration in lunar orbit instead of Earth orbit 

like Apollo 7. It was the first mission to take humans to 

the vicinity of the Moon, a bold step forward in the development of a lunar landing capability. 

The mission was originally designated SA-503, an unpiloted Earth orbital mission to be launched in May 1968 with 

boilerplate payload BP-30 instead of an operational spacecraft. The success of Apollo 6 (AS-502), however, led to the 

decision on 27 April that AS-503 would be a piloted mission with a CSM and LM instead of BP-30. 

The change to a piloted flight required that the S-II stage 

be returned to the Mississippi Test Facility for "manrating." Additional tests for a piloted flight continued at 

KSC. The Mississippi tests were successfully completed on 

30 May 1968 and the stage returned to the Kennedy Space 

Center on 27 June. 

adapter for mass loading purposes, replacing the LM

was also on this date that the crew was instructed to 

for a mission to the Moon, officially designated "Apo

The possibility of conducting a lunar mission was firs

cussed with the crew on 10 August, and the results o

Apollo 7, to be launched in October, would determin

whether the mission would be lunar orbital, circumlu

Earth orbital. All training immediately focused on the 

orbital mission, the most difficult of the three, and gr

support preparations were accelerated. The first simul

exercise was conducted on 9 September, and the spac

cle was transferred to the launch site on 9 October. 

Following the successful completion of Apollo 7 on 

22 October, the official decision to conduct a lunar o

mission was made 12 November, just five weeks befo

scheduled launch. The decision was made after a tho

evaluation of spacecraft performance during Apollo 7

days in Earth orbit and an assessment of the risks in

in a lunar orbit mission. These risks included the tot

dependency upon the service propulsion engine for p

pelling the spacecraft from lunar orbit, and a lunar o

return time of three days, compared to an Earth orb

return of just 30 minutes to three hours. Also consid

was the value of the flight in furthering the goal of l

a human on the Moon before the end of 1969. The 

pal gains from a lunar mission would include experi

in deep space navigation, communications, and track

greater knowledge of spacecraft thermal response to 

space; and crew operational experience-all directly 

cable to lunar landing missions. 

Apollo 8 was the first piloted mission launched with 

three-stage Saturn V vehicle; the two previous Saturn 

flights had been unpiloted. The spacecraft was a Bloc

CSM, and the spacecraft/launch vehicle adapter was 

first to incorporate a mechanism to jettison the pane

would cover the LM on future missions. 

The primary objectives of Apollo 8 were: 

• to demonstrate the combined performance of the crew, sp

vehicle, and mission support team during a piloted Saturn 

mission with the CSM; and 

[J_D Apollo by the Numbers 
• to demonstrate the performance of nominal and selected backup

lunar orbit rendezvous procedures.

The crew members were Colonel Frank Frederick Borman II 

(USAF), commander; Captain James Arthur Lovell, Jr. 

(USN), command module pilot; and Major William Alison 

Anders (USAF), lunar module pilot. 

Selected in the astronaut group of 1962, Borman had been 

command pilot of Gemini 7. Born 14 March 1928 in Gary, 

Indiana, he was 40 years old at the time of the Apollo 8 

mission. Borman received a B.S. from the U.S. Military 

Academy in 1950 and an M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering

in 1957 from the California Institute of Technology. His

backup for the mission was Neil Alden Armstrong. 

Lovell had been pilot for the Gemini 7 mission and command pilot for Gemini 12. Born 25 March 1928 in 

Cleveland, Ohio, he was 40 years old at the time of the 

Apollo 8 mission. Lovell received a B.S. in 1952 from the 

U.S. Naval Academy, and was selected as an astronaut in 

1962. His backup was Colonel Edwin Eugene "Buzz" Aldrin, 

Jr. (USAF). 

Anders was making his first spaceflight. Born 17 October 

1933 in Hong Kong, he was 35 years old at the time of the 

Apollo 8 mission. Anders received a B.S. in Electrical 

Engineering in 1955 from the U.S. Naval Academy and an 

M.S. in Nuclear Engineering in 1962 from the U.S. Air 

Force Institute of Technology, and was selected as an astronaut in 1963. His backup was Fred Wallace Haise, Jr.

The capsule communicators (CAPCOMs) for the mission 

were Lt. Col. Michael Collins (USAF), Lt. Commander 

Thomas Kenneth "Ken" Mattingly II (USN), Major Gerald 

Paul Carr (USMC), Armstrong, Aldrin, Vance DeVoe 

Brand, and Haise. The support crew were Brand, 

Mattingly, and Carr. The flight directors were Clifford E.

Charlesworth (first shift), Glynn S. Lunney (second shift), 

and Milton L. Windler (third shift). 

The Apollo 8 launch vehicle was a Saturn V, designated 

SA-503. The mission also carried the designation Eastern Test 

Range #170. The CSM combination was designated CSM-103. 

The lunar module test article was designated LTA-B.

Because this was a lunar mission, it was necessary for the 

vehicle to be launched within a particular daily launch 

"window': or time period, within a monthly launch window. Part of the constraints were dictated by the desire to 

pass over selected lunar sites with lighting conditions similar to those planned for the later landing missions. Lunar 

orbit inclination, inclination of the free return trajectory, 

and spacecraft propellant reserves were other primary factors considered in the mission planning. 

The first monthly window was in December 1968, with 

launch dates of 20-27 December, and January 1969 as a 

backup. It was decided to make the first attempt on 21 

December to have the total available daily window during 

daylight. Targeting for this day would allow the flight to 

pass over a future lunar landing site at latitude 2.63

° and 

longitude 34.03° with a sun elevation angle of 6.74°

. The 

window for 21 December lasted from 12:50:22 to 17:31:40 

GMT, with liftoff scheduled for 12:51:00 GMT. 

Launch Preparations 

The terminal countdown sequence began at 01:51 GMT on 

20 December at T-28 hours. At that time, space vehicle 

operations were functionally ahead of the clock. Later in the 

count, it was discovered that the onboard liquid oxygen 

supply for the spacecraft environmental control system and 

fuel cell systems was contaminated with nitrogen. 

Preparations were made to replace the liquid oxygen, the 

reservicing operations were completed, and the tanks were 

pressurized at T-10 hours. 

During the planned six-hour hold period at T-9 hours, virtually all of the countdown tasks, delayed by the liquid 

oxygen detanking and retanking operations, were brought 

back in line. When the count was picked up again at T-9 

hours, space vehicle operations were essentially on schedule. At T-8 hours, S-NB liquid oxygen loading operations 

began. The cryogenic loading operations were completed at

08:29 GMT on December 21, eight minutes into the 

one-hour scheduled hold. The count was picked up at T-3 

hours 30 minutes at 09:21 GMT, and the crew entered the

spacecraft at T-2 hours 53 minutes. 

A cold front passed through the launch area the afternoon 

before launch and became a stationary front about launch

time, laying through the Miami area. At launch time, surface winds were from the north but changed to westerly at 

4,900 feet and remained generally from the west above that

region. Cirrus clouds covered 40 percent of the sky ( cloud 

base not recorded), visibility was 10 statute miles, the temperature was 59.0

° F, relative humidity was 88 percent, dew 

point was 56 percent, barometric pressure was 14.804 lb/in2 

and winds were 18.7 ft/sec at 348° from true north measured by the anemometer on the light pole 60.0 feet above 

ground at the launch site. 

Apollo8 0 
21 December 1968, well within the planned launch window. 

The ascent phase was nominal. Moments after liftoff, the 

vehicle rolled from a launch pad azimuth of 90° to a flight 

azimuth of 72.124° east of north. The S-IC engine shut down 

at 000:02:33.82, followed by S-IC/S-II separation, and S-II 

engine ignition. The S-II engine shut down at 000:08:44.04 

followed by separation from the S-NB, which ignited at 

000:08:48.29. The first S-NB engine cutoff occurred at 

000:11:24.98, with deviations from the planned trajectory of 

only+1.44 ft/sec in velocity and only -0.01 n mi in altitude. 

Apollo 8, the first piloted Saturn V flight and 


humankind's first trip to the Moon, lifts off from 


Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A (NASA S68-56050). 


The S-IC stage impacted at 000:09:00.410 in the Atlantic 

Ocean at latitude 30.2040° north and longitude 74.1090° 

west, 353.462 n mi from the launch site. The S-II stage 

impacted at 000:19:25.106 in the Atlantic Ocean at latitude 

31.8338° north and longitude 37.2774° west, 2,245.913 

n mi from the launch site. 

viewed aft into the LOX tank through fiber optics bu

One of the LOX tank capsules was recovered by helic

at 00:19:30 at latitude 30.22° north and longitude 73.

west. Despite film damage caused by sea water and d

marker which had leaked into the camera compartm

the film provided usable data. It was not known if th

other three capsules were ejected. There were also tw

vision cameras on the S-IC to view propulsion and c

system components. Both provided good quality data

The maximum wind conditions encountered during 

were 114.1 ft/sec at 284° from true north at 49,900 fe

(high dynamic pressure region). Component wind sh

were of low magnitude at all altitudes. The largest wi

shear was a pitch plane shear of 0.0103 sec-t at 52,50

At 000:11:34.98, the spacecraft entered Earth orbit, de

as S-IVB cutoff plus 10 seconds to account for engin

off and other transient effects. At insertion, condition

were: apogee and perigee 99.99 by 99.57 n mi, inclin

32.509°, period 89.19 minutes, and velocity 25,567.06 

The apogee and perigee were based upon a spherical 

with a radius of 3,443.934 n mi. 

The international designation for the spacecraft upon 

achieving orbit was 1968-118A and the S-IVB was de

nated 1968-118B. 

Earth Orbit Phase 

At 000:42:05, the optics cover was jettisoned and the c

performed star checks over the Carnarvon, Australia, t

ing station to verify platform alignment. During the se

revolution, at 001:56:00, all spacecraft systems were ap

for translunar injection. 

Because of the risks involved, the mission had been s

tured with three commit points: launch, Earth parkin

orbit, and translunar coast preceding the point where 

CSM was to brake into lunar orbit. Had any problem

been detected at these points, the plan was to shift to 

nate missions, which provided for maximum crew sa

and maximum scientific and engineering benefit. Ha

there been reason for not committing to the third po

the CSM would have continued on its "free-return" t

tory, looping behind the Moon and returning directly 

Earth. 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
After inflight systems checks, it was determined that liquid 

oxygen venting through the J-2 engine had increased the 

apogee by 6.4 n mi, a condition that was only 0.7 n mi 

greater than predicted.

The 317.72-second translunar injection maneuver (second 

S-IVB firing) was performed at 002:50:37.79. The S-IVB 

engine shut down at 002:55:55.51 and translunar injection 

occurred ten seconds later, at a velocity of 35,504.41 ft/sec, 

after 1.5 Earth revolutions lasting 2 hours 44 minutes 

30.53 seconds.

Translunar Phase

The spacecraft was separated from the S-IVB at 003:20:59.3 

by a small maneuver of the service module reaction control system, and the high-gain antenna was deployed (later 

used for the first time at 006:33:04). After spacecraft turnaround, the crew observed and photographed the S-IVB 

and practiced station-keeping. At 003:40:01, a 1.1 ft/sec 

maneuver was performed using the service module reaction control system to increase the distance between the 

spacecraft and the S-IVB. The distance did not increase as 

rapidly as desired, and a second, 7.7 ft/sec maneuver was 

performed at 004:45:01.

View of Saturn V stage following separation from the

CSM (NASA AS08-16-2583).

One objective of the mission was to place the S-IVB into 

solar orbit. The “slingshot” maneuver required to accomplish this objective included a continuous LH2 vent, a LOX 

dump, and an auxiliary propulsion system ullage burn. At 

004:55:56.02, the LH2 vent valve was opened, and the 

remaining liquid oxygen and the auxiliary propulsion system propellant in the S-IVB were used to change the trajectory of the S-IVB stage. The liquid oxygen was expelled 

through the J-2 engine starting at 005:07:55.82 and ended 

five minutes later.

CMP Jim Lovell navigates during the first trip to the

Moon (NASA S69-35097).

The auxiliary propulsion motors were fired from 

005:25:55.85 to depletion at 005:38:34.00. The resulting 

velocity increment targeted the S-IVB to go past the trailing edge of the Moon. The closest approach of the S-IVB 

to the Moon was 682 n mi at 069:58:55.2. The point of 

closest approach was latitude 19.2 north by longitude 88.0 

east. The trajectory after passing from the lunar sphere of 

influence resulted in a solar orbit with a semi-major axis 

of 77.130 million n mi, an aphelion and perihelion of 

79.770 million by 74.490 million n mi, an inclination of 

23.47°, and a period of 340.8 days.

The translunar injection maneuver was so accurate that 

only one small midcourse correction would have been 

sufficient to achieve the desired lunar orbit insertion altitude of 65 n mi. However, the second of the 2 maneuvers 

that separated the spacecraft from the S-IVB altered the 

trajectory so that a 2.4-second midcourse correction of

20.4 ft/sec at 010:59:59.2 was required to achieve the 

desired trajectory.1 For this midcourse correction, the service propulsion system was used to reduce the altitude of 

closest approach to the Moon from 458.1 to 66.3 n mi. An 

additional 11.9-second midcourse correction of only

1.4 ft/sec was performed at 060:59:55.9 to refine the lunar 

insertion conditions further.

1 The maneuver at 010:59:59.2 was targeted for a velocity change of 24.8 ft/sec. Only 20.4 ft/sec was achieved because thrust was less than expected. The firing time of 2.4 seconds 

was correct for the constants loaded into the computer, but was approximately 0.4 second too short for the actual engine performance.

Apollo 8 35
Earth view following translunar injection (NASA AS08­

16-2596). 

During the translunar coast, the crew made systems checks 

and navigation sightings, and tested the spacecraft high-gain 

antenna, a four-dish unified S-band antenna that swung out 

from the service module after separation from the S-IVB. 

Apollo 8 was the first piloted U.S. mission in which the 

crew members experienced symptoms of a mild motion 

sickness, identical to incipient mild seasickness. Soon after 

leaving their couches, all three experienced nausea as a 

result of rapid body movements. The duration of symptoms varied between 2 and 24 hours but did not interfere 

with operational effectiveness. After waking from a fitful 

rest period at 016:00:00, the commander experienced a 

headache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms 

were diagnosed inflight as a possible viral gastroenteritis, 

an epidemic that was noted in the Cape Kennedy area 

prior to the mission. During the post mission medical 

debriefing, the commander reported that the symptoms 

may have been a side effect of a sleeping tablet he had 

taken at 011:00:00, which had produced similar symptoms 

during pre-mission testing of the drug (SeconalTM). 

Two of the six live television transmissions were also made 

during translunar flight. The first was a 23-minute 37-second transmission at 031:10:36. The wide-angle lens was 

used to obtain excellent pictures of the inside of the spacecraft and Lovell preparing a meal; however the telephoto 

lens passed too much light and pictures of Earth were very 

poor. A procedure for taping certain filters from the still 

camera to the television camera improved later transmissions. A 25-minute 38-second transmission at 55:02:45 provided scenes of Earth's western hemisphere. 

CMP Jim Lovell with camera (NASA S68-56533). 

At 055:38:40 the crew were notified that they had b

the first humans to travel to a place where the pull 

Earth's gravity was less than that of another body. T

spacecraft was 176,250 n mi from Earth, 33,800 n m

the Moon, and their velocity had slowed to 3,261 ft

Gradually, as it moved farther into the Moon's grav

field, the spacecraft picked up speed. 

Ignition for lunar orbit insertion was performed wi

service propulsion system at 069:08:20.4, at an altit

76.6 n mi above the Moon. The 246.9-second burn 

ed in an orbit of 168.5 by 60.0 n mi and a veloCity 

5,458 ft/sec. The translunar coast had lasted 66 hou

minutes 21.79 seconds. 

View of the Moon from Apollo 8 (NASA AS08-14

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
crew became the first humans to see the far side of the 

Moon. After four hours of navigation checks, ground-based 

determination of the orbital parameters, and a 12-minute 

television transmission of the lunar surface at 071:40:52, a 

9.6-second lunar orbit circularization maneuver was performed at 073:35:06.6, which resulted in an orbit of 60.7 

by 59.7 n mi. 

The next 12 hours of crew activity in lunar orbit involved 

photography of both the near and far sides of the Moon 

and landing-area sightings. The principal photographic 

objectives were to obtain vertical and oblique overlapping 

(stereo strip) photographs during at least two revolutions, 

photographs of specified targets of opportunity, and photographs through the spacecraft sextant of a potential landing site. The purpose of the overlapping photography was 

to determine elevation and geographical position of lunar 

far side features. The targets of opportunity were areas recommended for photography if time and circumstances 

permitted. They were selected to provide either detailed 

coverage of specific features or broad coverage of areas not 

adequately covered by satellite photography. Most were 

proposed to improve knowledge of areas on the Earthfacing hemisphere. The sextant photography was included 

to provide image comparisons for landmark evaluation and 

navigation training purposes. A secondary objective was to 

photograph one of the certified Apollo landing sites. 

The Apollo 8 photography afforded the first opportunity to 

analyze the intensity and spectral distribution of lunar surface illumination free from the atmospheric modulation 

present in Earth telescopic photography and without the 

electronic processing losses present in satellite photography. 

The crew completed photographic exercises in an excellent 

manner. Over 800 70 mm still photographs were obtained. 

Of these, 600 were good-quality reproductions of lunar 

surface features, and the remainder were of the S-IVB during separation and venting, and long-distance Earth and 

lunar photography. 

Over 700 feet of 16 mm film were also exposed during the 

S-IVB separation, lunar landmark photography through the 

sextant, lunar surface sequence photography, and documentation of intravehicular activity. 

Apollo8 0 
of the color of the lunar surface as black-and-white; 

"absolutely no color" or "whitish gray, like dirty beach 

sand:' As expected, the crew could recognize surface features in shadow zones and extremely bright areas of the 

lunar surface, but these features were not well delineated in 

the photographs. 

Brightly rayed crater on far side of the Moon (NASA 

ASOS-13-2327). 

This recognition combined with the photographic information enabled new interpretations of lunar surface features 

and phenomena. As a result, lunar-surface lighting constraints for the lunar landing missions were widened. 

Prior to Apollo 8, the lower limit for lunar lighting was 

believed to be 6°. The Apollo 8 crew observed surface 

detail at sun angles in the vicinity of 2° or 3° and stated 

that these low angles should present no problem for a 

lunar landing, but landing sites in long shadow areas, however, were to be avoided. At the higher limit, an upper · 

bound of 16° would still provide very good definition of 

surface features for most of the critical landing phase near 

touchdown. Between 16° and 20°, lighting was judged 

acceptable for viewing during final descent. A sun angle 

above 20° was considered unsatisfactory for a manual landing maneuver. 

The crew report of the absence of sharp color boundaries 

was significant. The lack of visible contrast from an alti

View of the Sea of Tranquility, target site for the f

piloted lunar landing attempt during Apollo 11 se

months later (NASA ASOS-13-2344). 

Just prior to sunrise on one of the early lunar orbit 

tions, the command module pilot observed what wa

believed to be zodiacal light and solar corona throug

telescope. The lunar module pilot observed a cloud 

bright area in the sky during lunar darkness on two 

cessive revolutions. The identification, if correct, indi

that one of the Magellanic clouds had been observed

Long-distance Earth photography of general interest 

lighted global weather and terrain features. Lunar ph

raphy had not been accomplished during translunar 

because of rigid spacecraft attitude constraints. Howe

good quality photography of most of the Moon disk 

accomplished during transearth coast. 

The crew initially followed the lunar orbit mission p

and performed all scheduled tasks. However, because 

crew fatigue, the commander made the decision at 0

to cancel all activities during the final four hours in 

orbit to allow the crew to rest. The only activities du

this period were a required platform alignment and 

ration for transearth injection. A planned 26-minute 

second television transmission of the Moon and Ear

made at 085:43:03, on Christmas eve. It was during 

transmission that the crew read from the Bible the f

verses of Genesis, and then wished viewers "Good n

good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
The Earth rising over the lunar surface as seen by the 

crew of Apollo 8 (NASA AS08-14-2383). 

Orbit analysis indicated that previously unknown mass 

concentrations or "mascons" were perturbing the orbit. As 

a result, the final lunar orbit had an apogee and perigee of 

63.6 by 58.6 n mi. The 203.7-second transearth injection 

maneuver was performed with the service propulsion system at an altitude of 60.2 n mi at 089:19:16.6 after ten 

revolutions and 20 hours 10 minutes 13.0 seconds in lunar 

orbit. The velocity at transearth injection was 8,842 ft/sec. 

During the mission, the spacecraft reached a maximum 

distance from Earth of 203,752.37 n mi. 

Transearth Phase 

After emerging from lunar occlusion following transearth 

injection, Apollo 8 experienced the only significant communications difficulty of the mission. Although two-way 

phaselock was established at 089:28:47, two-way voice contact and telemetry synchronization were not achieved until 

089:33:28 and 089:43:00, respectively. Data indicated that 

high-gain antenna acquisition may have been attempted 

while line-of-sight was within the service module reflection 

region and that the reflections may have caused the antenna to track on a side lobe. In addition, the spacecraft was 

erroneously configured for high-bit-rate transmission; 

therefore the command at 089:29:29 that configured the 

spacecraft for normal voice and subsequent playback of the 

data storage equipment, selected an S-band signal combi

both Moon and Earth horizons. 

using a roll rate of one revolution 

during most of the translunar and 

to maintain nearly stable onboard 

one small transearth midcourse correc­

-' v-~"·~vl Lu maneuver using the service module 

was required at 104:00:00, and 

vP•r.nnr by 4.8 ft/sec. 

crf:w jpn)ce:clu.ral error, the onboard state vec­

'+'~'""~""~" were lost at 106:00:26. 

rl\pr·tr.r·m••rl at 106:45. 

transmissions were made during 

fifth was a 9-minute 31-second transspacecratt interior at 104:24:04. The sixth 

of Earth, particularly of the western 

was jettisoned at 146:28:48, and the 

luuLuV\rcu an automatically guided entry profile. 

data for the service module were available during entry, but photographic coverage information 

correlated well the predicted trajectory in altitude, latApollo8 0 
.... -"· 

.,, t .. 

, 

. ..

J ,... ,, I 

(',.I 

/ ,· --.. ' .

il.\' IT 

I -�l,' l-' .• �\ 

Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman (NASA S68-56531).

Recovery 

The command module reentered Earth's atmosphere

{400,000 feet altitude) at 146:46:12.8 at a velocity of

36,221.1 ft/sec, following a transearth coast of 57 hours 23

minutes 32.5 seconds. The ionization became so bright

during entry that the CM interior was bathed in a cold

blue light as bright as daylight. At 180,000 feet, as expected, the lift of the CM bounced it to 210,000 feet, where it

then resumed its downward course.

Apollo 8 crew safely aboard the recovery ship U.S.S

Yorktown (NASA S69-15737).

� Apollo by the Numbers

The parachute system effected splashdown of the CM in

the Pacific Ocean at 10:51:42 GMT {05:51:42 a.m. EST) on

27 December. Mission duration was 147:00:42.0. The

impact point was 1.4 n mi from the target point and 2.6 n

mi from the recovery ship U.S.S. Yorktown. The splashdown

site was estimated to be latitude 8.10° north and longitude

165.00° west. Due to the splashdown impact, the CM

assumed an apex-down flotation attitude, but was successfully returned to the normal flotation position 6 minutes

and 3 seconds later by the inflatable bag uprighting system.

As planned, helicopters and aircraft hovered over the

spacecraft and pararescue personnel were not deployed

until local sunrise, 43 minutes after splashdown. At dawn,

the crew was retrieved by helicopter and were aboard the

recovery ship 88 minutes after splashdown. The spacecraft

was recovered 60 minutes later. Estimated distance traveled

for the mission was 504,006 n mi.

Apollo 8 CM is hoisted aboard the recovery ship (NASA

S68-56304).

At the time the recovery swimmers were deployed, the

weather recorded onboard the Yorktown showed scattered

clouds at 2,000 feet and overcast at 9,000 feet, visibility ten

n mi, wind speed 19 knots from 70° true north, water temperature 82° F, and waves to six feet from ll0° true north.

The CM was offloaded from the Torktown on December 29 at 

Ford Island, Hawaii. The I.anding Safing Team began the evaluation and deactivation procedures at 21:00 GMT, and completed them on 1 January 1969. The CM was then flown to
Long Beach, California, and trucked to the North American 

Rockwell Space Division facility at Downey, California for 

postflight analysis. It arrived on 2 January 1969 at 21:00 GMT. 

Conclusions 

With only minor problems, all Apollo 8 spacecraft systems 

operated as intended, and all primary mission objectives 

were successfully accomplished. Crew performance was 

admirable throughout the mission. Approximately 90 percent of the photographic objectives were accomplished and 

60 percent of the additional lunar photographs requested 

as "targets of opportunity" were also taken, despite fogging 

of three of the spacecraft windows due to exposure of the 

window sealant to the space environment and early curtailment of crew activities due to fatigue. Many smaller lunar 

features, previously undiscovered, were photographed. 

These features were located principally on the far side of 

the Moon in areas which had been photographed only at 

much greater distances by automated spacecraft. In addition, the heat shield system was not adversely affected by

exposure to cislunar space or to the lunar environment 

and performed as expected. The following conclusions 

were made from an analysis of post-mission data: 

l. The CSM systems were operational for a piloted lunar mission.

2. All system parameters and consumable quantities were maintained well within their design operating limits during both cislunar and lunar orbit flight.

3. Passive thermal control, a slow rolling maneuver perpendicular

to the Sun line, was a satisfactory means of maintaining critical

spacecraft temperatures near the middle of the acceptable

response ranges.

4. The navigation techniques developed for translunar and lunar

orbit flight were proved to be more than adequate to maintain

required lunar orbit insertion and transearth injection guidance

accuracies.

5. Non-simultaneous sleep periods adversely affected the normal

circadian cycle of each crew member and provided a poor environment for undisturbed rest. Mission activity scheduling for

the lunar orbit coast phase also did not provide adequate time

for required crew rest periods.

6. Communications and tracking at lunar distances were excellent

in all modes. The high-gain antenna, flown for the first time,

performed exceptionally well and withstood dynamic structural

loads and vibrations which exceeded anticipated operating levels.

7. Crew observations of the lunar surface showed the "washout"

effect (surface detail being obscured by backscatter) to be much

less severe than anticipated. In addition, smaller surface details

were visible in shadow areas at low sun angles, indicating that

lighting for lunar landing should be photometrically acceptable.

8. To accommodate the change in Apollo 8 from an Earth orbital

to a lunar mission, pre-mission planning, crew training, and 

ground support reconfigurations were completed in a time period significantly shorter than usual. The required response was

particularly demanding on the crew and, although not desirable

on a long-term basis, exhibited a capability which had never

before been demonstrated.

Apollo 8 Objectives 

Spacecraft Primary Objectives 

l. To demonstrate crew/space vehicle/mission support facilities

performance during a piloted Saturn V mission with the command and service module. Achieved.

2. To demonstrate the performance of nominal and selected backup lunar orbit rendezvous mission activities, including:

a. Saturn targeting for translunar injection. Achieved.

b. Long-duration service propulsion bums and midcourse corrections. Achieved.

c. Pre-translunar injection procedures. Achieved.

d. Translunar injection. Achieved.

e. Command and service module orbital navigation. Achieved.

Primary Detailed Test Objectives 

l. Pl.3I: To perform a guidance and navigation control system controlled entry from a lunar return. Achieved.

2. Pl.33: To perform star-lunar horizon sightings during the translunar and transearth phases. Achieved, although the field of view in

the scanning telescope was obscured by what appeared to be particles whenever the telescope optics were repositioned.

3. Pl.34: To perform star-Earth horizon sightings during translunar

and transearth phases. Achieved, although the field of view in the

scanning telescope was obscured by what appeared to be particles

whenever the telescope optics were repositioned.

Apollo8 0 
5. 	P7.31: To obtain data on the passive thermal control system during a lunar orbit mission. Achieved. 

6. P7.32: To obtain data on the spacecraft dynamic response. 

Achieved. 

7. 	P7.33: To demonstrate spacecraft lunar module adapter panel jettison in a zero-g environment. Achieved. 

8. 	P20.105: To perform lunar orbit insertion service propulsion system guidance and navigation control system controlled burns with 

a fully loaded command and service module. Achieved. 

9. 	P20.106: To perform a transearth insertion guidance and navigation control system controlled service propulsion system burn. 

Achieved. 

10. P20.107: To obtain data on the command module crew procedures and timeline for lunar orbit mission activities. Achieved. 

11. 	P20.109: To demonstrate command service module passive thermal control modes and related communication procedures during a lunar orbit mission. Achieved. 

12. 	P20.110: To demonstrate ground operational support for a command and service module lunar orbit mission. Achieved. 

13. 	P20.111: To perform lunar landmark tracking in lunar orbit from 

the command and service module. (The intent of this objective 

was to establish that an onboard capability existed to compute 

relative position data for the lunar landing mission. This mode 

was to be used in conjunction with the Manned Space Flight 

Network state-vector update). Partially achieved. All portions of the 

objective were satisfied exceptfor the functional test, which required 

the use ofonboard data to determine the error uncertainties in the 

landing site location. A procedural error caused the time intervals 

between the mark designations to be too short; thus, the data may 

have been correct but may not have been representative. The accuracy of the onboard capability was not determined because the 

data analysis was not complete at the time the mission report was 

published. Sufficient data were obtained to determine that no constraint existed for subsequ.:nt missions. A demonstration of this 

technique was planned for the next lunar mission. 

14. 	P20.112: To prepare for translunar injection and monitor the 

guidance and navigation control system and launch vehicle tank 

pressure displays during the translunar injection burn. Achieved. 

counted through zero at the termination ofthe transearth 

course correction. 

Secondary Detailed Test Objectives 

1. 	Sl.27: To monitor the guidance and navigation control 

and displays during launch. Achieved. 

2. S1.30: To obtain inertial measurement unit performance 

the flight environment. Achieved. 

3. 	Sl.32: To perform star-Earth landmark sighting navigat

ing translunar and transearth phases. Partially achieved

three sets ofsightings required at less than 50,000 n mi a

were not obtained. The accuracy of other navigation mod

sufficient to preclude the necessity of using star-Earth lan

for midcourse navigation. No constraint on subsequent m

resulted from this problem. 

4. 	Sl.35: To perform an inertial measurement unit alignm

a star pattern visibility check in daylight. Achieved. 

5. 	S3.21: To perform service propulsion system lunar orbit 

tion and transearth injection burns and monitor the pr

and auxiliary gauging systems. Achieved. 

6. S4.5: To obtain data on the block II environmental cont

tem performance during piloted lunar return entry con

Achieved, although the #2 cabin fan was noisy. 

7. 	S6.10: To communicate with the Manned Space Flight N

using the command and service module S-band omni a

at lunar distance. Achieved. 

8. S7.30: To demonstrate the performance of the block II 

protection system during a piloted lunar return entry. A

9. 	S20.104: To perform a command and service module/S-

aration and a command and service module transpositi

lunar mission timeline. Achieved. 

10. S20.108: To obtain data on command·and service mod

sumables for a command and service module lunar or

sion. Achieved. 

11. 	S20.115: To obtain photographs during the transearth, 

nar and lunar orbit phases for operational and scientif

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
jettison motor, S-II retro and service module reaction control 

system exhausts, and <;>ther sources of contamination on the 

command module windows. Achieved. The hatch and side windows were obscured by fog or frost throughout the mission. 

Functional Tests Added to Primary Detailed Test 

Objectives During the Mission 

1. Pl.34: Star/earth horizon photography through the sextant. Achieved. 

2. P1.34: Midcourse navigation with helmets on. Achieved. 

3. 	 Pl.34: Navigation with long eyepiece. Achieved. 

4. 	P6.11: High-gain antenna, automatic reacquisition. Achieved. 

5. 	 P20.109: Passive thermal control, roll rate of 0.3° per second. 

Achieved. 

Launch Vehicle Primary Detailed Test Objectives 

1. 	To verify that modifications incorporated in the S-IC stage since 

the Apollo 6 flight suppress low-frequency longitudinal oscillations (POGO). Achieved. 

engine environment in the S-II and S-IVB 

5. To demonstrate capability of the S-IVB to restart in Earth 

orbit. Achieved. 

operation of the S-IVB helium heater repressurization Achieved. 

capability to safe the S-IVB stage in orbit. 

caJ: bility to inject the S-IVB/instrument unit/lunar 

"B" into a lunar "slingshot" trajectory. Achieved. 

of the launch vehicle to perform a 

injection. Achieved. 

Detailed Test Objective 

To verify the command and communications system and 

ground system and the operation of the command and 

in the deep space environment. Achieved. 

Apollo 8 ~ 
Saturn S-IC stage #3 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IC stage #3 erected on MLP #1. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #S03 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn V instrument unit #S03 delivered to KSC. 

BP-30 delivered to KSC. 

Lunar test article B delivered to KSC. 

Lunar test article B mated to spacecraft/1M adapter. 

Saturn S-II stage #3 erected. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #S03 erected. 

Saturn V instrument unit #S03 erected. 

Boilerplate payload (BP-30) and summary launch escape system erected. 

Launch vehicle electrically mated. 

Space vehicle overall test #1 completed (for unpiloted mission). 

Space vehicle pull test completed (for unpiloted mission). 

Space vehicle overall test #2 completed (for unpiloted mission). 

Decision made to de-erect boilerplate payload (BP-30) for service propulsion system skirt modifications. 

C mission changed to C prime mission. 

Spacecraft/1M adapter #11, instrument unit #S03 and Saturn S-IVB stage #S03 de-erected. 

Saturn S-II stage #3 de-erected. 

Saturn S-II stage #3 departed for Mississippi Test Facility for man-rating tests. 

Individual and combined CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

LM descent stage #3 delivered to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #3 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-II stage #3 delivered to KSC from Mississippi Test Facility. 

Integrated CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

Saturn S-II stage #3 re-erected. 

CSM #103 quads delivered to KSC. 

CM #103 and SM #103 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

Service module #103 delivered to KSC. 

CM #103 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #S03 erected. 

Saturn V instrument unit #S03 erected. 

Facility verification vehicle erected. 

AS-503 designated Apollo 8. Decision made to replace LM with spacecraft!LM adapter and lunar test article B. 

CM #103 and SM #103 mated. 

Launch vehicle electrical systems test completed. 

CSM #103 combined systems test completed. 

Facility verification vehicle de-erected. 

BP-30 erected for service arm checkout. 

Spacecraft/1M adapter #11 delivered to KSC. 

CSM #103 altitude tests completed. 

Lunar test artide B mated with spacecraft/1M adapter. 

Service arm overall test completed. 

BP-30 de-erected. 

CSM #103 moved to VAB. 

Space vehicle and MLP #1 transferred to launch complex 39A. 

Mobile service structure transferred to launch complex 39A. 

Space vehicle cutoff and malfunction test completed. 

CSM #103/Mission Control Center Houston test completed. 

CSM #103 integrated systems test completed. 

CSM #103 electrically mated to launch vehicle. 

27 Dec 1967 

30 Dec 1967 

30 Dec 1967 

04 Jan 1968 

06 Jan 1968 

09 Jan 1968 

19 Jan 1968 

31 Jan 1968 

01 Feb 1968 

01 Feb 1968 

OS Feb 1968 

12 Feb 1968 

11 Mar 1968 

2S Mar 1968 

08 Apr 1968 

10 Apr 1968 

27 Apr 1968 

28 Apr 1968 

29 Apr 1968 

01 May 1968 

02 Jun 1968 

09 Jun 1968 

14 Jun 1968 

27 Jun 1968 

21 Jul1968 

06 Aug 1968 

11 Aug 1968 

11 Aug 1968 

12 Aug 1968 

14 Aug 1968 

14 Aug 1968 

1S Aug 1968 

16 Aug 1968 

19 Aug 1968 

22 Aug 1968 

23 Aug 1968 

OS Sep 1968 

14 Sep 1968 

1S Sep 1968 

18 Sep 1968 

22 Sep 1968 

29 Sep 1968 

02 Oct 1968 

04 Oct 1968 

07 Oct 1968 

09 Oct 1968 

12 Oct 1968 

22 Oct 1968 

29 Oct 1968 

02 Nov 1968 

04 Nov 1968 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
Event 

Duration 

(deg E) 

160.41 

367.85 

156.69 

Space vehicle electrically mated. 


Space vehicle overall test completed. 


Space vehicle overall test #1 (plugs in) completed. 


Launch vehicle/Mission Control Center Houston test completed. 


Launch umbilical tower/pad water system test completed. 


Space vehicle flight readiness test completed. 


Space vehicle hypergolic fuel loading completed. 


Saturn S-IC stage #3 RP-1 fuel loading completed. 


Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (wet) completed. 


Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (dry) completed. 


Apollo 8 Ascent Phase 

Earth Space 

Fixed Fixed 

GET Altitude Range Velocity Velocity 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (n mi) (ftlsec) (ftlsec) 

Liftoff 000:00:00.67 0.032 0.000 2.2 1,340.7 

Mach 1 achieved 000:01 :01.45 3.971 1.297 1,076.3 2,078.4 

Maximum dynamic pressure 000:01 :18.9 7.252 3.545 1,735.4 2,754.7 

S-IC center engine cutoff2 000:02:05.93 22.398 22.704 5,060.1 6,213.78 132. 2 

S-IC outboard engine cutoff 000:02:33.82 35.503 48.306 7,698.0 8,899.77 

S-ICIS-II separation2 000:02:34.47 35.838 49.048 7,727.36 8,930.15 

S-11 engine cutoff 000:08:44.04 103.424 812.267 21,055.6 22,379.1 

S-11/S-IVB separation2 000:08:44.90 103.460 815.159 21,068.14 22,391.60 

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff 000:11:24.98 103.324 1,391.631 24,238.3 25,562.43 

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:34.98 103.326 1,430.363 24,242.9 35,532.41 

Apollo 8 Earth Orbit Phas 

Space 

Fixed Event Veloci 

GET Velocity Duration Chang 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (ftlsec) (sec) (ft/sec) 

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:34.98 25,567.06 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition 002:50:37.79 25,558.6 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff 002:55:55.51 35,532.41 317.72 9,973.8 

2 Only the commanded time is available for this event. 

Geocentric 

Latitude 

(deg N) 

28.4470 

28.4526 

28.4645 

28.5581 

28.6856 

28.6893 

31.5492 

31.5565 

32.4541 

32.4741 

OS Nov 1968 

06 Nov 1968 

07 Nov 1968 

11 Nov 1968 

12 Nov 1968 

19 Nov 1968 

30 Nov 1968 

02 Dec 1968 

10 Dec 1968 

11 Dec 1968 

Space 

Fixed 

Flight 

Path 

Longitude Angle 

(deg E) (deg) 

-80.6041 0.00 

-80.5805 26.79 

-80.5398 29.56 

-80.1934 24.527 

-79.7302 20.699 

-79.7168 20.605 

-65.3897 0.646 

-65.3338 0.636 

-54.0565 -0.001 

-53.2923 -2.072 

Space 

Fixed 

Heading 

Angle 

(E ofN) 

90.00 

85.21 

82.43 

76.572 

75.387 

75.384 

81.777 

81.807 

88.098 

87.47 

Apogee Perigee . Period Inclination 

(n mi) (n mi) (mins) (deg) 

99.99 99.57 88.19 32.509 

30.639 

Apollo8 0 
Fixed Event Velocity Path He

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle A

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (deg) (E 

Translunar injection 002:56:05.51 187.221 35,505.41 7.897 67

CSM separated from S-IVB 003:20:59.3 3,797.775 24,974.90 45.110 10

Midcourse correction ignition 010:59:59.2 52,768.4 8,187 73.82 12

Midcourse correction cutoff 011:00:01.6 52,771.7 8,172 2.4 20.4 73.75 1

Midcourse correction ignition 060:59:55.9 21,064.5 4,101 -84.41 -8

Midcourse correction cutoff 061 :00:07.8 21,059.2 4,103 11.9 1.4 -84.41 -8

Apollo 8 Lunar Orbit Phase 

Space 

Fixed Event Velocity 

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Apogee Pe

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (nmi) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (n mi) (n 

Lunar orbit insertion ignition 069:08:20.4 75.6 8,391 

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff 069:12:27.3 62.0 5,458 246.9 2,997 168.5 6

Lunar orbit circularization ignition 073:35:06.6 59.3 5,479 

Lunar orbit circularization cutoff 073:35:16.2 60.7 5,345 9.6 134.8 60.7 

Apollo 8 Transearth Phase 

Space 

Fixed S

Space Flight F

Fixed Event Velocity Path He

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle A

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (deg) (E 

Transearth injection ignition 089:19:16.6 60.2 5,342 -0.16 -1

Transearth injection cutoff 089:22:40.3 66.1 8,842 203.7 3,519.0 5.10 -1

Midcourse correction ignition 104:00:00.00 165,561.5 4,299 -80.59 5

Midcourse correction cutoff 104:00:15.00 167,552.0 4,298 15.00 4.8 -80.60 5

Apollo by the Numbers 
Apollo 8 Timeline

Event

GET

(hhh:mm:ss)

GMT

Time

GMT

Date

Terminal countdown started. -028:00:00 01:51:00 20 Dec 1968

Scheduled 6-hour hold at T-9 hours. -009:00:00 20:51:00 20 Dec 1968

Countdown resumed at T-9 hours. -009:00:00 02:51:00 21 Dec 1968

Scheduled 1-hour hold at T-3 hours 30 minutes. -003:30:00 08:21:00 21 Dec 1968

Countdown resumed at T-3 hours 30 minutes. -003:30:00 09:21:00 21 Dec 1968

Crew ingress. -002:53 09:58 21 Dec 1968

Guidance reference release. -000:00:16.970 12:50:43 21 Dec 1968

S-IC engine start command. -000:00:08.89 12:50:51 21 Dec 1968

S-1C engine ignition (#5). -000:00:06.585 12:50:53 21 Dec 1968

All S-IC engines thrust OK. -000:00:01.387 12:50:58 21 Dec 1968

Range zero. 000:00:00.00 12:51:00 21 Dec 1968

All holddown arms released. 000:00:00.27 12:51:00 21 Dec 1968

1st motion (1.16 g). 000:00:00.33 12:51:00 21 Dec 1968

Liftoff (umbilical disconnected). 000:00:00.67 12:51:00 21 Dec 1968

Tower clearance yaw maneuver started. 000:00:01.76 12:51:01 21 Dec 1968

Yaw maneuver ended. 000:00:09.72 12:51:09 21 Dec 1968

Pitch and roll maneuver started. 000:00:12.11 12:51:12 21 Dec 1968

Roll maneuver ended. 000:00:31.52 12:51:31 21 Dec 1968

Mach 1 achieved. 000:01:01.45 12:52:01 21 Dec 1968

Maximum bending moment achieved (60,000,000 lbf-in). 000:01:14.7 12:52:14 21 Dec 1968

Maximum dynamic pressure (776.938 lb/ft2). 000:01:18.9 12:52:18 21 Dec 1968

S-IC center engine cutoff command. 000:02:05.93 12:53:05 21 Dec 1968

Pitch maneuver ended. 000:02:25.50 12:53:25 21 Dec 1968

S-IC outboard engine cutoff. 000:02:33.82 12:53:33 21 Dec 1968

S-IC maximum total inertial acceleration (3.96 g). 000:02:33.92 12:53:33 21 Dec 1968

S-IC maximum Earth-fixed velocity; S-IC/S-II separation command. 000:02:34.47 12:53:34 21 Dec 1968

S-II engine start command. 000:02:35.19 12:53:35 21 Dec 1968

S-II ignition. 000:02:36.19 12:53:36 21 Dec 1968

S-II aft interstage jettisoned. 000:03:04.47 12:54:04 21 Dec 1968

Launch escape tower jettisoned. 000:03:08.6 12:54:08 21 Dec 1968

Iterative guidance mode initiated. 000:03:16.22 12:54:16 21 Dec 1968

S-IC apex. 000:04:26.54 12:55:26 21 Dec 1968

S-II engine cutoff. 000:08:44.04 12:59:44 21 Dec 1968

S-II maximum total inertial acceleration (1.86 g). 000:08:44.14 12:59:44 21 Dec 1968

S-II maximum Earth-fixed velocity; S-II/S-IVB separation command. 000:08:44.90 12:59:44 21 Dec 1968

S-IVB 1st burn start command. 000:08:45.00 12:59:45 21 Dec 1968

S-IVB 1st burn ignition. 000:08:48.29 12:59:48 21 Dec 1968

S-IVB ullage case jettisoned. 000:08:56.8 12:59:56 21 Dec 1968

S-IC impact (theoretical). 000:09:00.41 13:00:00 21 Dec 1968

S-II apex. 000:09:20.34 13:00:20 21 Dec 1968

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff. 000:11:24.98 13:02:25 21 Dec 1968

S-IVB 1st burn maximum total inertial acceleration (0.72 g). 000:11:25.08 13:02:25 21 Dec 1968

S-IVB 1st burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 000:11:25.50 13:02:25 21 Dec 1968

Earth orbit insertion. 000:11:34.98 13:02:35 21 Dec 1968

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 000:11:45.19 13:02:45 21 Dec 1968

Orbital navigation started. 000:13:05.19 13:04:05 21 Dec 1968

S-II impact (theoretical). 000:19:25.106 13:10:25 21 Dec 1968

Optics cover jettisoned. 000:42:05 13:33:05 21 Dec 1968

All spacecraft systems approved for translunar injection. 001:56:00 14:47:00 21 Dec 1968

CAPCOM (Collins); “All right, Apollo 8. You are go for TLI.” 002:27:22 15:18:22 21 Dec 1968

S-IVB 2nd burn restart preparation. 002:40:59.54 15:31:59 21 Dec 1968

Apollo 8 47
S-IVB 2nd burn restart command. 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition. 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff. 

S-IVB 2nd burn maximum total inertial acceleration (1.55 g). 

S-IVB LH2 tank latch relief valve open. 

S-IVB 2nd burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

S-IVB LH2 tank CVS valve open. 

S-IVB sating procedures started. 

S-IVB LOX tank non-propulsive vent valve open. 

Translunar injection. 

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude and orbital navigation started. 

S-IVB LOX tank non-propulsive vent valve closed. 

S-IVB LH2 tank CVS valve and tank relief valve closed. 

Maneuver to transposition and docking attitude started. 

Sequence to separate CSM from S-IVB/LTA started. High-gain antenna deployed. 

CSM separated from S-IVB. 


1st CSM evasive maneuver from S-IVB (RCS). 


S-IVB LH2 tank latch relief valve open. 

S-IVB LH2 tank latch relief valve closed. 

Last reported VHF uplink reception. 

S-IVB lunar slingshot attitude maneuver initiated. 

2nd CSM evasive maneuver from S-IVB (RCS). 

Last reported VHF downlink reception. 

S-IVB LH2 tank CVS valve open. 

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-LH2 vent valve open command. 

S-IVB LOX dump start. 

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-LOX dump started. 

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-Apply velocity change. 

S-IVB start bottle vent dump start. 

S-IVB start bottle vent dump end. 

S-IVB pneumatic sphere dump start. 

S-IVB LOX dump end. 

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-LOX dump ended. 

S-IVB LOX tank non-propulsive vent valve open. 

S-IVB LH2 tank latch relief valve open. 

S-IVB cold helium dump start. 

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-APS ignition. 

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-APS cutoff. 

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-APS depletion. 

S-IVB cold helium dump end. 

S-IVB pneumatic sphere dump end. 

1st use of high gain antenna. 

Midcourse correction ignition. 

Midcourse correction cutoff. 

Data processing by missions operations computer and backup computer lost for ten minutes 

due to undesirable instruction sequence. 

S-band mode testing started. 

1st television transmission started. 

1st television transmission ended. 

2nd television transmission started. 

2nd television transmission ended. 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 

002:50:29.51 15:41:29 21 De

002:50:37.79 15:41:37 21 De

002:55:55.51 15:46:55 21 De

002:55:55.61 15:46:55 21 De

002:55:55.91 15:46:55 21 De

002:55:56.00 15:46:56 21 De

002:55:56.19 15:46:56 21 De

002:55:56.19 15:46:56 21 De

002:55:56.42 15:46:56 21 De

002:56:05.51 15:47:05 21 De

002:56:15.77 15:47:15 21 De

002:58:26.39 15:49:26 21 De

003:10:55.71 16:01:55 21 De

003:10:58.40 16:01:58 21 De

003:20:56.3 16:11:56 21 De

003:20:59.3 16:11:59 21 De

003:40:01 16:31:01 21 De

003:55:56.16 16:46:56 21 De

004:10:55.77 17:01:55 21 De

004:39:54 17:30:54 21 De

004:44:56.63 17:35:56 21 De

004:45:01 17:36:01 21 De

004:48 17:39 21 De

004:55:56.02 17:46:56 21 De

004:55:56.02 17:46:56 21 De

005:07:55.82 17:58:55 21 De

005:07:55.82 17:58:55 21 De

005:07:56.03 17:58:56 21 De

005:08:25.82 17:59:25 21 De

005:10:55.83 18:01:55 21 De

005:12:25.83 18:03:25 21 De

005:12:55.82 18:03:55 21 De

005:12:56.03 18:03:56 21 De

005:12:59.0 18:03:59 21 De

005:13:01.23 18:04:01 21 De

005:13:03.6 18:04:03 21 De

005:25:55.85 18:16:55 21 De

005:38:08.56 18:29:08 21 De

005:38:34.00 18:29:34 21 De

006:03:03.5 18:54:03 21 De

006:11:05.88 19:02:05 21 De

006:33:04 19:24:04 21 De

010:59:59.2 23:50:59 21 De

011:00:01.6 23:51:01 21 De

011:51:00 00:42:00 22 De

012:03:01 00:54:01 22 De

031:10:36 20:01:36 22 De

031:34:13 20:15:13 22 De

055:02:45 19:53:45 23 De

055:28:23 20:19:23 23 De
Apollo 8 Timeline

Event

GET

(hhh:mm:ss)

GMT

Time

GMT

Date

Equigravisphere. 055:38 20:29 23 Dec 1968

Midcourse correction ignition. 060:59:55.9 01:50:55 24 Dec 1968

Midcourse correction cutoff. 061:00:07.8 01:51:0 7 24 Dec 1968

CAPCOM: “Apollo 8, this is Houston. At 68:04, you are go for LOI.” 068:04:07 08:55:07 24 Dec 1968

Lunar orbit insertion ignition. 069:08:20.4 09:59:20 24 Dec 1968

CAPCOM: “Apollo 8, Houston. One minute to LOS. All systems go.” 068:57:06 09:48:00 24 Dec 1968

CAPCOM: “Safe journey, guys.” 068:57:19 09:48:19 24 Dec 1968

LMP (Anders): “Thanks a lot, troops.” 068:57:24 09:48:24 24 Dec 1968

CMP (Lovell): “We’ll see you on the other side.” 068:57:26 09:48:26 24 Dec 1968

CAPCOM: “Apollo 8,10 seconds to go. You’re go all the way” 068:57:54 09:48:54 24 Dec 1968

CDR (Borman): “Roger.” 068:58:00 09:49:00 24 Dec 1968

CAPCOM: “Apollo 8, Houston. Over.” 069:33:44 10:24:44 24 Dec 1968

CMP: “Go ahead, Houston. This is Apollo 8. Burn complete...” 069:33:52 10:24:52 24 Dec 1968

CAPCOM: “Apollo 8, this is Houston. Roger...good to hear your voice.” 069:34:07 10:25:07 24 Dec 1968

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff. 069:12:27.3 10:03:27 24 Dec 1968

S-IVB closest approach to lunar surface. 069:58:55.2 10:49:55 24 Dec 1968

Control point sightings. 071:00 11:51 24 Dec 1968

16 mm camera photography started. 071:10 12:01 24 Dec 1968

3rd television transmission started. 071:40:52 12:31:52 24 Dec 1968

3rd television transmission ended. 071:52:52 12:43:52 24 Dec 1968

Pseudo-landing site sightings. 071:55 12:46 24 Dec 1968

16 mm photography stopped. 072:20 13:11 24 Dec 1968

Lunar orbit circularization ignition. 073:35:06.6 14:26:06 24 Dec 1968

Lunar orbit circularization cutoff. 073:35:16.2 14:26:16 24 Dec 1968

Training photography. 074:00 14:51 24 Dec 1968

CSM landmark tracking and photography. 074:15 15:06 24 Dec 1968

Stereo photography started. 075:20 16:11 24 Dec 1968

Stereo photography ended. 076:00 16:51 24 Dec 1968

Landmark lighting evaluation. 076:15 17:06 24 Dec 1968

Control point sightings. 079:20 20:11 24 Dec 1968

Control point sightings. 077:20 18:11 24 Dec 1968

Pseudo-landing site sightings. 078:00 18:51 24 Dec 1968

Pseudo-landing site sightings. 080:00 20:51 24 Dec 1968

Control point sightings. 081:20 22:11 24 Dec 1968

Pseudo-landing site sightings. 082:00 22:51 24 Dec 1968

4th television transmission started. 085:43:03 02:34:03 25 Dec 1968

LMP: “We are now approaching the lunar sunrise, and for all the people back on Earth,

the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you. In the beginning

(reading from the Bible)...” 086:06:56 02:57:56 25 Dec 1968

CMP: “And God called the light ‘Day’...” 086:07:29 02:58:29 25 Dec 1968

CDR: “And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas,

and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth.” 086:08:36 02:59:36 25 Dec 1968

4th television transmission ended. 086:09:46 03:00:46 25 Dec 1968

Maneuver to transearth injection attitude. 087:15 04:06 25 Dec 1968

CAPCOM: “Okay, Apollo 8...you have a go for TEL” 088:03:36 04:54:36 25 Dec 1968

Transearth injection ignition (SPS). 089:19:16.6 06:10:16 25 Dec 1968

Transearth injection cutoff. 089:22:40.3 06:13:40 25 Dec 1968

Two-way communication phaselock established, but no voice or telemetry. 089:28:47 06:19:47 25 Dec 1968

Two-way voice synchronization established. 089:33:28 06:24:28 25 Dec 1968

CMP: “Houston, Apollo 8, over.” 089:34:16 06:25:16 25 Dec 1968

CAPCOM: “Hello, Apollo 8. Loud and clear.” 089:34:19 06:25:19 25 Dec 1968

Apolloo 8 49
CMP: "Roger. Please be informed there IS a Santa Claus:' 

CAPCOM: "That's affirmative. You are the best ones to know:' 

Two-way telemetry synchronization established. 

Midcourse correction ignition. 

Midcourse correction cutoff. 

5th television transmission started. 

5th television transmission ended. 

Onboard state vector and platform alignment data corrupted due to crew error. 

State vector and platform alignment data corrected. 

Test of high-gain antenna automatic acquisition. 

6th television transmission started. 

6th television transmission ended. 


1st reception of ground VHF during transearth coast. 


CM/SM separation. 


Entry. 


Communication blackout started. 


Maximum entry g force (6.84 g). 


Recovery aircraft received direction-finding signals from CM and established visual contact. 


Radar contact with CM established by recovery ship at 270 nautical miles. 


Radar contact with CM established by recovery ship at 109 nautical miles. 


Communication blackout ended. 


Radar contact with CM established by recovery ship at 60 nautical miles. 


Drogue parachute deployed. 


Main parachute deployed. 


Voice contact established with CM by recovery helicopter. Recovery beacon signal contact 

established with CM by recovery aircraft. 

Recovery beacon contact with CM established. 

Splashdown (went to apex-down). 


CM went to apex down position. Voice contact lost. 


CM returned to apex-up position. 


Crew aboard recovery ship. 


Recovery ship arrived at CM. 


Crew in life raft. 


Swimmers deployed to CM. 


Flotation collar inflated. 


CM hatch opened. 


Crew aboard recovery helicopter. 


CM aboard recovery ship. 


Deactivation of CM started at Ford Island, Hawaii. 


CM arrived at contractor's facility in Downey, CA. 


089:34:25 06:25:25 25 Dec 

089:34:31 06:25:31 25 Dec 

089:43:00 06:34:00 25 Dec 

104:00:00.00 20:51:00 25 Dec 

104:00:15.00 20:51:15 25 Dec 

104:24:04 21:15:04 25 Dec 

104:33:35 21:24:35 25 Dec 

106:26 23:17 25 Dec 

106:45 23:36 25 Dec 

110:16:55 3:07:55 26 Dec 

127:45:33 20:36:33 26 Dec 

128:05:27 20:56:27 26 Dec 

142:16:00 11:07:00 27 Dec 

146:28:48.0 15:19:48 27 Dec 

146:46:12.8 15:37:12 27 Dec 

146:46:37 15:37:37 27 Dec 

146:47:38.4 15:38:38 27 Dec 

146:49 15:4 27 Dec 

146:50 15:41 27 Dec 

146:51 15:42 27 Dec 

146:51:42.0 15:42:42 27 Dec 

146:52 15:43 27 Dec 

146:54:47.8 15:45:47 27 Dec 

146:55:38.9 15:46:38 27 Dec 

146:56:01 14:52 27 Dec 

146:57:05 15:48:05 27 Dec 

147:00:42.0 15:51:42 27 Dec 

147:00:50 15:51:50 27 Dec 

147:07:45 15:58:45 27 Dec 

148:29 17:20 27 Dec 

149:22 18:13 27 Dec 

148:15 17:06 27 Dec 

147:44 16:35 27 Dec 

148:07 16:58 27 Dec 

148:12 17:03 27 Dec 

148:23 17:14 27 Dec 

149:29 18:20 27 Dec 

200:09 21:00 29 Dec 

296:09 21:00 02 Jan 

Apollo by the Numbers 

Apollo 9 crew (1. tor.): Jim McDivitt, Dave Scott, Rusty 

Schweickart (NASA S69-17590). 

Background 

Apollo 9 was a Type D mission, a lunar module piloted 

flight demonstration in Earth orbit. It was the first piloted 

test of the "lunar ferry" that would put astronauts on the 

Moon. A lunar module first had been flown without a 

crew aboard Apollo 5 on 22 January 1968. 

Many of the LM tests on Apollo 9 exceeded conditions 

expected in a lunar landing. To ensure that major objectives would be accomplished if Apollo 9 ended early, the 

schedule for the first half of the mission also included 

more work for the crew than the schedule of either 

Apollo 7 or Apollo 8. 

Apollo 9 lunar module being prepared for altitude 

chamber testing (NASA S68-44471). 

• to demonstrate lunar module crew performance; 

• to demonstrate performance of nominal and selected bac

lunar orbit rendezvous mission activities; and 

• to assess command and service module and lunar modu

sumables. 

To meet these objectives, the lunar module was eval

during three separate piloting periods that required 

ple activation and deactivation of systems, a situatio

unique to this mission. 

The crew members were Colonel James Alton McDi

(USAF), commander; Colonel David Randolph Scot

(USAF), command module pilot; and Russell Louis 

Schweickart, lunar module pilot. 

Selected in the astronaut group of 1962, McDivitt h

been command pilot of Gemini 4. Born 10 June 19

Chicago, Illinois, he was 39 years old at the time of 

Apollo 9 mission. McDivitt received a B.S. in aerona

engineering from the University of Michigan in 195

backup for the mission was Commander Charles "P

Conrad, Jr. (USN). 

Scott had been pilot of Gemini 8. Born 6 June 1932 

Antonio, Texas, he was 36 years old at the time of t

Apollo 9 mission. Scott received a B.S. from the U.S

Military Academy in 1954 and an M.S. in aeronauti

astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of 

Technology in 1962. He was selected as an astronau

1963. His backup was Commander Richard Francis 

Gordon, Jr. (USN). 

Schweickart, a civilian, was making his first spaceflig

Born 25 October 1935 in Neptune, New Jersey, he w

years old at the time of the Apollo 9 mission. Schw

received a B.S. in aeronautical engineering in 1956 a

M.S. in aeronautics and astronautics in 1963 from t

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His backup w

Commander Alan LaVern Bean (USN). 

The capsule communicators (CAPCOMs) for the m

were Major Stuart Allen Roosa (USAF), Lt. Comma

Ronald Ellwin Evans (USN), Major Alfred Merrill W

Apollo by the Numbers 
(USAF), Conrad, Gordon, and Bean. The support crew

were Major Jack Robert Lousma (USMC), Lt. Commander

Edgar Dean Mitchell (USN/Sc.D.), and Worden. The flight

directors were Eugene F. Kranz (first shift), Gerald D.

Griffin (second shift), and M.R “Pete” Frank (third shift).

The Apollo 9 launch vehicle was a Saturn V, designated

SA-504. The mission also carried the designation Eastern

Test Range #9025. The CSM was designated CSM-104 and

had the call-sign “Gumdrop,” derived from the appearance

of the command module when it was transported on

Earth. During shipment, it was covered in blue wrappings

that gave it the appearance of a wrapped gumdrop. The

lunar module was designated LM-3 and had the call-sign

“Spider,” derived from its arachnid-like configuration.

Launch Preparations

The launch was originally scheduled for 28 February 1969,

and the terminal countdown had actually begun for that

launch at 03:00:00 GMT on 27 February at T-28 hours.

However, one-half hour into the scheduled 3-hour hold at

T-16 hours, the countdown was recycled to T-42 hours to

allow the crew to recover from a mild viral respiratory illness. The count was picked up at 17:30:00 GMT on

1 March.

A low-pressure disturbance southwest of Cape Kennedy in

the Gulf of Mexico was the principal cause of overcast

conditions. At launch time, stratocumulus clouds covered

70 percent of the sky (base 3,500 feet) and altostratus

clouds covered 100 percent (base 9,000 feet); the tempera

ture was 67.3° F; the relative humidity was 61 percent; and

the barometric pressure was 14.642 lb/in2. The winds, as

measured by the anemometer on the light pole 60.0 feet

above ground at the launch site, measured 13.4 knots at

160° from true north.

Ascent Phase

Apollo 9 was launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch

Complex 39, Pad A, at a Range Zero time of 16:00:00

GMT (11:00:00 a.m. EST) on 3 March 1969. The planned

launch window for Apollo 9 extended to 19:15:00 GMT.

Between 000:00:13.3 and 000:00:33.0, the vehicle rolled

from a launch pad azimuth of 90° to a flight azimuth of

72°. The S-IC engine shut down at 000:02:42.76, followed

by S-IC/S-II separation and S-II engine ignition. The S-II

engine shut down at 000:08:56.22, followed by separation

from the S-IVB, which ignited at 000:09:00.82. The first

S-IVB engine cutoff occurred at 000:11:04.66, with devia

tions from the planned trajectory of +2.86 ft/sec in velocity

and -0.17 n mi in altitude.

Apollo 9, the first piloted flight with a lunar module,

lifts off from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A to test the

LM in Earth orbit (NASA S1969-25863).

The S-IC stage impacted at 000:08:56.44 in the Atlantic

Ocean at latitude 30.183° north and longitude 74.238°

west, 346.64 n mi from the launch site. The S-II stage

impacted at 000:20:25.35 in the Atlantic Ocean at latitude

31.462° north and longitude 34.041° west, 2,413.2 n mi

from the launch site.

The maximum wind conditions encountered during ascent

were 148.1 knots at 264° from true north at 38,480 feet,

and a maximum wind shear of 0.0254 sec-1 at 48,160 feet.

Parking orbit conditions at insertion, 000:11:14.65 (S-IVB

cutoff plus 10 seconds to account for engine tailoff and

other transient effects), showed an apogee and perigee of

100.74 by 99.68 n mi, an inclination of 32.552°, a period

of 88.20 minutes, and a velocity of 25,569.78 ft/sec. The

apogee and perigee were based upon a spherical Earth with

a radius of 3,443.934 n mi.

The international designation for the CSM upon achieving

orbit was 1969-018A; the S-IVB was designated 1969-018B.

After undocking, the LM ascent stage would be designated

1969-018C and the descent stage 1969-018D.

Apollo 9
Earth Orbit Phase 

After post-insertion checkout, the CSM was separated from

the S-NB stage at 002:41:16.0. The adapter that housed the

IM and shielded it from the rigors of launch was then jettisoned. The CM was turned so its apex, holding the docking

probe, faced the LM. Docking with the LM was completed

at 003:01:59.3.

Lunar module inside S-IVB stage following separation 

(NASA AS09-19-2919). 

Once docking was complete, the commander and lunar 

module pilot started preparations for their eventual entry 

into the LM. They pressurized the tunnel between the two 

spacecraft, and with the aid of the CMP, removed the CM 

hatch and checked the latches on the docking ring to verify 

the seal. Then they connected the electrical umbilical lines 

that would provide power to the LM while docked to the 

CM. The hatch was then replaced.

At 004:08:06, an ejection mechanism, used for the first 

time, ejected the docked spacecraft from the S-NB.

Following a separation maneuver, the S-NB was restarted at 

004:45:55.54 and burned for 62.06 seconds. Ten seconds later, 

the S-NB entered a 1,671.58 by 105.75 n mi intermediate 

coasting orbit that would allow the engine to cool down 

sufficiently prior to a restart within one revolution. The period of the orbit was 119.22 minutes, the inclination was 

32.302°, and the velocity at insertion was 27,753.61 ft/sec.

� Apollo by the Numbers

At 005:59:01.07, the crew performed the first of eight service propulsion firings, a 5.23-second maneuver that raised

the CS¥/LM orbit to 127.6 by 113.4 n mi.

The third and final S-NB ignition at 006:07:19.26 was a

242.06-second maneuver to demonstrate restart capability

after the 80-minute coast and to test the engine performance under "out-of-specification" conditions. It also provided better ground tracking lighting conditions for the

upcoming rendezvous. The escape orbit was achieved 10

seconds after S-NB engine cutoff, and the velocity was

31,619.85 ft/sec. S-NB performance was not as predicted

due to various anomalies, including the failure of an LH2 

and WX dump. The LH2 dump through the engine could

not be accomplished due to loss of pneumatic control of

the engine valves. The WX dump was not performed due

loss of engine pneumatic control during the third burn.

The WX tank was satisfactorily safed by utilizing the LOX

non-propulsive venting system.

The third ignition also served to place the S-NB into a

solar orbit with an aphelion and perihelion of 80,280,052

by 69,417,732 n mi, an inclination of 24.390°

, an eccentricity of 0.07256, and a period of 325.8 days.

Crew activity on the second day was devoted to systems

checks, pitch and roll yaw maneuvers, and the second,

third, and fourth service propulsion system burns while

docked to the LM. The second burn, a 110.29-second

maneuver at 022:12:04.07, raised the orbit to 192.5 by

110.76 n mi. The third burn, at 025:17:39.27, lasted 279.88

seconds. It raised the orbit to 274.9 by 112.4 n mi and

lightened the spacecraft so that it could be controlled by

the reaction control system engines later in the mission

and be in a better rescue position for rendezvous activities.

During these two burns, tests were made to measure the

oscillatory response of a docked spacecraft to provide data

to improve the autopilot response for this configuration.

The fourth burn, at 028:24:41.37, was a 27.87-second phasing maneuver to shift the node east and put the spacecraft

in a better position later for lighting, braking, and docking.

On the third day, at 043:15, the lunar module pilot transferred to the LM to activate and check out the systems.

The commander followed at 044:05. The LM landing gear

was deployed at 045:00.

At 045:40, the commander reported that the lunar module

pilot had been sick on two occasions and that the crew

was behind in the timeline. For these reasons, the extravehicular activity was restricted to one daylight pass and

would include only the opening of the hatches of the CM
and LM. It was also decided to keep the lunar module 

pilot connected to the environmental control system hoses.

Alter communication checks for both vehicles, a five-minute 

television transmission was broadcast at 046:25 from inside 

the LM. The camera was trained on the instrument displays, 

other features of the LM interior, and the crew. The picture 

was good, but the sound was unsatisfactory.

The descent engine was fired for 371.51 seconds at 

49:41:34.46 with the vehicles still docked. Attitude control 

with the digital autopilot and manual throttling of the 

descent engine to full thrust were also demonstrated. 

Transfer back to the CM began at 050:15, and the LM was 

deactivated at 051:00. The fifth service propulsion system 

firing, 43.26 seconds in duration, occurred at 054:26:12.27 

to circularize the orbit for the LM active rendezvous. The 

resulting orbit was 131.0 by 125.9 n mi, compared to a 

desired circular orbit of 130.0 n mi, but it was considered 

acceptable for the rendezvous sequence.

Extravehicular operations were demonstrated on the fourth 

day of the mission. The plan was for the lunar module 

pilot to exit the LM, transfer to the open hatch in the CM, 

and then return. This plan was abbreviated from 2 hours 

15 minutes to 39 minutes because of several bouts of nausea experienced by the lunar module pilot on the preceding day and because of the many activities required for 

rendezvous preparation.

The LM was depressurized at 072:45 and the forward 

hatch opened at 072:53. The lunar module pilot began his 

egress to the forward platform at 72:59:02, feet first and 

face up, and completed egress at 073:07. He was wearing 

the extravehicular mobility unit backpack, which provided 

communications and oxygen; it also circulated water 

through the suit to keep him cool. His only connection to 

the LM was a 25-foot nylon rope to keep him from drifting into space. He secured his feet in the “golden slippers,” 

the gold-painted restraints affixed to the surface outside 

the hatch, called the “front porch” by the astronauts, where 

he remained while outside the LM.

During this same period, the command module pilot, 

dependent on CSM systems for life support, depressurized 

the CM and opened the side hatch at 073:02:00. He partially exited the hatch for observation, photography, and 

retrieval of thermal samples from the side of the CM. The 

samples were missing, so he retrieved the service module 

thermal samples at 073:26. The lunar module pilot 

retrieved the LM thermal samples at 073:39. Three minutes 

later, he began an abbreviated evaluation of translation and

body-attitude-control capability using the extravehicular 

transfer handrails. The initially planned hand-over-hand 

trip from the LM to the CM was not made. During this 

period, the lunar module pilot also completed 16 mm and 

70 mm photography of the command module pilot’s activities and the exterior of both spacecraft.

Schweickart on “porch” of LM during EVA activities

(NASA AS09-19-2994).

The lunar module pilot began his ingress at 073:45 and 

completed it at 073:46:03. By 073:53, the forward hatch 

was closed and locked and the LM was repressurized. The 

CM hatch was then closed and locked at 073:49, and the 

CM was repressurized by 074:02. The second television 

transmission was made at 074:55. The commander 

returned to the CM at 075:15, followed by the lunar module pilot at 076:55.

After the lunar module pilot came back inside, both spacecraft were repressurized, and a second and final 10-minute 

television broadcast was telecast from inside the LM. Voice 

and pictures were both good, an improvement over the 

previous day’s transmission.

On the fifth day, the lunar module pilot transferred to the 

LM at 088:05, followed by the commander at 088:55, to 

prepare for the first LM free flight and active rendezvous.

Apollo 9
pp

aration maneuver at 093:02:54, using the service module 

reaction control system, placed the LM 2.0 n mi behind 

the CSM 45 minutes later. The maximum range between 

the LM and CSM was 98 n mi, achieved about halfway 

between the coelliptical sequence initiation and constant 

differential height maneuver. 

Scott opens the CM hatch during EVA activities (NASA 

AS09-20-3064). 

Schweickart during EVA (NASA AS09-19-2983). 

Apollo by the Numbers 

g 

p

crew then checked their systems and fired the descen

engine again to 10 percent. It ran evenly. 

LM in first free flight following separation from C

(NASA AS09-21-3199). 

The first LM rendezvous phasing maneuver was execu

at 093:47:35.4 with the descent propulsion system und

abort guidance control. This maneuver placed the LM 

near equiperiod orbit with apogee and perigee altitud

12.2 n mi above and below the CSM. The second ma

ver was not applied; it was a computation to be used 

in case of a contingency requiring an LM abort. The 

tion time was 094:57:53. The third rendezvous maneu

was executed at 095:39:08.06 and resulted in an LM o

of 138.9 by 133.9 n mi. 

Coelliptic sequence initiation was performed at 

096:16:06.54, and the descent stage was jettisoned imm

ately after the start of reaction control system thrustin

The maneuver left the LM 10 n mi below and 82 n m

behind the CSM. The descent stage remained in Eart

orbit until 03:45 GMT on 23 March, when it impacte

Indian Ocean off the coast of eastern Africa. 

The resulting ascent stage orbit was 116 by 111 n mi. 

coelliptic sequence initiation using the CSM reaction 

trol system, rendezvous radar tracking was reestablish
but the CM was unable to acquire the ascent stage tracking

light, which had failed. The constant differential height

maneuver was performed at 096:58:15.0, using the ascent

stage engine for the first time. The onboard solution for

terminal phase initiation was executed at 097:57:59, creating an ascent stage orbit of about 126 by 113 n mi. Two

small midcourse corrections were performed at 10 and 22

minutes after terminal phase initiation. Terminal phase

braking began at 098:30:03, followed by stationkeeping,

formation flying, photography, and docking at 099:02:26.

The ascent stage had been separated from the CSM for 6

hours 22 minutes 50 seconds.

LM ascent stage following separation from descent stage,

preparing to redock with CM (NASA AS09-21-3236).

After docking, the crew transferred back to the CSM by

101:00. The ascent stage was jettisoned at 101:22:45.0, and

the ascent engine fired for 362.4 seconds at 101:53:15.4

until oxidizer depletion. The final orbit for the ascent stage

was 3,760.9 by 126.6 n mi, with an expected orbital lifetime

of five years; however, entry occurred on 23 October 1981.

The sixth service propulsion bum, a 1.43-second maneuver

at 123:25:06.97, had been postponed for one revolution

because the reaction control translation required prior to

ignition for propellant settling was improperly programmed.

The maneuver, originally scheduled for 121:48:00, was an

orbit-shaping retrograde maneuver to lower the perigee so

that the reaction control system deorbit capability would be

enhanced in the event of a contingency.

During the final four days in orbit, the crew conducted

Earth resources and multispectral terrain photography

experiments over the southern United States, Mexico, Brazil,

and Africa. One objective, designated experiment S065, was

to determine the extent to which multiband photography in

the visible and near-infrared regions from orbit may be

effectively applied to the Earth resources disciplines.

Thunderhead over South America as seen in nearly vertical view from Apollo 9 (NASA AS09-22-3374).

The other objective was to obtain simultaneous photographs with four different film/filter combinations from

orbit to assist in defining future multispectral photographic

systems. The results were excellent. The quality and subject

material exceeded that of any previous orbital mission and

would aid in future program planning. The reasons for the

excellent results were the amount of time available (four

days so the crew could wait for cloud cover to pass); the

orbital inclination of 33.6°, which permitted vertical and

near-vertical coverage of areas never photographed before;

sufficient reaction control propellants which allowed the

crew to orient the spacecraft whenever necessary; the lack

of contamination on the spacecraft windows; and the continuous assistance and evaluation of the science support

room at the Manned Spacecraft Center.

The crew also made an inertial measurement unit alignment with a sighting of the planet Jupiter (the first time a

planet had been used) and performed a number of daylight star sightings, landmark sightings, and star sextant

sightings. During two successive revolutions, at 192:43 and

194:13, the crew successfully tracked the Pegasus III satellite at a range of 1,000 n mi. Pegasus III had been

launched on 30 July 1965.

Apollo 9 57
the apogee to 253.2 by 100.7 n mi and established the 

desired conditions for the nominal deorbit point. If the 

service propulsion system had failed at deorbit, the reaction control system could have conducted a deorbit 

maneuver from this apogee condition and still landed near 

the primary recovery area. The deorbit maneuver was 

accomplished after 151 orbits with the eighth service 

propulsion firing, an 11.7 4-second maneuver at 

240:31:14.84. It was performed one revolution later than 

planned because of unfavorable weather in the planned 

recovery area. 

Recovery 

The service module was jettisoned at 240:36:03.8, and the 

CM entry followed .a primary guidance system profile. The 

command module reentered Earth's atmosphere (400,000 

feet altitude) at 240:44:10.2 at a velocity of 25,894 ft/sec. 

Although the service module could not survive entry 

intact, radar tracking data predicted impact in the Atlantic 

Ocean at a point estimated to be latitude 22.0° north and 

longitude 65.3° west, 175 n mi downrange from the CM. 

The parachute system effected splashdown of the CM in 

the Atlantic Ocean at 17:00:54 GMT (12:00:54 p.m. EST) 

on 13 March. Mission duration was 241:00:54. The impact 

point was about 2.7 n mi from the target point and 3 n 

mi from the recovery ship U.S.S. Guadalcanal. The splashdown site was estimated to be latitude 23.22° north and 

longitude 67.98° west. After splashdown, the CM assumed 

an apex-up flotation attitude. The crew was retrieved by 

helicopter and was aboard the recovery ship 49 minutes 

after splashdown. The CM was recovered 83 minutes later. 

The estimated CM weight at splashdown was 11,094 

pounds, and the estimated distance traveled for the mission 

was 3,664,820 n mi. 

At CM retrieval, the weather recorded onboard the 

Guadalcanal showed scattered clouds at 2,000 feet and broken clouds at 9,000, visibility 10 n mi, wind speed 9 kn 

from 200° true north, air temperature 79° F, and water 

temperature 76° F, with waves to seven feet. 

The crew left the Guadalcanal by helicopter at 15:00 GMT 

on 14 March and arrived at Eleuthera, Bahamas, at 16:30 

GMT. From there, they were flown to Houston. 

California, and trucked to the North American Roc

Space Division facility at Downey, California, for po

analysis, where it arrived on 21 March. 

Apollo 9 CM on parachute system just before sp

down (NASA S69-20364). 

Apollo 9 crew aboard recovery ship U.S.S. Guada

(1. tor.: Schweickart, Scott, McDivitt) (NASA S69

Apollo by the Numbers 
Apollo 9 CM onboard recovery ship (NASA S69-20239).

Conclusions

The following conclusions were made from an analysis of

post-mission data:

1. The onboard rendezvous equipment and procedures in both

spacecraft provided the required precision for rendezvous operations to be conducted during a lunar landing mission. The CSM

computations and preparations for mirror-image maneuvers

were completed on time by the command module pilot.

2. The functional operation of the docking process of the two spacecraft was demonstrated. However, the necessity for proper lighting

conditions for the docking alignment aids was illustrated.

3. The performance of all systems in the extravehicular mobility

unit was excellent throughout the entire extravehicular operation. The results of this mission, plus satisfactory results from

additional qualification tests of minor design changes, provided

verification of the operation of the extravehicular mobility unit

on the lunar surface.

4. The extent of the extravehicular activity indicated the practicality of extravehicular crew transfer in the event of a contingency.

Cabin depressurization and normal repressurization were

demonstrated in both spacecraft.

Apollo 9 59

5. Performance of the lunar module systems demonstrated the

operational capability to conduct a lunar mission, except for the

steerable antenna which was not operated, and the landing

radar, which could not be hilly evaluated in Earth orbit. None of

the anomalies adversely affected the mission. The concepts and

operational functoning of the crew/spacecraft interfaces, including procedures, provisioning, restraints, displays, and controls,

were satisfactory for piloted lunar module functions. The interfaces between the two spacecraft, while both docked and

undocked, were also verified.

6. The lunar module consumable expenditures were well within

predicted values thus demonstrating adequate margins to perform the lunar mission.

7. Gas in the CM potable water supply interfered with proper food

rehydration and therefore had some effect on food taste and

palatability. Lunar module water was acceptable.

8. Orbital navigation of the CSM, using the yaw-control technique

for landmark tracking, was demonstrated and reported to be

adequate. The st ir visibility threshold of the CM scanning telescope was not definitely established for the docked configuration; therefore, platform orientation using the sun, the Moon,

and planets may be required if inertial reference is inadvertendy

lost during translunar flight.

9. Mission support, including the Manned Space Flight Network,

adequately provided simultaneous ground control of two piloted

spacecraft.

Apollo 9 Objectives

Spacecraft Primary Objectives

1. To demonstrate crew/space vehicle/mission support facilities

performance during a piloted Saturn V mission with command,

service, and lunar modules. Achieved.

2. To demonstrate lunar module/crew performance. Achieved.

3. To demonstrate performance of nominal and selected backup

lunar orbit rendezvous mission activities, including the following:

a. Transposition, docking, and lunar module withdrawal.

Achieved.

b. Intravehicular and extravehicular crew transfer. Achieved.

c. Extravehicu ar capability. Achieved.
d. Service propulsion system and descent propulsion system

burns. Achieved.

e. Lunar module active rendezvous and docking. Achieved.

4. To assess command, lunar, and service module consumables.

Achieved.

Mandatory Detailed Test Objectives 

1. Mll.6: To perform a medium-duration descent propuls10n 

sys­tem firing to include manual throttling with command and 

service module and lunar module docked, and a short-duration 

descent propulsion system firing with an undocked lunar module and approximately half-full descent propulsion system propellant tanks. Achieved; the primary guidance and navigation 

control system/digital auto-pitch performance was monimred and 

found acceptable during thefirst and second descent propulsion 

system burns.

2. M13.ll: To perform a long-duration ascent propulsion system 

burn. Achieved; a burn to depletion was performed by the 

··

ascent · 

propulsion system for an extended period.

3. M13.12: To perform a long-duration descent propulsioq system 

burn and obtain data to determine that no adverse interactions 

exist between propellant slosh, vehicle engine vibration, and · 

descent propulsion system performance during a bum. Achieved; 

data were collected during the docked descent propulsion system 

burn and the rendezvous.

4. Ml 4: To demonstrate the performance of the environmental 

control system during lunar module activity periods. Achieved, 

although minor problems occurred in the system.

5. Ml5.3: To determine the performance of the lunar module 

elec­trical power subsystem in the primary and backup modes; 

Achieved, despite some problems with the batteries.

6. MI6.7: To operate the landing radar during the descent propulsion system bums. Achieved.

7. Ml7.9: To deploy the lunar module landing gear and obtain data 

on landing gear temperatures resulting from descent propulsion 

system operation. Achieved.

8. Ml7.17: To verify the pe,formance of the passive thermal subsystems (thermal blanket, plume protection, ascent and descent 

stage base heat shields, and thermal control coatings} to·provide 

adequate thermal control when the spacecraft is exposed to the 

0 Apollo by the Numbers

natural and propulsion-induced thermal environments. Achieved; 

lunar module environmental and thermal effect data were collected during the docked descent propulsion system burn, extravehicular activity, and post-rendezvous inspection. 

9. M 17.18: To demonstrate the structural integrity of the lunar

module during Saturn V launch and during descent propulsion

system and ascent propulsion system burn in an orbital environment. Achieved.

Primary Detailed Test Objectives 

1. Pl.23: To demonstrate block II command and service module

attitude control during service propulsion system thnlsting with

the command and service module and lunar module docked.

· Achieved during the first, second, and third service propulsion

burns.

2. Pl.24: To perform inertial measurement unit alignments using

the sextant while docked. Achieved.

3. Pl.25: To perform an inertial measurement unit and a star pattern visibility check in daylight while docked. Achieved; many

daytime sightings were made with visible star patterns, although

reflective light hindered some tests.

4. P2.9: To perform manual thrust vector control takeover of a

guidance navigation control system initiated service propulsion

docked burn. Achieved during the third service propulsion system

burn.

5. P7.29: To obtain data on the effects of the tower jettison motor,

S-ll retrorockets, and service module reaction control system

exhaust on the command and service module. Achieved.

Spacecraft exhaust effects data were collected following Earth

orbital insertion, and lunar module/command and service module

ejection during the revised extravehicular period and during the

post-rendezvous inspection; however, the revised extravehicular

activity permitted recovery of only part of the thermal samples.

6. Pll.5: To perform lunar module inertial measurement unit

alignments using the alignment optical telescope and calibrate

the coarse optical alignment sight. Achieved; lunar module

injlight inertial measurement unit alignment data were collected

at various times during lunar module activity periods.

7. Pll.7: To demonstrate reaction control system translation and

attitude control of the staged lunar module using automatic and

manual primary guidance and navigation control system controls. Achieved.
8. P11.10: To obtain data to verify inertial measurement unit performance in the flight environment. Achieved; lunar module prim ary guidance and navigation control system and command and

service module guidance navigation control system inertial measurement unit performance data were collected throughout the mission.

9. P1 1.14: To perform a primary guidance and navigation control

system/digital autopilot controlled long-duration ascent propulsion burn. Achieved.

10. PI 2.2: To demonstrate an abort guidance system calibration

and obtain abort guidance system performance data in the

flight environment. Achieved during docked descent propulsion

system burn and the rendezvous phasing burn.

11. P12.3: To demonstrate reaction control system translation and

attitude control of unstaged lunar module using automatic and

manual abort guidance system/control electric section control

modes. Achieved.

12. P12.4 To perform an abort guidance system/control electric

section controlled descent propulsion system burn with a heavy

descent stage. Achieved.

13. P16.4: To demonstrate tracking of command and service module rendezvous radar transponder at various ranges between the

command and service module and the lunar module. Achieved.

14. P16.6: To perform a landing radar self-test. Achieved.

15. P16.19: To obtain data on rendezvous radar corona susceptibility during lunar module -X translation reaction control system

engine firings while undocked and during -X reaction control

system engine firings while docked. Partially Achieved. D ata

were obtained, but the rendezvous radar failed to lock.

16. P20.21: To demonstrate the lunar module/Manned Space Flight

Network operational S-band communication subsystem capability. Achieved despite intermittent discrepancies.

17. P20.22: To demonstrate lunar module/command and service

module/ Manned Space Flight Network/extravehicular activity

operational S-band and VHF communication compatibility.

Achieved, despite sporadic failures.

18. P20.24: To demonstrate command and service module docking

with the S-IVB/spacecraft/lunar module adapter/lunar module.

Achieved.

19. P20.25: To demonstrate lunar module separation and ejection

of the command and service module/lunar module from the

spacecraft/lunar module adapter. Achieved.

20. P20.26: To demonstrate the technique to be employed for the

undocking of the lunar module from the command and service

module prior to lunar descent. Achieved

21. P20.27: To perform a lunar module active rendezvous with a

passive command and service module. Achieved

22. P20.28: To demonstrate lunar module active docking capability

with the passive command and service module. Achieved.

23. P20.29: To perform a pyrotechnic separation of the lunar module and command and service module in flight. Achieved.

24. P20.31: To demonstrate mission support facilities performance

during an Earth orbital mission. Achieved.

25. P20.33: To perform procedures required to prepare for a command and service module active rendezvous with the lunar module. Achieved the command and service modules were maintained

in a recovery mode during the lunar module simulated descent.

26. P20.34: To demonstrate crew capability to transfer themselves

and equipment from the command and service module to the

lunar module and return. Achieved; the crew was successful in

m aking the transfer in the time allotted.

27. P20.35: To demonstrate extravehicular transfer and obtain

extravehicular activity data. Achieved although the program was

modified during the mission.

Secondary Detailed Test Objectives

1. SI.26: To perform onboard navigation using the technique of

scanning telescope landmark tracking. Achieved.

2. S13.10: To perform an unpiloted ascent propulsion burn to

depletion. Achieved.

3. S20.32: To evaluate one-person lunar module operation capability and obtain data on crew maneuverability, crew compartmentation, and propulsive venting. Achieved.

4. S20.37: To obtain data on descent propulsion plume effects on

astronauts’ visibility. Achieved; the descent propulsion system did

not affect the crew’s visibility during the two burns.

5. S20.120: To obtain data on the electromagnetic compatibility of

the command and service module, lunar module, and portable

life support system. Achieved the command and service module,

lunar module, and portable life support system were electromagnetically compatible with respect to any conducted or radiated

electromagnetic interference.

Apollo 9 61
2. Tunnel clearing, unsuited. Achieved. 

3. Command module platform alignment in daylight. Achieved. 

4. 	Command module platform alignment, using a planet (Jupiter). 

Achieved. 

5. Digital autopilot orbital rate, pitch and roll. Achieved. 

6. 	Backup gyro display coupler alignment of stabilization and control system. Achieved. 

7. 	Window degradation photography. Achieved. 

8. Satellite tracking, ground inputs. Achieved. 

9. 	Command and service module high-gain S-band antenna reacquisition test. Achieved. 

10. 	Passive thermal control cycling at 0.1°/second at three deadbands: +/-10°, +/-20°, and +/-25°. Achieved. 

Experiment 

S-065: To obtain selective, simultaneous multispectral photographs, 

with four different film/filter combinations, of selected land and 

ocean areas. Achieved. 

Launch Vehicle Primary Objective 

To demonstrate S-IVB/instrument unit control capability during 

transposition, docking, and lunar module ejection maneuver. 

Achieved. 

3. To confirm J-2 environment in S-II stage. Achieved. 

4. 	To confirm launch vehicle longitudinal oscillation environ

during S-IC stage burn period. Achieved. 

5. To demonstrate helium heater repressurization system op

Achieved. 

6. 	To demonstrate S-IVB propellant dump and safing with 

quantity of residual S-IVB propellants. Partially achieved. 

S-IVB stage was adequately safed; however, propellant dum

not achieved due to loss of engine helium control regulator 

charge pressure. 

7. To verify that modifications incorporated in the S-IC stag

press low-frequency longitudinal oscillations. Achieved. 

8. 	To demonstrate SO-minute restart capability. Partially ach

The experimental start was achieved, and it accomplished 

planned S-IVB third burn. However, rough combustion, a g

erator spike at ignition, and control oscillations resulted in 

performance at start, performance loss during the burn, an

of engine helium control regulator discharge pressure. 

9. 	To demonstrate dual repressurization capability. Achieved

10. To demonstrate helium heater restart capability. Achieve

II. 	To verify the onboard command and communications 

system/ground system interface and operation in the de

space environment. Achieved. 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
LM #3 integrated test at factory. 

Saturn S-II stage #4 delivered to KSC. 

LM #3 final engineering evaluation acceptance test at factory. 

LM descent stage #3 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM descent stage #3 delivered to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #3 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #3 delivered to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #3 and descent stage #3 mated. 

LM #3 combined systems test completed. 

Individual and combined CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

LM #3 reassigned to Apollo 9. 

Integrated CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #S04 delivered to KSC. 

LM #3 altitude tests completed. 

Saturn S-IC stage #4 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn V instrument unit #S04 delivered to KSC. 

CM #104 and SM #104 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

CM #104 and SM #104 delivered to KSC. 

CM #104 and SM #104 mated. 

CSM #104 combined systems test completed. 

CSM #104 altitude tests completed. 

CSM #104 mated to space vehicle. 

CSM #104 moved to VAB. 

LM #3 combined systems test completed. 

CSM #104 integrated systems test completed. 

CSM #104 electrically mated to launch vehicle. 

Space vehicle overall test completed. 

Space vehicle and MLP #2 transferred to launch complex 39A. 

Space vehicle flight readiness test completed. 

LM #3 flight readiness test completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (wet) completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (dry) completed. 

Terminal countdown initiated. 

Terminal countdown interrupted due to illness of crew. 

Terminal countdown reinitiated following crew medical clearance. 

31 Jan 1968 

1S May 1968 

17 May 1968 

04 Jun 1968 

09 Jun 1968 

12 Jun 1968 

14 Jun 1968 

30 Jun 1968 

01 Jul 1968 

20 Jul1968 

19 Aug 1968 

31 Aug 1968 

12 Sep 1968 

27 Sep 1968 

30 Sep 1968 

30 Sep 1968 

OS Oct 1968 

OS Oct 1968 

08 Oct 1968 

24 Oct 1968 

18 Nov 1968 

03 Dec 1968 

03 Dec 1968 

07 Dec 1968 

11 Dec 1968 

26 Dec 1968 

27 Dec 1968 

03 Jan 1969 

18 Jan 1969 

19 Jan 1969 

11 Feb 1969 

12 Feb 1969 

26 Feb 1969 

27 Feb 1969 

01 Mar 1969 

Apollo 9 0 
Fixed Fixed Event Geocentric Path H

Event GET Altitude Range Velocity Velocity Duration Latitude Longitude Angle A

(hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (n mi) (ft/sec) (ft/sec) (sec) (deg N) (deg E) (deg) (E 

Liftoff 000:00:00.67 0.032 000.0 1.8 1,340.7 28.4470 -80.6041 0.08 

Mach I achieved 000:01:08.2 4.243 1.383 1,088.4 2,100.7 28.4545 -80.5794 26.35 

Maximum dynamic pressure 000:01:25.5 7.429 3.789 1,737.7 2,783.2 28.4666 -80.5369 28.08 

S-IC center engine cutoff! 000:02:14.34 22.459 24.602 5,154.1 6,329.49 140.64 28.5720 -80.1602 22.5766 

S-IC outboard engine cutoff 000:02:42.76 34.808 51.596 7,793.3 9,013.71 169.06 28.7071 -79.6718 18.5394 

S-IC/S-II separation! 000:02:43.45 35.144 52.410 7,837.89 9,059.28 28.7111 -79.6571 18.449 

S-II engine cutoff 000:08:56.22 100.735 830.505 21,431.9 22,753.54 371.06 31.6261 -65.0422 0.9177 

S-II/S-IVB separation1 000:08:57.18 100.794 833.794 21,440.5 22,762.27 31.6343 -64.9786 0.906 

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff 000: II:04.66 103.156 1,296.775 24,240.6 25,563.98 123.84 32.4266 -55.9293 -0.0066 

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:14.66 103.154 1,335.515 24,246.39 25,569.78 32.4599 -55.1658 -0.0058 

1 Only the commanded time is available for this event. 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
Apollo 9 Earth Orbit Phase 

Space 

Fixed Event Velocity 

GET Velocity Duration Change Apogee Perigee Period Inclination 

Event (hhh:mrn:ss) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (n mi) (n mi) (mins) (deg) 

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:14.66 25,569.78 100.74 99.68 88.20 32.552 

CSM separated from S-IVB 002:41:16.0 25,553 

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB 004:08:09 25,565.3 

S-IVB 2nd burn restart2 004:45:47.20 25,556.1 

S-IVB 2nd bum cutoff 004:46:57.60 27,742.03 62.06 32.303 

S-IVB intermediate orbit insertion 004:47:07.60 27,753.61 1,671.58 105.75 119.22 32.302 

1st SPS ignition 005:59:01.07 25,549.8 

1st SPS cutoff 005:59:06.30 25,583.8 5.23 36.6 127.6 111.3 88.8 32.56 

S-IVB 3rd burn restart2 006:06:27.35 20,766.0 

S-IVB 3rd burn cutoff 006:11:21.32 31,589.17 242.06 33.824 

S-IVB escape orbit insertion 006:11:31.32 31,619.85 33.825 

2nd SPS ignition 022:12:04.07 25,588.2 31.8 

2nd SPS cutoff 022:13:54.36 25,701.7 110.29 850.5 192.5 110.7 90.0 33.46 

3rd SPS ignition 025: 17:39.27 25,692.4 

3rd SPS cutoff 025:22:19.15 25,794.3 279.88 2567.9 274.9 l 12.6 91.6 33.82 

4th SPS ignition 028:24:41.3 7 25,807.7 

4th SPS cutoff 028:25:09.24 25,798.9 27.87 300.5 275.0 112.4 91.6 33.82 

DPS docked ignition 049:41 :34.46 25,832.7 

DPS docked cutoff 049:47:45.97 25,783.0 371.51 1737.5 274.6 112.1 91.5 33.97 

5th SPS ignition 054:26:12.27 25,700.8 

5th SPS cutoff 054:26:55.53 25,473.2 43.26 572.5 131.0 125.9 89.2 33.61 

CSM/LM separation ignition 093:02:54 25,480.5 

CSM/LM separation cutoff 093:03:03.5 25,480.5 9.5 127 122 

LM descent phasing ignition 093:47:35.4 25,518.9 

LM descent phasing cutoff 093:47:54.4 25,518.2 19.0 137 112 

LM descent insertion ignition 095:39:08.06 25,412.6 

LM descent insertion cutoff 095:39:30.43 25,453.0 22.37 138.9 133.9 

LM coelliptic sequence ignition 096:16:06.54 25,452.0 

LM coelliptic sequence cutoff 096: 16:38.25 25,412.0 31.71 138 113 

LM constant differential height ignition 096:58: 15.0 25,592.0 

LM constant differential height cutoff 096:58:17.9 25,550.6 2.9 116 111 

LM terminal phase initiation ignition 097:57:59 25,540.8 

LM terminal phase initiation cutoff 097:58:36.6 25,560.5 37.6 126 113 

LM ascent engine depletion ignition 101:53:15.4 25,480.3 

LM ascent engine depletion cutoff 101:59:17.7 29,415.4 362.3 5,373.4 3,760.9 126.6 165.3 28.95 

6th SPS ignition 123:25:06.97 25,522.2 

6th SPS cutoff 123:25:08.40 25,489.0 1.43 33.7 123.1 108.5 88.7 33.62 

7th SPS ignition 169:39:00.36 25,589.6 

7th SPS cutoff 169:39:25.26 25,825.9 24.90 650.1 253.2 100.7 90.9 33.51 

8th SPS ignition 240:31:14.84 25,318.4 

8th SPS cutoff 240:31 :26.58 25,142.8 11.74 322.7 240.0 -4.2 88.8 33.52 

2 Only the commanded time is available for this event.

Apollo9 0 
Terminal countdown started. 

Scheduled 3-hour hold at T-16 hours. 

Decision made to recycle countdown to T-42 hours due to health of crew. 

Countdown resumed at T-42 hours. 

Scheduled 5-hour 30-minute hold at T-28 hours. 

Countdown resumed at T-28 hours. 

Scheduled 3-hour hold at T-16 hours. 

Countdown resumed at T-16 hours. 

Scheduled 6-hour hold at T-9 hours. 

Countdown resumed at T-9 hours. 

Guidance reference release. 

S-IC engine start command. 

S-IC engine ignition (#5). 

All S-IC engines thrust OK. 

Range zero. 

All holddown arms released (1st motion) (1.10 g). 

Liftoff (umbilical disconnected). 

Tower clearance yaw maneuver started. 

Yaw maneuver ended. 

Pitch and roll maneuver started. 

Roll maneuver ended. 

Mach 1 achieved. 

Maximum bending moment (86,000,000 lbf-in). 

Maximum dynamic pressure (630.740 lbfft2). 

S-IC center engine cutoff command. 

Pitch maneuver ended. 

S-IC outboard engine cutoff. 

S-IC maximum total inertial acceleration (3.85 g). 

S-IC/S-II separation command and S-IC maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

S-II engine start command. 

S-II ignition. 

S-II aft interstage jettisoned. 

Launch escape tower jettisoned. 

Iterative guidance mode initiated. 

S-IC apex. 

S-II engine cutoff. 

S-II maximum total inertial acceleration (2.00 g). 

S-IC impact (theoretical). 

S-II maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

S-II!S-IVB separation command. 

S-IVB 1st burn start command. 

S-IVB 1st burn ignition. 

S-IVB ullage case jettisoned. 

S-II apex. 

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff. 

S-IVB 1st burn maximum total inertial acceleration (0.80 g). 

Earth orbit insertion. S-IVB 1st burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 

Orbital navigation started. 

S-II impact (theoretical). 

Maneuver to transposition and docking attitude. 

-028:00:00 

-016:00:00 

-016:30:00 

-042:00:00 

-028:00:00 

-028:00:00 

-016:00:00 

-016:00:00 

-009:00:00 

-009:00:00 

-000:00:16.97 

-000:00:08.9 

-000:00:06.3 

-000:00:01.3 

000:00:00.00 

000:00:00.26 

000:00:00.67 

000:00:01.7 

000:00:09.7 

000:00:13.3 

000:00:33.0 

000:01:08.2 

000:01:19.4 

000:01:25.5 

000:02:14.34 

000:02:38.0 

000:02:42.76 

000:02:42.84 

000:02:43.45 

000:02:44.17 

000:02:45.16 

000:03:13.5 

000:03:18.3 

000:03:24.6 

000:04:26.03 

000:08:56.22 

000:08:56.31 

000:08:56.436 

000:08:56.45 

000:08:57.18 

000:08:57.28 

000:09:00.82 

000:09:09.0 

000:09:53.58 

000: 11:04.66 

000:11:04.74 

000:11:14.66 

000:11:24.9 

000:12:47.7 

000:20:25.346 

002:34:01.0 

03:00:00 

15:00:00 

15:30:00 

07:30:00 

21:30:00 

03:00:00 

15:00:00 

18:00:00 

01:00:00 

07:00:00 

15:59:43 

15:59:51 

15:59:53 

15:59:58 

16:00:00 

16:00:00 

16:00:00 

16:00:01 

16:00:09 

16:00:13 

16:00:33 

16:01:08 

16:01:19 

16:01:25 

16:02:14 

16:02:38 

16:02:42 

16:02:42 

16:02:43 

16:02:44 

16:02:45 

16:03:13 

16:03:18 

16:03:24 

16:04:26 

16:08:56 

16:08:56 

16:08:56 

16:08:56 

16:08:57 

16:08:57 

16:09:00 

16:09:09 

16:09:53 

16:11:04 

16:11:04 

16:11:14 

16:11:24 

16:12:47 

16:20:25 

18:34:01 

27 Feb 19

27 Feb 19

27 Feb 19

01 Mar 1

01 Mar 1

02 Mar 1

02 Mar 1

02 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 19

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 19

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

03 Mar 1

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
Apollo 9 Timeline

GET GMT GMT

Event (hhh:mm:ss) Time Date

CSM separated from S-IVB (command). 002:41:16.0 18:41:16 03 Mar 1969

Formation flying. CSM docked with LM/S-IVB. 003:01:59.3 19:01:59 03 Mar 1969

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB. 004:08:09 20:08:09 03 Mar 1969

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 004:25:05.1 20:25:05 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB 2nd burn restart preparation. 004:36:17.24 20:36:17 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB 2nd burn restart command. 004:45:47.20 20:45:47 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition (for intermediate orbit insertion). 004:45:55.54 20:45:55 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff. 004:46:57.60 20:46:57 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB 2nd burn maximum total inertial acceleration (1.24 g). 004:46:57.68 20:46:57 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB 2nd burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 004:46:58.20 20:46:58 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB intermediate orbit insertion. 004:47:07.60 20:47:07 03 Mar 1969

Orbital navigation started. 004:47:14.2 20:47:14 03 Mar 1969

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 004:47:18.6 20:47:18 03 Mar 1969

1st SPS ignition. 005:59:01.07 21:59:01 03 Mar 1969

1st SPS cutoff. 005:59:06.30 21:59:06 03 Mar 1969

Powered flight navigation started. 005:59:39.0 21:59:39 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB 3rd burn restart preparation. 005:59:40.98 21:59:41 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB 3rd burn restart command. 006:06:27.35 22:06:27 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB 3rd burn ignition (Earth escape trajectory). 006:07:19.26 22:07:19 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB 3rd burn maximum total inertial acceleration (1.69 g). 006:08:53.00 22:08:53 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB 3rd burn cutoff. 006:11:21.32 22:11:21 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB safing procedures started. 006:11:21.92 22:11:21 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB 3rd burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 006:11:23.50 22:11:23 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB escape orbit insertion. 006:11:31.32 22:11:31 03 Mar 1969

Orbital navigation started. 006:11:38.0 22:11:38 03 Mar 1969

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 006:11:42.0 22:11:42 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB safing—LOX dump started (failed due to loss of engine pneumatic control during 3rd burn). 006:12:15.5 22:12:15 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB safing—LH2 dump started (failed due to loss of pneumatic control of engine valves). 006:24:11.3 22:24:11 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB safing—LOX NPV valve latched open to safe LOX tank. 006:24:02 22:24:02 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB safing—APS depletion firing ignition. 007:34:04.6 23:34:04 03 Mar 1969

S-IVB safing—APS depletion firing cutoff. 007:41:53 23:41:53 03 Mar 1969

2nd SPS ignition. 022:12:04.07 14:12:04 04 Mar 1969

2nd SPS cutoff. 022:13:54.36 14:13:54 04 Mar 1969

3rd SPS ignition. 025:17:39.27 17:17:39 04 Mar 1969

3rd SPS cutoff. 025:22:19.15 17:22:19 04 Mar 1969

4th SPS ignition. 028:24:41.37 20:24:41 04 Mar 1969

4th SPS cutoff. 028:25:09.24 20:25:09 04 Mar 1969

Pressure suits donned. 041:00 09:00 05 Mar 1969

LMP entered LM. 043:15 11:15 05 Mar 1969

LM transferred to internal power. 043:40 11:40 05 Mar 1969

LM systems activated. 043:45 11:45 05 Mar 1969

CDR entered LM. 044:04 12:04 05 Mar 1969

Landing gear deployed. 045:00 13:00 05 Mar 1969

Portable life support systems prepared. 045:05 13:05 05 Mar 1969

CDR requested private communication regarding LMP illness. 045:39:05 13:39:05 05 Mar 1969

CAPCOM replies that he is ready to receive CDR’s private communication. 045:51:56 13:51:56 05 Mar 1969

TV transmission. 046:28 14:28 05 Mar 1969

Self test of landing radar and rendezvous radar. 048:15 16:15 05 Mar 1969

DPS docked ignition. 049:41:34.46 17:41:34 05 Mar 1969

DPS docked cutoff. 049:47:45.97 17:47:46 05 Mar 1969

Landing radar self-test. 050:00 18:00 05 Mar 1969

Apollo 9 67
Transfer to CM started. 050:15 18:15 OS Mar 

LM deactivated. 051:00 19:00 OS Mar 

5th SPS ignition. 054:26:12.27 22:26:12 05 Mar 

5th SPS cutoff. 054:26:55.53 22:26:55 OS Mar 

Pressure suits removed. 055:00 23:00 OS Mar 

Pressure suits donned. 068:15 12:15 06 Mar 

Transfer to LM started. 069:45 13:45 06 Mar 

LM systems activated. 070:00 14:00 06 Mar 

CDR assessed LMP condition as excellent. 071:53 15:53 06 Mar 

LM depressurized. 072:45 16:45 06 Mar 

LM forward hatch open. 072:46 16:46 06 Mar 

CM depressurized. 072:59 16:59:00 06 Mar 

LMP started egress. 072:59:02 16:59:02 06 Mar 

CM side hatch open. 073:02:00 17:02:00 06 Mar 

CDR reported LMP's foot extending through LM forward hatch. LMP lowered EVA visor. 073:04 17:04 06 Mar 

LMP egress completed. Entered foot restraints. CDR photographed LMP activities. 073:07 17:07 06 Mar 

CDR passed 70 mm camera to LMP. LMP started photography. 073:10 17:10 06 Mar 

LMP ended 70 mm photography and handed camera to CDR. 

CMP photographed LM with 16 mm camera. 073:20 17:20 06 Mar 

CDR passed 16 mm camera to LMP. CMP activities photographed by LMP. 073:23 17:23 06 Mar 

CMP retrieved SM thermal samples. 073:26 17:26 06 Mar 

LMP passed 16 mm camera to CDR. 073:34 17:34 06 Mar 

LMP 16 mm camera failed. LMP evaluated handrail, retrieved LM thermal sample, 

and passed to CDR. 073:39 17:39 06 Mar 

LMP started handrail evaluation. 073:42 17:42 06 Mar 

LMP ingress started. 073:45 17:45 06 Mar 

LMP ingress completed. 073:46:03 17:46:03 06 Mar 

LM hatch closed. 073:48 17:48 06 Mar 

CM side hatch reported closed and locked. 073:49:23 17:49:23 06 Mar 

LM hatch reported locked. 073:49:56 17:49:56 06 Mar 

LM repressurized at 3.0 psi. 073:53 17:53 06 Mar 

CM repressurization started. 073:55 17:55 06 Mar 

CM repressurized at 2.7 psi. 074:02:00 18:02:00 06 Mar 

TV transmission started. 074:58 18:58 06 Mar 

TV transmission ended. 075:13 19:13 06 Mar 

CDR entered CM. 075:15 19:15 06 Mar 

LMP entered CM. 076:55 20:55 06 Mar 

Pressure suits removed. 077:15 21:15 06 Mar 

LMP entered LM to open translunar bus tie circuit breakers. 078:09 22:09 06 Mar 

Pressure suits donned. 086:00 06:00 07 Mar 

LMP entered LM. 088:05 08:05 07 Mar 

LM systems activated. 088:15 08:15 07 Mar 

CDR entered LM. 088:55 08:55 07 Mar 

Check LM systems. 089:05 09:05 07 Mar 

Rendezvous radar transponder test. 091:00 11:00 07 Mar 

Landing radar self-test. 091:55 11:55 07 Mar 

Rendezvous radar transponder test. 092:05 12:05 07 Mar 

Maneuver to undocking attitude. 092:22 12:22 07 Mar 

Unsuccessful undocking attempt. Capture latches failed to release. 092:38 12:38 07 Mar 

CSM/LM reported undocked. 092:39:36 12:39:36 07 Mar 

Formation flying and photography. 092:45 12:45 07 Mar 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Apollo 9 Timeline

Event

GET

(hhh:mm:ss)

GMT

Time

GMT

Date

CSM/LM separation maneuver ignition. 093:02:54 13:02:54 07 Mar 1969

CSM/LM separation maneuver cutoff. 093:03:03.5 13:03:03 07 Mar 1969

LM descent propulsion phasing maneuver ignition. 093:47:35.4 13:47:35 07 Mar 1969

LM descent propulsion phasing maneuver cutoff. 093:47:54.4 13:47:54 07 Mar 1969

Landing radar self-test. 094:15 14:15 07 Mar 1969

Terminal phase initiation for abort.

Rendezvous radar on. 095:10 15:10 07 Mar 1969

LM descent propulsion insertion maneuver ignition. 095:39:08.06 15:39:08 07 Mar 1969

LM descent propulsion insertion maneuver cutoff. 095:39:30.43 15:39:30 07 Mar 1969

CAPCOM reported, “Everything looks good for staging.”

LM coelliptic sequence initiation maneuver ignition. Approximate time of LM descent

095:58:15 15:58:15 07 Mar 1969

stage jettison. 096:16:06.54 16:16:06 07 Mar 1969

LM coelliptic sequence initiation maneuver cutoff. 096:16:38.25 16:16:38 07 Mar 1969

CDR reports that LM “staging went okay.” 096:33:11 16:33:11 07 Mar 1969

LM constant differential height ignition. 096:58:15.0 16:58:15 07 Mar 1969

LM constant differential height cutoff. 096:58:17.9 16:58:17 07 Mar 1969

LM terminal phase initiation ignition. 097:57:59 17:57:59 07 Mar 1969

LM terminal phase initiation cutoff. 097:58:36.6 17:58:36 07 Mar 1969

1st RCS midcourse correction ignition. 098:25:19.66 18:25:19 07 Mar 1969

1st RCS midcourse correction cutoff. 098:25:23.57 18:25:23 07 Mar 1969

Terminal phase braking. 098:30:03 18:30:03 07 Mar 1969

Stationkeeping. 098:30:51.2 18:30:51 07 Mar 1969

Formation flying and photography. 098:40 18:40 07 Mar 1969

CSM/LM docked. 099:02:26 19:02:26 07 Mar 1969

CDR entered CM. 100:35 20:35 07 Mar 1969

LM prepared for jettison. 100:40 20:40 07 Mar 1969

LMP entered CM. 101:00 21:00 07 Mar 1969

LM ascent stage jettisoned. 101:22:45.0 21:22:45 07 Mar 1969

Post-jettison CSM separation maneuver. 101:32:44 21:32:44 07 Mar 1969

LM ascent engine depletion ignition. 101:53:15.4 21:53:15 07 Mar 1969

LM ascent engine depletion. 101:59:17.7 21:59:17 07 Mar 1969

Pressure suits removed. 102:00 22:00 07 Mar 1969

6th SPS ignition. 123:25:06.97 19:25:07 08 Mar 1969

6th SPS cutoff. 123:25:08.40 19:25:08 08 Mar 1969

Experiment S065 photography. 124:10 20:10 08 Mar 1969

CSM landmark tracking. 125:30 21:30 08 Mar 1969

CSM landmark tracking. 143:00 15:00 09 Mar 1969

Experiment S065 photography. 146:00 18:00 09 Mar 1969

Experiment S065 photography. 147:30 19:30 09 Mar 1969

Target of opportunity photography. 149:00 21:00 09 Mar 1969

Target of opportunity photography. 150:10 22:10 09 Mar 1969

7th SPS ignition. 169:39:00.36 17:39:00 10 Mar 1969

7th SPS cutoff. 169:39:25.26 17:39:25 10 Mar 1969

16 mm photography. 171:10 19:10 10 Mar 1969

Experiment S065 photography. 171:20 19:20 10 Mar 1969

Experiment S065 photography. 171:50 19:50 10 Mar 1969

Target of opportunity photography. 173:10 21:10 10 Mar 1969

Experiment S065 photography. 190:40 14:40 11 Mar 1969

Experiment S065 photography. 192:10 16:10 11 Mar 1969

Tracking of Pegasus II satellite started. 192:43 16:43 11 Mar 1969

Tracking of Pegasus II satellite ended. 192:44 16:44 11 Mar 1969

Apollo 9 69
High-gain antenna test. 

High-gain antenna test. 

Target of opportunity photography. 

Tracking of Pegasus II satellite started. 

Tracking of Pegasus II satellite ended. 

CSM landmark tracking. 

Target of opportunity photography. 

Target of opportunity photography. 

Observation of descent stage attempted. 

Target of opportunity photography. 

Experiment S065 photography. 

Target of opportunity photography. 

Experiment S065 photography. 

Target of opportunity photography. 

Experiment S065 photography. 

Target of opportunity photography. 

CSM landmark tracking. 

Passive thermal control evaluated. 

Passive thermal control evaluated. 

Tracking of ascent stage with optics started. 

Tracking of ascent stage with optics ended. 

8th SPS ignition (deorbit). 

8th SPS cutoff. 

CM/SM separation. 

Entry. 

Communication blackout started. 

Communication blackout ended. 

Radar contact with CM established by recovery aircraft. 

Drogue parachute deployed. 

Main parachute deployed. 

Recovery beacon contact with CM established by recovery aircraft. VHF voice contact 

with CM established by recovery helicopter. 

Visual contact with CM established by recovery helicopter. 


Splashdown (went to apex-up). 


Swimmers and flotation collar deployed. 


Flotation collar inflated. 


CM hatch opened. 


Crew aboard recovery helicopter. 


Crew aboard recovery ship. 


CM aboard recovery ship. 


Flight crew departed recovery ship. 


Flight crew arrived in Eleuthera, Bahamas. 


Deactivation of CM started at Norfolk Naval Air Station. 


Deactivation of CM completed. 


CM arrived at contractor's facility in Downey, CA. 


LM descent stage entry. 


LM ascent stage entry. 


193:10 

193:40 

193:50 

194:13 

194:15 

195:10 

195:30 

213:25 

213:50 

215:00 

215:10 

215:30' 

216:10 

216:20 

216:40 

217:00 

217:50 

218:30 

222:00 

222:38:40 

222:45:40 

240:31:14.84 

240:31:26.58 

240:36:03.8 

240:44:10.2 

240:47:01 

240:50:43 

240:51 

240:55:07.8 

240:55:59.0 

240:57 

240:58 

241:00:54 

241:07 

241:14 

241:27 

241:45 

241:49:33 

243:13 

263:00 

264:30 

312:00 

443:45 

17:10 

17:40 

17:50 

18:13 

18:15 

19:10 

19:30 

13:25 

13:50 

15:00 

15:10 

15:30 

16:10 

16:20 

16:40 

17:00 

17:50 

18:30 

22:00 

22:38:40 

22:45:40 

16:31:14 

16:31:26 

16:36:03 

16:44:10 

16:47:01 

16:50:43 

16:51 

16:55:07 

16:55:59 

16:57 

16:58 

17:00:54 

17:07 

17:14 

17:27 

17:45 

17:49:33 

19:13 

15:00 

16:30 

16:00 

03:45 

ll Mar 

ll Mar 

ll Mar 

ll Mar 

ll Mar 

11 Mar 

11 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

12 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

l3 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

13 Mar 

l3 Mar 

13 Mar 

14 Mar 

14 Mar 

16 Mar 

21 Mar 

22 Mar 

23 Oct 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
10 


The Fo Mission: 


Testing the LM Lunar Orbit 

Apollo 10 crew (l. to. r.): Gene Cernan, John Young, Tom 

Stafford (NASA S69-34385). 

Background 

Apollo 10 was a Type F mission, a lunar module piloted 

flight demonstration in lunar orbit, the dress rehearsal for 

the first piloted landing on the Moon. It was also the first 

time all members of a three-person crew had previously 

flown in space. 

The primary objectives were: 

• to demonstrate crew, space vehicle, and mission support facilities 

performance during a piloted lunar mission with command and 

service modules and lunar module; and 

• to evaluate lunar module performance in the cislunar and lunar 

environment. 

The mission events simulated those for a lunar landing 

mission. In addition, visual observations and stereoscopic 

strip photography of Apollo Landing Site 2 (first planned 

lunar landing site) would be attempted. 

1 Copyright United Features Syndicate. 

Selected as an astronaut in 1962, Stafford was making 

third spaceflight. He had been pilot of Gemini 6-A a

command pilot of Gemini 9-A. Born 17 September 1

in Weatherford, Oklahoma, Stafford was 38 years old 

time of the Apollo 10 mission. He received a B.S. fro

U.S. Naval Academy in 1952. His backup was Colone

Leroy Gordon Cooper, Jr. (USAF). 

Young was also making his third spaceflight, having b

pilot on Gemini 3 and command pilot of Gemini 10

24 September 1930 in San Francisco, California, Youn

38 years old at the time of the Apollo 10 mission. Yo

received a B.S. in aeronautical engineering from the 

Georgia Institute of Technology in 1952, and was sele

as an astronaut in 1962. His backup was Lt. Colonel 

Fulton Eisele (USAF). 

Cernan had been pilot of Gemini 9-A. Born 14 Marc

1934 in Chicago, Illinois, he was 35 years old at the t

of the Apollo 10 mission. Cernan received a B.S. in e

cal engineering from Purdue University in 1956 and 

M.S. in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval 

Postgraduate School in 1963, and was selected as an 

naut in 1963. His backup was Commander Edgar De

Mitchell (USN). 

The capsule communicators (CAPCOMs) were Major 

Charles Moss Duke, Jr. (USAF), Major Joe Henry Eng

(USAF), Major Jack Robert Lousma (USMC), and Lt

Commander Bruce McCandless, II (USN). The suppo

crew consisted of Engle, Lt. Col. James Benson Irwin 

(USAF), and Duke. The flight directors were Glynn S

Lunney and Gerald D. Griffin (first shift), Milton L. 

Windler (second shift), and M. P. "Pete" Frank (third 

The Apollo 10 launch vehicle was a Saturn V, designa

SA-505. The mission also carried the designation Eas

Test Range #920. The CSM was designated CSM -106, 

had the call-sign "Charlie Brown." The lunar module 

designated LM-4, and had the call-sign "Snoopy." The 

call-signs were taken from the popular comic strip 

Peanuts©1 by Charles L. Schultz. For this mission, Sno

the Beagle exchanged the goggles and scarf of the Wo

War I flying ace for a space helmet. At the Manned 

Spacecraft Center, Snoopy was the symbol of qualify 

formance. 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
Launch Preparations

The terminal countdown was picked up at 01:00:00 GMT

on 17 May 1969 and proceeded with no unscheduled

holds. The primary LOX replenish pump failed to start at

T-8 hours due to a blown fuse in the pump motor starter

circuit. Troubleshooting and fuse replacement delayed LOX

loading by 50 minutes but it was completed by T-4 hours

22 minutes. The lost time was made up during the scheduled 1-hour hold at T-3 hours 30 minutes.

A high pressure cell in the Atlantic Ocean off the New

England coast caused southeasterly surface winds and

brought moisture into the Cape Canaveral area, which contributed to overcast conditions. At launch time, cumulus

clouds covered 40 percent of the sky (base 2,200 feet),

altocumulus covered 20 percent (base 11,000 feet), and cirrus covered 100 percent (base not recorded); the temperature was 80.1° F; the relative humidity was 75 percent; and

the barometric pressure was 14.779 lb/in2. The winds, as

measured by the anemometer on the light pole 60.0 feet

above ground at the launch site, measured 19.0 knots at

142° from true north.

Ascent Phase

Apollo 10 was launched from Kennedy Space Center

Launch Complex 39, Pad B, at a Range Zero time of

16:49:00 GMT (11:49:00 p.m. EDT) on 18 May 1969, and

was the first piloted launch from this pad. The launch

window extended to 21:09 GMT to take advantage of a

sun elevation angle on the lunar surface of 11°.

Between 000:00:13.05 and 000:00:32.3, the vehicle rolled

from a launch pad azimuth of 90° to a flight azimuth of

72.028°. The S-IC engine shut down at 000:02:41.63, followed by S-IC/S-II separation, and S-II engine ignition.

The S-II engine shut down at 000:09:12.64 followed by

separation from the S-IVB, which ignited at 000:09:16.9.

The first S-IVB engine cutoff occurred at 000:11:43.76,

with deviations from the planned trajectory of only

-0.23 ft/sec in velocity and only -0.08 n mi in altitude.

The S-IC stage impacted the Atlantic Ocean at 000:08:59.12

at latitude 30.188° north and longitude 74.207° west, 348.80

n mi from the launch site. The S-II stage impacted the

Atlantic Ocean at 000:20:17.89 at latitude 31.522° north and

longitude 34.512° west, 2,389.29 n mi from the launch site.

Apollo 10 becomes the first piloted mission to lift off

from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39B (NASA S69-34145).

The maximum wind conditions encountered during ascent

were 82.6 knots at 270° from true north at 46,520 feet, and

a maximum wind shear of 0.0203 sec-1 at 50,200 feet.

Parking orbit conditions at insertion, 000:11:53.76 (S-IVB

cutoff plus 10 seconds to account for engine tailoff and

other transient effects), showed an apogee and perigee of

100.32 by 99.71 n mi, an inclination of 32.546°, a period

of 88.20 minutes, and a velocity of 25,567.88 ft/sec. The

apogee and perigee were based upon a spherical Earth with

a radius of 3,443.934 n mi.

The international designation for the CSM upon achieving

orbit was 1969-043 A and the S-IVB was designated

1969-043B. After undocking at the Moon, the LM would

be designated 1969-018C.

Apollo 10 73
translunar injection occurred ten seconds later, after 1.5 

Earth orbits lasting 2 hours 27 minutes 16.82 seconds, at a 

velocity of 35,585.83 ft/sec. 

Translunar Phase 

At 003:02:42.4, the CSM was separated from the S-IVB 

stage. It was transposed and then docked with the LM at 

003:17:36.0. The docked spacecraft were ejected at 

003:56:25.7 and a separation maneuver was performed at 

004:39:09.8. The sequence was televised to Earth starting at 

003:06:00 for 22 minutes and from 003:56:00 for 13 minutes 25 seconds. Additional television broadcasts during 

translunar coast included: 

Television Transmissions--Translunar Coast 

Duration 

Start (mmiss) Subject 

005:06:34 13:15 View of Earth and spacecraft interior 

007:11:27 24:00 View of Earth and spacecraft interior 

027:00:48 27:43 View of Earth and spacecraft interior 

048:00:51 14:39 View of Earth and spacecraft interior (recorded) 

048:24:00 03:51 View of Earth and spacecraft interior (recorded) 

049:54:00 04:49 View of Earth 

053:35:30 25:00 View of Earth and spacecraft interior 

072:37:26 17:16 View of Earth and spacecraft interior 

A ground command for propulsive venting of residual propellants targeted the S-IVB to go past the Moon. The closest approach of the S-IVB to the Moon was 1,680 n mi, at 

078:51:03.6 on May 21 at 23:40 GMT. The trajectory after 

passing from the lunar sphere of influence resulted in a 

solar orbit with an aphelion and perihelion of 82.160 million by 73.330 million n mi, an inclination of 23.46, and a 

period of 344.88 days. 

A preplanned, 7.1-second, midcourse correction of 

49.2 ft/sec was executed at 026:32:56.8 and adjusted the 

trajectory to coincide with a July lunar landing trajectory. 

The maneuver was so accurate that two additional planned 

midcourse corrections were canceled. The passive thermal 

control technique was employed to maintain desired spacecraft temperatures throughout the translunar coast except 

when a specific attitude was required. 

Young displays drawing of cartoon character for w

LM was named (NASA S69-34076, Snoopy© United 

Features Syndicate). 

Earth as seen from a distance of 100,000 n mi (NA

ASI0-34-5026). 

At 075:55:54.0, at an altitude of 95.1 n mi above the 

Moon, the service propulsion engine was fired for 35

seconds to insert the spacecraft into a lunar orbit of 

by 60.2 n mi. The translunar coast had lasted 73 hou

22 minutes 29.5 seconds. 

0 Apollo by the Numbers 
LM inside S-IB following separation from CSM (NASA

S69-33994).

Lunar Orbit Phase

After two revolutions of tracking and ground updates, a

13.9-second maneuver was performed at 080:25:08.1 to circularize the orbit at 61.0 by 59.2 n mi.

Earthrise as seen from Apollo 10 (NASA AS10-27-3890).

A 29-minute 9-second scheduled color television transmission of the lunar surface was conducted at 080:45:00, with

the crew describing the lunar features below them. The

picture quality of lunar scenes was excellent.

The lunar module pilot entered the LM at 081:55 for two

hours of “housekeeping” activities and some LM communications tests. The tests were terminated following the LM

relay communications, tests due to time limitations. Results

were excellent, and the remaining tests were conducted

later in the mission. 

At 095:02, the commander and lunar module pilot entered

to activate LM systems and discovered that the LM had

moved 3.5 degrees out of line with the CM. The crew

feared that separating the two spacecraft might shear off

some of the latching pins, possibly preventing redocking.

But mission control reported that as long as the alignment

was less than six degrees, there would be no problem.

Undocking occurred at 098:11:57 and was televised for 20

minutes 10 seconds starting at 098:13:00. During this period, the LM landing gear were deployed and all LM systems

Checked out.

A 8.3-second CSM reaction control system maneuver at

098:47:17.4 separated the CSM to about 30 feet from the

LM. The CSM was in an orbit of 62.9 by 57.7 n mi at the

time. Stationkeeping was initiated at this point while the

command module pilot visually inspected the LM. The

CSM reaction control system was then used to perform the

separation maneuver directed radially downward toward

the Moon’s center. This maneuver provided a separation at

descent orbit insertion of about 2 n mi from the LM.

CM after separation from LM (NASA AS10-27-3873).

Following stationkceping, a 27.4-second LM descent

propulsion system burn at 099:46:01.6 inserted the LM

into a descent orbit of 60.9 by 8.5 n mi so that the resulting lowest point in the orbit occurred about 15° prior to

lunar landing site 2.

Apollo 10 75
Northwest view of Triesnecher crater with associated 

rille at bottom (NASA ASI0-32-4819). 

Numerous photographs ofthe lunar surface were taken.

Some camera malfunctions were reported and although 

some communications difficulties were experienced, the

crew provided a continuous commentary of their observations. An hour later, the LM made a low-level pass over 

Apollo landing site 2. The pass was highlighted by a test of 

the landing radar, visual observation of lunar lighting, 

stereoscopic strip photography, and execution of the phasing maneuver using the descent engine. The lowest measured point in the trajectory was 47,400 feet (7.8 n mi) 

above the lunar surface at 100:41:43. 

The second LM maneuver, a 39.9-second descent propulsion system phasing burn at 100:58:25.93, established a 

lead angle equivalent to that which would occur at powered ascent cutoff during a lunar landing, and put the LM 

into an orbit of 190.1 by 12.1 n mi. 

At 102:44:49, during preparations for rendezvous with the 

CSM, the LM started to wallow off slowly in yaw, and then 

stopped. At 102:45:12, it started a rapid roll accompanied 

by small pitch and yaw rates. The ascent stage was then 

separated from the descent stage at 102:45: 17 at an altitude 

of 31.4 n mi and the motion was stopped eight seconds

later. A 15.55-second firing of the ascent engine at 

102:55:02.13 placed the ascent stage into an orbit of 46.5 

by 11.0 n mi. The descer,t stage went into lunar orbit. 

0 Apollo by the Numbers

Lunar farside area near International Astronomical 

Union Crater 300, seen from the CM (NASA ASI0-34-

5173). 

Photograph of the lunar nearside; crater Hyginus, near 

Central Bay, seen from the CM (NASA ASI0-31-4650). 

Analysis revealed that the cause of the anomalous motion 

was human error. Inadvertently, the control mode of the 

LM abort guidance system was left in AUTO rather than 

the required ATTITUDE HOLD mode for the staging 
maneuver. In AUTO, the abort guidance system drove the

LM to acquire the CSM which was not in accordance with

the planned attitude timeline. The commander took over

manual control to reestablish the proper attitude.

At the orbital low point, the insertion maneuver was performed on time using the LM ascent propulsion system.

This bum established the equivalent of the standard LM

insertion orbit of a lunar landing mission (45 x 11.2 n mi).

The LM coasted in that orbit for about one hour. The terminal maneuver occurred at about the midpoint of darkness, and braking during the terminal phase finalization was

performed manually as planned.

Apollo landing site #3. Crater Bruce is seen at the bottom right (NASA AS10-27-3907).

The rendezvous simulated one that would follow a normal

ascent from the lunar surface. It started with a 27.3-second

LM coelliptic sequence initiation maneuver at 103:45:55.3,

which placed the spacecraft into an orbit of 48.7 by

40.7 n mi. This was followed by a 1.65-second constant

differential height maneuver at 104:43:53.29 which raised

the perigee to 42.1 n mi. The 16.50-second terminal phase

initiation maneuver at 105:22:55.28 then raised the orbit to

58.3 by 46.8 n mi. Docking was complete at 106:22:02 at

an altitude of 54.7 n mi after 8 hours 10 minutes 5 seconds of lunar flight.

Once docked, the LM crew members transferred the

exposed film packets to the CM. The LM ascent stage was

jettisoned at 108:24:36. A 6.3-second separation maneuver

at 108:43:23.3 raised the orbit to 64.0 by 56.3 n mi. This

was followed by a 249.0-second remote control firing of

the ascent engine to depletion at 108:52:05.5.

About one revolution after docking, the LM ascent propulsion

system bum to depletion was commanded as planned, utilizing the LM ascent engine arming assembly. This bum was

targeted to place the LM in a solar orbit Communications

were maintained until LM ascent stage battery depletion at

about 120:00. The ascent batteries lasted about 12 hours after

LM jettison.

LM ascent stage prior to docking with the CM (NASA

AS10-34-51I2).

Prior to transearth injection, views of the lunar surface and

spacecraft interior were transmitted to Earth for 24 minutes 12 seconds starting at 132:07:12. After a rest period,

the crew conducted landmark tracking and photography

exercises. During the remaining lunar orbital period or

operation, 18 landmark sightings, and extensive stereo and

oblique photographs were taken. Two scheduled TV periods were deleted because of crew fatigue.

Transearth injection was achieved at 137:39:13.7 at a velocity of 8,987.2 ft/sec, following a 164.8-second engine firing

at 56.0 n mi altitude. The spacecraft had been in lunar

orbit for 31 lunar orbits lasting 61 hours 37 minutes 23.6

seconds.

Transearth Phase

Transearth activities included a number of star-Earth horizon navigation sightings and the CSM S-band high gain

reflectivity test which was conducted at 168:00. The passive

thermal control technique and the navigation procedures

used on the translunar portion of the mission were also

used during the return trip. The only midcourse correction

Apollo 10 77
missions and the subjects were as follows: 

Television Transmissions-Return Trip 

Duration 

Start (mm:ss) Subject 

137:50:51 43:03 View of Moon after transearth injection 

139:30:16 06:55 View of Moon after transearth injection 

147:23:00 11:25 View of receding Moon and spacecraft interior 

152:29:19 29:05 View of Earth, Moon, and spacecraft interior 

173:27:17 10:22 View of Earth and spacecraft interior 

186:51:49 11:53 View of Earth and spacecraft interior 

The service module was jettisoned at 191:33:26, and the CM 

entry followed a normal profile. The command module 

reentered Earth's atmosphere (400,000 feet altitude) at 

191:48:54.5 at a velocity of 36,314 ft/sec, following a 

transearth coast of 54 hours 3 minutes 40.9 seconds2. The 

service module impacted the Pacific Owm at a point estimated to be latitude 19.4° south and longitude 173.37° west. 

Recovery 

Apollo 10 CM on parachutes prior to splashdown 

(NASA 569-36594}. 

The parachute system effected a soft splashdown of the CM 

in the Pacific Ocean at 16:52:23 GMT (11:52:23 p.m. EDT) 

on 26 May. Mission duration was 192:023:23. The impact 

point was about 1.3 n mi from the target point and 2.9 n mi 

from the recovery ship U.S.S. Princeton. The splashdown site 

aboard the recovery ship 39 minutes after splashdown

CM was recovered 57 minutes later. The estimated CM 

weight at splashdown was 10,901 pounds, and the esti

ed distance traveled for the mission was 721,250 n mi

Helicopter lifts Apollo 10 CM from ocean following 

splashdown (NASA S69-21037}. 

At CM retrieval, the weather recorded onboard the 

Princeton showed 10 percent cloud cover at 2,000 feet 

20 percent at 7000 feet; visibility 10 n mi; wind speed 

knots from 100° true north; air temperature unknown

water temperature 85° F; with waves to three feet. 

The CM was offloaded from the Princeton on 31 May 

Ford Island, Hawaii, and the Landing Safing Team beg

the evaluation and deactivation procedures at 18:00 G

Deactivation was completed at 05:56 GMT on 3 June. 

CM was flown to Long Beach, California, where it arr

at 10:15 GMT on 4 June. It was trucked the same day 

the North American Rockwell Space Division facility i

Downey, California for postflight analysis. 

All systems in the CSM and the LM were managed ve

well. Although some problems occurred, most were m

and none caused a constraint to completion of missio

objectives. Valuable data concerning lunar gravitation 

obtained during the 61 hours in lunar orbit. 

2 The Guinness Book Of World Records states that Apollo 10 holds the record for the fastest a human has ever traveled: 24,791 st mi per hour at 400,000 feet altitude (entry) o

26 May 1969. However, the Apollo 10 mission report states the maximum speed at entry was 36,397 feet per second, or 24,816 st mi per hour. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Apollo 10 crew receives “red carpet” reception aboard

recovery ship U.S.S. Princeton (NASA S69-20544).

Spacecraft systems performance was satisfactory, and all

mission objectives were accomplished. All detailed test

objectives were satisfied with the exception of the LM

steerable antenna and relay modes for voice and telemetry

communications.

Conclusions

The Apollo 10 mission provided the concluding data and

final environmental evaluation to proceed with a lunar

landing. The following conclusions were made from an

analysis of post-mission data:

1. The systems in the command and service modules and lunar

module were operational for piloted lunar landing.

2. The crew activity timeline, in those areas consistent with the

lunar landing profile, demonstrated that critical crew tasks associated with lunar module checkout, initial descent, and rendezvous were both feasible and practical without unreasonable

crew workload.

3. The lunar module S-band communications capability using

either the steerable or the omni-directional antenna was satisfactory at lunar distances.

4. The operating capability of the landing radar in the lunar environment during a descent propulsion firing was satisfactorily

demonstrated for the altitudes experienced.

5. The range capability of the lunar module rendezvous radar was

demonstrated in the lunar environment with excellent results.

Used for the first time, VHF ranging information from the CM

provided consistent correlation with radar range and range-rate

data.

6. The lunar module abort guidance system capability to control

an ascent propulsion system maneuver and to guide the spacecraft during rendezvous was demonstrated.

7. The capability of the Mission Control Center and the Manned

Space Flight Network to control and monitor two vehicles at

lunar distance during both descent and rendezvous operations

was proven adequate for a lunar landing.

8. The lunar potential model was significantly improved over that

of Apollo 8, and the orbit determination and prediction procedures proved remarkably more precise for both spacecraft in

lunar orbit. After a combined analysis of Apollo 8 and 10 trajectory reconstructions, the lunar potential model was expected to

be entirely adequate for support of lunar descent and ascent.

Apollos 10 and 11 crews during post-mission debriefing

(NASA S69-35504).

Apolio 10 Objectives

Spacecraft Primary Objectives

1. To demonstrate crew/space vehicle/mission support facilities

performance during a piloted lunar mission with a command

and service module and lunar module. Achieved.

2. To evaluate lunar module performance in the cislunar and lunar

environment. Achieved.

Apollo 10 79
2. 	Pl6.10: To perform manual and automatic acquisition, tracking, 

and communications with the Manned Space Flight Network 

using the steerable S-hand antenna at lunar distance. Achieved, 

despite some problems during the 13th lunar revolution. 

3. 	Pl6.14: To operate the landing radar at the closest approach to 

the Moon and during descent propulsion system burns. Achieved. 

4. 	P20.66: To obtain data on the command module and lunar 

module crew procedures and timeline for the lunar orbit phase 

of a lunar landing mission. Achieved. 

5. 	P20.78: To perform a lunar module active simulated lunar landing mission rendezvous. Achieved. 

6. 	P20.91: To perform lunar landmark tracking in lunar orbit from 

the command and service module with the lunar module 

attached. Achieved. 

7. P20.121: To perform lunar landmark tracking from the command and service module while in lunar orbit. Achieved. 

Spacecraft Secondary Detailed Objectives 

1. 	Sl.39: To perform star-lunar landmark sightings during the 

transearth phase. Achieved. 

2. 	S6.9: To perform a reflectivity test using the command and 

service module S-hand high-gain antenna while docked. Not 

achieved, canceled while docked. S-band communications lost 

because steerable antenna track mode not switched properly; however, operation of steerable antenna during abnormal staging 

excursions demonstrated ability of antenna to track under very 

high rates. 

3. 	S7.26: To obtain data on the passive thermal control system during a lunar orbit mission. Achieved. 

4. 	Sll.l7: To obtain data to verify inertial measurement unit performance in the flight environment. Achieved. 

5. 	Sl2.6: To obtain abort guidance system performance data in the 

flight environment. Achieved. 

6. 	Sl2.8: To demonstrate reaction control system translation and 

attitude control of the staged lunar module using automatic and 

8. 	Sl2.10: To evaluate the ability of the abort guidance syste

perform a lunar module active rendezvous. Achieved. 

9. 	Sl3.13: To perform a long duration unpiloted ascent prop

system burn. Achieved. 

10. 	Sl3.14: To obtain supercritical helium system pressure d

while in standby conditions and during all descent propu

system engine firings. Achieved. 

11. 	Sl6.12: To communicate with the Manned Space Flight C

using the lunar module S-hand omni antennas at lunar 

tance. Achieved, despite some problems during the 13th lu

revolution. 

12. 	Sl6.15: To obtain data on the rendezvous radar performa

and capability near maximum range. Achieved. 

13. 	Sl6.17: To demonstrate lunar module, command and ser

module/Manned Space Flight Center communications at 

distance. Achieved, despite some problems due to procedur

errors. 

14. 	S20.46: To perform command and service module transp

tion, docking, and command and service module/lunar m

ejection after the S-IVB translunar injection burn. Achiev

15. 	S20.77: To obtain data on the operational capability of V

ranging during a lunar module active rendezvous. Achiev

16. 	S20.79: To demonstrate command and service module/lu

module passive thermal control modes during a lunar or

mission. Achieved. 

17. 	S20.80: To demonstrate operational support for a comma

and service module/lunar module orbit mission. Achieve

despite some communication problems. 

18. 	S20.82: To monitor primary guidance and navigation con

system/abort guidance system performance auring lunar 

operations. Achieved. 

19. 	S20.83: To obtain data on lunar module consumables for 

simulated lunar landing mission, in lunar orbit, to determ

lunar landing mission consumables. Achieved. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
21. 	S20.95: To perform translunar midcourse corrections. Achieved. 

Only one ofJour possible midcourse corrections was required. 

22. 	S20.117: To perform lunar orbit insertion using service propulsion system/guidance and navigation control system controlled 

burns with a docked command and service module/lunar 

module. Achieved. 

Launch Vehicle Objectives 

1. 	To demonstrate launch vehicle capability to inject the spacecraft 

into the specified translunar trajectory. Achieved. 

2. 	To demonstrate launch vehicle capability to maintain a specified 

attitude for transposition, docking, and spacecraft ejection 

maneuver. Achieved. 

3. To demonstrate S-IVB propellant dump and safing. Achieved. 

4. To verify J-2 engine modifications. Achieved. 

5. To confirm J-2 engine environment in S-II and S-IVB stages. 

Achieved. 

6. 	To confirm launch vehicle longitudinal oscillations environment 

during S-IC stage burn period. Achieved. 

7. 	To verify that modifications incorporated in the S-IC stage suppress low frequency longitudinal oscillations. Achieved. 

8. To confirm launch vehicle longitudinal oscillation environment 

during S-II stage burn period. Achieved. 

9. To demonstrate that early center engine cutoff for S-II stage 

suppresses low frequency longitudinal oscillations. Achieved. 

Apollo 10 ~ 
gy

Individual and combined CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

LM #4 final engineering evaluation acceptance test at factory. 

LM descent stage #4 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM descent stage #4 delivered to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #4 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #4 delivered to KSC. 

Integrated CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

LM ascent stage #4 and descent stage #4 mated. 

LM #4 combined systems test completed. 

CM #106 and SM #106 delivered to KSC. 

CM #106 and SM #106 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

CM #106 and SM #106 mated. 

Saturn S-IC stage #S delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-II stage #S delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #SOS delivered to KSC. 

LM #4 altitude tests completed. 

Saturn V instrument unit #SOS delivered to KSC. 

CSM #106 combined systems test completed. 

Launch vehicle erected. 

CSM #106 altitude tests completed. 

Launch vehicle propellant dispersion/malfunction overall test completed. 

CSM #106 moved to VAB. 

Spacecraft erected. 

LM #4 combined systems test completed. 

CSM #106 integrated systems test completed. 

CSM #106 electrically mated to launch vehicle. 

Space vehicle overall test completed. 

Space vehicle overall test #1 (plugs in) completed. 

Space vehicle and MLP #3 transferred to launch complex 39B. · 

LM #4 flight readiness test completed. 

Emergency egress test completed. 

Space vehicle flight readiness test completed. 

Space vehicle hypergolic fuel loading completed. 

Saturn S-IC stage #S RP-1 fuel loading completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (wet) completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (dry) completed. 

y 

08 Sep 1968 

02 Oct 1968 

09 Oct 1968 

11 Oct 1968 

12 Oct 1968 

16 Oct 1968 

19 Oct 1968 

02 Nov 1968 

06 Nov 1968 

23 Nov 1968 

24 Nov 1968 

26 Nov 1968 

27 Nov 1968 

03 Dec 1968 

03 Dec 1968 

06 Dec 1968 

1S Dec 1968 

16 Dec 1968 

30 Dec 1968 

17 Jan 1969 

03 Feb 1969 

06 Feb 1969 

06 Feb 1969 

10 Feb 1969 

13 Feb 1969 

27 Feb 1969 

03 Mar 1969 

OS Mar 1969 

11 Mar 1969 

27 Mar 1969 

28 Mar 1969 

19 Apr 1969 

2S Apr 1969 

02 May 1969 

OS May 1969 

06 May 1969 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Event 

Liftoff 

Mach 1 achieved 

Maximum dynamic pressure 

S-IC center engine cutoff3

S-IC outboard engine cutoff

S-IC/S-IJ separation3 

S-II center engine cutoff

S-II outboard engine cutoff

S-II/S-IVB separation3 

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff3

Earth orbit insertion

Event 

Earth orbit insertion 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff

Event 

Translunar injection 

GET 

(hhh:mm:ss) 

000:00:00.58 

000:01:06.8 

000:01:22.6 

000:02: 15.16 

000:02:41.63 

000:02:42.31 

000:07:40.61 

000:09:12.64 

000:09: 13.50 

000:11:43.76 

000:11:53.76 

CSM separated from S-IVB (ignition) 

CSM SPS evasive maneuver ignition 

CSM SPS evasive maneuver cutoff 

Midcourse correction ignition 

Midcourse correction cutoff 

3 Only the commanded time is available for this event.

Apollo IO Ascent Phase 

Earth Space 

Fixed Fixed Event 

Altitude Range Velocity Velocity Duration 

(n mi) (n mi) (ft/sec) (ft/sec) (sec) 

0 .. 035 0.000 1.3 1,340.4 

4.244 1.037 1,057.9 2,028.6 

7.137 2.893 1,623.4 2,645.8 

23.430 25.009 5,299.0 6,473.20 141.56 

35.247 50.419 7,810.2 9,028.58 168.03 

35.580 51.223 7,833.4 9,052.79 

96.710 599.079 17,310.1 18,630.15 296.56 

l01.204 883.670 21,309.9 22,632.02 388.59 

101.247 886.634 21,317.81 22,639.93 

103.38 5 1,430.977 24,238.8 25,562.40 146.95 

103.33 4 1,469.790 24,244.3 25,567.88 

Ap llo IO Earth Orbit Phase 

Space 

Fixed Event 

GET Velocity Duration 

(hhh:mm:ss) (ft/sec) (sec) 

000:11:53.76 25,567.88 

002:33:27.52 25,561.4 

002:39:10.58 35,585.83 343.06 

A ollo IO Translunar Phase 

Space 

Fixed 

GET Altitude Velocity 

(hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft/sec) 

002:39:20.58 179.920 35,562.96 

003:02:42.4 3,502.626 25,548.72 

004:39:09.8 17,938.5 14,220.2 

004:39:12.7 17,944.7 14,203.7 

026:32:56.8 110,150.2 5,094.4 

026:33:03.9 110,155.9 5,110.0 

Space 

Fixed Space 

Flight Fixed 

Geocentric Path Heading 

Latitude Longitude Angle Angle 

(deg N) (deg E) (deg) (E of N) 

28.4658 -80.6209 0.06 90.00 

28.4714 -80.6023 27.82 85.03 

28.4813 -80.5690 28.83 82.23 

28.5967 -80.1577 22.807 76.461

28.7182 -79.7090 18.946 75.538

28.7222 -79.6943 18.848 75.538

30.9579 -69.4941 1.029 79.585 

31.7505 -64.0222 0.741 82.458 

31.7574 -63.9647 0.730 82.490 

32.5150 -53.2920 -0.0064 88.497

32.5303 -52.5360 -0.0049 89.933

Apogee Perigee 

(n mi) (n mi) 

l00.32 99.71 

Event Velocity 

Duration Change 

(sec) (ft/sec) 

2.9 18.8 

7.1 49.2 

88.20 

Space 

Fixed 

Flight 

Path 

Angle 

(deg) 

7.379 

43.928 

65.150 

65.100 

77.300 

77.800 

Period Inclination 

(mins) (deg) 

32.546 

31.701 

Space 

Fixed 

Heading 

Angle 

(E of N) 

61.065 

67.467 

91.21 

91.22 

108.36 

l08.92 

Apollo 10 � 
Apollo IO Lunar Orbit Phase

Space 

Fixed Event Velocity 

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Apogee Perigee 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (n mi) (n mi) 

Lunar orbit insertion ignition 075:55:54.0 95.l 8,232.3 

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff 076:01:50.l 61.2 5,471.9 356.l 2,982.4 170.0 60.2 

Lunar orbit circularization ignition 080:25:08.l 60.4 5,484.7 

Lunar orbit circularization cutoff 080:25:22.0 59.3 5,348.9 13.9 139.0 61.0 59.2 

CSM/LM undocked 098:ll:57 58.l 5,357.8 

CSM/LM separation ignition 098:47:17.4 59.2 5,352.2 

CSM/LM separation cutoff 098:47:25.7 59.2 5,352.l 8.3 2.5 62.9 57.7 

LM descent orbit insertion ignition 099:46:0l.6 61.6 5,339.6 

LM descent orbit insertion cutoff 099:46:29.0 61.2 5,271.2 27.4 71.3 60.9 8.5 

LM closest approach to lunar surface 100:41:43 7.8

LM phasing ignition 100:58:25.93 17.7 5,212.4 

LM phasing cutoff 100:59:05.88 19.0 5,672.9 39.95 176.0 190.l 12.l

LM ascent stage/descent stage separated 102:45:16.9 31.4 5,605.6 

LM ascent orbit insertion ignition 102:55:02.13 l l.6 5,705.2 

LM ascent orbit insertion cutoff 102:55:17.68 ll.7 5,520.6 15.55 220.9 46.5 ll.0

LM coelliptic sequence initiation ignition 44.7 5,335.5 

LM coelliptic sequence initiation cutoff 103:46:22.6 44.6 5,381.7 27.3 45.3 48.7 40.7 

LM constant differential height ignition 104:43:53.28 44.3 5,394.7 

LM constant differential height cutoff 104:43:54.93 43.8 5,394.9 l.65 3.0 48.8 42.l

LM terminal phase initiation ignition 105:22:55.58 48.4 5,369.2 

LM terminal phase initiation cutoff 105:23:12.08 47.0 5,396.7 16.50 24.l 58.3 46.8 

LM 1st midcourse correction 105:37:56 l.27

LM 2nd midcourse correction 105:52:56 l.84

LM braking 106:05:49 31.6 63.3 56.4 

CSM/LM docked 106:22:02 54.7 5,365.9 

LM separation ignition 108:43:23.3 57.3 5,352.3 

LM separation cutoff 108:43:29.8 57.6 5,352.l 6.5 2.1 64.0 56.3 

LM ascent propulsion system ignition 108:52:05.5 59.l 5,343.0 

LM ascent propulsion system depletion l 08:56.l 4.5 89.7 9,056.4 249.0 4,600.0 –2,211.6 56.2 

Apollo 10 Transearth Phase

Space 

Fixed Space 

Space Flight Fixed 

Fixed Event Velocity Path Heading 

Event GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle Angle 

(hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (deg) (E of N) 

Transearth injection ignition 137:36:28.9 56.0 5,362.7 -0.44 -73.60

Transearth injection cutoff 137:39:13.7 56.5 8,987.2 164.8 3,680.3 2.53 -76.68

Midcourse correction ignition 188:49:58.0 25,570.4 12,540.0 -69.65 119.34

Midcourse correction cutoff 188:50:04.7 25,557.4 12,543.5 6.7 2.2 -69.64 119.34

� Apollo by the Numbers
Terminal countdown started. -028:00:00 01:00:00 17 May 1969 

Scheduled 1-hour hold at T-3 hours 30 minutes. -003:30:00 12:19:00 18 May 1969 

Countdown resumed at T-3 hours 30 minutes. -003:30:00 13:19:00 18 May 1969 

Guidance reference release. -000:00:16.978 16:48:43 18 May 1969 

S-IC engine start command. -000:00:08.9 16:48:51 18 May 1969 

S-IC engine ignition (#5). -000:00:06.4 16:48:53 18 May 1969 

All S-IC engines thrust OK. -000:00:01.6 16:48:58 18 May 1969 

Range zero. 000:00:00.00 16:49:00 18 May 1969 

All holddown arms released (1st motion) (1.06 g). 000:00:00.25 16:49:00 18 May 1969 

Liftoff (umbilical disconnected). 000:00:00.58 16:49:00 18 May 1969 

Tower clearance yaw maneuver started. 000:00:01.6 16:49:01 18 May 1969 

Yaw maneuver ended. 000:00:10.0 16:49:10 18 May 1969 

Pitch and roll maneuver started. 000:00:13.05 16:49:13 18 May 1969 . 

Roll maneuver ended. 000:00:32.3 16:49:32 18 May 1969 

Mach 1 achieved. 000:01:06.8 16:50:06 18 May 1969 

Maximum dynamic pressure (694.232 lbfft2). 000:01:22.6 16:50:22 18 May 1969 

Maximum bending moment (88,000,000 lbf-in). 000:01:24.6 16:50:24 18 May 1969 

S-IC center engine cutoff command. 000:02:15.16 16:51:15 18 May 1969 

Pitch maneuver ended. 000:02:38.7 16:51:38 18 May 1969 

S-IC outboard engine cutoff. 000:02:41.63 16:51:41 18 May 1969 

S-IC maximum total inertial acceleration (3.92 g). 000:02:41.71 16:51:41 18 May 1969 

S-IC maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 000:02:41.96 16:51:41 18 May 1969 

S-IC/S-II separation command. 000:02:42.31 16:51:42 18 May 1969 

S-II engine start command. 000:02:43.05 16:51:43 18 May 1969 

S-II ignition. 000:02:44.05 16:51:44 18 May 1969 

S-II aft interstage jettisoned. 000:03:12.3 16:52:12 18 May 1969 

Launch escape tower jettisoned. 000:03:17.8 16:52:17 18 May 1969 

Iterative guidance mode initiated. 000:03:22.9 16:52:22 18 May 1969 

S-IC apex. 000:04:26.87 16:53:26 18 May 1969 

S-II center engine cutoff. 000:07:40.61 16:56:40 18 May 1969 

S-II maximum total inertial acceleration (1.82 g). 000:07:40.69 16:56:40 18 May 1969 

S-IC impact (theoretical). 000:08:59.12 16:57:59 18 May 1969 

S-II outboard engine cutoff. 000:09:12.64 16:58:12 18 May 1969 

S-II maximum Earth-fixed velocity. S-II/S-IVB command. 000:09:13.50 16:58:13 18 May 1969 

S-IVB 1st burn start command. 000:09:13.60 16:58:13 18 May 1969 

S-IVB 1st burn ignition. 000:09:16.81 16:58:16 18 May 1969 

S-IVB ullage case jettisoned. 000:09:25.4 16:58:25 18 May 1969 

S-II apex. 000:09:57.21 16:58:57 18 May 1969 

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff command. 000:11:43.76 17:00:43 18 May 1969 

S-IVB 1st burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity and total inertial acceleration (0.70 g). 000:11:43.84 17:00:43 18 May 1969 

Earth orbit insertion. 000:11:53.76 17:00:53 18 May 1969 

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude and orbital 000: 12:04.1 17:01:04 18 May 1969 

S-II impact (theoretical). 000:20:17.89 17:09:17 18 May 1969 

S-IVB 2nd burn restart preparation. 002:23:49.26 19:12:49 18 May 1969 

S-IVB 2nd burn restart command. 002:33:19.20 19:22:19 18 May 1969 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition. 002:33:27.52 19:22:27 18 May 1969 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff. 002:39:10.58 19:28:10 18 May 1969 

S-IVB 2nd burn maximum total inertial acceleration (1.49 g). 002:39:10.66 19:28:10 18 May 1969 

S-IVB 2nd burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. sating procedures started. 002:39: 11.30 19:28:11 18 May 1969 

Translunar injection. 002:39:20.58 19:28:20 18 May 1969 

Orbital navigation started. 002:39:29.6 19:28:29 18 May 1969 

Apollo 10 ~ 
Apollo 10 Timeline 

GET GMT GMT 

(hhh:mm:ss) Time Date 

003:02:42.4 19:51:42 18 May 1969 

003:02:45.7 19:51:45 18 May 1969 

003:06:00 19:55:00 18 May 1969 

003: 17:36.0 20:06:36 18 May 1969 

003:28:00 20:17:00 18 May 1969 

003:56:00 20:45:00 18 May 1969 

003:56:25.7 20:45:25 18 May 1969 

004:09:25 20:58:25 18 May 1969 

004:39:09.8 21:28:09 18 May 1969 

004:39:12.7 21:28:12 18 May 1969 

004:42:15.8 21:31:15 18 May 1969 

004:45:36.4 21:34:36 18 May 1969 

004:48:21.3 21:37:21 18 May 1969 

004:48:30.3 21:37:30 18 May 1969 

004:50:09.9 21:39:09 18 May 1969 

004:50:17.0 21:39:17 18 May 1969 

004:50:58.8 21:39:58 18 May 1969 

004:51 :36.l 21:40:36 18 May 1969 

004:54:15.79 21:43:15 18 May 1969 

004:59:16.00 21:48:16 18 May 1969 

005:06:34 21:55:34 18 May 1969 

005:16:09.8 22:05:09 18 May 1969 

005:19:49 22:08:49 18 May 1969 

005:28:55.8 22:17:55 18 May 1969 

005:29:04.9 22:18:04 18 May 1969 

007:11:27 00:00:27 19 May 1969 

007:35:27 00:24:27 19 May 1969 

026:32:56.8 19:21:56 19 May 1969 

026:33:03.9 19:22:03 19 May 1969 

027:00:48 19:49:48 19 May 1969 

027:28:31 20:17:31 19 May 1969 

028:50 21:39 19 May 1969 

048:00:51 16:49:51 20 May 1969 

048:15:30 17:04:30 20 May 1969 

048:24:00 17:13:00 20 May 1969 

048:27:51 17:16:51 20 May 1969 

049:54:00 18:43:00 20 May 1969 

049:58:49 18:47:49 20 May 1969 

053:35:30 22:24:30 20 May 1969 

054:00:30 22:49:30 20 May 1969 

061:50:50 06:39:50 21 May 1969 

072:37:26 17:26:26 21 May 1969 

072:54:42 17:43:42 21 May 1969 

075:55:54.0 20:44:54 21 May 1969 

076:01:50.1 20:50:50 21 May 1969 

076:30 21:19 21 May 1969 

078:51:03.6 23:40:03 21 May 1969 

080:25:08.1 01:14:08 22 May 1969 

080:25:22.0 01:14:22 22 May 1969 

080:44:40 01:33:40 22 May 1969 

080:50 01:39 22 May 1969 

Event 

CSM separated from S-IVB (ignition). 

CSM separated from S-IVB (cutoff). 

TV transmission started. 

CSM docked with LM/S-IVB. 

TV transmission ended. 

TV transmission started. 

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB. 

TV transmissiol). ended. 

CSM SPS evasive maneuver ignition. 

CSM SPS evasive maneuver cutoff. 

Maneuver to S-IVB slingshot attitude initiated. 

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-APS ignition.

S-IVB lead experiment-LOX lead started.

S-IVB lead experiment-LOX lead ended.

S-IVB lead experiment-LH2 lead started.

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-APS cutoff.

S-IVB lead experiment -LH2 lead ended.

S-IVB safing-LH2 tank CVS open.

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-LOX dump started. 

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-LOX dump ended. 

TV transmission started.

S-IVB safing-LH2 tank NPV valve open.

TV transmission ended.

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-APS ignition.

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-APS cutoff.

TV transmission started.

TV transmission ended.

Midcourse correction ignition.

Midcourse correction cutoff.

TV transmission started.

TV transmission ended.

High-gain antenna reacquisition test.

TV transmission started (recorded).

TV transmission ended.

TV transmission started (recorded).

TV transmission ended.

TV transmission started.

TV transmission ended.

TV transmission started.

TV transmission ended.

Equigravisphere.

TV transmission started.

TV transmission ended.

Lunar orbit insertion ignition.

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff.

Lunar surface observations.

S-IVB closest approach to lunar surface.

Lunar orbit circularization ignition.

Lunar orbit circularization cutoff.

TV transmission started.

Lunar surface observations.

� Apollo by the Numbers
TV transmission ended. 081:13:49 02:02:49 22 May 1969 

LM cabin pressurized. 081:30 02:19 22 May 1969 

Transfer to LM power and systems checked. 081:55 02:44 22 May 1969 

Transfer to LM power. Systems tested. 082:40 03:29 22 May 1969 

Transfer to CM, hatch and tunnel closed. 084:30 05:19 22 May 1969 

CDR and LMP entered LM to activate systems. 095:02 15:51 22 May 1969 

Landing gear deployed. 098:00 18:49 22 May 1969 

CSM/LM undocked. 098:11:57 19:00:57 22 May 1969 

TV transmission started. 098:29:20 19:18:20 22 May 1969 

CSM/LM separation maneuver ignition. 098:47:17.4 19:36:17 22 May 1969 

CSM/LM separation maneuver cutoff. 098:47:25.7 19:36:25 22 May 1969 

TV transmission ended. 098:49:30 19:38:30 22 May 1969 

CSM rendezvous radar transponder anomaly. 098:51:54 19:40:54 22 May 1969 

LM system checks. 099:00 19:49 22 May 1969 

Descent orbit insertion ignition (SPS). 099:46:01.6 20:35:01 22 May 1969 

Descent orbit insertion cutoff. 099:46:29.0 20:35:29 22 May 1969 

LM near-lunar-surface activity. 100:40 21:29 22 May 1969 

LM oriented for radar overpass test. 100:32:00 21:21:00 22 May 1969 

LM acquisition of radar beam. 100:32:22 21:21:22 22 May 1969 

LM closest approach to lunar surface. 100:41:43 21:30:43 22 May 1969 

Phasing maneuver ignition. 100:58:25.93 21:47:25 22 May 1969 

Phasing maneuver cutoff. 100:59:05.88 21:48:05 22 May 1969 

LM ascent stage/descent stage separated. 102:45:16.9 23:34:16 22 May 1969 

Ascent orbit insertion ignition. 102:55:02.13 23:44:02 22 May 1969 

Ascent orbit insertion cutoff. 102:55:17.68 23:44:17 22 May 1969 

Coelliptic sequence initiation ignition. 103:45:55.3 00:34:55 23 May 1969 

Coelliptic sequence initiation cutoff. 103:46:22.6 00:35:22 23 May 1969 

Constant differential height maneuver ignition. 104:43:53.28 01:32:53 23 May 1969 

Constant differential height maneuver cutoff. 104:43:54.93 01:32:54 23 May 1969 

Terminal phase initiation ignition. 105:22:55.58 02:11:55 23 May 1969 

Terminal phase initiation cutoff. 105:23:12.08 02:12:12 23 May 1969 

Midcourse correction (lunar orbit). 105:37:56 02:26:56 23 May 1969 

Midcourse correction (lunar orbit). 105:52:56 02:41:56 23 May 1969 

Braking maneuver. 106:05:49 02:54:49 23 May 1969 

CSM/LM docked. 106:22:02 03:11:02 23 May 1969 

CDR and LMP entered CM. 106:42 03:31 23 May 1969 

LM closeout activities started. 107:20 04:09 23 May 1969 

LM ascent stage jettisoned. 108:24:36 05:13:36 23 May 1969 

LM separation maneuver ignition. 108:43:23.3 05:32:23 23 May 1969 

LM separation maneuver cutoff. 108:43:29.8 05:32:29 23 May 1969 

LM ascent·propulsion system ignition. 108:52:05.5 05:41:05 23 May 1969 

LM ascent propulsion system depletion. 108:56.14.5 05:45:14 23 May 1969 

LM descent orbit insertion. Terminator-to- strip photographs. 119:20 16:09 23 May 1969 

Orbital navigation and landmark tracking. 124:30 21:19 23 May 1969 

Orbital navigation and landmark tracking. 128:00 00:49 24 May 1969 

TV transmission started. 132:07:12 04:56:12 24 May 1969 

TV transmission ended. 132:31:24 05:20:24 24 May 1969 

Target of opportunity photography. 133:00 05:49 24 May 1969 

Target of opportunity and strip photography. 134:40 07:29 24 May 1969 

Transearth injection ignition (SPS). 137:36

:28.9 10:25:28 24 May 1969 

Transearth injection cutoff. 137:39:13.7 10:28:13 24 May 1969 

Apollo 10 ~ 
TV transmission started. 

TV transmission ended. 

TV transmission started. 

TV transmission ended. 

TV transmission started. 

TV transmission ended. 

TV transmission started. 

TV transmission ended. 

CSM S-band high-gain reflectivity test. 

TV transmission started. 

TV transmission ended. 

TV transmission started. 

TV transmission ended. 

Midcourse correction ignition. 

Midcourse correction cutoff. 

Maneuver to entry attitude. 

CM/SM separation. 

Entry. 

Communication blackout started. 

Maximum entry g force (6.78 g). 

Visual contact with CM established by recovery forces. 

Radar contact with CM established by recovery ship. 

Communication blackout ended. 

Drogue parachute deployed 

Main parachute deployed. 

Splashdown (went to apex-up). 

Flotation collar inflated. 

CM hatch opened. 

Crew in life raft. 

Crew aboard recovery helicopter. 

Crew aboard recovery ship. 

CM aboard recovery ship. 

137:50:51 

138:33:54 

139:30:16 

139:37:11 

147:23:00 

147:34:25 

152:29:19 

152:58:24 

168:00 

173:27:17 

173:37:39 

186:51:49 

187:03:42 

188:49:58.0 

188:50:04.7 

189:40 

191:33:26 

191:48:54.5 

191:49:12 

191:50:14 

191:51 

191:52 

191:53:40 

191:57:18.0 

191:58:05 

192:03:23 

192:21 

192:28 

192:31 

192:37 

192:42 

193:39 

10:39:51 24 May 1

11:22:54 24 May 1

12:19:16 24 May 1

12:26:11 24 May 1

20:12:00 24 May 1

20:23:25 24 May 1

01:18:19 25 May 1

01:47:24 25 May 1

16:49 25 May 1

22:16:17 25 May 1

22:26:39 25 May 1

11:40:49 26 May 1

11:52:42 26 May 1

13:38:58 26 May 1

13:39:04 26 May 1

14:29 26 May 1

16:22:26 26 May 1

16:37:54 26 May 1

16:38:12 26 May 1

16:39:14 26 May 1

16:40 26 May 1

16:41 26 May 1

16:42:40 26 May 1

16:46:18 26 May 1

16:47:05 26 May 1

16:52:23 26 May 1

17:10 26 May 1

17:17 26 May 1

17:20 26 May 1

17:26 26 May 1

17:31 26 May 1

18:28 26 May 1

Apollo by the Numbers 
APOLLO 11 


The Fifth Mission: 


The First Lunar Landing 

Apollo 11 crew (1. to r.): Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins, 

Buzz Aldrin (NASA S69-31740). 

Background 

Apollo 11 was a Type G mission, a piloted lunar landing 

demonstration. The primary objective of the Apollo program was to perform a piloted lunar landing and return 

safely to Earth. 

It was only the second time an all-experienced crew had 

flown an American mission, and it would be the last until 

Space Shuttle mission STS-26 nearly two decades later. 

The crew members for this historic mission were Neil 

Alden Armstrong, commander; Lt. Colonel Michael Collins 

(USAF), command module pilot; and Colonel Edwin 

Eugene "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr. (USAF), lunar module pilot. 

Selected as an astronaut in 1962, Armstrong had been the 

first civilian ever to command an American space mission 

when he was command pilot of Gemini 8, which featured 

the first -ever docking of two vehicles in space. Apollo 11 

made him the first civilian to command two missions. 

Armstrong was born 5 August 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio, 

and was 38 years old at the time of the Apollo 11 mission. 

He received a B.S. in aeronautical engineering from Purdue 

University in 1955 and an M.S. in aerospace engineering 

p

October 1930 in Rome, Italy, and was 38 years old a

time of the Apollo 11 mission. Collins received a B.S

the U.S. Military Academy in 1952 and was selected 

astronaut in 1963. His backup was Lt. Colonel Willia

Alison Anders (USAF). 

Aldrin had been pilot of Gemini 12. He was born 20 

January 1930 in Montclair, New Jersey, and was 39 y

old at the time of the Apollo 11 mission. Aldrin rece

B.S. in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Military 

Academy in 1951 and an Sc.D. in astronautics from 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1963. Also i

1963, he was selected as an astronaut. Aldrin has the 

tinction of being the first astronaut with a doctorate 

in space. His backup was Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. 

The capsule communicators (CAPCOMs) for the miss

were Major Charles Moss Duke, Jr. (USAF), Lt. Comm

Ronald Ellwin Evans (USN), Lt. Commander Bruce 

McCandless II (USN), Lovell, Anders, Lt. Commander 

Thomas Kenneth "Ken" Mattingly II (USAF), Haise, D

Leslie Lind, Ph. D., Owen Kay Garriott, Jr., Ph. D., and 

Harrison Hagan "Jack" Schmitt, Ph. D. The support cr

were Mattingly, Evans, Major William Reid Pogue (US

and John Leonard "Jack" Swigert, Jr. The flight directo

were Clifford E. Charlesworth and Gerald D. Griffin (

shift), Eugene F. Kranz (second shift), and Glynn S. Lu

(third shift). 

The Apollo 11 launch vehicle was a Saturn V, design

SA-506. The mission also carried the designation Eas

Test Range #5307. The CSM was designated CSM-10

had the call-sign "Columbia:' The lunar module was 

nated LM-5 and had the call-sign "Eagle." 

Possible landing sites for Apollo 11 were under study 

NASA's Apollo Site Selection Board for more than tw

years. Thirty sites were originally considered, but the 

was shortened to three for the first lunar landing. Se

of the final sites was based on high-resolution photo

taken by the Lunar Orbiter satellite, plus close-up ph

graphs and surface data provided by the Surveyor sp

craft, which landed on the Moon. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Smoothness: Relatively few craters and boulders.

Propellant Requirements: Least potential expenditure of 

spacecraft propellants.

Free Return: Sites within reach of the spacecraft launched on a 

free return translunar trajectory.

Slope: Less than 2° slope in the approach path and landing 

area.

The time of a lunar landing was determined by the location of the lunar landing site and by the acceptable range

The terminal countdown started at T-28 hours, 21:00:00 

GMT on 14 July. The scheduled holds of 11 hours at T-9 

hours and 1 hour 32 minutes at T-3 hours 30 minutes 

were the only holds initiated. The start of the S-II stage 

LH2 loading was delayed 25 minutes due to a communications problem in the Pad Terminal Connection Room. 

However, the delay was recovered during the scheduled 

countdown hold at T-3 hours 30 minutes.

Apollo 11

Apollo 11 lifts off from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A

(NASA S69-39526).

The original sites were located on the visible side of the 

Moon, within 45° east and west of the Moon’s center and 

5° north and south of its equator. The final site choices 

were based on the following factors:

Approach: No large hills, high cliffs, or deep craters that could 

cause incorrect altitude signals to the lunar module: landing 

radar.

Recycling: Effective launch preparation recycling if the countdown were delayed.

There were a number of considerations which determined 

the launch windows for a lunar landing mission. These 

considerations included illumination conditions at launch, 

launch pad azimuth, translunar injection geometry, sun 

elevation angle at the lunar landing site, illumination conditions at Earth splashdown, and the number and location 

of the lunar landing sites.

of sun elevation angles. The range of these angles was 

from 5° to 14° and in a direction from east to west. Under 

these conditions, visible shadows of craters would aid the 

crew in recognizing topographical features. When the sun 

angle approached the descent angle, the mean value of 

which was 16°, visual resolution would be degraded by a 

“washout” phenomenon where backward reflectance was 

high enough to eliminate contrast. Sun angles above the 

flight path were not as desirable because shadows would 

not be readily visible unless the sun was significantly outside the descent plane. In addition, higher sun angles 

(greater than 18°) could be eliminated from consideration 

by planning the landing one day earlier where the lighting 

is at least 5°. Because lunar sunlight incidence changed 

about 0.5° per hour, the sun elevation angle restriction 

established a 16-hour period, which occurred every 29.5 

days, when landing at a given site could be attempted. The 

number of Earth-launch opportunities for a given lunar 

month was equal to the number of candidate landing sites.

The time of launch was primarily determined by the 

allowable variation in launch pad azimuth and by the location of the Moon at spacecraft arrival. The spacecraft had 

to be launched into an orbital plane that contained the 

position of the Moon and its antipode at spacecraft arrival. 

A 34° launch pad azimuth variation afforded a launch 

period of 4 hours 30 minutes. This period was called the 

“daily launch window,” the time when the direction of 

launch was within the required range to intercept the

Two launch windows occurred each day One was available 

for a translunar injection out of Earth orbit in the vicinity 

of the Pacific Ocean, and the other was in the vicinity of 

the Atlantic Ocean. The injection opportunity over the 

Pacific Ocean was preferred because it usually permitted a 

daytime launch.

Launch Preparations

A high-pressure cell in the Atlantic Ocean off the North 

Carolina coast, along with a weak trough of low pressure 

located in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, caused light
15,000 feet), and cirrostratus covered 90 percent (base not 

recorded); the temperature was 84.9° F; the relative humidity was 73 percent; and the barometric pressure was 14.798 

lbfin2. The winds, as measured by the anemometer on the 

light pole 60.0 feet above ground at the launch site, measured 6.4 knots at 175° from true north. 

Ascent Phase 

Apollo 11 was launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch 

Complex 39, Pad A, at a Range Zero time of 13:32:00 GMT 

(09:32:00 a.m. EDT) on 16 July 1969. The planned launch 

window for Apollo 11 extended to 17:54:00 GMT to take 

advantage of a sun elevation angle on the lunar surface of 

10.8°. 

Lunar landing site 2 in the Sea of Tranquility, compared 

to the size of Washington, DC (NASA S69-38667). 

Between 000:00:13.2 and 000:00:31.1, the vehicle rolled 

from a launch pad azimuth of 90° to a flight azimuth of 

72.058°. The S-IC engine shut down at 000:02:41.63, followed by S-IC/S-II separation and S-II engine ignition. 

The S-II engine shut down at 000:09:08.22, followed by 

separation from the S-IVB, which ignited at 000:09:12.2. 

The first S-IVB engine cutoff occurred at 000:11:39.33, 

with deviations from the planned trajectory of only -0.6 

ft/sec in velocity and only -0.1 n mi in altitude. 

The maximum wind conditions encountered during 

were 18.7 knots at 297° from true north at 37,400 f

a maximum wind shear of 0.0077 sec-' at 48,490 fee

Parking orbit conditions at insertion, 000:11:49.34 (S

cutoff plus 10 seconds to account for engine tailoff 

other transient effects), showed an apogee and perig

100.4 by 98.9 n mi, and an inclination of 32.521°, a 

of 88.18 minutes, and a velocity of 25,567.9 ft/sec. T

apogee and perigee were based upon a spherical Ear

a radius of 3,443.934 n mi. 

The international designation for the CSM upon ach

orbit was 1969-059A, and the S-IVB was designated 

0598. After undocking at the Moon, the LM ascent 

would be designated 1969-059C and the descent stag

1969-059D. 

Earth Orbit Phase 

After in-flight systems checks, the 346.87-second tra

injection maneuver (second S-IVB firing) was perfo

002:44:16.20. The S-IVB engine shut down at 002:50

and translunar injection occurred ten seconds later, 

1.5 Earth orbits lasting 2 hours 38 minutes 23.73 se

at a velocity of 35,567.3 ft/sec. 

Translunar Phase 

At 003:15:23.0, the CSM was separated from the S-IVB 

and transposed and docked with the LM at 003:24:03

docked spacecraft were ejected from the S-IVB at 004

and a 2.93-second separation maneuver was performe

004:40:01.72. A ground command for propulsive venti

residual propellants targeted the S-IVB to go past the 

and into solar orbit. The closest approach of the S-IVB 

the Moon was 1,825 n rni at 20:14:00 GMT on 19 Jul

078:42:00. The trajectory after passing from the lunar 

of influence resulted in a solar orbit with an aphelion 

perihelion of 82.000 million by 72.520 million n mi, a

nation of 0.3836°, and a period of 342.00 days. 

An unscheduled 16-minute television transmission w

recorded at the Goldstone Tracking Station starting 

010:32. The tape was played back at Goldstone and 

mitted to Houston starting at 011:26. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
View of Earth at 98,000 n mi altitude following translunar injection (NASA AS11-36-5355).

Trajectory parameters after the translunar Injection firing 

were nearly perfect. A 3.13-second midcourse correction of 

20.9 ft/sec was made at 026:44:58.64 during the translunar 

phase. During the remaining periods of tree - a ui In de flight, 

passive thermal control, a rotating “barbecue”-like maneuver, was used to maintain spacecraft lemperatures within 

desired limits.

An unscheduled 50-minute television transmission was 

accomplished at 030:28, and a 36-minute scheduled transmission began at 033:59. The crew initiated a 96-minute 

color television transmission at 055:08. The picture resolution and general quality were exceptional. The coverage 

included the interior of the CM and LM and views of the 

exterior of the CM and Earth. Excellent views of the crew 

accomplishing probe and drogue removal, spacecraft tunnel 

hatch opening, LM housekeeping, and equipment testing 

were broadcast.

During the latter transmission, the commander and lunar 

module pilot transferred to the LM at 055:30 tp make the 

initial inspection and preparations for the systems checks 

that would be made shortly after lunar orbit insertion. 

They returned to the CM at 058:00.

At 075:49:50.37, at an altitude of 86.7 n mi above the 

Moon, the service propulsion engine was fired for 357.53 

seconds to insert the spacecraft into a lunar orbit of 169.7 

by 60.0 n mi. The translunar coast had lasted 73 hours 5 

minutes 34.83 seconds.

Earthrise over lunar surface following lunar orbit insertion (NASA AS11-44-6552).

Lunar Orbit/Lunar Surface Phase

During the second lunar orbit, at 078:20, a scheduled live 

color television transmission was accomplished, providing 

spectacular views of the lunar surface and the approach 

path to landing site 2.

Approach to lunar landing site 3n southwest Sea of

Tranquility seen from LM while still docked to the CSM

(NASA AS11-37-5437).

After two revolutions and a navigation update, a second 

service propulsion retrograde bum was made. The 16.88- 

second maneuver occurred at 080:11:36.75 and circularized 

the orbit at 66.1 by 54.5 n mi. The commander and lunar 

module pilot then transferred to the LM and, for about

Apollo 11
they returned to the LM to perform a thorough check of 

all LM systems in preparation for descent. 

LM Eagle seen from CM Columbia following undocking 

(NASA ASll-44-6574). 

Undocking occurred at 100:12:00.0 at an altitude of 62.9 n 

mi. This was followed by a CSM reaction control system 

9.0-second separation maneuver at 100:39:52.9 directed 

radially downward toward the center of the Moon as 

planned. The LM descent orbit insertion maneuver was 

performed with a 30-second firing of the descent propulsion system at 101:36:14.0, which put the LM into an orbit 

of 58.5 by 7.8 n mi. 

CM seen from LM following separation (NASA ASll37-5445). 

about 4 n mi. 

The first of five alarms occurred at 102:38:22 becaus

computer overload, but it was determined that it wa

to continue the landing. The crew checked the hand

qualities of the LM at 102:41:53 and switched to aut

guidance ten seconds later. The landing radar switch

"low-scale" at 102:42:19 as the LM descended below 

feet altitude. The LM was maneuvered manually 1,10

down range from the preplanned landing point duri

final 2.5 minutes of descent. The final alarm occurre

102:42:58, followed by the red-line low-level fuel qua

light at 102:44:28, just 72 seconds before landing. 

During the final approach, the commander noted th

landing point toward which the spacecraft was heade

in the center of a large crater that appeared extreme

rugged, with boulders of five to ten feet in diameter 

larger. Consequently, he switched to manual attitude 

trol to translate beyond the rough terrain area. 

The LM landed on the Moon at 20:17:39 GMT (16:

EDT) on 20 July 1969 at 102:45:39.9. Engine shutdo

occurred 1.5 seconds later. The LM landed in Mare 

Tranquilitatis (Sea of Tranquility) at latitude 0.67408

north and longitude 23.47297° east at an angle to th

face of 4.SO, and about 3.75 n mi southwest of the p

point. Approximately 45 seconds of firing time rema

landing.! 

For the first two hours on the lunar surface, the crew 

formed a checkout of all systems, configured the con

for lunar stay, and ate their first post-landing meal. A 

period had been planned to precede the extravehicu

activity of exploring the lunar surface but was not n

After donning the back-mounted portable life suppo

oxygen purge systems, the commander prepared to e

LM. The forward hatch was opened at 109:07:35 and 

commander exited at 109:19:16. While descending th

ladder, he deployed the Modular Equipment Stowage 

Assembly from the descent stage. A camera in the m

provided live television coverage as he descended. Th

mander's left foot made first contact with the lunar s

at 02:56:15 GMT on 21 July (22:56:15 EDT on 20 Ju

109:24:15. His first words on the lunar surface were, 

one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." 

1 According to the Apollo 11 Mission Report (MSC-00171), postflight analysis revealed that there was 45 seconds of fuel remaining at lunar touchdown, not as little as 7 sec

indicated by other sources. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
The commander made a brief check of the LM exterior, 

indicating that penetration of the footpads was only about 

three to four inches and collapse of the LM footpad strut 

was minimal. He reported sinking about one-eighth inch 

into the fine, powdery surface material, which adhered 

readily to his lunar boots in a thin layer. There Was no 

crater from the effects of the descent engine, and about 

one foot of clearance was observed between the engine bell 

and the lunar surface. He also reported that it was quite 

dark in the shadows of the LM, which made it difficult for 

him to see his footing.

Aldrin inside LM during first LM inspection (NASA

AS11-36-5390).

He then collected a contingency sample of lunar soil from 

the vicinity of the LM ladder. He reported that although 

loose material created a soft surface, as he dug down six or 

eight inches he encountered very hard, cohesive material.

The commander then photographed the lunar module 

pilot as he exited at 109:39:00 and descended to the lunar 

surface at 109:43:15.

Following the LMP’s descent to the surface, the crew 

unveiled a plaque mounted on the strut behind the ladder, 

and read its inscription to their worldwide television audience. The plaque read:

HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH

FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON

JULY 1969, A.D.

WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MAIN KfND.

The plaque featured the signatures of the three Apollo 

crew members and President Richard M. Nixon. Next, the 

commander removed the television camera from the 

descent stage, obtained a panorama, and placed the camera 

on its tripod in position to view the subsequent surface 

extravehicular operations.

Footprint in soft soil on lunar surface (NASA AS11-40-

5877).

Aldrin steps from LM ladder onto lunar surface (NASA

AS11-40-5869).

Apollo 11 95
Photo of plaque on LM leg (NASA ASll-40-5899). 

Aldrin deploys solar wind composition experiment 

(NASA ASII-40-5964). 

At 110:09:43, the pair erected a three-by-five-foot United 

States flag on an eight-foot aluminum staff. A conversation 

between President Richard M. Nixon and the LM crew was 

held at 110:16:30. The conversation originated from the 

White House and included congratulations and good wishes. 

During the environmental evaluation, the lunar module 

pilot indicated that he had to be careful of his center of 

mass in maintaining balance. He noted that the LM shadow 

had no significant effect on his backpack temperature. He 

also noted that his agility was better than expected and that 

Apollo by the Numbers 

Armstrong and Aldrin set up U.S. flag on lunar su

(NASA S69-40308). 

Aldrin prepares to deploy experiments from LM (N

ASll-40-5927). 

The commander collected a bulk sample, consisting o

assorted surface material and rock chunks, and place

them in a sample return container. The crew then in

ed the LM, finding the quads, struts, skirts, and anten

in satisfactory condition. 

The passive seismic experiment package and laser ran

retroretlector were deployed south of the LM. Excelle

PSEP data were obtained, including detection of the 
Official total in kilograms as determined by the Lunar Receiving Laboratory in Houston.

tance traveled was 3,300 feet (1 km); and the collected 

samples totaled 47.52 pounds (21.55 kg).2 The farthest 

point traveled from the LM was 200 feet (60 m), when the 

commander visited a crater 108 feet in diameter (33 m) 

near the end of the extravehicular period.

Cropped close-up of Armstrong at the LM (NASA AS11-

40-5886).

Armstrong inside LM following EVA (NASA ASll-37-

5528).

Ignition of the ascent stage engine for liftoff occurred at 

17:54:00 GMT on 21 July at 124:22:00.79. The LM had 

been on the lunar surface for 21 hours 36 minutes 20.9 

seconds. An orbit of 48.0 by 9.4 n mi was achieved at 

124:29:15.67, 434.88 seconds after liftoff.

Several rendezvous sequence maneuvers were required before 

docking could occur 3.5 hours later. A 47.3-second coelliptic 

orbit maneuver at 125:19:34.70 raised the orbit to 49.3 by 

45.7 n mi. A 17.8-second constant delta height maneuver at

Apollo 11 97

walking on the surface and, later, in the LM. The crew 

then collected more lunar samples, including two core 

samples and about 20 pounds of discretely selected material. The LMP had to exert considerable force to drive the 

core tubes six to eight inches into the lunar surface.

This photo (Hasselblad image) of Armstrong on the

lunar surface shows him at the MESA packing the bulk

sample. U.S. flag is to the left and solar wind experiment is in the center (NASA AS11-40-5886).

The solar wind experiment was recovered after 1 hour 17 

minutes exposure. The transfer of lunar sample containers 

to the LM began at 111:23. The crew entered the LM and 

closed the hatch at 111:39:13, thus ending humankind’s 

first exploration of the Moon. The total time spent outside 

the LM was 2 hours 31 minutes 40 seconds; the total dis-
stage and the CSM at 128:03:00.0. The two craft had been 

undocked for exactly 27 hours 51 minutes. 

View of ascent stage prior to docking with CM. CMP 

Collins refers to this photo as "There They Are:' meaning that his crewmates are in the ascent stage and all 

the rest of the humans we know about are on that spot 

in the background (ASll-44-6642). 

In the process of maneuvering the LM to docking attitude, 

while avoiding direct sunlight in the forward window, the 

platform inadvertently reached gimbal lock, causing a brief 

and unexpected tumbling motion of the LM. A quick 

recovery was made and the docking was completed using 

the abort guidance system for attitude control. 

After transfer of the crew and samples to the CSM, the 

ascent stage was jettisoned at 130:09:31.2 at an altitude of 

61.6 n mi, and the CSM was prepared for transearth injection. A 7.2-second maneuver was made at 130:30:01.0 to 

separate the CM from the ascent stage; it resulted in an 

orbit of 62.7 by 54.0 n mi. The ascent stage would remain 

in lunar orbit for an indefinite period. 

The 151.41-second transearth injection maneuver was performed at 135:23:42.28 at an altitude of 52.4 n mi. A nominal injection was achieved at 135:26:13.69 after 30 lunar 

orbits lasting 59 hours 30 minutes 25.79 seconds, at a 

velocity of 8,589.0 ft/sec. 

Transearth Phase 

As in translunar flight, only one midcourse correction was 

required, a 10.0-second, 4.8-ft/sec maneuver, at 150:29:57.4. 

View of Moon after departure from an altitude of 

10,000 n mi. (NASA ASll-44-6667). 

An 18-minute television transmission was initiated a

155:3.6; it featured a demonstration of the effect of w

lessness on food and water, as well as brief scenes of 

Moon and Earth. The final color television broadcast 

made at 177:32. The 12.5-minute transmission featur

message of appreciation by each crew member to all 

people who helped make the mission possible. 

Recovery 

Because of inclement weather in the planned recover

the splashdown point was moved 215 n mi down ran

The weather in the new area was excellent: visibility 

miles, waves to 3 feet, and wind 16 knots. 

The service module was jettisoned at 194:49:12.7, an

CM entry followed an automatic entry profile. The c

mand module reentered Earth's atmosphere ( 400,000 

altitude) at 195:03:05.7 at a velocity of 36,194.4 ft/sec

lowing a transearth coast of 59 hours 36 minutes 52

onds. 

The parachute system effected splashdown of the CM 

the Pacific Ocean at 16:50:35 GMT (12:50:35 EDT) o

July. Mission duration was 195:18:35. The impact po

was 1.69 n mi from the target point and 13 n mi fro

recovery ship U.S.S. Hornet. The splashdown site was 

mated to be latitude 13.30° north and longitude 169

west. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Apollo 11 crew in raft while waiting for helicopter 

retrieval (NASA S69-21698). 

After splashdown, the CM assumed an apex-down flotation 

attitude but was successfully returned to the normal flotation position in 7 minutes 40 seconds by the inflatable bag 

uprighting system. After splashdown, the crew donned biological isolation garments and exited the CM into a rubber 

boat, where they were scrubbed down with an iodine solution to protect against "lunar germs:' They were then 

retrieved by helicopter and taken to the primary recovery 

ship, where they arrived 63 minutes after splashdown. The 

CM was recovered 125 minutes later. The estimated CM 

weight at splashdown was 10,873 pounds, and the estimated distance traveled for the mission was 828,743 n mi. 

The crew, the recovery physician, and a recovery technician, along with lunar samples, entered the Mobile 

Quarantine Facility aboard the recovery ship for transport 

to the Lunar Receiving Laboratory in Houston. 

The CM and Mobile Quarantine Facility were offloaded 

from the Hornet in Hawaii 00:15 GMT on 27 July. The 

Mobile Quarantine Facility was loaded aboard a C-141 aircraft and flown to Houston, where it arrived at 06:00 

GMT on 28 July. 

The crew arrived at the Lunar Receiving Laboratory four 

hours later. The safing of the CM pyrotechnics was completed at 02:05 GMT on 27 July. The CM was taken to Ford 

Island for deactivation, after which it was transferred to 

Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, and flown on a C-133 aircraft to Houston, where it arrived at 23:17 GMT on 30 July. 

The crew and spacecraft were released from quarantine on 

10 August. On 14 August the spacecraft was delivered to 

the North American Rockwell Space Division facility in 

Downey, California, for postflight analysis. 

Wearing biological isolation garments, crew enters the 

Mobile Quarantine Facility aboard recovery ship U.S.S. 

Hornet (NASA S69-40753). 

President Richard M. Nixon welcomes Apollo 11 crew 

home (NASA S69-21365). 

All spacecraft systems performed satisfactorily. With the 

completion of the Apollo 11 mission, the national objective 

of landing humans on the Moon and returning them safely to Earth before the end of the decade was accomplished. 

Apollo II ~ 
Mission Director Chris Kraft (holding flag) celebrates 

success of Apollo 11 mission with other NASA officials 

(NASA S69-40302). 

Conclusions 

The Apollo 11 mission, including a piloted lunar landing 

and surface exploration, was conducted with skill, precision, and relative ease. The excellent performance of the 

spacecraft in the preceding four missions and the thorough 

planning in all aspects of the program permitted the safe 

and efficient execution of this mission. The following conclusions were made from an analysis of post-mission data: 

l. The effectiveness of pre-mission training was reflected in the 

skill and precision with which the crew executed the lunar landing. Manual control while maneuvering to the desired landing 

point was satisfactorily exercised. 

2. 	The planned techniques involved in the guidance, navigation, 

and control of the descent trajectory were good. Performance of 

the landing radar met all expectations in providing the information required for descent. 

3. 	The extravehicular mobility units were adequately designed to 

enable the crew to conduct the planned activities. Adaptation to 

1/6 g was relatively quick, and mobility on the lunar surface was 

easy. 

4. 	The two-person pre-launch checkout and countdown for asce!lt 

from the lunar surface were well planned and executed. 

5. The timeline activities for all phases of the lunar landing mission 

were well within the crew's capability to perform the required tasks. 

6. 	The quarantine operation from spacecraft landing until release 

of the crew, spacecraft, and lunar samples from the Lunar 

p

8. Hardware problems, as experienced on previous piloted m

sions, did not unduly hamper the crew or compromise cr

safety or mission objectives. 

9. 	The Mission Control Center and the Manned Space Fligh

Network proved to be adequate for controlling and monit

all phases of flight, including the descent, surface activitie

ascent phases of the mission. 

Apollo I I Objectives 

Spacecraft Primary Objective 

To perform a piloted lunar landing and return. Achieved. 

Spacecraft Secondary Objectives 

1. To perform selenological inspection and sampling. 

a. Contingency sample collection. Achieved. 

b. 	Lunar surface characteristics. Achieved. 

c. 	Bulk sample collection. Achieved. 

d. 	Lunar environment visibility. Achieved. 

2. 	To obtain data to assess the capability and limitations of 

astronaut and his equipment in the lunar surface environ

a. 	Lunar surface extravehicular operations. Achieved. 

b. 	Lunar surface operations with extravehicular mobility 

Achieved. 

c. 	Landing effects on lunar module. Achieved. 

d. 	Location of landed lunar module. Partially achieved. T

crew was unable to make observations oflunar features 

ing descent. The command module pilot was therefore u

to locate the lunar module through the sextant. Toward 

end of the lunar surface stay, the location of the lunar 

was determined from the lunar module rendezvous rad

tracking data, which was confirmed post-mission using 

photographic data. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
g. 	 Photographic coverage. Achieved. 

l) Long-distance photographic coverage from the command 

module. 

2) Lunar mapping photography from orbit. 

3) Landed lunar module location. 

4) Sequence photography during descent, lunar stay, and 

ascent. 

5) Still photographs through the lunar module window. 

6) Still photographs on the lunar surface. 

7) Close-up stereo photography. 

Apollo 11 bulk rock samples collected during the mission (NASA S69-45519). 

Experiments 

l. 	Passive seismic experiment. Achieved. 

2. 	 Lunar field geology. Partially achieved. Although 2 core tube samples and 15 pounds of additional lunar samples were obtained, 

time constraints precluded collection of these samples with the 

degree of documentation originally planned. In addition, time did 

not permit the collection of a lunar environmental sample or a 

gas analysis sample in the two special containers provided. It was, 

however, possible to obtain the desired results using other samples 

contained in the regular sample return containers. 

5. Cosmic ray detection. Achieved. 

6. 	 Pilot describing function. Achieved. 

Core tube sample #10004 (NASA S69-40945). 

Launch Vehicle Objectives 

l. 	To launch on a variable 72° to 108° flight azimuth and insert the 

S-IVB, instrument unit, and spacecraft into a circular Earth 

parking orbit. Achieved. 

2. 	 To restart the S-IVB during either the second or third revolution, and inject the S-IVB, instrument unit, and spacecraft into 

the planned translunar trajectory. Achieved. 

3. 	 To provide the required attitude control for the S-IVB, instrument unit, and spacecraft during the transposition, docking, and 

ejection maneuver. Achieved. 

4. 	 To use residual S-IVB propellants and auxiliary propulsion system after final launch vehicle/spacecraft separation, to safe the 

S-IVB, and to minimize the possibility of the following, in order 

of priority: 

a. 	S-IVB/instrument unit recontact with the spacecraft. 

Achieved. 

b. 	 S-IVB/instrument unit Earth impact. Achieved. 

c. 	 S-IVB/instrument unit lunar impact. Achieved. 

Apollo II~ 
ypy

LM #5 integrated test at factory. 

Integrated CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

LM #5 final engineering evaluation acceptance test at factory. 

LM ascent stage #5 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #5 delivered to KSC. 

Spacecraft/1M adapter #14 delivered to KSC. 

LM descent stage #5 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM descent stage #5 delivered to KSC. 

CSM #107 quads delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #506 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #506 delivered to KSC. 

CM #107 and SM #107 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

CM #107 and SM #107 delivered to KSC. 

CM #107 and SM #107 mated. 

Saturn S-II stage #6 delivered to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #5 and descent stage #5 mated. 

CSM #107 combined systems test completed. 

LM #5 combined systems test completed. 

Saturn S-IC stage #6 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IC stage #6 erected. 

Saturn V instrument unit #506 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-II stage #6 erected. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #506 erected. 

Saturn V instrument unit #506 erected. 

CSM #107 altitude test with prime crew completed. 

LM #5 altitude test with prime crew completed. 

CSM #107 altitude tests completed. 

LM #5 altitude tests completed. 

Launch vehicle propellant dispersion/malfunction overall test completed. 

CSM #107 moved to VAB. 

Spacecraft erected. 

LM #5 combined systems test completed. 

CSM #107 integrated systems test completed. 

CSM #107 electrically mated to launch vehicle. 

Space vehicle overall test completed. 

Space vehicle overall test #1 (plugs in) completed. 

Space vehicle and MLP #1 transferred to launch complex 39A. 

Mobile service structure transferred to launch complex 39A. 

LM #4 flight readiness test completed. 

Space vehicle flight readiness test completed. 

Saturn S-IC stage #6 RP-1 fuel loading completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (wet) completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (dry) completed. 

21 Oct 1968 

06 Dec 1968 

13 Dec 1968 

07 Jan 1969 

08 Jan 1969 

10 Jan 1969 

11 Jan 1969 

12 Jan 1969 

15 Jan 1969 

18 Jan 1969 

19 Jan 1969 

22 Jan 1969 

23 Jan 1969 

29 Jan 1969 

06 Feb 1969 

14 Feb 1969 

17 Feb 1969 

17 Feb 1969 

20 Feb 1969 

21 Feb 1969 

27 Feb 1969 

04 Mar 1969 

05 Mar 1969 

05 Mar 1969 

18 Mar 1969 

21 Mar 1969 

24 Mar 1969 

25 Mar 1969 

27 Mar 1969 

14 Apr 1969 

14 Apr 1969 

18 Apr 1969 

22 Apr 1969 

05 May 1969 

06 May 1969 

14 May 1969 

20 May 1969 

22 May 1969 

02 Jun 1969 

06 Jun 1969 

25 Jun 1969 

02 Jul1969 

03 Jul1969 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Earth Space Flight Fixed 

Fixed Fixed Event Geocentric Path Heading 

GET Altitude Range Velocity Velocity Duration Latitude Longitude Angle Angle 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (n mi) (ftlsec) (ft/sec) (deg E) (degN) (deg E) (deg) (EofN) 

Liftoff 000:00:00.63 0.032 0.000 1.5 1,340.7 28.4470 -80.6041 0.06 90.00 

~ach 1 achieved 000:01 :06.30 4.236 1.044 1,054.1 2,023.9 28.4523 -80.5853 27.88 85.32 

~aximum dynamic pressure 000:01 :23.00 7.326 3.012 1,653.4 2,671.9 28.4624 -80.5499 29.23 82.41 

S-IC center engine cutoff3 000:02:15.20 23.761 25.067 5,320.8 6,492.8 141.6 28.5739 -81.1517 22.957 76.315 

S-IC outboard engine cutoff 000:02:41.63 35.701 50.529 7,851.9 9,068.6 168.03 28.7007 -79.6908 19.114 75.439 

S-IC/S-II separation3 000:02:42.30 36.029 51.323 7,882.9 9,100.6 28.7046 -79.6764 19.020 75.436 

S-II center engine cutoff 000:07:40.62 97.280 601.678 17,404.8 18,725.5 296.62 30.9513 -69.4309 0.897 79.646 

S-II outboard engine cutoff 000:09:08.22 101.142 873.886 21,368.2 22,690.8 384.22 31.7089 -64.1983 0.619 82.396 

S-II/S-IVB separation3 000:09:09.00 101.175 876.550 21 ,377.0 22,699.6 31.7152 -64.1467 0.611 82.426 

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff 000:11:39.33 103.202 1,421.959 24,237.6 25,561.6 147.13 32.4865 -53.4588 0.011 88.414 

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:49.33 103.176 1,460.697 24,243.9 25,567.8 

Apollo I I Earth Orbit Phase 

Space 

Fixed Event Velocity 

GET Velocity Duration Change Apogee Perigee Period Inclination 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (ftlsec) (sec) (ft/sec) (n mi) (n mi) (mins) (deg) 

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:49.33 25,567.8 100.4 98.9 88.18 32.521 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition 002:44:16.20 25,560.2 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff 002:50:03.03 35,568.3 346.83 10,008.1 31.386 

Apollo I I Translunar Phase 

Space 

Fixed Space 

Space Flight Fixed 

Fixed Event Velocity Path Heading 

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle Angle 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (nmi) (ft/sec) (sec) (ftlsec) (deg) (E ofN) 

Translunar injection 002:50:13.03 180.581 35,545.6 7.367 60.073 

CS~ separated from S-IVB 003:15:23.00 3,815.190 24,962.5 45.148 93.758 

CSM docked with L~/S-IVB 003:24:03.70 5,317.6 22,662.5 44.94 99.57 

CSM/L~ evasive maneuver ignition 004:40:01.72 16,620.8 14,680.0 64.30 113.73 

CS~/L~ evasive maneuver cutoff 004:40:04.65 16,627.3 14,663.0 2.93 19.7 64.25 113.74 

~idcourse correction ignition 026:44:58.64 109,475.3 5,025.0 77.05 120.88 

~idcourse correction cutoff 026:45:01.77 109,477.2 5,010.0 3.13 20.9 76.88 120.87 

3 Only the commanded time is available for this event. 

Apollo II~ 
Event 

Lunar orbit insertion ignition 

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff 

Lunar orbit circularization ignition 

Lunar orbit circularization cutoff 

CSM/LM undocked 

CSM/LM separation ignition 

CSM/LM separation cutoff 

LM descent orbit insertion ignition 

LM descent orbit insertion cutoff 

LM powered descent initiation 

LM powered descent cutoff 

LM lunar liftoff ignition 

LM orbit insertion cutoff 

LM coelliptic sequence initiation ignition 

LM coelliptic sequence initiation cutoff 

LM constant differential height ignition 

LM constant differential height cutoff 

LM terminal phase initiation ignition 

LM terminal phase initiation cutoff 

LM 1st midcourse correction 

LM 2nd midcourse correction 

LM terminal phase finalize ignition 

LM terminal phase finalize cutoff 

LM begin braking 

LM begin stationkeeping 

CSM/LM docked 

LM ascent stage jettisoned 

CSM/LM final separation ignition 

CSM/LM final separation cutoff 

Event 

Transearth injection ignition 

Transearth injection cutoff 

Midcourse correction ignition 

Midcourse correction cutoff 

CM/SM separation 

Apollo by the Numbers 

(hhh:mm:ss) 

075:49:50.37 

075:55:47.90 

080:11:36.75 

080:11:53.63 

100:12:00.00 

100:39:52.90 

l00:40:01.90 

101:36:14.00 

10I:36:44.00 

102:33:05.01 

102:45:41.40 

124:22:00.79 

124:29:15.67 

125:19:35.00 

125:20:22.00 

126:17:49.60 

126: 18:07.40 

127:03:51.80 

127:04:14.50 

127:18:30.80 

127:33:30.80 

127:46:09.80 

127:46:38.20 

127:36:57.30 

127:52:05.30 

128:03:00.00 

130:09:31.20 

130:30:01.00 

130:30:08.10 

(n mi) 

86.7 

60.1 

61.8 

61.6 

62.9 

62.7 

62.5 

56.4 

57.8 

6.4 

10.0 

47.4 

48.4 

44.1 

44.0 

7.6 

60.6 

61.6 

62.7 

62.7 

y 

(ft/sec) 

8,250.0 

5,479.0 

5,477.3 

5,338.3 

5,333.8 

5,332.7 

5,332.2 

5,364.9 

5,284.9 

5,564.9 

5,537.9 

5,328.1 

5,376.6 

5,391.5 

5,413.2 

5,339.7 

5,341.5 

5,335.9 

5,330.1 

5,326.9 

Apollo II Transearth Phase 

GET 

(hhh:mm:ss) 

135:23:42.28 

135:26:13.69 

150:29:57.40 

150:30:07.40 

194:49:12.70 

Altitude 

(n mi) 

52.4 

58.1 

169,087.2 

169,080.6 

1,778.3 

Space 

Fixed 

Velocity 

(ft/sec) 

5,376.0 

8,589.0 

4,075.0 

4,074.0 

29,615.5 

(sec) 

357.53 

16.88 

9.0 

30.0 

756.39 

434.88 

47.0 

17.8 

22.7 

28.4 

7.2 

Event 

Duration 

(sec) 

151.41 

10.0 

gpg

(ft/sec) (n mi) (n 

2917.5 169.7 

158.8 66.1 

2.7 63.7 

76.4 64.3 

58.5 

6,070.1 48.0 

51.5 49.3 

19.9 47.4 

25.3 61.7 

1.0 

1.5 

31.4 63.0 

2.2 62.7 

Space 

Fixed S

Flight F

Velocity Path He

Change Angle A

(ft/sec) (deg) (E 

-0.03 -

3,279.0 5.13 -

-80.34 1

4.8 -80.41 1

-35.26 6
Terminal countdown started. 

Scheduled 11-hour hold at T-9 hours. 

Countdown resumed at T-9 hours. 

Scheduled 1-hour 32-minute hold at T-3 hours 30 minutes. 

Countdown resumed at T-3 hours 30 minutes. 

Guidap.ce reference releas\!. 

S-IC engine start command. 

S-IC engine ignition (#5}. 

All S-IC engines thrust OK. 

Range zero. 

All holddown arms released (1st motion). 

Liftoff (umbilical disconnected) {1.07 g). 

Tower clearance yaw maneuver started. 

Yaw maneuver ended. 

Pitch and roll maneuver started. 

Roll maneuver ended. 

Mach 1 achieved. 

Maximum dynamic pressure (735.17lbfft2). 

Maximum bending moment {33,200,000 lbf-in). 

S-IC center engine cutoff command. 

Pitch maneuver ended. 

S-IC outboard engine cutoff. 

S-IC maximum total inertial acceleration (3.94 g). 

S-IC maximum Earth-fixed velocity. S-IC/S-II separation command. 

S-II engine start command. 

S-II ignition. 

S-II aft interstage jettisoned. 

Launch escape tower jettisoned. 

Iterative guidance mode initiated. 

S-IC apex. 

S-II center engine cutoff. 

S-II maximum total inertial acceleration (1.82 g). 

S-IC impact (theoretical). 

S-II outboard engine cutoff. 

S-II maximum Earth-fixed velocity. S-II/S-IVB separation command. 

S-IVB 1st burn start command. 

S-IVB 1st burn ignition. 

S-IVB ullage case jettisoned. 

S-II apex. 

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff. 

S-IVB 1st burn maximum total inertial acceleration (0.69 g). 

Earth orbit insertion. S-IVB 1st burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 

Orbital navigation started. 

S-II impact (theoretical). 

S-IVB 2nd burn restart preparation. 

S-IVB 2nd burn restart command. 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition (STDV open). 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff. 

-028:00:00.00 21:00:00 14 Jul1969 

-009:00:00.00 16:00:00 15 Jul 1969 

-009:00:00.00 03:00:00 16 Jul1969 

-003:30:00.00 08:30:00 16 Jul1969 

-003:30:00.00 10:02:00 16 Jul1969 

-000:00:16.968 13:31:43 16 Jul1969 

-000:00:08.90 13:31:51 16 Jul 1969 

-000:00:06.40 13:31:53 16 Jul1969 

-000:00:01.60 13:31:58 16 Jul 1969 

000:00:00.00 13:32:00 16 Jul1969 

000:00:00.30 13:32:00 16 Jul 1969 

000:00:00.63 13:32:00 16 Jul 1969 

000:00:01.70 13:32:01 16 Jul1969 

000:00:09.70 13:32:09 16 Jul 1969 

000:00:13.20 13:32:13 16 Jul1969 

000:00:31.10 13:32:31 16 Jul 1969 

000:01:06.30 13:33:06 16 Jul1969 

000:01:23.00 13:33:23 16 Jul 1969 

000:01:31.50 13:33:31 16 Jul 1969 

000:02:15.20 13:34:15 16 Jul1969 

000:02:40.00 13:34:40 16 Jul1969 

000:02:41.63 13:34:41 16 Jul1969 

000:02:41.71 13:34:41 16 Jul1969 

000:02:42.30 13:34:42 16 Jul1969 

000:02:43.04 13:34:43 16 Jul 1969 

000:02:44.00 13:34:44 16 Jul1969 

000:03:12.30 13:35:12 16 Jul1969 

000:03:17.90 13:35:17 16 Jul1969 

000:03:24.10 13:35:24 16 Jul1969 

000:04:59.10 13:36:59 16 Jul1969 

000:07:40.62 13:39:40 16 Jul 1969 

000:07:40.70 13:39:40 16 Jul1969 

000:09:03.70 13:41:03 16 Jul1969 

000:09:08.22 13:41:08 16 Jul1969 

000:09:09.00 13:41:09 16 Jul1969 

000:09:09.20 13:41:09 16 Jul1969 

000:09:12.20 13:41:12 16 Jul1969 

000:09:21.00 13:41:21 16 Jul1969 

000:09:47.00 13:41:47 16 Jul1969 

000:11:39.33 13:43:39 16 Jul1969 

000:11:39.41 13:43:39 16 Jul1969 

000:11:49.33 13:43:49 16 Jul1969 

000:11:59.30 13:43:59 16 Jul 1969 

000:13:21.10 13:45:21 16 Jul 1969 

000:20:13.70 13:52:13 16 Jul 1969 

002:34:38.20 16:06:38 16 Jul1969 

002:44:08.20 16:16:08 16 Jul1969 

002:44:16.20 16:16:16 16 Jul 1969 

002:50:03.03 16:22:03 16 Jul1969 

Apollo II~ 
S-IVB 2nd burn maximum total inertial acceleration (1.45 g). 002:50:03.11 16:22:03 16 Jull

S-IVB 2nd burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 002:50:03.50 16:22:03 16 Jull

S-IVB safing procedures started. 002:50:03.80 16:22:03 16 Jul 

Translunar injection. 002:50:13.03 16:22:13 16 Jul 

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 002:50:23.00 16:22:23 16 Jull

Orbital navigation started. 002:50:23.90 16:22:23 16 Jull

Maneuver to transposition and docking attitude started. 003:05:03.90 16:37:03 16 Jull

CSM separated from S-IVB. 003:15:23.00 16:47:23 16 Jull

CSM separation maneuver ignition. 003:17:04.60 16:49:04 16 Jull

CSM separation maneuver cutoff. 003:17:11.70 16:49:11 16 Jull

CSM docked with LM/S-IVB. 003:24:03.70 16:56:03 16 Jull

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB. 004:17:03.00 17:49:03 16 Jull

CSM/LM evasive maneuver from S-IVB ignition. 004:40:01.72 18:12:01 16 Jull

CSM/LM evasive maneuver from S-IVB cutoff. 004:40:04.65 18:12:04 16 Jul 

S-IVB maneuver to lunar slingshot attitude initiated. 004:41:07.60 18:13:07 16 Jull

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-LH2 tank CVS opened. 004:51:07.70 18:23:07 16 Jull

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-LOX dump started. 005:03:07.60 18:35:07 16 Jull

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-LOX dump ended. 005:04:55.80 18:36:55 16 Jul 

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-APS ignition. 005:37:47.60 19:09:47 16 Jull

S-IVB lunar slingshot maneuver-APS cutoff. 005:42:27.80 19:14:27 16 Jul 

S-IVB maneuver to communications attitude initiated. 005:42:48.80 19:14:48 16 Jul 

TV transmission started (recorded at Goldstone and transmitted to Houston at 011:26). 010:32:00.00 00:04:00 17 Jull

TV transmission ended. 010:48:00.00 00:20:00 17 Jul 

Midcourse correction ignition. 026:44:58.64 16:16:58 17 Jull

Midcourse correction cutoff. 026:45:01.77 16:17:01 17 Jull

TV transmission started. 030:28:00.00 20:00:00 17 Jull

TV transmission ended. 031:18:00.00 20:50:00 17 Jul 

TV transmission started. 033:59:00.00 23:31:00 17 Jull

TV transmission ended. 034:35:00.00 00:07:00 18 Jull

TV transmission started. 055:08:00.00 20:40:00 18 Jul 

CDR and LMP entered LM for initial inspection. 055:30:00.00 21:02:00 18 Jull

TV transmission ended. 056:44:00.00 22:16:00 18 Jull

CDR and LMP entered CM. 057:55:00.00 23:27:00 18 Jull

Equigravisphere. 061:39:55.00 03:11:55 19 Jull

Lunar orbit insertion ignition. 075:49:50.37 17:21:50 19 Jull

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff. 075:55:47.90 17:27:47 19 Jull

Sighting of an illumination in the Aristarchus region. 1st time a lunar transient event sighted 

by an observer in space. 077:13:00.00 18:45:00 19 Jull

TV transmission started. 078:20:00.00 19:52:00 19 Jull

S-IVB closest approach to lunar surface. 078:42:00.00 20:14:00 19 Jull

TV transmission ended. 079:00:00.00 20:32:00 19 Jul 

Lunar orbit circularization ignition. 080:11:36.75 21:43:36 19 Jull

Lunar orbit circularization cutoff. 080:11 :53.63 21:43:53 19 Jull

LMP entered CM for initial power-up and system checks. 081:10:00.00 22:42:00 19 Jull

LMP entered CM. 083:35:00.00 01:07:00 20 Jull

CDR and LMP entered LM for final preparations for descent. 095:20:00.00 12:52:00 20 Jull

LMP entered CM. 097:00:00.00 14:32:00 20 Jull

LMP entered LM. 097:30:00.00 15:02:00 20 Jull

LM system checks started. 097:45:00.00 15:17:00 20 Jull

Apollo by the Numbers 
LM system checks ended. 

CSM/LM undocked. 

CSM/LM separation maneuver ignition. 

CSM/LM separation maneuver cutoff. 

LM descent orbit insertion ignition (LM SPS). 

LM descent orbit insertion cutoff. 

LM acquisition of data. 

LM landing radar on. 

LM abort guidance aligned to primary guidance. 

LM yaw maneuver to obtain improved communications. 

LM altitude 50,000 feet. 

LM propellant settling firing started. 

LM powered descent engine ignition. 

LM fixed throttle position. 

LM face-up maneuver completed. 

LM 1202 alarm. 

LM radar updates enabled. 

LM altitude less than 30,000 feet and velocity less than 2,000 feet per second (landing 

radar velocity update started). 

LM 1202 alarm. 


LM throttle recovery. 


LM approach phase entered. 


LM landing radar antenna to position 2. 


LM attitude hold mode selected (check of LM handling qualities). 


LM automatic guidance enabled. 


LM 1201 alarm. 


LM landing radar switched to low scale. 


LM 1202 alarm. 


LM 1202 alarm. 


LM landing point redesignation. 


LM altitude hold. 


LM abort guidance attitude·updated. 


LM rate of descent landing phase entered. 


LM landing radar data not good. 


LM landing data good. 


LM fuel low-level quantity light. 


LM landing radar data not good. 


LM landing radar data good. 


1st evidence of surface dust disturbed by descent engine. 


LM lunar landing. 


LM powered descent engine cutoff. 


Decision made to proceed with EVA prior to first rest period. 


Preparation for EVA started. 


EVA started (hatch open). 


CDR completely outside LM on porch. 


Modular equipment stowage assembly deployed (CDR). 


First clear TV picture received. 


CDR at foot of ladder (starts to report, then pauses to listen). 


CDR at foot of ladder and described surface as "almost like a powder:' 


100:00:00.00 

100:12:00.00 

100:39:52.90 

100:40:01.90 

101:36:14.00 

101:36:44.00 

102:17:17.00 

102:20:53.00 

102:24:40.00 

102:27:32.00 

102:32:55.00 

102:32:58.00 

102:33:05.01 

102:33:31.00 

102:37:59.00 

102:38:22.00 

102:38:45.00 

102:38:50.00 

102:39:02.00 

102:39:31.00 

102:41:32.00 

102:41:37.00 

102:41:53.00 

102:42:03.00 

102:42:18.00 

102:42:19.00 

102:42:43.00 

102:42:58.00 

102:43:09.00 

102:43:13.00 

102:43:20.00 

102:43:22.00 

102:44:11.00 

102:44:21.00 

102:44:28.00 

102:44:59.00 

102:45:03.00 

102:44:35.00 

102:45:39.90 

102:45:41.40 

I04:40:00.00 

106:11:00.00 

109:07:33.00 

109:19:16.00 

109:21:18.00 

109:22:00.00 

109:23:28.00 

109:23:38.00 

17:32:00 20 Jul 1969 

17:44:00 20 Jull969 

18:11:52 20 Jul 1969 

18:12:01 20 Jull969 

19:08:14 20 Jull969 

19:08:44 20 Jul 1969 

19:49:17 20 Jull969 

19:52:53 20 Jul 1969 

19:56:40 20 Jul 1969 

19:59:32 20 Jul 1969 

20:04:55 20 Jull969 

20:04:58 20 Jull969 

20:05:05 20 Jul 1969 

20:05:31 20 Jull969 

20:09:59 20 Jul 1969 

20:10:22 20 Jul 1969 

20:10:45 20 Jul 1969 

20:10:50 20 Jull969 

20:11:02 20 Jull969 

20:11:31 20 Jull969 

20:13:32 20 Jull969 

20:13:37 20 Jull969 

20:13:53 20 Jull969 

20:14:03 20 Jull969 

20:14: 18 20 Jul 1969 

20:14:19 20 Jul 1969 

20:14:43 20 Jul 1969 

20:14:58 20 Jull969 

20:15:09 20 Jull969 

20:15:13 20 Jull969 

20:15:20 20 Jull969 

20:15:22 20 Jull969 

20:16:11 20 Jull969 

20:16:21 20 Jull969 

20:16:28 20 Jull969 

20:16:59 20 Jul 1969 

20:17:03 20 Jul 1969 

20:16:35 20 Jul 1969 

20:17:39 20 Jull969 

20:17:41 20 Jul 1969 

22:12:00 20 Jul 1969 

23:43:00 20 Jul 1969 

02:39:33 21 Jul 1969 

02:51:16 21 Jul 1969 

02:53:18 21 Jul 1969 

02:54:00 21 Jull969 

02:55:28 21 Jul 1969 

02:55:38 21 Jull969 

Apollo II~ 
Apollo 11 Timeline 

GET GMT GMT 

Event (hhh:mrn:ss) Time Date 

1st step taken on lunar surface (CDR). "That's one small step for a man ... one giant leap 

for mankind:' 109:24:15.00 02:56:15 21 Jul 1969 

CDR started surface examination and description, assessed mobility and described effects 

of LM descent engine. 109:24:48.00 02:56:48 21 Jul 1969 

CDR ended surface examination. LMP started to send down camera. 109:26:54.00 02:58:54 21 Jul 1969 

Camera installed on RCU bracket, LEC stored on secondary strut of LM landing gear. 109:30:23.00 03:02:23 21 Jul 1969 

Surface photography (CDR). 109:30:53.00 03:02:53 21 Jul 1969 

Contingency sample collection started (CDR). 109:33:58.00 03:05:58 21 Jul 1969 

Contingency sample collection ended {CDR). 109:37:08.00 03:09:08 21 Jul 1969 

LMP started egress from LM. 109:39:57.00 03:11:57 21 Jul 1969 

LMP at top of ladder. Descent photographed by CDR. 109:41:56.00 03:13:56 21 Jul 1969 

LMP on lunar surface. 109:43:16.00 03:15:16 21 Jul 1969 

Surface examination and examination of landing effects on surface and on LM started 

{CDR, LMP). 109:43:47.00 03:15:47 21 Jul 1969 

Insulation removed from modular equipment stowage assembly {CDR). 109:49:06.00 03:21:06 21 Jul 1969 

TV camera focal distance adjusted {CDR). 109:51:35.00 03:23:35 21 Jul 1969 

Plaque unveiled (CDR). 109:52:19.00 03:24:19 21 Jul 1969 

Plaque read (CDR). 109:52:40.00 03:24:40 21 Jul 1969 

TV camera redeployed. Panoramic TV view started (CDR). 109:59:28.00 03:31:28 21 Jul 1969 

TV camera placed in final deployment position (CDR). 110:02:53.00 03:34:53 21 Jul 1969 

Solar wind composition experiment deployed (LMP). 110:03:20.00 03:35:20 21 Jul 1969 

United States flag deployed {CDR, LMP). 110:09:43.00 03:41:43 21 Jul 1969 

Evaluation of surface mobility started (LMP). 110:13:15.00 03:45:15 21 Jul 1969 

Evaluation of surface mobility end (LMP). 110: 16:02.00 03:48:02 21 Jul 1969 

Presidential message from White House and response from CDR. 110: 16:30.00 03:48:30 21 Jul 1969 

Presidential message and CDR response ended. 110:18:21.00 03:50:21 21 Jul 1969 

Evaluation of trajectory of lunar soil when kicked (LMP) and bulk sample collection 

started (CDR). 110:20:06.00 03:52:06 21 Jul 1969 

Evaluation of visibility in lunar sunlight (LMP). 110: 10:24.00 03:42:24 21 Jul 1969 

Evaluation of thermal effects of sun and shadow inside the suit (LMP). 110:25:09 .00 03:57:09 21 Jul 1969 

Evaluation of surface shadows and colors (LMP). 110:28:22.00 04:00:22 21 Jul 1969 

LM landing gear inspection and photography (LMP). 110:34:13.00 04:06:13 21 Jul 1969 

Bulk sample completed (CDR). 110:35:36.00 04:07:36 21 Jul 1969 

LM landing gear inspection and photography {CDR, LMP). 110:46:36.00 04:18:36 21 Jul 1969 

Scientific equipment bay doors opened. 110:53:38.00 04:25:38 21 Jul 1969 

Passive seismometer deployed. 110:55:42.00 04:27:42 21 Jul 1969 

Lunar ranging retroreflector deployed {CDR). 111:03:57.00 04:35:57 21 Jul 1969 

1st passive seismic experiment data received on Earth. 111:08:39.00 04:40:39 21 Jul 1969 

Collection of documented samples started {CDR/LMP). 111:11:00.00 04:43:00 21 Jul 1969 

Solar wind composition experiment retrieved (LMP) . 111:20:00.00 04:52:00 21 Jul 1969 

LMP inside LM. 111:29:39.00 05:01:39 21 Jul 1969 

Sample containers transfem.d (LMP). 111:35:51.00 05:02:00 21 Jul 1969 

EVA ended. CDR inside LM, assisted and monitored by LMP. 111:37:00.00 05:09:00 21 Jul 1969 

EVA ended (hatch closed). 111:39:13.00 05:11:13 21 Jul 1969 

LM equipment jettisoned. 114:05:00.00 07:37:00 21 Jul 1969 

LM lunar liftoff ignition (LM APS). 124:22:00.79 17:54:00 21 Jul 1969 

LM orbit insertion cutoff. 124:29:15.67 18:01:15 21 Jul 1969 

Coelliptic sequence initiation ignition. 125:19:35.00 18:51:35 21 Jul 1969 

Coelliptic sequence initiation cutoff. 125:20:22.00 18:52:22 21 Jul 1969 

� Apollo by the Numbers 
Constant differential height maneuver ignition. 126:17:49.60 19:49:49 21 Jull969 

Constant differential height maneuver cutoff. 126:18:29.20 19:50:29 21 Jull969 

Terminal phase initiation ignition. 127:03:51.80 20:35:51 21 Jull969 

Terminal phase initiation cutoff. 127:04:14.50 20:36:14 21 Jull969 

LM 1st midcourse correction. 127:18:30.80 20:50:30 21 Jull969 

LM 2nd midcourse correction. 127:33:30.80 21:05:30 21 Jull969 

Braking started. 127:36:57.30 21:08:57 21 Jull969 

Terminal phase finalize ignition. 127:46:09.80 21:18:09 21 Jull969 

Terminal phase finalize cutoff. 127:46:38.20 21:18:38 21 Jull969 

Stationkeeping started. 127:52:05.30 21:24:05 21 Jull969 

CSM/LM docked. 128:03:00.00 21:35:00 21 Jull969 

CDR entered CM. 129:20:00.00 22:52:00 21 Jull969 

LMP entered CM. 129:45:00.00 23:17:00 21 Jull969 

LM ascent stage jettisoned. 130:09:31.20 23:41:31 21 Jul 1969 

CSM/LM final separation ignition. 130:30:01.00 00:02:01 22 Jull969 

CSM/LM final separation cutoff. 130:30:08.20 00:02:08 22 Jull969 

Transearth injection ignition (SPS). 135:23:42.28 04:55:42 22 Jul 1969 

Transearth injection cutoff. 135:26:13.69 04:58:13 22 Jul 1969 

Midcourse correction ignition. 150:29:57.40 20:01:57 22 Jul 1969 

Midcourse correction cutoff. 150:30:07.40 20:02:07 22 Jull969 

TV transmission started. 155:36:00.00 01:08:00 23 Jull969 

TV transmission ended. 155:54:00.00 01:26:00 23 Jul 1969 

TV transmission started. 177:10:00.00 22:42:00 23 Jul 1969 

TV transmission ended. 177:13:00.00 22:45:00 23 Jul 1969 

TV transmission started. 177:32:00.00 23:04:00 23 Jull969 

TV transmission ended. 177:44:00.00 23:16:00 23 Jul 1969 

CM/SM separation. 194:49:12.70 16:21:12 24 Jull969 

Entry. 195:03:05.70 16:35:05 24 Jul 1969 

Drogue parachute deployed. 195:12:06.90 16:44:06 24 Jull969 

Visual contact with CM established by aircraft. 195:07:00.00 16:39 24 Jul 1969 

Radar contact with CM established by recovery ship. 195:08:00.00 16:40 24 Jul 1969 

VHF voice contact and recovery beacon contact established. 195:14:00.00 16:46 24 Jul1969 

Splashdown (went to apex-down). 195:18:35.00 16:50:35 24 Jul1969 

CM returned to apex-up position. 195:26:15.00 16:58:15 24 Jul 1969 

Flotation collar inflated. 195:32:00.00 17:04 24 Jul1969 

Hatch opened for crew egress. 195:49:00.00 17:21 24 Jul1969 

Crew egress. 195:57:00.00 17:29 24 Jul1969 

Crew aboard recovery ship. 196:21:00.00 17:53 24 Jull969 

Crew entered mobile quarantine facility. 196:26:00.00 17:58 24 Jull969 

CM lifted from water. 198:18:00.00 19:50 24 Jul 1969 

CM secured to quarantine facility. 198:26:00.00 19:58 24 Jul 1969 

CM hatch reopened. 198:33:00.00 20:05 24 Jull969 

Sample return containers 1 and 2 removed from CM. 200:28:00.00 22:00 24 Jul1969 

Container 1 removed from mobile quarantine facility. 202:00:00.00 23:32 24 Jul1969 

Container 2 removed from mobile quarantine facility. 202:33:00.00 00:05 25 Jul 1969 

Container 2 and film flown to Johnston Island. 207:43:00.00 05:15 25 Jull969 

Container 1 flown to Hickam Air Force Base, HI. 214:13:00.00 11:45 25 Jul1969 

Container 2 and film arrived in Houston. 218:43:00.00 16:15 25 Jul1969 

Container 1, film, and biological samples arrived in Houston. 225:41:00.00 23:13 25 Jull969 

Apollo II~ 
CM decontaminated and hatch secured. 


Mobile quarantine facility secured. 


Mobile quarantine facility and CM offioaded. 


Sating of CM pyrotechnics completed. 


Mobile quarantine facility arrived in Houston. 


Flight crew in Lunar Receiving Laboratory. 


CM delivered to Lunar Receiving Laboratory. 


Passive seismic experiment turned off. 


Crew released from quarantine. 


229:28:00.00 

231:03:00.00 

250:43:00.00 

252:33:00.00 

280:28:00.00 

284:28:00.00 

345:45:00.00 

430:26:46.00 

03:00 26 Jul19

04:35 26 Jul 1

00:15 27 Jul 1

02:05 27 Jul19

06:00 28 Jul 1

10:00 28 Jul19

23:17 30 Jul 1

11:58:46 03 Aug 

10 Aug 

Apollo by the Numbers 
APOLLO 12 


The Sixth Mission: 


The Second Lunar Landing 

Apollo 12 Summary 

( 14 November-24 November 1969) 

Apollo 12 crew (I. tor.): Pete Conrad, Dick Gordon, Al

Bean (NASA S69-38852).

Background 

Apollo 12 was a Type H mission, a precision piloted lunar

landing demonstration and systematic lunar exploration. It

was the second successful human landing on the Moon.

The primary objectives were:

• to perform selenological inspection, survey, and sampling in a

mare area;

• to deploy the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package

(ALSEP);

• to develop techniques for a point landing capability;

• to further develop human capability to work in the lunar environment; and

• to obtain photographs of candidate exploration sites.

1 Conrad died 8 July I 999 in Ojai, CA, as a result of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.

� Apollo by the Numbers

The all-Navy crew included Commander Charles "Pete" 

Conrad, Jr. (USN), commander; Commander Richard 

Francis "Dick'' Gordon, Jr. (USN), command module pilot; 

and Commander Alan LaVern Bean (USN), lunar module 

pilot.

Selected as an astronaut in 1962, Conrad was making his 

third spaceflight. He had been pilot of Gemini 5 and command pilot of Gemini 11. Born 2 June 1930 in · 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Conrad was 39 years old at the 

time of the Apollo 12 mission. He received a B.S. in aeronautical engineering from Princeton University in 1953. 

His backup was Colonel David Randolph Scott (USAF).

1 

Gordon had been pilot of Gemini 11. Born 5 October 

1929 in Seattle, Washington, he was 40 years old at the

time of the Apollo 12 mission. Gordon received a B.S. in 

chemistry from the University of Washington in 1951, and 

was selected as an astronaut in 1963. His backup was 

Major Alfred Merrill Worden (USAF).

Bean was making his first spaceflight. Born 15 March 1932 

in Wheeler, Texas, he was 37 years old at the time of the

Apollo 12 mission. Bean received a B.S. in aeronautical 

engineering from the University of Texas in 1955, and was 

selected as an astronaut in 1963. His backup was Lt. 

Colonel James Benson Irwin (USAF).

The capsule communicators (CAPCOMs) for the mission 

were Lt. Colonel Gerald Paul Carr (USMC), Edward 

George Gibson, Ph.D., Commander Paul Joseph Weitz

(USN), Don Leslie Lind, Ph. D., Scott, Worden, and Irwin. 

For this mission, there were also four civilian backup 

CAPCOMs: Dickie K. Warren, James 0. Rippey, James L. 

Lewis, and Michael R. Wash. The support crew members 

were Carr, Weitz, and Gibson. The flight directors were

Gerald D. Griffin (first shift), M. P. "Pete" Frank (second 

shift), Clifford E. Charlesworth (third shift), and Milton L. 

Windler (fourth shift).

The Apollo 12 launch vehicle was a Saturn V, designated 

SA-507. The mission.also carried the designation Eastern 

Test Range #2793. The CSM was designated CSM-108, and

had the call-sign "Yankee Clipper:' The lunar module was 

designated LM-6, and had the call-sign "Intrepid:'

Launch Preparations 

The terminal countdown started at T-28 hours at 02:00:00 

GMT on 13 November. Scheduled holds occurred at T-9 

hours for 9 hours 22 minutes and at T-3 hours 30 minutes 

for one hour. During spacecraft preparations on November
for retanking cryogenics in the CSM. Loading was completed in six hours and the count resumed at 19:00:00 GMT. 

The scheduled hold at T-9 hours was reduced by six hours, 

thereby averting a launch delay. 

A cold front was moving slowly southward through the 

central section of Florida. This front produced the rain 

showers and overcast conditions that existed over the pad 

at launch time. Stratocumulus clouds covered 100 percent 

of the sky (base 2,100 feet), the temperature was 68.0° F, 

the relative humidity was 92 percent, and the barometric 

pressure was 14.621 lbfin2. Winds, as measured by the 

anemometer on the light pole 60.0 feet above ground at 

the launch site, measured 13.2 knots at 280° from true 

north. 

Ascent Phase 

Apollo 12 was launched from Kennedy Space Center 

Launch Complex 39, Pad A, at a Range Zero time of 

16:22:00 GMT (11:22:00 a.m. EST) on 14 November 1969. 

The planned launch window extended to 19:26:00 GMT to 

take advantage of a sun elevation angle on the lunar surface of 5.1°. 

Apollo 12 was the first Saturn vehicle launched during a 

rainstorm, following the decision to waive Manned Space 

Flight Center Launch Mission Rule 1-404, which stated: 

"The vehicle will not be launched when its flight path 

will carry it through a cumulonimbus (thunderstorm) 

cloud formation!' 

The reason for the rule was that the Saturn V was not 

designed to withstand thunderstorm weather conditions 

during launch. 

Between 000:00:12.8 and 000:00:32.3, the vehicle rolled 

from a launch pad azimuth of 90° to a flight azimuth of 

72.029°. 

At 000:00:36.5 there were numerous space vehicle indications of a massive electrical disturbance, followed by a second disturbance at 000:00:52. The crew reported that, in 

their opinion, the vehicle had been struck by lightning, and 

that the fuel cells in the service module were disconnected 

and that all NC power in the spacecraft was lost. Numerous 

indicator lamps were illuminated at this time. 

Apollo 12lifts off from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A 

(NASA S69-58883). 

Ground camera data, telemetered data, and launch computers later showed that the vehicle had indeed been struck 

by lightning. Virtually no discernible effects were noted on 

the launch vehicle during the second disturbance. 

Atmospheric electrical factors and the fact that the vehicle 

did not have the capacitance to store sufficient energy to 

produce the effects noted indicated that the first discharge 

was triggered by the vehicle. The second disturbance may 

have been due to a lesser lightning discharge. The launch 

vehicle hardware and software suffered no significant effects, 

and the mission proceeded as scheduled. Because the lightning was self-induced, and because the vehicle did not fly 

through cumulonimbus clouds, it was determined that Rule 

1-404 had not been violated. 

The S-IC engine shut down at 000:02:41.74, followed by SIC/S-11 separation, and S-11 engine ignition. The S-11 

engine shut down at 000:09:12.34 followed by separation 

from the S-IVB, which ignited at 000:09:16.16. The first SIVB engine cutoff occurred at 000:11:33.91, with deviations 

Apollo 12 ~ 
/ 

Electrical discharge between douds and ground 36.5 

seconds after liftoff, when vehicle was at an altitude of 

6,000 feet (NASA S69-60068). 

The S-IC stage impacted the Adantic Ocean at 000:09:14.5 at 

latitude 30.273° north and longitude 73.895° west, 365.2 n mi 

from the launch site. The S-II stage impacted the Adantic 

Ocean at 000:20:21.6 at latitude 31.465° north and longitude 

34.214° west, 2,404.4 n mi from the launch site. 

The maximum wind conditions encountered during ascent 

were 92.5 knots at 245° from true north at 46,670 feet, and 

a maximum wind shear of 0.0183 sec-1 at 46,750 feet. 

Parking orbit conditions at insertion, 000:11:43.91 (S-NB 

cutoff plus 10 seconds to account for engine tailoff and 

other transient effects), showed an apogee and perigee of 

100.1 by 97.8 n mi, an inclination of 32.540°, a period of 

88.16 minutes, and a velocity of 25,565.9 ft/sec. The apogee 

and perigee were based upon a spherical Earth with a 

radius of 3,443.934 n mi. 

The international designation for the CSM upon achieving 

orbit was 1969-099A and the S-IVB was designated 1969­

0998. After undocking at the Moon, the LM ascent stage 

would be designated 1969-099C and the descent stage 

1969-099D. 

Earth Orbit Phase 

After inflight systems checks, made with extra care because 

of the two lightning strikes, the 341.24-second translunar 

injection maneuver (second S-IVB firing) was performed at 

002:47:22.7. The S-IVB engine shut down at 002:53:03.94 

and translunar injection occurred ten seconds later, at a 

For the first time, an Apollo vehicle was targeted for a 

high-pericynthion free-return translunar profile, a traje

ry that would achieve satisfactory Earth entry within t

reaction control velocity correction capability. 

The major advantage of the new profile, termed a "hybri

non-free-return trajectory, was the greater mission planni

flexibility. This profile permitted a daylight launch to the 

planned landing site and a greater performance margin f

the service propulsion system. The hybrid profile was con

strained so that a safe return using the descent propulsio

system could be made following a failure to enter lunar o

Earth view at three and one half hours into the mis

(NASA AS12-50-7325). 

At 003:18:04.9, the CSM was separated from the S-IVB 

stage, transposed, and docked with the LM at 003:26:5

Onboard television, transmitted from 003:25 to 004:28

clearly showed the docking. The docked spacecraft wer

ejected from the S-NB at 004:13:00.9. An S-NB auxil

propulsion system evasive maneuver was performed at 

004:27 and was also observed on television. 

A ground command for propulsive venting of residual 

pellants targeted the S-IVB to go past the Moon and i

solar orbit. However, due to an excessively long ullage 

Apollo by the Numbers 
objectives of not striking the spacecraft, Earth, or the 

Moon were achieved. The closest approach of the S-IVB to 

the Moon was 3,082 n mi at 085:48. 

LM inside S-IVB following separation (NASA AS12-S0­

7328). 

To insure that the electrical transients experienced during 

launch had not affected the LM systems, the commander 

and lunar module pilot entered the LM earlier than 

planned, at 007:20, to perform some of the housekeeping 

and systems checks. The checks indicated that the LM systems were satisfactory. 

One midcourse correction was required during translunar 

coast, a 9.19-second, 61.8 ft/sec maneuver at 030:52:44.36. 

It placed the spacecraft on the desired hybrid, non-freereturn circumlunar trajectory. Good quality television coverage of the preparations fot this burn was received for 47 

minutes, starting at 030:18. 

A 56-minute television transmission began at 062:52. It 

provided excellent color pictures of the CM, intravehicular 

transfer, the LM interior, and brief shots of Earth and the 

Moon. 

At 083:25:23.36, at an altitude of 82.5 n mi above the 

Moon, the service propulsion engine was fired for 352.25 

seconds to insert the spacecraft into a lunar orbit of 168.8 

Crescent view of Earth on the way to the Moon (NASA 

AS12-50-7362). 

Earthrise over lunar surface following lunar orbit insertion (NASA AS12-47-6891). 

Lunar Orbit/Lunar Surface Phase 

During the first lunar orbit, good quality television coverage of the surface was received for about 33 minutes, 

beginning at 084:00. The crew provided excellent descriptions of the lunar features while transmitting sharp pictures back to Earth. 

Two revolutions later, at 087:48:48.08, a 16.91-second 

maneuver was performed to circularize the orbit at 66.1 by 

Apollo 12 ~ 
At 104:20, the commander entered the LM, followed by the 

lunar module pilot at 105:00 to prepare for descent to the 

lunar surface. The two spacecraft were undocked at 

107:54:02.3 at an altitude of 63.0 n mi, followed by a 14.4­

second separation maneuver at 108:24:36.9. At 109:23:39.9, 

a 29.0-second descent orbit insertion maneuver placed the 

LM into an orbit of 60.6 by 8.1 n mi. 

The 717.0-second powered descent initiation ignition 

occurred at 8.0 n. mi. at 110:20:38.1, and landing occurred 

at 06:54:36 GMT (01:54:36 a.m. EST) on 19 November at 

110:32:36.2 (the engine was shut down 1.1 seconds before 

landing). The spacecraft landed in the Oceanus Procellarum 

region (Ocean of Storms) at latitude 3.01239° south and 

longitude 23.42157° west, at an angle of 4° to 5° to the surface. Approximately 103 seconds of engine firing time 

remained at landing. 

One objective of the mission was to achieve a precision 

landing near the Surveyor III spacecraft, which had landed 

on 20 April 1967.2 The LM landed just 535 feet from 

Surveyor. 

LM following separation. Large crater in foreground is 

Ptolemaeus (NASA AS12-51-7507). 

During the next CSM revolution, the commander reported 

a visual sighting of the CSM orbiting overhead. On the 

following revolution, the command module pilot reported 

sighting the Surveyor III spacecraft as well as the LM 

northwest of Surveyor III. 

Three hours after landing, the crew members began preparations for egress. The commander exited the hatch and 

deployed the modularized equipment stowage assembly 

2 The COSPAR designation for Surveyor III was 1967-03SA. The NORAD designation was 02756. 

Apollo by the Numbers 

Conrad descends the LM ladder as seen by Bean in

the LM cabin (NASA AS12-46-6716). 

Before reaching the surface, the commander reported 

ing Surveyor III about 600 feet away and also stated t

the LM had landed about 25 feet from the lip of a cr

He was on the lunar surface at 115:22:22. His descrip

indicated that the lunar surface was quite soft and loo

packed, causing his boots to dig in as he walked. 

The lunar module pilot descended to the lunar surfac

115:51:50. 

Shortly after the television camera was removed from 

bracket on the LM, transmission was lost when the ca

was pointed at the Sun. Lithium hydroxide canisters a

the contingency sample were transferred to the LM ca

as planned. The S-band erectable antenna, and solar w

composition experiment were deployed, and the Unite

States flag was erected at 116:19:31. 

Except for minor difficulty removing the radioisotope 

moelectric generator fuel element from the cask, the 

removal of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Pac

(ALSEP), transport, and deployment were nominal. 

The ALSEP deployment site was estimated to be 600 

700 feet from the LM. Shortly after deployment, the p

sive seismometer transmitted to Earth the crew memb

footsteps as they returned to the LM. 

On the return traverse, the crew collected a core tube 

ple and additional surface samples. They entered the L

and the closed the hatch at 119:06:36. The first extrav
Bean steps from LM ladder to the lunar surface (NASA 

AS12-46-6729). 

Conrad erects U.S. flag at landing site (NASA AS12-47­

6897). There are no still images of Bean by the flag. 

At 119:47:13.23, the CSM performed a plane change 

maneuver of 18.23 seconds which changed the orbit to 

62.5 by 57.6 n mi. 

The second extravehicular activity period began at 131:33, 

after a seven-hour rest period. The crew first cut the cable 

and stored the inoperative LM TV camera in the equipment transfer bag for return to Earth and failure analysis. 

The commander then went to the ALSEP site to check the 

leveling of the lunar atmosphere detector. As he approached 

the instrument, it recorded a higher atmosphere, which was 

attributed to the outgassing of his suit. 

Bean removes the RTG fuel element from its cask 

(NASA AS12-46-6790). 

Bean deploys the ALSEP during the first EVA (NASA 

AS12-47-6919). 

Astronaut movement on the lunar surface was recorded on 

the passive seismometer and on the lunar surface magnetometer. In addition, the commander rolled a grapefruitsized rock down the wall of Head Crater, about 300 to 400 

feet from the passive seismometer. No significant response 

was detected on any of the four axes. 

During the geological traverse towards Surveyor Ill, the 

crew members obtained the desired photographic panoraApollo 12 ~ 
become lighter as they dug deeper. 

Conrad at Modular Equipment Stowage Assembly (MESA). 

S-hand antenna is at right (NASA AS12-47-6988). 

Bean drives core tube sample into the lunar surface 

(NASA AS12-49-7286). 

The crew photographed the Surveyor III and removed 

parts of it including the soil scoop. They reported that the 

Surveyor footpad marks were still visible and that the 

Apollo by the Numbers 

Bean holds a special environmental sample contain

filled with lunar soil. Conrad's reflection can be se

Bean's visor (NASA AS12-49-7278). 

After the return traverse, the crew retrieved the solar 

composition experiment after 18 hours 42 minutes ex

sure. The Apollo lunar surface close-up camera was u

to take stereo pictures in the vicinity of the LM durin

last few minutes of surface activity. Before reentering 

LM, the crew members dusted each other off. The lu

module pilot entered the LM at 135:08, received samp

parts, and equipment from the commander, who then 

reentered at 135:20. Expendable equipment was jettiso

at 136:55, and the cabin was repressurized. 

The second extravehicular activity period lasted 3 hou

minutes 15 seconds. The distance traveled was 4,300 

(1.3 km); an estimated 38.8 pounds (17.6 kg) of samp

were collected. The crew entered the LM at 135:22:00

ending the second human exploration of the Moon. 

Mobility and portable life support system operation, a

Apollo 11, were excellent throughout both extravehicu

periods. For the mission, the total time spent outside 

LM was 7 hours 45 minutes 18 seconds, the total dist

traveled was 7,600 feet (2.3 km), and the collected sam

totaled 75.73 pounds (34.35 kg, official total in kilogr

as determined by the Lunar Receiving Laboratory in 

Houston). The farthest point traveled from the LM w

1,362 feet. 
Conrad uses tongs to pick up rock from lunar surface 

(NASA AS12-47-6932). 

Conrad stands by Surveyor III. Note the lunar module 

on the horizon (NASA AS12-48-7133). 

During the LM lunar surface stay, the S-158 lunar multispectral photography experiment was completed by the 

command module pilot in the CSM. In addition, photography of three desirable targets of opportunity was 

obtained. The areas were the Wall of Theophilus and two 

future Apollo landing sites, Fra Mauro and Descartes. 

Ignition of the ascent stage engine for lunar liftoff 

occurred at 142:03:47.78. The LM had been on the lunar 

surface for 31 hours 31 minutes 12.0 seconds. 

The 423.2-second burn was 1.2 seconds longer than planned 

and placed the spacecraft into an orbit of 46.3 by 8.8 n mi at 

142:10:59.9. Several rendezvous sequence maneuvers were 

required before docking could occur three and a half hours 

later. A 41.1-second coelliptic orbit maneuver at 143:01:51.0 

raised the orbit to 51.0 by 41.5 n mi. A 13.0-second constant 

made a 38.0-second maneuver at 145:19:29.3 to finalize the 

orbit at 62.3 by 58.3 n mi for docking with the CM at 

145:36:20.2 at an altitude of 58.1 n mi. The two craft had 

been undocked for 37 hours 42 minutes 17.9 seconds. Good 

quality television was transmitted from the CSM for 24 minutes during the final portions of the rendezvous sequence. 

Evidence that Surveyor III bounced when it landed is 

the footpad imprint seen to the right (AS12-48-7110). 

After the transfer of the crew and samples to the CSM, the 

ascent stage was jettisoned at 147:59:31.6, and the CSM 

was prepared for transearth injection. The ascent stage was 

then maneuvered by remote control to impact the lunar 

surface. A 5.4-second maneuver was made at 148:04:30.9 to 

separate the CSM from the ascent stage, and resulted in an 

orbit of 62.0 by 57.5 n mi. An 82.1-second ascent stage 

deorbit firing was made at 149:28:14.8 at 57.6 n mi altitude. The firing depleted the ascent stage propellants, and 

impact occurred at 149:55:16.4, at a point estimated to be 

latitude 3.94° south and longitude 21.20° west, 40 n mi 

east southeast of the Apollo 12 landing site and 5 n mi 

from the target. 

During the final lunar orbits, extensive landmark tracking and 

photography from lunar orbit were conducted. A 500 mm 

long-range lens was used to obtain mapping and training 

data for future missions. 

Apollo 12 ~ 
Prior to transearth injection, a 19.25-second plane change 

maneuver at 159:04:45.47 altered the CSM orbit to 64.7 by 

56.8 n mi Following a 130.32-second maneuver at 63.3 n mi 

altitude at 172:27:16.81, transearth injection was achieved at 

172:29:27.13 at a velocity of 8,351 ft/sec after 45 lunar orbits 

lasting 88 hours 58 minutes 11.52 seconds. Good quality television of the rec.eding Moon and the spacecraft interior was 

received for about 38 minutes, beginning about 20 minutes 

after transearth injection. 

Transearth Phase 

A small midcourse correction was made at 188:27:15.8. It 

was a 4.4-second, 2.0-ft/sec maneuver, delayed one hour to 

allow additional crew rest. The final television transmission 

included the spacecraft interior and a question and answer 

period with scientists and members of the press. It began 

at 224:07 and lasted for approximately 37 minutes. 

The final midcourse correction, a 5.7-second, 2.4-ft/sec 

maneuver, was made at 241:21:59.7. 

Recovery 

The service module was jettisoned at 244:07:20.1, and 

command module entry (400,000 feet altitude) occurred at 

244:22:19.09 at a velocity of 36,116 ft/sec, following a 

transearth coast of 71 hours, 52 minutes and 52.0 seconds. 

Following separation from the CM, the service module 

reaction control system was fired to depletion. However, no 

radar acquisition nor visual sightings by the crew or recovery personnel were made, and it was believed that the 

service module became unstable during the depletion firing 

and did not execute the velocity change required to skip 

out of Earth's atmosphere into the planned high-apogee 

orbit. Instead, it probably entered the atmosphere and 

impacted before detection. 

Eclipse of the Sun byEarth as seen during transearth 

flight (NASA SS0-37406). 

� Apollo by the Numbers 

Apollo 12 about to impact the surface of the Pacific 

Ocean (NAS� S69-22728). 

Sea-state conditions were fairly rough, and the parachute 

system effected an extremely hard splashdown of the CM in 

the Paci.fie Ocean at 20:58:24 GMT (03:58:24 p.m. EST) on 

24 November 1969. The force of the impact, about 15 g, not 

only knocked loose portions of the heat shield, but caused 

the 16 mm sequence camera to separate from its bracket 

and strike the LMP above the right eye. Mission duration 

was 244:36:25. The impact point was about 2.0 n mi from 

the target point and 3.91 n mi from the recovery ship U.S.S. 

Hornet. The splashdown site was estimated to be latitude 

15.78° south and longitude 165:15° west. 

After splashdown, the CM assumed an apex-down attitude, 

but was successfully returned to the normal flotation position in 4 minutes 26 seconds by the inflatable bag uprighting system. 

Apollo 12 crew in raft following egress from CM (l. to 

r.): Conrad, Bean and Gordon (NASA S69-22271). 
ty. The CM was recovered 48 minutes later. The estimated 

CM weight at splashdown was 11,050 pounds, and the estimated distance traveled for the mission was 828,134 n mi. 

The mobile quarantine facility was offloaded from the 

Hornet in Hawaii at 02:18 GMT on 29 November, followed 

shordy by the CM. The mobile quarantine facility was 

loaded aboard a C-141 aircraft and flown to Ellington Air 

Force Base, Houston, Texas, where it arrived at 11:50 GMT. 

The crew entered the Lunar Receiving Laboratory two 

hours later. 

The CM was taken to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, for 

deactivation. Upon completion of deactivation, at 14:15 

GMT on 1 December, the CM was flown to Ellington Air 

Force Base on a C-133 aircraft, and delivered to the Lunar 

Receiving Laboratory at 19:30 GMT on 2 December. 

The crew was released from quarantine on 10 December. 

The CM was released soon after, and on 11 January was 

delivered to the North American Rockwell Space Division 

facility in Downey, California, for postflight analysis. 

Apollo 12 crew aboard recovery ship U.S.S. Hornet enter 

the mobile quarantine facility (NASA 869-22849). 

Wives of Apollo 12 crew greet them when the mobile 

quarantine facility arrives at Ellington AFB, Texas 

(NASA S69-60760). 

Conclusions 

The Apollo 12 mission demonstrated the capability for 

performing a precision lunar landing, which was a requirement for the success of future lunar surface explorations. 

The excellent performance of the spacecraft, the crew, and 

the supporting ground elements resulted in a wealth of scientific information. The following conclusions were made 

from an analysis of post-mission data: 

1. 	The effectiveness of crew training, mission planning, and realtime navigation from the ground resulted in a precision landing 

near a previously landed Surveyor spacecraft and well within the 

desired landing footprint. 

2. 	A hybrid non-free-return translunar profile was flown to 

demonstrate a capability for additional maneuvering which 

would be required for future landings at greater latitudes. 

3. 	The timeline activities and metabolic loads associated with the 

extended lunar surface scientific exploration were within the 

capability of the crew and the portable life support systems. 

4. 	An ALSEP was deployed for the first time and, despite some 

operating anomalies, returned valuable scientific data in a variety of study areas. 

Apollo 12 ~ 
Conrad holds two lunar rock samples while in the 

Lunar Receiving Laboratory in Houston, Texas (NASA 

S69-60424). 

Apollo 12 Objectives 

Spacecraft Primary Objectives 

1. 	To perform selenological inspection, survey, and sampling in a 

mare area. Achieved. 

2. 	To deploy the ALSEP consistent with a seismic event. Achieved. 

a. S-031: Passive seismic experiment. 

b. S-034: Lunar surface magnetometer experiment. 

c. S-035: Solar wind spectrometer experiment. 

d. S-036: Suprathermal ion detector experiment. 

e. S-058: Cold cathode ion gauge experiment. 

3. To develop techniques for a point landing capability. Achieved. 

4. 	To further develop human capability to work in the lunar environment. Achieved. 

2. 	Lunar surface extravehicular operations. Achieved. 

3. 	Portable life support system recharge. Achieved. 

4. 	Selected sample collection. Achieved. 

5. 	Photographs of candidate exploration sites. 

a. 	70 mm stereoscopic photography of the ground track 

terminator to terminator during two passes over the 

sites, with concurrent 16 mm sextant sequence photo

during the first pass. Partially achieved. The first 70 m

and the concurrent 16 mm sextant sequence were acc

plished. However, the necessity to repeat high resolutio

tography did not provide sufficient time to complete th

stereoscopic pass. 

b. 	Landmark tracking of a series of four landmarks bra

the three sites included in the stereoscopic photograp

performed during two subsequent, successiye orbits. 

achieved. First series accomplished. However, necessity 

high resolution photography did not provide sufficient 

complete second series. Real-time decision assigning h

ority to landmark tracking allowed tracking of two la

associated with Fra Mauro and Descartes and comple

about one-fourth of the second stereoscopic pass. 

c. 	High resolution photographs using a 500 mm lens, a

tional high resolution oblique photography. Partially 

The first photographs were of Herschel instead ofLala

to crew error. A first attempt to obtain high resolution 

graphs of Fra Mauro and Descartes was unsuccessful 

of a camera malfunction. On a second attempt, photog

were obtained of Fra Mauro and an area slightly east 

Descartes. 

6. Lunar surface characteristics. Achieved. 

7. Lunar environment visibility. Achieved. 

8. Landed lunar module location. Achieved. 

9. Photographic coverage. Achieved. 

10. Television coverage. 

@D Apollo by the Numbers 
from its stowage compartment. 

c. 	 The lunar surface in the general vicinity of the lunar module. 

Not achieved. The camera was damaged immediately after it 

was unstowed. 

d. 	Panoramic coverage of distant terrain features. Not achieved. 

The camera was damaged immediately after it was removed 

from its stowage compartment. 

e. 	A crew member during extravehicular activity. Not achieved. 

The camera was damaged immediately after it was removed 

from its stowage compartment. 

11. Surveyor III investigation. Achieved. 

12. Selenodetic reference point update. Achieved. 

Experiments 

1. Lunar field geology. Achieved. 

2. Solar wind composition. Achieved. 

3. Lunar multispectral photography. Achieved. 

4. Pilot describing function. Achieved. 

1. 	To launch on a flight azimuth between 72 and 96 and insertion of the S-!VB/instrument unit/spacecraft into a circular 

Earth parking orbit. Achieved. 

2. 	 To restart the S-IVB during either the second or Lhird revolution 

and injection of the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft into the 

planned translunar trajectory. Achieved. 

3. 	 To provide the required attitude control for the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft during the transposition, docking, and 

ejection maneuver. Achieved. 

4. 	 To use the S-IVB auxiliary propulsion system burn to execute a 

launch vehicle evasive maneuver after ejection of the command 

and service module/lunar module from the S-IVB/instrument 

unit. Achieved. 

5. 	To use residual S-IVB propellants and the auxiliary propulsion 

system to maneuver to a trajectory that utilizes lunar gravity to 

insert the expended S-IVB/instrument unit into a solar orbit 

("slingshot"). Not achieved. The S-IVB!instrument unit failed to 

achieve solar orbit. 

6. 	 To vent and dump all remaining gases and liquids to safe the 

S-IVB/instrument unit. Achieved. 

Apollo 12 ~ 
Apollo 12 Spacecraft History 

EVENT 

LM #6 integrated test at factory. 

Individual and combined CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

Integrated CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

LM #6 final engineering evaluation acceptance test at factory. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #507 delivered to KSC. 

LM descent stage #6 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #6 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #6 and LM descent stage #6 delivered to KSC. 

CM #108 and SM #108 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

CM #108 and SM #108 delivered to KSC. 

CM # 108 and SM # 108 mated. 

CSM #108 combined systems test completed. 

Saturn S-II stage #7 delivered to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #6 and descent stage #6 mated. 

LM #6 combined systems test completed. 

Saturn S-IC stage #7 delivered to KSC. 

Spacecraft/LM adapter #15 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IC stage #7 erected on MLP #2. 

Saturn V instrument unit #507 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-II stage #7 erected. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #507 erected. 

Saturn V instrument unit #507 erected. 

CSM #108 altitude test with prime crew completed. 

CSM #108 altitude tests completed. 

CSM #108 altitude test with backup crew completed. 

Launch vehicle propellant dispersion/malfunction overall test completed. 

LM #6 altitude test with backup crew completed. 

LM #6 altitude test with prime crew completed. 

Spacecraft moved to VAB. 

LM #6 landing gear installed. 

LM #6 mated to spacecraft/LM adapter #15. 

CSM #108 mated to spacecraft/LM adapter #15. 

CSM #108 moved to VAB. 

Spacecraft erected. 

LM #6 combined systems test completed. 

CSM #108 integrated systems test completed. 

CSM #108 electrically mated to launch vehicle. 

Space vehicle overall test completed. 

Space vehicle electrically mated. 

Space vehicle overall test # 1 (plugs in) completed. 

Space vehicle and MLP #2 transferred to launch complex 39A. 

Mobile service structure transferred to launch complex 39A. 

LM #5 flight rl.!adiness test completed. 

Space vehicle flight readiness test completed. 

Saturn S-IC stage #7 RP-1 fuel loading completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (wet) completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (dry) completed. 

� Apollo by the Numbers 

DATE 

31 Dec 1968 

20 Jan 1969 

03 Feb 1969 

18 Feb 1969 

10 Mar 1969 

22 Mar 1969 

23 Mar 1969 

24 Mar 1969 

27 Mar 1969 

28 Mar 1969 

02 Apr 1969 

21 Apr 1969 

21 Apr 1969 

28 Apr 1969 

01 May 1969 

03 May 1969 

06 May 1969 

07 May 1969 

08 May 1969 

21 May 1969 

22 May 1969 

22 May 1969 

07 Jun 1969 

09 Jun 1969 

10 Jun 1969 

12 Jun 1969 

13 Jun 1969 

16 Jun 1969 

20 Jun 1969 

22 Jun 1969 

23 Jun 1969 

27 Jun 1969 

30 Jun 1969 

01 Jul 1969 

05 Jul 1969 

07 Jul 1969 

16 Jul 1969 

17 Jul 1969 

17 Aug 1969 

21 Aug 1969 

08 Sep 1969 

10 Sep 1969 

18 Sep 1969 

30 Sep 1969 

20 Oct 1969 

28 Oct 1969 

29 Oct 1969 
Earth Space Flight Fixed 

Fixed Fixed Event Geocentric Path Heading 

GET Altitude Range Velocity Velocity Duration Latitude Longitude Angle Angle 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (n mi) (ft!sec) (ft!sec) (sec) (deg N) (deg E) (deg) (E ofN) 

Liftoff 000:00:00.68 0.032 0.000 0.0 1,340.7 28.4470 -80.6041 0.07 90.00 

1st lightning strike3 000:00:36.5 1.053 0.062 387.9 1,445.7 28.4469 -80.6030 15.40 89.29 

2nd lightning strike 000:00:52 . 2.374 0.399 692.1 1,690.4 28.4487 -80.5968 22.74 87.32 

Mach 1 achieved 000:01 :06.1 4.215 1.228 1,067.6 2,057.7 28.4532 -80.5820 27.13 84.84 

Maximum dynamic pressure 000:01:21.1 6.934 3.019 1,601.4 2,617.3 28.4627 -80.5498 29.02 82.10 

S-IC center engine cutoff 000:02:15.24 24.158 25.441 5,334.5 6,494.4 141.7 28.5794 -80.1463 23.944 76.115 

S-IC outboard engine cutoff 000:02:41.74 36.773 50.616 7,821.4 9,024.5 168.2 28.7069 -79.6913 20.513 75.231 

S-ICIS-II separation 000:02:42.4 37.118 51.338 7,850.3 9,054.2 28.7107 -79.6773 20.430 75.228 

S-II center engine cutoff 000:07:40.75 100.463 599.172 17,453.5 18,775.3 297.55 30.9599 -69.4827 0.502 79.632 

S-II outboard engine cutoff 000:09:12.34 102.801 884.711 21,508.8 22,831.7 389.14 31.7508 -63.9914 0.442 82.501 

S-II/S-IVB separation 000:09:13.20 102.827 887.667 21,517.8 22,840.7 31.7576 -63.9341 0.432 82.533 

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff 000:11:33.91 103.093 1,399.874 24,236.6 25,560.2 137.31 32.4933 -53.8956 -0.015 88.146 

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:43.91 103.086 1,438.608 24,242.3 25,565.9 32.5128 -53.1311 -0.014 88.580 

Apollo I 2 Earth Orbit Phase 

Space 

Fixed Event Velocity 

GET Velocity Duration Change Apogee Perigee Period Inclination 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (ft!sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (n mi) (n mi) (mins) (deg) 

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:43.91 25,565.9 100.1 97.8 88.16 32.540 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition 002:47:22.80 25,555.4 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff 002:53:03.94 35,419.3 341.14 10515 30.360 

Apollo 12 Translunar Phase 

Space 

Fixed Space 

Space Flight Fixed 

Fixed Event Velocity Path Heading 

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle Angle 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft!sec) (sec) (ft!sec) (deg) (E ofN) 

Translunar injection 002:53:13.94 199.023 35,389.9 8.584 63.902 

CSM separated from S-IVB 003:18:04.9 3,819.258 24,865.5 45.092 100.194 

CSM docked with LM/S-IVB 003:26:53.3 5,337.7 22,534 49.896 105.29 

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB 004:13:00.9 12,506.3 16,451.1 60.941 114.52 

S-IVB APS evasive maneuver 004:29:21.4 80.0 9.5 

Midcourse correction ignition 030:52:44.36 116,929.1 4,317.4 75.833 120.80 

Midcourse correction cutoff 030:52:53.55 116,935.4 4,297.5 9.19 61.8 76.597 120.05 

3 Data for this event reflects postflight trajectory reconstruction for 36 seconds Ground Elapsed Time. 

Apollo 12 ~ 
Event 

Lunar orbit insertion ignition 

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff 

Lunar orbit circularization ignition 

Lunar orbit circularization cutoff 

CSM/LM undocked 

CSM/LM separation ignition 

CSM/LM separation cutoff 

LM descent orbit insertion ignition 

LM descent orbit insertion cutoff 

LM powered descent initiation 

LM powered descent cutoff 

CSM plane change ignition 

CSM plane change cutoff 

LM lunar liftoff ignition 

LM orbit insertion 

LM ascent stage cutoff 

LM coelliptic sequence initiation ignition 

LM coelliptic sequence initiation cutoff 

LM constant differential height ignition 

LM constant differential height cutoff 

LM terminal phase initiation ignition 

LM terminal phase initiation cutoff 

LM 1st midcourse correction 

LM 2nd midcourse correction 

LM terminal phase finalize ignition 

LM terminal phase finalize cutoff 

CSM/LM docked 

CSM/LM separation ignition 

CSM/LM separation cutoff 

LM ascent stage deorbit ignition 

LM ascent stage deorbit cutoff 

CSM orbit plane change ignition 

CSM orbit plane change cutoff 

(hhh:mm:ss) 

083:25:23.36 

083:31:15.61 

087:48:48.08 

087:49:04.99 

107:54:02.3 

108:24:36.8 

108:24:51.2 

109:23:39.9 

109:24:08.9 

110:20:38.1 

110:32:35.1 

119:47:13.23 

119:47:31.46 

142:03:48 

142:10:59.9 

142:11:01.78 

143:01:51.0 

143:02:32.1 

144:00:02.6 

144:00:15.6 

144:36:26 

144:36:52 

144:51:29 

145:06:29 

145:19:29.3 

145:20:07.3 

145:36:20.2 

148:04:30.9 

148:04:36.3 

149:28:14.8 

149:29:36.9 

159:04:45.47 

159:05:04.72 

Altitude 

(n mi) 

83.91 

62.91 

62.79 

62.74 

63.02 

59.22 

59.15 

60.52 

61.52 

7.96 

62.20 

62.20 

9.97 

51.46 

51.48 

44.50 

58.14 

59.94 

57.62 

57.42 

58.70 

58.90 

y 

(ft/sec) 

8,173.6 

5,470.1 

5,470.6 

5,331.4 

5,329.0 

5,350.0 

5,350.5 

5,343.0 

5,268.0 

5,566.4 

5,333.5 

5,683.4 

5,542.5 

5,310.3 

5,354.9 

5,382.5 

5,357.1 

5,347.4 

5,361.8 

5,176.8 

5,353.2 

5,353.0 

(sec) 

352.25 

16.91 

14.4 

29.0 

717.0 

18.23 

474.0 

41.1 

13.0 

26.0 

38.0 

5.4 

82.1 

19.25 

Change Apogee Per

(ft!sec) (n mi) (n 

NA 64

2,889.5 170.20 61

170.37 61

165.2 66.10 54

63.08 56

63.91 56

2.4 M 06 56

63.27 57

72.4 61.53 8

62.30 7

62.50 57

349.9 62.50 57

6,057 51.93 9

52.51 9

45 51.49 41

13.8 44.40 40

44.73 40

29 60.20 43

40 62.30 58

63.43 58

64.66 59

1.0 62.00 57

63.52 57

196.2 57.59 -6

64.23 56

381.8 64.66 56

Apollo by the Numbers 
Space Flight Fixed 

Fixed Event Velocity Path Heading 

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle Angle 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft!sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (deg) (E ofN) 

Transearth injection ignition 172:27:16.81 63.60 5,322.9 -0.202 -115.73 

Transearth injection cutoff 172:29:27.13 66.00 8,350.4 130.32 3,042.0 2.718 -116.45 

Midcourse correction ignition 188:27:15.8 180,031.2 3,035.6 -78.444 91.35 

Midcourse correction cutoff 188:27:20.2 180,029.0 3,036.0 4.4 2.0 -78.404 91.36 

Midcourse correction ignition 241:21:59.7 25,059.0 12,082.9 -68.547 96.00 

Midcourse correction cutoff 241:22:05.4 25,048.3 12,084.7 5.7 2.4 -68.547 96.01 

CM/SM separation 244:07:20.1 1,949.5 29,029.1 -36.454 98.17 

Apollo 12 ~ 
Terminal countdown started. 

Unscheduled 6-hour hold at T-17 hours to replace CSM LH2 tank #2 due to leak. 

Countdown resumed at T-1 7 hours. 

Scheduled 9-hour 22-minute hold at T-9 hours (shortened by 6 hours to avert launch delay). 

Countdown resumed at T-9 hours. 

Scheduled 1-hour hold at T-3 hours 30 minutes. 

Countdown resumed at T-3 hours 30 minutes. 

Guidance reference release. 

S-IC engine start command. 

S-IC engine ignition (#5). 

All S-IC engines thrust OK. 

Range zero. 

All holddown arms released (1st motion) (1.09 g). 

Liftoff (umbilical disconnected). 

Tower clearance yaw maneuver started. 

Yaw maneuver ended. 

Pitch and roll maneuver started. 

Roll maneuver ended. 


1st electrical disturbance (lightning). 


2nd electrical disturbance (lightning). 


Mach 1 achieved. 


Maximum bending moment achieved (37,000,000 lbf-in). 


Maximum dynamic pressure (682.95lbfft2). 


S-IC center engine cutoff command. 


Fuel cell power restored to buses. 


Pitch maneuver ended. 


S-IC outboard engine cutoff. 


S-IC maximum total inertial acceleration (3.91 g). 


S-IC maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 


S-IC/S-II separation command. 


S-II engine start command. 


S-II ignition. 


S-II aft interstage jettisoned. 


Launch escape tower jettisoned. 


Iterative guidance mode initiated. 


S-IC apex. 


S-II center engine cutoff. 


S-II maximum total inertial acceleration (1.83 g). 


S-II outboard engine cutoff. 


S-II maximum Earth-fixed velocity, S-II/S-IVB separation command. 


S-IVB 1st burn start command. 


S-IC impact (theoretical). 


S-IVB 1st burn ignition. 


S-IVB ullage case jettisoned. 


S-II apex. 


S-IVB 1st burn cutoff. 


S-IVB 1st burn maximum total inertial acceleration (0.69 g). 


Earth orbit insertion; S-IVB 1st burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 


Maneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 


Orbital navigation started. 


S-II impact (theoretical). 


Apollo by the Numbers 

-028:00:00 02:00:00 13 Nov 

-017:00:00 13:00:00 13 Nov 

-017:00:00 19:00:00 13 Nov 

-009:00:00 03:00:00 14 Nov 

-009:00:00 06:22:00 14 Nov 

-003:30:00 11:52:00 14 Nov 

-003:30:00 12:52:00 14 Nov 

-000:00:16.968 16:21:43 14 Nov 

-000:00:08.9 16:21:51 14 Nov 

-000:00:06.5 16:21:53 14 Nov 

-000:00:01.4 16:21:58 14 Nov 

000:00:00.00 16:22:00 14 Nov 

000:00:00.25 16:22:00 14 Nov 

000:00:00.68 16:22:00 14 Nov 

000:00:02.4 16:22:02 14 Nov 

000:00:10.2 16:22:10 14 Nov 

000:00:12.8 16:22:12 14 Nov 

000:00:32.3 16:22:32 14 Nov 

000:00:36.5 16:22:36 14 Nov 

000:00:52 16:22:52 14 Nov 

000:01:06.1 16:23:06 14 Nov 

000:01:17.5 16:23:17 14 Nov 

000:01:21.1 16:23:21 14 Nov 

000:02:15.24 16:24:15 14 Nov 

000:02:22 16:24:22 14 Nov 

000:02:38.1 16:24:38 14 Nov 

000:02:41.74 16:24:41 14 Nov 

000:02:41.82 16:24:41 14 Nov 

000:02:42.18 16:24:42 14 Nov 

000:02:42.4 16:24:42 14 Nov 

000:02:43.17 16:24:43 14 Nov 

000:02:43.2 16:24:43 14 Nov 

000:03:12.4 16:25:12 14 Nov 

000:03:17.9 16:25:17 14 Nov 

000:03:22.5 16:25:22 14 Nov 

000:04:35.6 16:26:35 14 Nov 

000:07:40.75 16:29:40 14 Nov 

000:07:40.83 16:29:40 14 Nov 

000:09:12.34 16:31:12 14 Nov 

000:09:13.20 16:31:13 14 Nov 

000:09:13.30 16:31:13 14 Nov 

000:09:14.5 16:3 1:14 14 Nov 

000:09:16.60 16:31:16 14 Nov 

000:09:25.1 16:31:25 14 Nov 

000:09:41.7 16:31:41 14 Nov 

000:11:33.91 16:33:33 14 Nov 

000:11:33.99 16:33:34 14 Nov 

000:11:43.91 16:33:43 14 Nov 

000:11:54.2 16:33:54 14 Nov 

000:13:15.1 16:35:15 14 Nov 

000:20:21.6 16:42:21 14 Nov 
S-IVB 2nd burn restart preparation. 

S-IVB 2nd burn restart command. 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition. 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff. 

S-IVB 2nd burn maximum total inertial acceleration {1.48 g). 

S-IVB 2nd burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

1st LOX tank NPV valve open. 

1st LH2 tank latching valve open. 

S-IVB sating procedures started. 

Translunar injection. 

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude and orbital navigation started. 

1st LH2 tank CVS open. 

Cold helium dump start. 

1st LOX tank NPV valve closed. 

2nd LH2 tank latching valve open. 

Cold helium dump stop. 

1st LH2 tank latching valve closed. 

Maneuver to transposition and docking attitude started. 

1st LH2 tank CVS closed. 

CSM separated from S-IVB. 

TV transmission started. 

CSM docked with LM/S-IVB. 

Ambient repressurization helium dump start. 

Engine 'start-tank dump start. 

Cold helium dump start. 

Ambient repressurization helium dump stop. 

Engine start-tank dump stop. 

2nd LH2 tank latching valve closed. 

Cold helium dump stop. 

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB. 

Observation and photography of two ventings from the S-IVB burner area started. 

Maneuver to evasive attitude start. 

Maneuver to evasive attitude stop. 

Stage control helium dump start. 

1st APS evasive maneuver ignition. 

Observation and photography of S-IVB ventings ended. 

Cold helium dump start. 

TV transmission ended. 

1st APS evasive maneuver cutoff. 

S-IVB APS ullage evasive maneuver started. 

S-IVB APS ullage evasive maneuver ended. 

2nd LH2 tank CVS open. 

S-IVB slingshot maneuver-Propulsive LH2 vent (CVS). 

Maneuver to slingshot attitude. 

S-IVB maneuver to lunar slingshot attitude for solar orbit initiated. 

LOX dump start. 

S-IVB slingshot maneuver-LOX dump started. 

LOX dump stop. 

S-IVB slingshot maneuver-LOX dump ended. 

2nd LOX tank NPV valve open. 

Cold helium dump stop. 

002:37:44.50 18:59:44 14 Nov 1969 

002:47:15.10 19:09:15 14 Nov 1969 

002:47:22.80 19:09:22 14 Nov 1969 

002:53:03.94 19:15:03 14 Nov 1969 

002:53:04.02 19:15:04 14 Nov 1969 

002:53:04.32 19:15:04 14 Nov 1969 

002:53:04.6 19:15:04 14 Nov 1969 

002:53:04.6 19:15:04 14 Nov 1969 

002:53:04.6 19:15:04 14 Nov 1969 

002:53:13.94 19:15:13 14 Nov 1969 

002:53:24.4 19:15:24 14 Nov 1969 

002:54:20 19:16:00 14 Nov 1969 

002:54:55 19:16:00 14 Nov 1969 

002:57:05 19:19:00 14 Nov 1969 

003:04:00 19:26:00 14 Nov 1969 

003:08:30 19:30:00 14 Nov 1969 

003:08:03.9 19:30:03 14 Nov 1969 

003:08:05.0 19:30:05 14 Nov 1969 

003:09:05 19:31:00 14 Nov 1969 

003:18:04.9 19:40:04 14 Nov 1969 

003:25 19:47 14 Nov 1969 

003:26:53.3 19:48:53 14 Nov 1969 

003:53:05 20:15:00 14 Nov 1969 

003:53:04.9 20:15:04 14 Nov 1969 

003:54:00 20:16:00 14 Nov 1969 

003:54:07 20:16:00 14 Nov 1969 

003:55:34.9 20:17:34 14 Nov 1969 

003:56:35 20:18:00 14 Nov 1969 

004:08:35 20:30:00 14 Nov 1969 

004:13:00.9 20:35:00 14 Nov 1969 

004:19:20 20:41:20 14 Nov 1969 

004:20:00 20:42:00 14 Nov 1969 

004:23:20 20:45:00 14 Nov 1969 

004:26:40 20:48:00 14 Nov 1969 

004:26:40 20:48:00 14 Nov 1969 

004:26:40 20:48:40 14 Nov 1969 

004:26:41.2 20:48:41 14 Nov 1969 

004:28 20:50 14 Nov 1969 

004:28:00 20:50:00 14 Nov 1969 

004:28:01.4 20:50:01 14 Nov 1969 

004:29:21.4 20:51:21 14 Nov 1969 

004:36:20.4 20:58:20 14 Nov 1969 

004:36:20.4 20:58:20 14 Nov 1969 

004:36:21.0 20:58:21 14 Nov 1969 

004:36:21.0 20:58:21 14 Nov 1969 

004:48:00.2 21:10:00 14 Nov 1969 

004:48:00.2 21:10:00 14 Nov 1969 

004:48:58.2 21:10:58 14 Nov 1969 

004:48:58.2 21:10:58 14 Nov 1969 

004:49:00 21:11:00 14 Nov 1969 

004:50:50 21:12:00 14 Nov 1969 

Apollo 12 ~ 
3rd LH2 tank latching valve open. 

Engine control helium dump start. 

Engine control helium dump stop. 

Programmed APS ignition. 

S-IVB slingshot maneuver-APS ullage ignition (planned). 

Stage control helium dump stop. 

Programmed APS cutoff. 

S-IVB slingshot maneuver-APS ullage cutoff. 

Ground commanded APS ignition. 

S-IVB slingshot maneuver-APS ullage ignition (unplanned). 

Ground commanded APS cutoff. 

LMP entered LM. 

LMP entered CM. 

TV transmission started. 

Midcourse correction ignition. 

Midcourse correction cutoff. 

S-IVB slingshot maneuver-APS ullage cutoff. 

S-IVB maneuver to communications attitude initiated. 

LMP entered LM. 

LM inspection. 

LMP entered CM. 

TV transmission ended. 

TV transmission started. 

LMP entered LM. 

LMP entered CM. 

TV transmission ended. 

Equigravisphere. 

Rendezvous transponder activation and self-test. 

System checks for lunar orbit insertion maneuver. 

Lunar orbit insertion ignition. 


Lunar orbit insertion cutoff. 


TV transmission started. 


TV transmission ended. 
 S-IVB closest approach to lunar surface. 


System checks for lunar orbit circularization maneuver. 


Lunar orbit circularization ignition. 


Lunar orbit circularization cutoff. 


LMP entered LM. 


LM activation and checkout. 


LM deactivation and LMP transferred back to CM. 


LM landing radar altitude lock. 


LM landing radar velocity lock. 


LMP entered LM. 


LM system checks. 


CDR entered LM. 


LM system checks. 


LMP entered CM. 


LMP entered LM. System checks. 


TV transmission started. 


CSM/LM undocked. 


CSM/LM separation maneuver ignition. 


Apollo by the Numbers 

004:50:07.2 

004:58:00 

005:05:30 

005:23:20.4 

005:23:20.4 

005:26:40 

005:28:20.4 

005:28:20.4 

005:29:10 

005:29:13.2 

005:33:40 

010:40 

010:50 

030:18 

030:52:44.36 

030:52:53.55 

005:33:43.2 

005:36:37.0 

007:20 

007:30 

008:10 

031:05 

062:52 

063:10 

063:45 

063:48 

068:30:00 

079:35 

082:00 

083:25:23.36 

083:31:15.61 

084:00 

084:33 

085:48 

086:30 

087:48:48.08 

087:49:04.99 

089:20 

089:45 

090:30 

100:24:00 

100:24:04 

103:45 

104:04 

104:20 

104:30 

104:40 

105:00 

107:50 

107:54:02.3 

108:24:36.8 

21:12:07 

21:20:00 

21:27:00 

21:45:20 

21:45:20 

21:48:00 

21:50:20 

21:50:20 

21:51:00 

21:51:13 

21:55:00 

03:02 

03:12 

22:40 

23:14:44 

23:14:53 

21:55:43 

21:58:37 

23:42 

23:52 

00:32 

23:27 

07:14 

07:32 

08:07 

08:10 

12:52:00 

23:57 

02:22 

03:47:23 

03:53:15 

04:22 

04:55 

06:10 

06:52 

08:10:48 

08:1 1:05 

09:42 

10:07 

10:52 

20:46:00 

20:46:04 

00:07 

00:26 

00:42 

00:52 

01:02 

01:22 04:12 

04:16:02 

04:46:36 

14 Nov 19

14 Nov 19

14 Nov 19

14 Nov 19

14 Nov 19

14 Nov 19

14 Nov 19

14 Nov 19

14 Nov 19

14 Nov 19

14 Nov 19

15 Nov 19

15 Nov 19

15 Nov 19

15 Nov 19

15 Nov 19

14 Nov 19

14 Nov 19

14 Nov 1

14 Nov 19

15 Nov 19

15 Nov 19

17 Nov 19

17 Nov 1

17 Nov 1

17 Nov 1

17 Nov 1

17 Nov 1

18 Nov 1

18 Nov 1

18 Nov 1

18 Nov 1

18 Nov 1

18 Nov 1

18 Nov 1

18 Nov 19

18 Nov 19

18 Nov 1

18 Nov 1

18 Nov 1

18 Nov 1

18 Nov 1

19 Nov 1

19 Nov 1

19 Nov 1

19 Nov 1

19 Nov 1

19 Nov 1

19 Nov 1

19 Nov 1

19 Nov 1
CSM/LM separation maneuver cutoff. 

TV transmission ended. 

LM descent orbit insertion ignition (SPS). 

LM descent orbit insertion cutoff. 

LM powered descent engine ignition. 

LM throttle up. 

LM landing site correction initiated. 

LM landing site correction entered. 

LM "permit landing radar updates" entered. 

LM state-vector update allowed. 

LM "permit landing radar updates" exited. 

LM abort guidance system altitude updated. 

LM velocity update initiated. 

LM X-axis override inhibited. 

LM throttle recovery. 

LM abort guidance system altitude updated. 

LM approach phase entered. 

LM landing point designator enabled. 

LM landing radar antenna to position 2. 

LM abort guidance system altitude updated. 

LM redesignation right. 

LM landing radar switched to low scale. 

LM redesignation long. 

LM redesignation long. 

LM redesignation right. 

LM redesignation short. 

LM landing radar data recovery. 

LM redesignation right. 

LM landing radar data recovery. 

LM landing radar data dropout. 

LM attitude hold mode selected. 

LM rate of descent landing phase entered. 

LM landing radar data dropout. 


1st photographic evidence of surface dust disturbed by descent engine. 


LM premature low level fuel light on tank #2. 


LM landing radar data dropout. 


LM landing radar data recovery. 


Lunar dust completely obscured landing site. 


LM powered descent engine cutoff. 


LM lunar landing. 


1st EVA started (egress). 


CDR on lunar surface. Environmental familiarization. 


Contingency sample collected (CDR). CDR activities photographed (LMP). 


Equipment bag transferred (LMP to CDR). 


Contingency sample site photographed (CDR). 


LMP egress. 


LMP on lunar surface. 


S-band antenna deployed (CDR). 


Solar wind composition experiment deployed (LMP). 


United States flag deployed (CDR). 


LM inspection complete (LMP). 


108:24:51.2 04:46:51 19 Nov 1969 

108:30 04:52 19 Nov 1969 

109:23:39.9 05:45:39 19 Nov 1969 

109:24:08.9 05:46:08 19 Nov 1969 

110:20:38.1 06:42:38 19 Nov 1969 

110:21:05 06:43:05 19 Nov 1969 

110:22:03 06:44:03 19 Nov 1969 

110:22:27 06:44:27 19 Nov 1969 

110:24:09 06:46:09 19 Nov 1969 

110:24:25 06:46:25 19 Nov 1969 

110:24:31 06:46:31 19 Nov 1969 

110:26:08 06:48:08 19 Nov 1969 

110:26:24 06:48:24 19 Nov 1969 

110:26:39 06:48:39 19 Nov 1969 

110:27:01 06:49:01 19 Nov 1969 

110:27:26 06:49:26 19 Nov 1969 

110:29:11 06:51:11 19 Nov 1969 

110:29:14 06:51:14 19 Nov 1969 

110:29:18 06:51:18 19 Nov 1969 

110:29:20 06:51:20 19 Nov 1969 

110:29:44 06:51:44 19 Nov 1969 

110:29:47 06:51:47 19 Nov 1969 

110:30:02 06:52:02 19 Nov 1969 

110:30:06 06:52:06 19 Nov 1969 

110:30:12 06:52:12 19 Nov)969 

100:30:30 20:52:30 18 Nov 1969 

110:31:37 06:53:37 19 Nov 1969 

110:30:42 06:52:42 19 Nov 1969 

110:31:24 06:53:24 19 Nov 1969 

110:31:27 06:53:27 19 Nov 1969 

110:30:46 06:52:46 19 Nov 1969 

110:30:50 06:52:50 19 Nov 1969 

110:31:18 06:53:18 19 Nov 1969 

110:31:44 06:53:44 19 Nov 1969 

110:31:59.6 06:53:59 19 Nov 1969 

110:32:00 06:54:00 19 Nov 1969 

110:32:04 06:54:04 19 Nov 1969 

110:32:11 06:54:11 19 Nov 1969 

110:32:35.1 06:54:35 19 Nov 1969 

110:32:36.2 06:54:36 19 Nov 1969 

115:10:35 11:32:35 19 Nov 1969 

115:22:22 11:44:22 19 Nov 1969 

115:25:41 11:47:41 19 Nov 1969 

115:38:53 12:00:53 19 Nov 1969 

115:46:57 12:08:57 19 Nov 1969 

115:49:41 12:11:41 19 Nov 1969 

115:51:50 12:13:50 19 Nov 1969 

116:09:38 12:31:38 19 Nov 1969 

116:13:17 12:35:17 19 Nov 1969 

116:19:31 12:41:31 19 Nov 1969 

116:31:46 12:53:46 19 Nov 1969 

Apollo 12 ~ 
Panoramic photography complete (CDR). 

Experiment package unloaded (CDR, LMP). 

Experiment package transferred (CDR, LMP). 

Experiment package deployed (CDR) and activated (LMP). 

Return traverse started (CDR, LMP). 

Sample container packing started (CDR). 

Core tube sample gathered (LMP). 

LMP on ladder for ingress. 

LMP inside LM. 

Equipment transfer bag in LM (CDR to LMP). 

Sample return container in LM (CDR to LMP). 

CDR on LM footpad. 

CDR inside LM. 

1st EVA ended (hatch closed). 

CSM plane change ignition (SPS). 

CSM plane change cutoff. 

Debriefing for 1st EVA. 

CDR set foot on lunar surface. 

2nd EVA started (egress). 

Safety monitoring of CDR descent to surface by LMP. 

CDR transferred equipment bag. 

CDR prepared for traverse. LMP began egress. 

Contrast chart photographs taken by LMP. 

Initial geological traverse started (CDR). 

Initial geological traverse started (LMP). 

Core tube sample gathered (CDR). 

Final geological traverse started (CDR). 

Surveyor spacecraft inspected (CDR, LMP). 

Sample container packing and close-up photographs (LMP). 

Solar wind composition experiment retrieved. 

Ingress (LMP). 

Ingress (CDR) started. 

Equipment transferred (CDR to LMP). 

2nd EVA ended (ingress completed). 

LM equipment jettisoned. 

Debriefing for 2nd EVA. 

LM coelliptic sequence initiation cutoff. 

LM constant differential height maneuver ignition. 

LM constant differential height maneuver cutoff. 

LM terminal phase initiation ignition. 

LM terminal phase initiation cutoff. 

LM lunar liftoff ignition (LM APS). 

LM ascent stage orbit insertion. 

LM ascent stage cutoff. 

LM RCS trim burn (due to overburn on ascent) cutoff. 

LM coelliptic sequence initiation ignition. 

LM 1st midcourse correction. 

LM 2nd midcourse correction. 

LM terminal phase finalize ignition. 

LM terminal phase finalize cutoff. 

CSM/LM docked. 

[i:EJ Apollo by the Numbers 

116:25:51 

116:32 116:52 

117:01 

118:00 118:27 

118:35 

118:50:46 

118:52:18 

118:56:19 118:58:30 119:02:11 

119:05:17 

119:06:36 

119:47:13.23 

119:47:31.46 

120:45 

131:37 131:32:45 131:35 

131:39 131:44 131:49 132:00 132:1 1 133:23 133:36 133:53 134:46 

134:55 135:08 135:20 

135:11 

135:22:00 

136:55 

138:20 

143:02:32.1 

144:00:02.6 

144:00:15.6 

144:36:26 

144:36:52 142:03:47

.78 

142:10:59.9 

142:11:01.78 

142:11:51.78 

143:01:51.0 144:51:29 

145:06:29 

145:19:29.3 

145:20:07.3 

145:36:20.2 

12:47:51 

12:54 

13:14 

13:23 

14:22 

14:49 

14:57 

15:12:46 

15:14:18 

15:18:19 

15:20:30 

15:24:11 

15:27:17 

15:28:36 

16:09:13 

16:09:31 

17:07 

03:59 

03:54:45 

03:57 

04:01 

04:06 

04:11 

04:22 

04:33 

05:45 

05:58 06:15 07:08 

07:17 

07:30 

07:42 07:33 

07:44:00 

90:17 

10:42 15:24:32 

16:22:02 

16:22:15 16:58:26 16:58:52 14:25:47 

14:32:59 

14:33:01 

14:33:51 15:23:51 17:13:29 17:28:29 17:41:29 17:42:07 

17:58:20 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

19 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 

20 Nov 
CDR entered CM. 

LMP entered CM. 

LM ascent stage jettisoned. 

LM ascent stage separation maneuver ignition. 

LM ascent stage separation maneuver cutoff. 

LM ascent stage deorbit ignition. 

LM ascent stage deorbit cutoff. 

LM ascent stage impact on lunar surface. 

CSM lunar orbit plane change ignition. 

CSM lunar orbit plane change cutoff. 

CSM landmark tracking and photography. 

CSM landmark tracking and photography. 

CSM landmark tracking and photography. 

CSM landmark tracking and photography. 

Transearth injection ignition (SPS). 

Transearth injection cutoff. 

TV transmission started. 

TV transmission ended. 

Midcourse correction ignition. 

Midcourse correction cutoff. 

High-gain antenna test started. 

High-gain antenna test ended. 

High-gain antenna test started. 

High-gain antenna test ended. 

TV transmission started. 

TV transmission ended. 

Midcourse correction ignition. 

Midcourse correction cutoff. 

CM/SM separation. 

Entry. 

Drogue parachute deployed 

Radar contact with CM established by recovery ship. 

Main parachute deployed. 

S-hand contact with CM established by rescue aircraft. 

VHF recovery beacon contact established with CM by recovery forces. 

VHF voice contact with CM established by aircraft and recovery ship. 

Splashdown (went to apex-down). 

CM returned to apex-up position. 

Swimmers deployed to CM. 

Flotation collar inflated. 

Hatch opened for respirator transfer. 

Hatch opened for crew egress. 

Crew aboard recovery ship. 

Crew entered mobile quarantine facility. 

CM lifted from water. 

CM secured to quarantine facility. 

CM hatch opened. 

Sample containers 1 and 2 removed from CM. 

Container I removed from mobile quarantine facility. 

Container 1, controlled temperature shipping container I, and film flown to Samoa. 

Container 2 removed from mobile quarantine facility. 

147:05 

147:20 

147:59:31.6 

148:04:30.9 

148:04:36.3 

149:28:14.8 

149:29:36.9 

149:55:16.4 

159:04:45.47 

159:05:04.72 

160:15 

165:05 

166:50 

171:20 

172:27:16.81 

172:29:27.13 

172:45 

173:23 

188:27:15.8 

188:27:20.2 

191:15 

194:00 

214:00 

216:40 

224:07 

224:44 

241:21:59.7 

241:22:05.4 

244:07:20.1 

244:22:19.09 

244:30:39.7 

244:24 

244:31:30.2 

244:28 

244:31 

244:32 

244:36:25 

244:40:51 

244:46 

244:53 

245:14 

245:18 

245:36 

245:44 

246:24 

247:53 

248:18 

249:30 

250:52 

254:18 

255:49 

19:27 20 Nov 1969 

19:42 20 Nov 1969 

20:21:31 20 Nov 1969 

20:26:30 20 Nov 1969 

20:26:36 20 Nov 1969 

21:50:14 20 Nov 1969 

21:51:36 20 Nov 1969 

22:17:16 20 Nov 1969 

7:26:45 21 Nov 1969 

07:27:04 21 Nov 1969 

08:37 21 Nov 1969 

13:27 21 Nov 1969 

15:12 21 Nov 1969 

19:42 21 Nov 1969 

20:49:16 21 Nov 1969 

20:51:27 21 Nov 1969 

21:07 21 Nov 1969 

21:45 21 Nov 1969 

12:49:15 22 Nov 1969 

12:49:20 22 Nov 1969 

15:37 22 Nov 1969 

18:22 22 Nov 1969 

14:22 23 Nov 1969 

17:02 23 Nov 1969 

0:29 24 Nov 1969 

1:06 24 Nov 1969 

17:43:59 24 Nov 1969 

17:44:05 24 Nov 1969 

20:29:20 24 Nov 1969 

20:44:19 24 Nov 1969 

20:52:39 24 Nov 1969 

20:46 24 Nov 1969 

20:53:30 24 Nov 1969 

20:50 24 Nov 1969 

20:53 24 Nov 1969 

20:54 24 Nov 1969 

20:58:25 24 Nov 1969 

21:02:51 24 Nov 1969 

21:08 24 Nov 1969 

21:15 24 Nov 1969 

21:36 24 Nov 1969 

21:40 24 Nov 1969 

21:58 24 Nov 1969 

22:06 24 Nov 1969 

22:46 24 Nov 1969 

00:15 25 Nov 1969 

00:40 25 Nov 1969 

01:52 25 Nov 1969 

03:14 25 Nov 1969 

06:40 25 Nov 1969 

08:11 25 Nov 1969 

Apollo 12 ~ 
Container 2, remainder of biological samples and film flown to Samoa. 

Container I, controlled temperature shipping container I, and film arrived in Houston. 

CM hatch secured and decontaminated. 

Mobile quarantine facility secured after removal of transfer tunnel. 

Container 2, remainder of biological samples, and·film arrived in Houston. 

Mobile quarantine facility and CM offloaded in Hawaii. 

Safing of CM pyrotechnics completed. 

Mobile quarantine facility arrived at Ellington Air Force Base. 

Flight crew in Lunar Receiving Laboratory. 

Deactivation of CM fuel and oxidizer completed. 

CM delivered to Lunar Receiving Laboratory. 

259:08 

268:23 

270:01 

271:08 

276:26 

345:56 

352:18 

355:28 

357:28 

405:53 

435:08 

11:30 25 Nov 

20:45 25 Nov 

22:23 25 Nov 

23:30 25 Nov 

04:48 26 Nov 

02: 18 29 Nov 

08:40 29 Nov 

11:50 29 Nov 

13:50 29 Nov 

14:15 I Dec 

19:30 2 Dec 

Apollo by the Numbers 
APOLLO 13 


The Seventh Mission: 


The Third Lunar Landing Attempt 

Original Apollo 13 crew (l. tor.): Jim Lovell, Ken 

Mattingly, Fred Raise (NASA S69-62224). 

Preflight portrait of Apollo 13 flight crew (1. tor.) Raise, 

Jack Swigert, Lovell (NASA 70-R-724). 

Portrait of crew taken after mission (l. tor.): Lovell, 

Swigert, Raise (NASA S70-36485). 

1 Major Charles Moss Duke, Jr. (USAF). 

Apollo by the Numbers 

flight because of the loss of all the oxygen stored in t

tanks in the service module. 

The primary objectives were: 

• to perform selenological inspection, survey, and sampling o

materials in a preselected region of the Fra Mauro formatio

• to deploy and activate an Apollo lunar surface experiments 

age; 

• to further develop human capability to work in the lunar e

ronment; and 

• to obtain photographs of candidate exploration sites. 

The crew members were Captain James Arthur Lovell

(USN), commander; John Leonard "Jack" Swigert, Jr. 

[SWY-girt], command module pilot; and Fred Wallac

Haise, Jr., lunar module pilot. Swigert was backup co

mand module pilot, but Lt. Commander Thomas Ke

"Ken" Mattingly, II (USN), the prime command mod

pilot, had been exposed to rubella (German measles) 

member of the backup crewt eight days before the sc

uled launch date, and results of his pre-mission physi

examination revealed he had no immunity to the dise

Consequently, on the day prior to launch, and after s

days of intense training with the prime crew, Swigert 

named to replace Mattingly. 

Selected as an astronaut in 1962, Lovell was making h

fourth spaceflight and second trip to the Moon, the f

person ever to achieve those milestones. He had been 

of Gemini 7, command pilot of Gemini 12, and com

module pilot of Apollo 8, the first piloted mission to 

Moon. Lovell was born 25 March 1928 in Cleveland, 

and was 42 years old at the time of the Apollo 13 mi

He received a B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1

His backup for the mission was Commander John W

Young (USN). 

The original command module pilot, Mattingly woul

been making his first spaceflight. Born 17 March 193

Chicago, Illinois, he was 34 years old at the time of t

Apollo 13 mission. He received a B.S. in aeronautical 

neering from Auburn University in 1958, and was sel

as an astronaut in 1966. 
• 

Swigert was making his first spaceflight. Born 30 August

1931 in Denver, Colorado, he was 38 years old at the time 

of the Apollo 13 mission. Swigert received a B.S. in 

mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado in 

1953, an M.S. in aerospace science from Rensselaer 

Polytechnic Institute in 1965, and an M.B.A. from the 

University of Hartford in 1967. He was selected as an

astronaut in 1966.2 

Haise was also making his first spaceflight. Born in Biloxi, 

Mississippi, on 14 November 1933, he was 36 years old at 

the time of the Apollo 13 mission. Haise received a B.S. in 

aeronautical engineering from the University of Oklahoma 

in 1959, and was selected as an astronaut in 1966. His backup was Major Charles Moss Duke, Jr. (USAF). 

The capsule communicators (CAPCOMs) for the mission

were Joseph Peter Kerwin, M.D., Vance DeVoe Brand, Major 

Jack Robert Lousma (USMC), Young, and Mattingly. The 

support crew were Lousma, Brand, and Major William Reid

Pogue (USAF). The flight directors were Milton L. Windler 

(first shift), Gerald D. Griffin (second shift), Eugene F. 

Kranz (third shift), and Glynn S. Lunney (fourth shift). 

The Apollo 13 launch vehicle was a Saturn V, designated 

SA-508. The mission also carried the designation Eastern

Test Range #3381. The CSM was designated CSM-109, and 

had the call-sign "Odyssey:' The lunar module was designated LM-7, and had the call-sign "Aquarius." 

Launch Preparations 

The terminal countdown was picked up at T-28 hours at 

05:00:00 GMT on 10 April. Scheduled holds were 9 hours 

13 minutes at T-9 hours and one hour duration at T-3 

hours 30 minutes. 

At launch time, a cold front extended from a low pressure 

cell in the North Atlantic, becoming stationary through 

northern Florida and along the Gulf Coast to a low pressure area located in southern Louisiana. The frontal intensity was weak in northern Florida but became stronger in

the northwestern Gulf of Mexico/Louisiana area. Surface 

winds in the Kennedy Space Center area were light and 

variable. Generally, winds in the lower part of the troposphere were light, permitting the sea breeze to switch the

surface wind to the east southeast by early afternoon. 

Altocumulus clouds covered 40 percent of the sky (base 

19,000 feet) and cirrostratus 100 percent (base 26,000 feet), 

the temperature was 75.9° F, the relative humidity was 57 

percent; and the barometric pressure was 14.676 lb/in2 The 

winds, as measured by the anemometer on the light pole

60.0 feet above ground at the launch site measured 12.2 

knots at 105° from true north.

Ascent Phase 

Apollo 13 was launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch 

Complex 39, Pad A, at a Range Zero time of 19:13:00 GMT 

(02:13:00 p.m. EST) on 11 April 1970. The planned launch 

window extended to 22:36:00 GMT to take advantage of a 

sun elevation angle on the lunar surface of 10.0°.

Apollo 13 lifts off from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A 

(NASA S70-34853). 

Between 000:00:12.6 and 000:00:32.1, the vehicle rolled from 

a launch pad azimuth of 90° to a flight azimuth of 72.043°

.

The S-IC engine shut down at 000:02:43.60, followed by 

S-IC/S-II separation, and S-II engine ignition. Due to high

amplitude oscillations in the propulsion/structural system,

the S-II center engine shut down at 000:05:30.64, 2 minutes

12 seconds earlier than planned. The early shutdown caused

considerable deviations from the planned trajectory. The

altitude at shutdown was 10.7 n mi lower and the velocity

was 5,685.3 ft/sec slower than expected.

2 Swigert died of complications from bone marrow cancer treatments on 27 December 1982 in Washington, DC.

Apollo 13 � 
With CAPCOM Joe Kerwin (r.), original Apollo 13 CMP

Ken Mattingly monitors communications during liftoff

(NASA S'.70-34628).

The S-II engine shut down at 000:09:52.64 followed by 

separation from the S-IVB, which ignited at 000:09:56.90, 

both 34 seconds late. The first S-IVB engine cutoff 

occurred 44 seconds late, at 000: 12:29.83, with deviations 

from the planned trajectory of only -1.9 ft/sec in velocity 

and only 0.2 n mi in altitude. 

'!'.he S-IC stage impacted the Atlantic Ocean at .000:09:06.9 at 

latitude 30.177' north and longitude 74.065° west, 355.3 n mi

from the launch site. The S-II stage impacted the Atlantic 

Ocean at 000:20:58.1 at latitude 32.320° north and longitude

33.289° west, 2,452.6 n mi from the launch site. 

The maximum wind conditions encountered during ascent 

were 108.13 knots at 252° from true north at 44,540 feet,

and a maximum wind shear of 0.0166 sec-1 at 50,610 feet. 

Despite the early shutdown of the S-11 center engine, parking orbit conditions at insertion, 000:12:39.83 (S-IVB cutoff plus 10 seconds to account for engine tailoff and other 

transient effects), showed a nearly nominal apogee and 

perigee of 100.3 by 99.3 n mi, a period of 88.19 minutes, 

an inclination of 32.547°, and a velocity of 25,565.9 ft/sec.

The apogee and perigee were based upon a spherical Earth 

with a radius of 3,443.934 n mi. 

The international designation for the CSM upon achieving 

orbit was 1970-029A and the S-IVB was designated 

1970-029B. After undocking prior to Earth entry, the LM 

would be designated 1970-029C. 

After orbital insertion, all launch vehicle and spacecraft systems were verified and preparations were made for translu-

� Apollo by the Numbers

nar injection. Onboard television was .initiated at 001:35 

for about five-and-a-half minutes. 

The 350.75-second translunar injection maneuver (second 

S-IVB firing) was performed at 002:35:46.30. The S-IVB

engine shut down at 002:41:37.15 and translunar injection

occurred ten seconds later, after 1.5 Earth orbits lasting 2

hours 29 minutes 7.3 seconds, at a velocity of 35,562.7

ft/sec.

Translunar Phase 

At 003:06:38.9, the CSM was separated from the S-IVB 

stage and onboard television was initiated at 003:09 for 

about 72 minutes to show the docking, ejection, and interior and exterior views of the CM. Transposition and 

docking with the LM occurred at 003:19:08.8. The docked 

spacecraft were ejected from the S-IVB at 004:01:00.8, and 

an 80.2-second separation maneuver was initiated by the 

S-IVB auxiliary propulsion system at 004:18:00.6.

On previous lunar missions, the S-IVB stage had been 

maneuvered by ground command into a trajectory such 

that it would pass by the Moon and go into a solar orbit. 

For Apollo 13, the S-IVB was targeted to hit the Moon so 

that the vibrations resulting from the impact could be 

sensed by the Apollo 12 seismic station and telemetered to 

Earth for study. 

A 217.2-second lunar impact maneuver was made at 

005:59:59.5. The S-IVB impacted the lunar surface at 

077:56:39.7. The seismic signals lasted three hours 20 minutes, and were so strong that the Apollo 12 seismometer 

gain had to be reduced to keep the recording on the scale. 

The suprathermal ion detector recorded a jump in the 

number of ions from zero at impact to 2,500 and then 

back to zero. It was theorized that the impact drove particles from the lunar surface up to 200,000 feet above the 

moon, where they were ionized by sunlight. The impact 

point was latitude 2.5° south and longitude 27.9° west, 

35.4 n mi from the target point and 75 n mi from the 

Apollo 12 seismometer. At impact, the S-IVB weighed 

29,599 pounds and was traveling 8,465 ft/sec. 

Good quality television coverage of the preparations and 

performance of the second midcourse correction burn was 

received for 49 minutes beginning at 030:13. 

Photographs of Earth were taken during the early part of

translunar coast to support an analysis of atmospheric 

winds. At 030:40:49.65, a 3.49-second midcourse correction 

lowered the closest point of spacecraft approach to the 
Seismic recording of the S-IVB stage impacting the 

lunar surface as planned (NASA S70-34985). 

Through the first 46 hours of the mission, telemetered data 

and crew observations indicated that the performance of 

oxygen tank 2 was normal. At 046:40:02, the crew routinely 

turned on the fans in oxygen tank 2. Within three seconds, 

the oxygen tank 2 quantity indication changed from a normal reading of about 82 percent full to an obviously incorrect "off-scale high" reading of over 100 percent. Analysis 

of the electrical wiring of the quantity gauge shows that 

this erroneous reading could have been caused by either a 

short circuit or an open circuit in the gauge wiring or a 

short circuit between the gauge plates. Subsequent events 

indicated that a short was the more likely failure mode. 

At 047:54:50 and at 051:07:44, the oxygen tank 2 fans were 

turned on again, with no apparent adverse effects. The 

quantity gauge continued to read off-scale high. 

Following a rest period, the Apollo 13 crew began preparations for activating and powering up the LM for checkout. 

At 053:27, the commander and lunar module pilot were 

cleared to enter the LM to commence inflight inspection of 

the LM. A television transmission of the spacecraft interior 

started at 055:14 and ended at 055:46. The crew moved 

back into the CM and the LM hatch was closed at 055:50. 

At 055:52:31, a master alarm on the CM caution and 

warning system alerted the crew to a low pressure indica

genic system fans and heaters. 

The command module pilot acknowledged the fan cycle 

request at 55:53:06, and data indicate that current was applied 

to the oxygen tank 2 fan motors at 055:53:20, followed by a 

power transient in the stabilization control system. 

About 90 seconds later, at 055:54:53.555, telemetry from the 

spacecraft was lost almost totally for 1.8 seconds. During 

the period of data loss, the caution and warning system 

alerted the crew to a low voltage condition on DC main 

bus B. At about the same time, the crew heard a loud 

"bang" and realized that a problem existed in the spacecraft. 

When the crew heard the bang and got the master alarm 

for low DC main bus B voltage, the commander was in 

the lower equipment bay of the command module, stowing the television camera which had just been in use. The 

lunar module pilot was in the tunnel between the CSM 

and the LM, returning to the CSM. The command module 

pilot was in the left-hand couch, monitoring spacecraft 

performance. Because of the master alarm indicating low 

voltage, the command module pilot moved across to the 

right-hand couch where CSM voltages can be observed. He 

reported that voltages were "looking good" at 055:56:10 

and also reported hearing " ... a pretty good bang ... " a few 

seconds before. At this time, DC main bus B had recovered 

and fuel cell 3 did not fail for another 90 seconds. He also 

reported fluctuations in the oxygen tank 2 quantity, followed by a return to the off-scale high position. 

Telescopic photograph showing the Apollo 13 spacecraft, 

S-IVB stage and oxygen cloud formed following the SM 

explosion (NASA S70-34857). 

Apollo 13 ~ 
When fuel cells' 1 and 3 electrical output readings went to 

zero, the ground controllers could not be certain that the 

cells had not somehow been disconnected from their 

respective busses and were not otherwise alright. Attention 

continued to be focused on electrical problems. 

Astronaut AI Shepard, scheduled to command Apollo 

14, monitors communications between crew and ground 

regarding oxygen cell failure (NASA S?0-34904). 

Five minutes after the accident, controllers asked the crew 

to connect fuel cell 3 to DC main bus B in order to be 

sure that the configuration was known. When it was realized that fuel cells 1 and 3 were not functioning, the crew 

was directed to perform an emergency powerdown to 

lower the load on the remaining fuel cell. Fuel cell 2 was 

shut down at 058:00, followed 10 minutes later by powerdown of the CM computer and platform. 

Observing the rapid decay in oxygen tank 1 pressure, controllers asked the crew to switch power to the oxygen tank 

2 instrumentation. When this was done, and it was realized 

that oxygen tank 2 had failed, the extreme seriousness of 

the situation became clear. 

Several attempts were then made to save the remaining 

oxygen in oxygen tank 1, but the pressure continued to 

decrease. It was obvious by about 90 minutes after the 

accident that the oxygen tank 1 leak could not be stopped 

and that shortly it would be necessary to use the LM as a 

"lifeboat" for the remainder of the mission. The resultant 

loss of oxygen made the three fuel cells inoperative. This 

permit a safe return to Earth, and led to the decisio

abort the Apollo 13 mission. By 058:40, the LM had 

activated, the inertial guidance reference transferred 

the CSM guidance system to the LM guidance syste

the CSM systems were turned off. 

From I. to r., Director of Flight Crew Operations 

Donald "Deke" Slayton and astronauts Ken Matti

Vance Brand, Jack Lousma, and John Young evalu

Apollo 13's situation (NASA 570-34902). 

The remainder of the mission was characterized by 

main activities: planning and conducting the necess

propulsion maneuvers to return the spacecraft to Ea

and managing the use of consumables in such a wa

the LM, which is designed for a basic mission with 

crew members for a relatively short duration, could 

port three crew members and serve as the actual co

vehicle for the time required. 

A number of propulsion options were developed and 

ered. It was necessary to return the spacecraft to a fre

trajectory and to make any required midcourse correc

Normally, the SM service propulsion system would be 

for such maneuvers. However, because of the high ele

power requirements for that engine, and in view of it

tain condition and the uncertain nature of the structu

the SM after the accident, it was decided to use the L

descent engine if possible. 

The spacecraft was then maneuvered back into a 

free-return trajectory at 061:29:43.49 by firing the L

Apollo by the Numbers 
Crater IAU 221 on lunar farside (center of photo on 

horizon) (NASA ASB-62-8918). 

Flight controllers calculated that the minimum practical 

return time for Apollo 13 was 133 hours total mission 

time to the Atlantic Ocean, and the maximum was 152 

hours to the Indian Ocean. Since recovery forces were 

deployed in the Pacific, a return path was selected for 

splashdown there at 142:40. 

A 263.82-second transearth injection maneuver using the 

LM descent propulsion system was executed at 079:27:38.95 

to speed up the return to Earth by 860.5 ft/sec after the 

docked spacecraft had swung around the far side of the 

Moon. 

Lunar farside, showing crater Tsiolkovsky (NASA ASB60-8659). 

Swigert with temporary hose connections and apparatus 

required when the crew moved from the CM to the LM 

(NASA ASB-62-9004). 

Guidance errors during the transearth injection maneuver 

necessitated a 14-second transearth midcourse correction of 

7.8 ft/sec, using the descent propulsion system at 

105:18:42.0 to bring the projected entry flight-path angle 

within the specified limits. During the transearth coast 

period, the docked spacecraft were maneuvered into a passive thermal control mode. 

The most critical consumables were water, used to cool the 

CSM and LM systems during use; CSM and LM battery 

power, the CSM batteries being for use during reentry and 

the LM batteries being needed for the rest of the mission; 

LM oxygen for breathing; and lithium hydroxide (LiOH) 

filter canisters used to remove carbon dioxide from the 

spacecraft cabin atmosphere. 

These consumables, and in particular the water and LiOH 

canisters, appeared to be extremely marginal in quantity 

shortly after the accident, but once the LM was powered 

down to conserve electric power and to generate less heat 

and thus use less water, the situation improved greatly. 

Engineers in Houston developed a method that allowed the 

crew to use materials on board to fashion a device allowing use of the CM LiOH canisters in the LM cabin atmosphere cleaning system. At splashdown, many hours of each 

consumable remained available. 

The unprecedented powered-down state of the CM 

required several new procedures for entry. The CM was 

3 Source of lunar occultation times unknown, but appear to be more accurate expressions of times in Apollo 13 Mission Operations Report, p. lll-26. 1992 Guinness Book of World 

Records, page 118, states that Apollo 13 holds the record for farthest distance traveled from Earth: 248,655 st mi at 1:21 a.m. British Daylight Time 15 April 1970 at 158 miles 

above the Moon, the equivalent of 216,075 n mi 00:21 GMT 15 Aprill970 (08:21p.m. EST, 14 April) at an apolune of 137 n mi. 

Apollo 13 ~ 
Box used to house CM lithium hydroxide canister used 

to purge carbon dioxide from the LM "lifeboat" (NASA 

ASB-62-8929). 

Approximately six hours before entry, the passive thermal 

control mode was discontinued, and a final midcourse correction was made using the LM reaction control system to 

refine the flight-path angle slightly. The 21.50-second 

maneuver of 3.0 ft/sec was made at 137:40:13.00. 

View of Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) 


during transearth flight (NASA S70-34986). 


Less than half an hour later, at 138:01:48.0, the service 

module was jettisoned, which afforded the crew an opportunity to observe and photograph the damage caused by 

the failed oxygen tank. 

View of damaged service module taken from 16 m

film (NASA S70-35703). 


The LM was retained until 141:30:00.2, about 70 mi

before entry, to minimize usage of CM electrical pow

undocking, normal tunnel pressure provided the nec

force to separate the two spacecraft. All other events 

the same as a normal mission. 

View of LM following jettison, about an hour pri

splashdown (NASA AS13-59-8562). 

Apollo by the Numbers 
View of Earth during transearth flight. Visible are parts 

of southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. Baja 

California is dearly seen (NASA ASB-60-8588). 

Recovery 

The command module reentered the Earth's atmosphere 

( 400,000 feet altitude) at 142:40:45.7 at a velocity of 

36,210.6 ft/sec, following a transearth coast of 63 hours 8 

minutes 42.9 seconds. Some pieces of the LM survived 

entry and projected trajectory data indicated that they 

struck the open sea between Samoa and New Zealand. 

Flight controllers gather around the console of Shift 4 

Flight Director Glynn Lunney to review weather maps 

of the proposed splashdown site in the south Pacific 

Ocean (NASA S70-35014). 

After a harrowing mission, the Apollo 13 CM finally 


splashes down in the Pacific (NASA S70-35638). 


The parachute system effected splashdown of the CM in 

the Pacific Ocean at 18:07:41 GMT (01:07:41 p.m. EST) on 

17 April. Mission duration was 142:54:41. 

Swigert (l.) and Haise (center) in life raft as Navy team 

assists crew from the CM. Lovell is exiting through 

hatch (NASA S70-35610). 

The impact point was about 1.0 n mi from the target point 

and 3.5 n mi from the recovery ship U.S.S. Iwo lima. The 

splashdown site was at latitude 21.63° south and longitude 

165.37° west. After splashdown, the CM assumed an apex-up 

flotation attitude. The crew was retrieved by helicopter and 

aboard the recovery 45 minutes after splashdown. 

Apollo 13 ~ 
Crew exits recovery helicopter aboard U.S.S. Iwo lima 

(NASA KSC-70PC-0130). 

The CM was recovered 43 minutes later. The estimated CM 

weight at splashdown was 11,133 pounds, and the estimated distance traveled for the mission was 541,103 n mi. 

CM is loaded aboard the recovery ship (NASA S70­

35632). 

The crew departed the Iwo lima by aircraft at 18:20 GMT on 

18 April and arrived in Houston 03:30 GMT on 20 April. 

The Iwo lima arrived with the CM at Hawaii at 19:30 GMT 

on 24 April. Deactivation was completed on 26 April. 

The CM was delivered to the North American Rockwell 

Space Division facility in Downey, California, for postflight 

analysis, arriving at 14:00 GMT on 27 April. 

Flight Director Gene Kranz relaxes after the safe re

of the Apollo 13 crew (NASA S70-35145). 

Former Apollo Program Director Lt. Gen. Sam Ph

(left) NASA Administrator Dr. Thomas Paine (cen

and Dr. George Low celebrate safe return of Apoll

crew (NASA S70-35148). 

Lovell reads newspaper account of Apollo 13 reco

(NASA S70-15501). 

Apollo by the Numbers 
support personnel, and the excellent performance of the 

LM systems made the safe return of the crew possible. 

President Richard M. Nixon awards the Presidential 

Medal of Freedom to the Apollo 13 crew at Hickam 

AFB, Hawaii (NASA S70-15511). 

The following conclusions were made from an analysis of 

post-mission data: 

1. 	The mission was aborted because of the total loss of primary 

oxygen in the service module. This loss resulted from an incompatibility between switch design and pre-mission procedures, a 

condition which, when combined with an abnormal pre-mission 

detanking procedure, caused an inflight shorting and a rapid 

oxidation within one of two redundant storage tanks. The oxidation then resulted in a loss of pressure integrity in the related 

tank and eventually in the remaining tank. 

2. 	The concept of a backup crew was proven for the first time 

when, three days prior to launch, the backup command module 

pilot was substituted for his prime crew counterpart, who was 

exposed and found susceptible to rubella (German measles). 

3. 	The performance of lunar module systems demonstrated an 

emergency operational capability. Lunar module systems supported the crew for a period twice their intended design lifetime. 

4. 	The effectiveness of pre-mission crew training, especially in conjunction with ground personnel, was reflected in the skill and 

precision with which the crew responded to the emergency. 

5. 	Although the mission was not a complete success, a lunar flyby 

mission, including three planned experiments (lightning phe

Report of the Apollo 13 Review Board 

On 17 April 1970, NASA Administrator Thomas 0. Paine 

established the Apollo 13 Review Board, naming Edgar M. 

Cortright, director of the NASA Langley Research Center, as 

chairman. Cortright's eight-member panel met for nearly 

two months, and submitted their final report on 15 June. 

Neil Armstrong, commander of the recent Apollo 11 mission, was the only astronaut on the board. William Anders, 

lunar module pilot of Apollo 8, and executive secretary of 

the National Aeronautics and Space Council, was one of 

three observers. 

The evidence pointed strongly to an electrical short circuit 

with arcing as the initiating event. About 2.7 seconds after 

the fans were turned on in the SM oxygen tanks, an 

11.1-ampere current spike and simultaneously a voltagedrop spike were recorded in the spacecraft electrical system. Immediately thereafter, current drawn from the fuel 

cells decreased by an amount consistent with the loss of 

power to one fan. No other changes in spacecraft power 

were being made at the time. No power was on the heaters 

in the tanks (the quantity gauge and temperature sensor 

were very low power devices). The next anomalous event 

recorded was the beginning of a pressure rise in oxygen 

tank 2 thirteen seconds later. Such a time lag was possible 

with low-level combustion at the time. These facts pointed 

to the likelihood that an electrical short circuit with arcing 

occurred in the fan motor or its wires to initiate the accident sequence. The energy available from the short circuit 

was probably 10 to 20 joules. Tests conducted during the 

investigation showed that this energy is more than adequate to ignite Teflon of the type contained within the 

tank. This likelihood of electrical initiation is enhanced by 

the high probability that the electrical wires within the 

tank were damaged during abnormal tanking operations at 

KSC prior to launch. 

Data were not adequate to determine precisely the way in 

which the oxygen tank 2 system lost its integrity. However, 

available information, analyses, and tests performed during 

this investigation indicate that most probably combustion 

within the pressure vessel ultimately led to localized heating 

and failure at the pressure vessel closure. It is at this point, 

the upper end of the quantity probe, that the Inconel conduit is located, through which the Teflon-insulated wires 

enter the pressure vessel. It is likely that the combustion 

progressed along the wire insulation and reached this locaApollo 13 ~ 
Failure at this point would lead immediately to pressurization of the tank dome, which is equipped with a rupture 

disc rated at about 75 psi. Rupture of this disc or of the 

entire dome would then release oxygen, accompanied by 

combustion products, into bay 4. Spacecraft accelerations 

recorded at this time were probably caused by this release. 

Release of the oxygen then began to pressurize the oxygen 

shelf space of bay 4. If the holes formed in the pressure 

vessel were large enough and formed rapidly enough, the 

escaping oxygen alone would be adequate to blow off the 

bay 4 panel. However, it is also quite possible that the 

escape of oxygen was accompanied by combustion of 

Mylar and Kapton (used extensively as thermal insulation 

in the oxygen shelf compartment and in the tank dome), 

which would augment the pressure caused by the oxygen 

itself. The slight temperature increases recorded at various 

SM locations indicate that combustion external to the tank 

probably took place. The ejected panel then struck the 

high-gain antenna, disrupting communications from the 

spacecraft for the 1.8 seconds. 

How the Problem Occurred 

Following is a list of factors that led to the accident: 

• After assembly and acceptance testing, oxygen tank 2 that flew on 

Apollo 13 was shipped from Beech Aircraft Corporation to North 

American Rockwell (NR) in apparently satisfactory condition. 

• It is now known, however, that the tank contained two protective 

thermostatic switches on the heater assembly, which were inadequate and would subsequently fail during ground test operations 

at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). 

• In addition, it is probable that the tank contained a loosely fitting 

fill tube assembly. This assembly was probably displaced during 

subsequent handling, which included an incident at the prime 

contractor's arc plant in which the tank was jarred. 

• In itself, the displaced fill tube assembly was not particularly 

serious, but it led to the use of improvised detanking procedures 

at KSC which almost certainly set the stage for the accident. 

• Although Beech did not encounter any problem in detanking 

during acceptance tests, it was not possible to detank oxygen 

tank 2 using normal procedures at KSC. Tests and analyses indi

These procedures had not been used before, and the tank 

not been qualified by test for the conditions experienced. 

However, the procedures did not violate the specifications 

governed the operation of the heaters at KSC. 

• In reviewing these procedures before the flight, officials of 

NR, and Beech did not recognize the possibility of damage 

to overheating. Many of these officials were not aware of th

extended heater operation. In any event, adequate thermos

switches might have been expected to protect the tank. 

• A number of factors contributed to the presence of inadeq

thermostatic switches in the heater assembly. The original 

specifications from NR to Beech Aircraft Corporation for t

and heater assembly specified the use of 28 V DC power, w

is used in the spacecraft. In 1965, NR issued a revised 

specification which stated that the heaters should use a 65 

power supply for tank pressurization; this was the power s

used at KSC to reduce pressurization time. Beech ordered 

es for the Block II tanks but did not change the switch 

specifications to be compatible with 65 V DC. 

• The thermostatic switch discrepancy was not detected by 

NR, or Beech in their review of documentation, nor did te

identify the incompatibility of the switches with the groun

port equipment at KSC, since neither qualification nor acc

testing required switch cycling under load as should have 

done. It was a serious oversight in which all parties shared

• The thermostatic switches could accommodate the 65 V D

ing tank pressurization because they normally remained c

closed. However, they could not open without damage with 

DC power applied. They were never required to do so unti

special detanking. During this procedure, as the switches s

to open when they reached their upper temperature limit, 

were welded permanently closed by the resulting arc and w

rendered inoperative as protective thermostats. 

• Failure of the thermostatic switches to open could have bee

detected at KSC if switch operation had been checked by o

ing heater current readings on the oxygen tank heater cont

panel. Although it was not recognized at that time, the tank 

perature readings indicated that the heaters had reached th

temperature limit and switch opening should have been ex

• As shown by subsequent tests, failure of the thermostatic s

probably permitted the temperature of the heater tube asse

Apollo by the Numbers 
pad occupancy, the oxygen tank 2 was in a hazardous condition 

when filled with oxygen and electrically powered. 

• It was not until nearly 56 hours into the mission, however, that 

the fan motor wiring, possibly moved by the fan stirring, short 

circuited and ignited its insulation by means of an electric arc. 

The resulting combustion in the oxygen tank probably overheated 

and failed the wiring conduit where it enters the tank, and possibly a portion of the tank itself. 

• The rapid expulsion of high-pressure oxygen which followed, possibly augmented by combustion of insulation in the space surrounding the tank, blew off the outer panel to bay 4 of the SM, 

caused a leak in the high-pressure system of oxygen tank 1, 

damaged the high-gain antenna, caused other miscellaneous 

damage, and aborted the mission. 

Apollo 13 Objectives 

Spacecraft Primary Objectives 

1. 	To perform selenological inspection, survey, and sampling of 

materials in a preselected region of the Fra Mauro formation. 

Not attempted. 

2. 	To deploy and activate an Apollo lunar surface experiments 

package. Not attempted. 

3. 	To further develop human capability to work in the lunar environment. Not attempted. 

4. 	To obtain photographs of candidate exploration sites. Not 

attempted. 

Detailed Objectives 

1. Television coverage. Not attempted. 

2. 	Contingency sample collection. Not attempted. 

3. Selected sample collection. Not attempted. 

4. 	Landing accuracy improvement techniques. Not attempted. 

7. 	Lunar soil mechanics. Not attempted. 

8. Dim light photography. Not attempt~d. 

9. Selenodetic reference point update. Not attempted. 

10. CSM orbital science photography. Not attempted. 

11. Transearth lunar photography. Not attempted. 

12. EMU water consumption measurement. Not attempted. 

13. Thermal coating degradation. Not attempted. 

Experiments 

I. 	ALSEP III: Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package. Not 

attempted. 

a. 	 Passive seismic experiment. 

b. 	Heat flow experiment. 

c. 	Charged particle lunar environment experiment. 

d. 	Cold cathode gauge experiment. 

e. 	Lunar dust detection. 

2. 	 S-059: Lunar field geology. Not attempted. 

3. S-080: Solar wind composition. Not attempted. 

4. S-164: S-band transponder exercise. Not attempted. 

5. S-170: Downlink bistatic radar observations of the Moon. Not 

attempted. 

6. S-178: Gegenschein from lunar orbit. Not attempted. 

7. S-184: Lunar surface close-up photography. Not attempted. 

8. 	T-029: Pilot describing function. Achieved. 

Apollo 13 ~ 
Earth parking orbit. Achieved. 

2. 	To restart the S-IVB during either the second or third revolution 

and inject the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft into the 

planned translunar trajectory. Achieved. 

3. 	 To provide the required attitude control for the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft during transposition, docking, and ejection. 

Achieved. 

4. 	To perform an evasive maneuver after ejection of the command 

· 	 and service module/lunar module from the S-IVB/instrument 

unit. Achieved. 

5. 	 To attempt to impact the S-IVB/instrument unit on the lunar 

surface within 350 kilometers (189 nautical miles) of latitude 3° 

south, longitude 30° west. Achieved. 

6. 	 To determine actual impact point within 5.0 kilometers (2.7 

nautical miles) and time of impact within one second. Achieved. 

7. 	 To vent and dump the remaining gases and propellants to safe 

the S-IVB/instrument unit. Achieved. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Individual and combined CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

Integrated CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

LM 7 final engineering evaluation acceptance test at factory. 

LM 7 integrated test at factory. 

Saturn S-IVB stage S08 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IC stage 8 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IC stage 8 erected on MLP 3. 

LM ascent stage 7 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

CM 109 and SM 109 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM descent stage 7 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

CM 109 and SM 109 delivered to KSC. 

LM ascent stage 7 delivered to KSC. 

LM descent stage 7 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-II stage 8 delivered to KSC. 

CM 109 and SM 109 mated. 

CSM 109 combined systems test completed. 

Saturn V instrument unit S08 delivered to KSC. 

LM ascent stage 7 and descent stage 7 mated. 

Saturn S-II stage 8 erected. 

Spacecraft/LM adapter 16 delivered to KSC. 

LM 7 combined systems test completed. 

Saturn S-IVB stage S08 erected. 

Saturn V instrument unit S08 erected. 

Launch vehicle electrical systems test completed. 

CSM 109 altitude tests completed. 

LM 7 altitude tests completed. 

Launch vehicle propellant dispersion/malfunction overall test completed. 

Launch vehicle service arm overall test completed. 

CSM 109 moved to VAB. 

Spacecraft erected. 

Space vehicle and MLP 3 transferred to launch complex 39A. 

CSM 109 integrated systems test completed. 

LM 7 combined systems test completed. 

CSM 109 electrically mated to launch vehicle. 

Space vehicle overall test 1 (plugs in) completed. 

LM 6 flight readiness test completed. 

Space vehicle flight readiness test completed. 

Saturn S-IC stage 8 RP-1 fuel loading completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (wet) completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (dry) completed. 

16 Mar 1969 

08 Apr 1969 

18 May 1969 

18 May 1969 

13 Jun 1969 

16 Jun 1969 

18 Jun 1969 

24 Jun 1969 

2S Jun 1969 

2S Jun 1969 

26 Jun 1969 

27 Jun 1969 

28 Jun 1969 

29 Jun 1969 

30 Jun 1969 

07 Jui 1969 

07 Jul1969 

1S Jul1969 

17 Jui 1969 

18 Jul 1969 

22 Jul1969 

31 Jul1969 

01 Aug 1969 

29 Aug 1969 

12 Sep 1969 

20 Sep 1969 

21 Oct 1969 

04 Dec 1969 

09 Dec 1969 

10 Dec 1969 

1S Dec 1969 

OS Jan 1970 

OS Jan 1970 

18 Jan 1970 

20 Jan 1970 

24 Jan 1970 

26 Feb 1970 

16 Mar 1970 

2S Mar 1970 

26 Mar 1970 

Apollo 13 ~ 
Fixed Fixed Event Geocentric Path He

Event GET Altitude Range Velocity Velocity Duration Latitude Longitude Angle A

(hhh:mm:ss) (nmi) (nmi) (ft/sec) (ft/sec) (deg E) (deg N) (deg E) (deg) (E 

Liftoff 000:00:00.61 0.032 0.000 0.9 1,340.7 28.4470 -80.6041 0.04 

Mach 1 achieved 000:01:08.4 4.394 1.310 1,095.2 2,087.5 28.4533 -80.5804 27.34 

Maximum dynamic pressure 000:01 :21.3 6.727 2.829 1,550.6 2,566.2 28.4608 -80.5529 28.98 

S-IC center engine cutoff! 000:02:1 5.18 23.464 24.266 5,162.8 6,328.2 141.9 28.5677 -80.1654 23.612 

S-IC outboard engine cutoff 000:02:43.60 36.392 50.991 7,787.3 9,002.5 170.3 28.6989 -79.6810 19.480 

S-ICIS-II separation4 000:02:44.3 36.739 51.815 7,820.8 9,036.3 28.7029 -79.6660 19.383 

S-II center engine 5 cutoff 000:05:30.64 86.183 298.100 11,566.6 12,859.6 164.64 29.8167 -75.1433 4.158 

S-II to complete CECQ4 000:07:42.6 97.450 580.109 15,583.8 16,904.3 132.00 30.8785 -69.8409 0.77 

S-II outboard engine cutoff 000:09:52.64 102.112 964.578 21,288.0 22,610.8 426.64 31.9133 -62.4374 0.657 

S-II/S-IVB separation4 000:09:53.50 102.150 967.505 21,301.6 22,624.5 31.9193 -62.3805 0.650 

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff 000:12:29.83 103.469 1,533.571 24,236.4 25,560.4 152.93 32.5241 -51.2552 0.004 

Earth orbit insertion 000:12:39.83 103.472 1,572.300 24,242.1 25,566.1 32.5249 -50.4902 0.005 

Apollo 13 Earth Orbit Phase 

Space 

Fixed Event Velocity 

GET Velocity Duration Change Apogee Perigee Period Incli

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (n mi) (nmi) (mins) (d

Earth orbit insertion 000:12:39.83 25,566.1 35,538.4 100.3 99.3 88.19 32

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition 002:35:46.30 25,573.2 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff 002:41 :37.15 35,562.6 350.85 10,039.0 31

Apollo 13 Translunar Phase 

Space 

Fixed S

Space Flight F

Fixed Event Velocity Path H

Event GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle A

(hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (deg) (E 

Translunar injection 002:41:47.15 182.445 35,538.4 7.635 59.318 

CSM separated from S-IVB 003:06:38.9 3,778.582 25,029.2 45.030 72.315 

CSM docked with LM/S-IVB 003:19:08.8 5,934.90 21,881.4 51.507 79.351 

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB 004:01:00.8 12,455.83 16,619.0 61.092 91.491 

Midcourse correction ignition (CM SPS) 030:40:49.65 121,381.93 4,682.5 77.464 112.843 

Midcourse correction cutoff 030:40:53.14 121,385.43 4,685.6 3.49 23.2 77.743 1

Midcourse correction ignition (LM DPS) 061:29:43.49 188,371.38 3,065.8 79.364 115.464 

Midcourse correction cutoff 061:30:17.72 188,393.19 3,093.2 34.23 37.8 79.934 1

4 Only the commanded time is available for this event. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Space Flight Fixed 

Fixed Event Velocity Path Heading 

Event GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle Angle 

(hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ftlsec) (sec) (ftlsec) (deg) (E ofN) 

Transearth injection ignition (LM DPS) 079:27:38.95 5,465.26 4,547.7 72.645 -116.308 

Transearth injection cutoff 079:32:02.77 5,658.68 5,020.2 263.82 860.5 64.784 -117.886 

Midcourse correction ignition (LM DPS) 105:18:28.0 152,224.32 4,457.8 -79.673 114. 134 

Midcourse correction cutoff 105:18:42.0 152,215.52 4,456.6 14.00 7.8 -79.765 114.242 

Midcourse correction ignition (LM RCS) 137:39:51.5 37,808.58 10,109.1 -72.369 118.663 

Midcourse correction cutoff 137:40:13.00 37,776.05 10,114.6 21.50 3.2 -72.373 118.660 

SM separation 138:01:48.0 35,694.93 10,405.9 -71.941 118.824 

LM jettisoned 141:30:00.2 11,257.48 17,465.9 -60.548 120.621 

Apollo 13 ~ 
Apollo 13 Timeline

Event

GET

(hhh:mm:ss)

GMT

Time

GMT 

Date

T erm inal countdow n sta rte d at T-28 hours. -028:00:00 05:00:00

10 Apr 1970

Scheduled 9 -h o u r 13 m in u te hold at T-9 hours. -009:00:00 00:00:00 11 Apr 1970

C ountdow n resum ed at T-9 hours. -009:00:00 09:13:00 11 Apr 1970

Scheduled 1 -hour hold at T-3 ho u rs 30 m inutes. -003:30:00 14:43:00 11 Apr 1970

C ountdow n resum ed at T-3 ho u rs 30 m inutes. -003:30:00 15:43:00 11 Apr 1970

G uidance reference release. -000:00:16.961 19:12:43 11 Apr 1970

S-IC engine s ta rt com m and. -000:00:08.9 19:12:51 11 Apr 1970

S-IC engine ignition (5). -000:00:06.7 19:12:53 11 Apr 1970

All S-IC engines th ru st OK. -000:00:01.4 19:12:58 11 Apr 1970

R ange zero. 000:00:00.00 19:13:00 11 Apr 1970

All holddow n a rm s released (1st m o tio n ) (1.06 g). 000:00:00.3 19:13:00 11 Apr 1970

L iftoff (um bilical disconnected). 000:00:00.61 19:13:00 11 Apr 1970

Tower clearance yaw m an eu v er started. 000:00:02.3 19:13:02 11 Apr 1970

Yaw m an eu v er ended. 000:00:10.0 19:13:10 11 Apr 1970

Pitch an d roll m aneuver started. 000:00:12.6 19:13:12 11 Apr 1970

Roll m an eu v er ended. 000:00:32.1 19:13:32 11 Apr 1970

M ach 1 achieved. 000:01:08.4 19:14:08 11 Apr 1970

M axim um b e n d in g m o m e n t achieved (69,000,000 lbf-in ). 000:01:16 19:14:16 11 Apr 1970

M axim um d y n am ic p ressure (651.63 lb /ft2). 000:01:21.3 19:14:21 11 Apr 1970

S-IC center engine cutoff com m and. 000:02:15.18 19:15:15 11 Apr 1970

Pitch m aneuver ended. 000:02:43.3 19:15:43 11 Apr 1970

S-IC o u tb o ard engine cutoff. 000:02:43.60 19:15:43 11 Apr 1970

S-IC m ax im u m total in ertial acceleration (3.83 g). 000:02:43.70 19:15:43 11 Apr 1970

S-IC m ax im u m E arth-fixed velocity. 000:02:44.10 19:15:44 11 Apr 1970

S-IC/S-II separation com m and. 000:02:44.3 19:15:44 11 Apr 1970

S-II engine sta rt com m and. 000:02:45.0 19:15:45 11 Apr 1970

S-II ignition. 000:02:46.0 19:15:46 11 Apr 1970

S-II aft interstage jettisoned. 000:03:14.3 19:16:14 11 Apr 1970

L aunch escape tow er jettisoned. 000:03:21.0 19:16:21 11 Apr 1970

Iterative guidance m o d e initiated. 000:03:24.5 19:16:24 11 Apr 1970

S-IC apex. 000:04:31.7 19:17:31 11 Apr 1970

S-II center engine cu to ff (S-II engine 5 cu to ff 132.36 seconds early). 000:05:30.64 19:18:30 11 Apr 1970

S-II co m m an d to com plete CECO. 000:07:42.6 19:20:42 11 Apr 1970

S-II m ax im u m total in ertial acceleration (1.66 g). 000:08:57.00 19:21:57 11 Apr 1970

S-IC im p act (theoretical). 000:09:06.9 19:22:06 11 Apr 1970

S-II o u tb o ard engine cutoff (34.53 seconds later th a n planned). 000:09:52.64 19:22:52 11 Apr 1970

S-II m ax im u m E arth-fixed velocity; S-II/S-IVB separation com m and. 000:09:53.50 19:22:53 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB 1st b u rn s ta rt com m and. 000:09:53.60 19:22:53 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB 1st b u rn ignition. 000:09:56.90 19:22:56 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB ullage case jettisoned. 000:10:05.4 19:23:05 11 Apr 1970

S-II apex. 000:10:32.2 19:23:32 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB 1st b u rn cutoff (9 seconds later th a n planned). 000:12:29.83 19:25:29 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB 1st b u rn m ax im u m total in ertial acceleration (0.58 g). 000:12:30.00 19:25:30 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB 1st b u rn m ax im u m Earth-fi xed velocity. 000:12:30.50 19:25:30 11 Apr 1970

E arth o rbit insertion. 000:12:39.83 19:25:39 11 Apr 1970

M aneuver to local horizontal attitu d e started. 000:12:50.1 19:25:50 11 Apr 1970

O rbital navigation started. 000:14:10.4 19:27:10 11 Apr 1970

S-II im p act (theoretical). 000:20:58.1 19:33:58 11 Apr 1970

TV transm ission started. 001:37 20:50 11 Apr 1970

TV tran sm issio n ended. 001:43 20:56 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB 2 n d b u rn re start preparation. 002:26:08.10 21:39:08 11 Apr 1970

152 Apollo by the Numbers
Apollo 13 Timeline

Event

GET

(hhh:mm:ss)

GMT

Time

S-IVB 2 n d b u rn restart com m and. 002:35:38.10 21:48:38

11 Apr 1970

S-IVB 2 n d b u rn ignition. 002:35:46.30 21:48:46 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB 2 n d b u rn cutoff. 002:41:37.15 21:54:37 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB 2 n d b u rn m ax im u m total in ertial acceleration (1.43 g). 002:41:37.23 21:54:37 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB safing procedures started. 002:41:37.9 21:54:37 11 Apr 1970

T ranslunar injection. 002:41:47.15 21:54:47 11 Apr 1970

M aneuver to local horizontal attitu d e an d orbital navigation started. 002:44:08 21:57:08 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB 2 n d b u rn m ax im u m E arth-fixed velocity. 002:53:53.6 22:06:53 11 Apr 1970

M aneuver to tran sp o sitio n a n d docking attitu d e started. 002:56:38.3 22:09:38 11 Apr 1970

CSM sep arated from S-IVB. 003:06:38.9 22:19:38 11 Apr 1970

TV tran sm issio n started. 003:09 22:22 11 Apr 1970

CSM docked w ith LM/S-IVB. 003:19:08.8 22:32:08 11 Apr 1970

CSM /LM ejected from S-IVB. 004:01:00.8 23:14:00 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB m aneuver to evasive APS b u rn attitude. 004:09:00 23:22:00 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB APS evasive m an eu v er ignition. 004:18:00.6 23:31:00 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB APS evasive m aneuver cutoff. 004:19:20.8 23:32:20 11 Apr 1970

TV tran sm issio n ended. 004:20 23:33 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB m aneuver to LOX d u m p attitu d e initiated. 004:27:40.0 23:40:40 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— CVS vent opened. 004:34:39.4 23:47:39 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— LOX d u m p started. 004:39:19.4 23:52:19 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— CVS vent opened. 004:39:39.4 23:52:39 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB lu n ar im p act m an eu v er— LOX d u m p ended. 004:40:07.4 23:53:07 11 Apr 1970

M aneuver to attitu d e for final S-IVB APS b u rn initiated. 005:48:07.8 01:01:07 11 Apr 1970

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— APS ignition. 005:59:59.5 01:12:59 12 Apr 1970

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— APS cutoff. 006:03:36.7 01:16:36 12 Apr 1970

E arth w eather photography started. 007:17:14 02:30:14 12 Apr 1970

U nsuccessful passive th erm al control attem pt. 007:43:02 02:56:02 12 Apr 1970

E arth w eather photography ended. 011:17:19 06:30:19 12 Apr 1970

2 n d S-IVB tran sp o sitio n m aneuver (u n p lan n ed ) initiated by launch vehicle digital com puter. 013:42:33 08:55:33 12 Apr 1970

Unplanned S-IVB velocity increase of 5 feet per second which altered lunar

impact trajectory closer to target point. 

019:29:10 14:42:10 12 Apr 1970

TV tran sm issio n started. 030:13 01:26 13 Apr 1970

M idcourse correction ignition (SPS)— tran sfer to hybrid non-free re tu rn trajectory. 030:40:49.65 01:53:49 13 Apr 1970

M idcourse correction cutoff. 030:40:53.14 01:53:53 13 Apr 1970

TV tran sm issio n ended. 031:02 02:15 13 Apr 1970

Photograph Com et B ennett. 031:50 03:03 13 Apr 1970

U nsuccessful passive th erm al control attem pt. 032:21:49 03:34:49 13 Apr 1970

Crew tu rn e d on fans in oxygen ta n k 2 (routine procedure). 046:40:02 17:15 13 Apr 1970

Cryogenic oxygen ta n k 2 quantity probe sh o rt circuited. 046:40:08 17:21:08 13 Apr 1970

Oxygen tank 2 fans turned on again with no apparent adverse affects.

Quantity gauge continued to read “off-scale high.”

047:54:50 19:03:50 13 Apr 1970

Oxygen ta n k 2 fans tu rn e d on again w ith no apparent adverse affects.

Q uantity gauge continued to read “off-scale high.” 051:07:44 22:57:44 13 Apr 1970

CDR an d LM P cleared to enter the LM to com m ence inflight inspection. 053:27 00:40 14 Apr 1970

LM P entered LM. 054:20 01:33 14 Apr 1970

CDR entered LM. 054:35 01:48 14 Apr 1970

LM system checks. 054:40 01:53 14 Apr 1970

TV tran sm issio n started. 055:14 02:27 14 Apr 1970

CDR a n d LM P re tu rn e d to CM. 055:30 02:43 14 Apr 1970
Apollo 13 Timeline

GET

(hhh:nun:ss)

GMT

Time

GMT

Date

055:46 02:59 14 Apr 1970

055:50 03:03 14 Apr 1970

055:52:31 03:05:31 14 Apr 1970

055:52:58 03:05:58 14 Apr 1970

055:53:06 03:06:06 14 Apr 1970

055:53:07 03:06:07 14 Apr 1970

055:53:12 03:06:12 14 Apr 1970

055:53:18 03:06:18 14 Apr 1970

055:53:19 03:06:19 14 Apr 1970

055:53:20 03:06:20 14 Apr 1970

055:53:21 03:06:21 14 Apr 1970

055:53:22.718 03:06:22 14 Apr 1970

055:53:22.757 03:06:22 14 Apr 1970

055:53:22.772 03:06:22 14 Apr 1970

055:53:36 03:06:36 14 Apr 1970

055:53:38.057 03:06:38 14 Apr 1970

055:53:38.085 03:06:38 14 Apr 1970

055:53:41.172 03:06:41 14 Apr 1970

055:53:41.192 03:06:41 14 Apr 1970

055:54:00 03:07:00 14 Apr 1970

055:54:15 03:07:15 14 Apr 1970

Event

TV tran sm issio n ended.

Tunnel hatch d o se d .

M aster c aution a n d w a rning triggered by low hydrogen pressure in tan k 1.

Alarm tu rn e d off a fte r 4 seconds.

CAPCOM: “ 13, we’ve got one m ore item for you, when you get a chance.

We’d like you to stir up your cryo tanks. In addition, I have shaft an d trunnion...” CMP 

(CCwigert): “Okay.”

CAPCOM: “...for looking at th e Comet Bennett, if you n e ed it.”

LMP: “Okay. Stand by.”

Oxygen tan k 1 fans on.

Oxygen ta n k 1 pressure decreased 8 psi d u e to n o rm a l destratification.

Spacecraft c u rren t increased by 1 am pere.

Oxygen ta n k 2 fans on. Stabilization control system electrical d isturbanc e

indicated a pow er transient.

Oxygen ta n k 2 pressured decreased 4 psi.

Electrical sh o rt in ta n k 2 (stabilization control system electrical d isturbanc e

indicated a pow er tran sien t).

1.2-volt decrease in AC bus 2 voltage.

11.1 am p e re “spike” recorded in fuel cell 3 c u rren t followed by dro p in current

an d rise in voltage typical o f removal o f pow er from one fan motor, indicating

opening o f m otor circuit.

Oxygen ta n k 2 pressure sta rte d to rise for 24 seconds.

11 volt decrease in AC b u s 2 voltage for one sample.

Stabilization control system electrical distu rb an c e indicated a pow er transient.

22.9-am pere “spike” recorded in fuel cell 3 cu rren t, followed by dro p in c u rren t an d rising

voltage typical o f one fen motor, indicating opening o f an o th e r m otor circuit.

Stabilization control system electrical distu rb an c e indicated a pow er transient.

Oxygen ta n k 2 pressure rise en d ed at a pressure o f 953.8 psia.

Oxygen tan k 2 pressure sta rte d to rise again.

Oxygen tan k 2 q u an tity dro p p ed from full scale (to w hich it h ad failed a t 046:40) for

two seconds an d th en read 75.3 percent full. T his indicated th e gauge sh o rt

circuit m ay have corrected itself. 055:54:30 03:07:30 14 Apr 1970

Oxygen ta n k 2 tem p eratu re sta rte d to rise rapidly. 055:54:31 03:07:31 14 Apr 1970

Flow rate o f oxygen to all th ree fuel cells sta rte d to decrease. 055:54:43 03:07:43 14 Apr 1970

Oxygen ta n k 2 pressure reached m ax im u m value o f 1,008.3 psia. 055:54:45 03:07:45 14 Apr 1970

Oxygen ta n k 2 tem p eratu re rises 40 P for o n e sam ple (invalid reading). 055:54:48 03:07:48 14 Apr 1970

Oxygen ta n k 2 quantity ju m p ed to off-scale high an d th en started to d ro p un til th e tim e

o f telem etry loss, indicating a failed sensor. 055:54:51 03:07:51 14 Apr 1970

Oxygen ta n k 2 tem p eratu re read -151.3 F. L ast valid indication. 055:54:52 03:07:52 14 Apr 1970

Oxygen ta n k 2 tem p eratu re suddenly w ent off-scale low, indicating a failed sensor. 055:54:52.703 03:07:52 14 Apr 1970

Last telem etered pressure from oxygen ta n k 2 before telem etry loss w as 995.7 psia. 055:54:52.763 03:07:52 14 Apr 1970

Sudden accelerom eter activity on X, Y, a n d Z axes. 055:54:53.182 03:07:53 14 Apr 1970

B ody-m ounted roll, pitch, a n d yaw rate gyros show ed low-level activity for 1/4 second. 055:54:53.220 03:07:53 14 Apr 1970

Oxygen ta n k 1 pressure d ro p p ed 4.2 psi. 055:54:53.323 03:07:53 14 Apr 1970

2.8-am p rise in total fuel cell current. 055:54:53.5 03:07:53 14 Apr 1970

X, Y, a n d Z accelerations in CM indicate 1.17 g, 0.65 g, a n d 0.65 g. 055:54:53.542 03:07:53 14 Apr 1970

T elem etry loss for 1.8 seconds. M aster caution an d w arning triggered by DC m ain bus B

undervoltage. A larm tu rn e d off in 6 seconds. Indications w ere th at th e cryogenic oxygen

ta n k 2 lost p ressure d u rin g th is tim e p erio d an d th e panel separated.. It was at this tim e

th at th e crew h eard a loud bang. 055:54:53.555 03:07:53 14 Apr 1970

N itrogen pressure in fuel cell 1 w ent off-scale low indicating a failed sensor. 055:54:54.741 03:07:54 14 Apr 1970

154 Apollo by the Numbers
Apollo 13 Timeline

GET GMT GMT

Event (hhh:mm:ss) Time Date

Telem etry recovered.

Service propulsion system engine valve bod y tem p eratu re started a rise o f 1.65 F° in 7

055:54:55.35 03:07:55 14 Apr 1970

seconds. DC m ain bus A decreased 0.9 volt to 28.5 volts an d DC m ain b u s B decreased 

0.9 volt to 29.0 volts. Total fuel cell current was 15 am p s higher th an the final value before 

telem etry loss. H igh c u rren t continued for 19 seconds. Oxygen ta n k 2 tem p eratu re read 

off-scale high after telem etry recovery, probably indicating failed sensors. Oxygen ta n k 2 

pressure read off-scale low following telem etry recovery, indicating a broken supply line, 

a ta n k p ressure below 19 psia, or a failed sensor. Oxygen ta n k 1 pressure read 781.9 psia 

an d started to d ro p steadily. Pressure dro p s over a perio d o f 130 m inutes to th e p oint at 

w hich it was insufficient to sustain operation o f fuel cell 2. 055:54:56 03:07:56 14 Apr 1970

Oxygen tan k 2 q u an tity read off-scale high following telem etry recovery indicating

a failed sensor. 055:54:57 03:07:57 14 Apr 1970

The reaction control system helium ta n k C tem p eratu re beg an a 1.66 F° increase in 36 seconds. 055:54:59 03:07:59 14 A pr 1970

Oxygen flow rates to fuel cells 1 an d 3 approached zero after decreasing tor 7 seconds. 

Surface tem p eratu re o f SM oxidizer ta n k in bay 3 started a 3,8 P increase in a 15 second

055:55:01 03:08:01 14 Apr 1970

period. Service propulsion system helium tan k tem p eratu re started a 3.8 P increase in a 

32-second period. 055:55:02 03:08:02 14 Apr 1970

DC m ain b u s A voltage recovered to 29.0 volts. DC m ain b u s B recovered to 28.8. 055:55:09 03:08:09 14 A pr 1970

LMP: “Okay, H ouston, we’ve h ad a problem here.” 055:55:20 03:08:20 14 A pr 1970

CAPCOM: “This is H ouston. Say again, please.” 055:55:28 03:08:28 14 A pr 1970

CDR (Lovell): “H ouston, we’ve had a problem . We’ve had a m ain B b u s undervolt.” 

CAPCOM: “Roger. M ain B b u s undervolt.” 055:55:42 03:08:42 14 Apr. 1970 Oxygen tan k 2

055:55:35 03:08:35 14 Apr 1970

tem p eratu re started steady dro p lasting 59 seconds, indicating a failed sensor.

CM P (H aise): “Okay. Right now, H ouston, th e voltage is— is looking good. A nd we had a

055:55:49 03:08:49 14 Apr 1970

p retty large b a n g associated w ith th e caution and w arning there. A nd as I recall, m ain B 

was th e one th at h ad an am p spike on it once before.” 055:56:10 03:09:10 14 Apr 1970

CAPCOM: “Roger, Fred.”

Oxygen ta n k 2 q u an tity becam e erratic for 69 seconds before assum ing an off-scale-low

055:56:30 03:09:30 14 Apr 1970

state, indicating a failed sensor. 055:56:38 03:09:38 14 Apr 1970

CMP: “In th e interim here, we’re sta rtin g to go ahead an d butto n up th e tunnel again.” 

CMP: “ T hat jolt m u st have rocked th e sensor o n — see now — oxygen q u an tity 2. It was

055:56:54 03:09:54 14 Apr 1970

oscillating dow n aro u n d 20 to 60 p e rc e n t Now it’s full-scale high.”

M aster caution an d w arning triggered by DC m ain b u s B undervoltage. A larm w as tu rn ed

055:57:04 03:10:04 14 A pr 1970

off in six seconds. 055:57:39 03:10:39 14 Apr 1970

DC m ain b u s B dro p p ed below 26.25 volts an d continued to fall rapidly.

CDR: “Okay. A nd we’re looking at o u r service m odule RCS helium 1. We have— B is b a rb er

055:57:40 03:10:40 14 Apr 1970

poled and D is b a rb er poled, helium 2, D is b a rb er pole, an d seco n d ary propellants, I have 

A an d C b a rb e r pole.” AC bus fails w ith in two seconds. 055:57:44 03:10:44 14 Apr 1970

Fuel cell 3 failed. 055:57:45 03:10:45 14 A pr 1970

Fuel cell cu rren t sta rte d to decrease. 055:57:59 03:10:59 14 A pr 1970

M aster caution an d w arn in g caused by AC b u s 2 b ein g reset. 055:58:02 03:11:02 14 Apr 1970

M aster caution an d w arning triggered by DC m ain b u s A undervoltage. 055:58:06 03:11:06 14 A pr 1970

DC m ain b u s A dro p p ed below 26.25 volts an d in th e next few seconds leveled off at 25.5 volts. 055:58:07 03:11:07 14 A pr 1970

CMP: “AC 2 is show ing zip.”

CMP: “Yes, we got a m ain b u s A undervolt now, too, show ing. It’s reading about 25 a n d a

055:58:07 03:11:07 14 Apr 1970

half. M ain B is reading zip right now ” 055:58:25 03:11:25 14 Apr 1970

M aster caution an d w arning triggered by high hydrogen flow rate to fuel cell 2. 

CDR: “...It looks to m e, looking o u t th e hatch, th a t we are venting som ething. We are

056:00:06 03:13:06 14 Apr 1970

venting so m ething out into th e— into space." 056:09:07 03:22:07 14 Apr 1970

LM P rep o rted fuel cell 1 off line. 056:09:58 03:22:58 14 A pr 1970

E m ergency pow er-dow n. 056:33:49 03:46:49 14 A pr 1970

Apollo 13 155
Apollo 13 Timeline

Event

GET

(hhh:nun:ss)

GMT

Time

GMT

Date

LMP rep o rted fuel cell 3 off line. 056:34:46 03:47:46 14 A pr 1970

CDR an d LM P entered LM. 057:43 04:56 14 A pr 1970

Shutdow n o f fuel cell #2. 058:00 05:13 14 A pr 1970

CM com puter an d platform pow ered dow n. 058:10 05:23 14 Apr 1970

CSM system s pow ered dow n. LM system s pow ered up. 058:40 05:53:00 14 A pr 1970

M idcourse correction ignition to free-return trajectory (LM DPS). 061:29:43.49 08:42:43 14 A pr 1970

M idcourse correction cutoff. 061:30:17.72 08:43:17 14 A pr 1970

LM system s pow ered dow n. 062:50 10:03 14 A pr 1970

L unar occultation entered. 077:08:35 00:21:35 15 A pr 1970

L unar occultation exited. 077:33:10 00:46:10 15 A pr 1970

S-IVB im pact on lu n ar surface. 077:56:39.7 01:09:39 15 A pr 1970

LM system s pow ered up. 078:00 01:13 15 A pr 1970

A bort guidance system to p rim a ry guidance system aligned. 078:10 01:23 15 A pr 1970

T ransearth injection ignition (LM DPS). 079:27:38.95 02:40:39 15 A pr 1970

T ransearth injection cutoff. 079:32:02.77 02:45:02 15 A pr 1970

LM system s pow ered dow n. 082:10 05:23 15 A pr 1970

A pparent short-circuit in LM electrical system , accom panied by a “th u m p ” in vicinity of 

descent stage and observation o f venting for several m inutes in area o f LM descent

batteries 1 an d 2. 097:13:53 20:26:53 15 Apr 1970

LM configured for m idcourse correction. 100:00 23:13 15 A pr 1970

CSM pow er configuration for telem etry established. 101:20 00:33 16 A pr 1970

CM pow ered up. 101:53 01:06 16 A pr 1970

LM system s pow ered up. 104:50 04:03 16 A pr 1970

M idcourse correction ignition (LM DPS). 105:18:28.0 04:31:28 16 A pr 1970

M idcourse correction cutoff. 105:18:42.0 04:31:42 16 A pr 1970

Passive th erm al control started. 105:20 04:33 16 A pr 1970

LM system s pow ered dow n. 105:50 05:03 16 A pr 1970

LM pow er transferred to CSM. 112:05 11:18 16 A pr 1970

B attery A charge initiated. 112:20 11:33 16 A pr 1970

B attery A charge term inated. B attery B charge initiated. 126:10 01:23 17 A pr 1970

B attery B charge term inated. 128:10 03:23 17 A pr 1970

LM system s pow ered up. 133:35 08:48 17 A pr 1970

Platform aligned. 134:40 09:53 17 A pr 1970

Preparation for m idcourse correction. 136:30 11:43 17 A pr 1970

M idcourse correction ignition (LM RCS). 137:39:51.5 12:52:51 17 A pr 1970

M idcourse correction cutoff. 137:40:13.00 12:53:13 17 A pr 1970

SM separation. 138:01:48.0 13:14:48 17 A pr 1970

SM photographed. 138:15 13:28 17 A pr 1970

CM pow ered up. 140:10 15:23 17 A pr 1970

Platform aligned. 140:40 15:53 17 A pr 1970

LM m aneuvered to undocking attitude. 140:50 16:03 17 A pr 1970

LM jettisoned. 141:30:00.2 16:43:00 17 A pr 1970

Entry. 142:40:45.7 17:53:45 17 A pr 1970

D rogue parachute deployed. S-band contact w ith CM established by recovery aircraft. 142:48 18:01 17 A pr 1970

Visual contact w ith CM established by recovery helicopters. 142:49 18:02 17 A pr 1970

Visual contact w ith CM established by recovery ship. Voice contact w ith CM established

by recovery helicopters. 142:50 18:03 17 A pr 1970

M ain parachute deployed. Splashdow n (w ent to apex-up). 142:54:41 18:07:41 17 A pr 1970

Sw im m ers deployed to retrieve m ain parachutes. 142:56 18:09 17 A pr 1970

1st sw im m er deployed to CM. 143:03 18:16 17 A pr 1970

Flotation collar inflated. 143:11 18:24 17 A pr 1970

156 Apollo by the Numbers
Apollo 13 Timeline

Event

GET

(hhh:mm:ss)

GMT

Time

GMT

Date

Life preserver u n it delivered to lead sw im m er. 143:18 18:31 17 A pr 1970

CM hatch o pened for crew egress. 143:19 18:32 17 A pr 1970

Crew egress. 143:22 18:35 17 A pr 1970

Crew a b o ard recovery helicopter. 143:29 18:42 17 A pr 1970

Crew ab o ard recovery ship. 143:40 18:53 17 Apr 1970

CM ab o ard recovery ship. 144:23 19:36 17 A pr 1970

Flight crew d e p arted recovery ship via S am oa a n d Hawaii. 167:07 18:20 18 A pr 1970

Flight crew arrived in Hawaii. 199:22 02:35 19 Apr 1970

Flight crew arrived in H ouston. 224:17 03:30 20 A pr 1970

Recovery ship arrived in Hawaii. 312:17 19:30 24 A pr 1970

Safing o f CM pyrotechnics com pleted. 343:22 02:35 26 A pr 1970

D eactivation o f fuel an d oxidizer com pleted. 360:15 19:28 26 Apr 1970

CM arrived a t contractor’s facility in Downey, CA. 378:47 14:00 27 A pr 1970

Apollo 13 157
Apollo by the Numbers 
APOLLO 14 


The Eighth Mission: 


The Third Lunar Landing 

,.... ,, ·-,,.:'•f:: >lx '\ 1.. 

:..-

m,.. ..... ,.,~,..

' 

Apollo 14 crew (l. tor.): Stu Roosa, AI Shepard, Ed 

Mitchell (NASA S70-55387). 

Background 

Apollo 14 was a Type H mission, a precision piloted lunar 

landing demonstration and systematic lunar exploration. It 

was the third successful lunar landing. 

The primary objectives were: 

• to perform selenological inspection, survey, and sampling of 

materials in a preselected region of the Fra Mauro formation; 

• to deploy and activate the Apollo lunar surface experiments 

package; 

• to develop human capability of working in the lunar environment; 

• to obtain photographs of candidate exploration sites. 

Although the primary mission objectives for Apollo 14 were 

the same as those of Apollo 13, provisions were made for 

returning a significantly greater quantity of lunar material 

and scientific data than had been possible previously. An 

innovation that allowed an increase in the range of lunar 

surface exploration and in the amount of material collected 

was the provision of a collapsible two-wheeled cart, the 

modular equipment transporter (MET), for carrying tools, 

cameras, a portable magnetometer, and lunar samples. 

MQ()!Jj.AR EQUIPM~~J; ]QANSPORTER 

Line drawing of the Modular Equipment Transpor

(MET) (NASA S70-50762). 

APOLLO LUNAR HAND TOOL CARRIER (ALHT) 

MET TRAVERSE CONFIGURATION 

Line drawing of the Apollo Lunar Hand Tool Carr

configuration for use with the MET (NASA S70-50

An investigation into the cause of the Apollo 13 cryog

oxygen tank failure led to three significant changes in 

CSM cryogenic oxygen storage and electrical power sy

for Apollo 14 and future missions. The internal constr

of the oxygen tanks was modified, a third oxygen tank 

added, and an auxiliary battery was installed. These ch

were also incorporated into all subsequent spacecraft. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Diagram of CSM oxygen tank modified following the 

Apollo 13 accident (NASA 571-16745). 

The crew members were Captain Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. 

(USN), commander; Major Stuart Allen Roosa (USAF), 

command module pilot; and Commander Edgar Dean 

Mitchell (USN), lunar module pilot. 

Selected as one of the original astronauts in 1959, Shepard 

became the first American in space when he piloted the 

initial Mercury suborbital mission (MR-3). Shepard subsequently developed an ear disorder, Meniere's syndrome, 

which caused the Navy to forbid him to fly solo in jet 

planes, and which forced NASA to ground him. He then 

became chief of the astronaut office. In 1969, however, 

Shepard underwent experimental surgery that corrected the 

problem. He was restored to full status in May and 

assigned to command Apollo 14 in August. Shepard was 

born 18 November 1923 in East Derry, New Hampshire, 

and at 47 years old, he was to become the oldest person to 

walk on the Moon. He received a B.S. from the U.S. Naval 

Academy in 1944.1 His backup for the mission was Captain 

Eugene Andrew "Gene" Cernan (USN). 

Roosa and Mitchell were making their first space flights. 

Roosa, born 16 August 1933 in Durango, Colorado, was 37 

years old at the time of the Apollo 14 mission. He received 

a B.S. in aeronautical engineering from the University of 

Colorado in 1960 and was selected as an astronaut in 

1966.2 His backup was Commander Ronald Ellwin Evans 

(USN). 

Mitchell, born 17 September 1930 in Hereford, Texas, was 

40 years old. He received a B.S. in industrial management 

from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1952, a B.S. in 

aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate 

The capsule communicators (CAPCOMs) for the mission 

were Major Charles Gordon Fullerton (USAF), Lt. 

Commander Bruce McCandless II (USN), Fred Wallace 

Haise, Jr., and Evans. The support crew were McCandless, 

Lt. Colonel William Reid Pogue (USAF), Fullerton, and 

Phillip Kenyon Chapman, Sc.D. The flight directors were 

M.P. "Pete" Frank and Glynn S. Lunney (first shift), Milton 

L. Windler (second shift), Gerald D. Griffin (third shift), 

and Glynn S. Lunney (fourth shift). 

The Apollo 14 launch vehicle was a Saturn V, designated 

SA-509. The mission also carried the designation Eastern 

Test Range #7194. The CSM was designated CSM-110 and 

had the call-sign "Kitty Hawk." The lunar module was designated LM-8 and had the call-sign "Antares." 

Launch Preparations 

The terminal countdown was picked up at T-28 hours at 

06:00:00 GMT on 30 January 1971. Scheduled holds were 

initiated at T-9 hours for 9 hours 23 minutes and at T-3 

hours 30 minutes for one hour. 

At launch time, a cold front extended through northern 

Florida. Scattered rain shower activity existed to the south 

of this front throughout the morning of launch, but the 

showers did not reach the launch area until just before the 

scheduled launch time. A band of cumulus congestus 

clouds with showers developed about 30 minutes before 

scheduled launch time along a line extending from 

Orlando toward the northern Merritt Island Launch Area 

(MILA). This, and the threat of lightning, necessitated a 

40-minute 2-second hold at T-8 minutes until the showers 

had moved a sufficient distance from the launch complex. 

Although it was raining prior to launch, there was no rain 

at the pad at the time of launch, but the vehicle did travel 

through the cloud decks. 

Surface winds in the Cape Canaveral area were fairly light 

and westerly. Cumulus clouds covered 70 percent of the 

sky (base 4,000 feet) and altocumulus covered 20 percent 

(base 8,000 feet), the temperature was 71.1o F, the relative 

humidity was 86 percent, and the barometric pressure was 

14.652 lb/in2. The winds, as measured by the anemometer 

on the light pole 60.0 feet above ground at the launch site, 

measured 9.7 knots at 255° from true north. The winds, as 

1 Shepard died of leukemia 21 july 1998 in Community Hospital on the Monterey Peninsula, CA. 

2 Roosa died of complications from pancreatitis 12 December 1994 in Washington, DC. (NASA Headquarters Release No. 94-210). 

Apollo 14 ~ 
Ascent Phase 

Apollo 14 was launched from Kennedy Space Center 

Launch Complex 39, Pad A, at a Range Zero time of 

21:03:02 GMT (04:03:02 p.m. EST) on 31 January 1971. 

The planned launch window was from 20:23:00 GMT on 

31 January to 00:12:00 GMT on 1 February to take advantage of a sun elevation angle on the lunar surface of 10.3°. 

Between 000:00:12.814 and 000:00:28.000, the vehicle rolled 

from a launch pad azimuth of 90° to a flight azimuth of 

75.558°. The S-IC engine shut down at 000:02:44.094, followed by S-IC/S-II separation and S-II engine ignition. The 

S-II engine shut down at 000:09:19.05, followed by separation from the S-IVB, which ignited at 000:09:23.4. The first 

S-IVB engine cutoff occurred at 000:11:40.56, with deviations from the planned trajectory of only -2.6 ft/sec in 

velocity; altitude was exactly as planned. 

The maximum wind conditions encountered during ascent 

were 102.6 knots at 255° from true north at 43,270 feet, 

and a maximum wind shear of 0.0201 sec-1 at 43,720 feet. 

Parking orbit conditions at insertion, 000:11:50.56 (S-IVB 

cutoff plus 10 seconds to account for engine tailoff and 

other transient effects), showed an apogee and perigee of 

100.1 by 98.9 n mi, an inclination of 31.120°, a period of 

88.18 minutes, and a velocity of 25,565.9 ft/sec. The apogee 

and perigee were based upon a spherical Earth with a 

radius of 3,443.934 n mi. 

The international designation for the CSM upon achieving 

orbit was 1971-008A, and the S-IVB was designated 

1971-008B. After undocking at the moon, the LM ascent 

stage would be designated 1971-008C and the descent stage 

1971-008D. 

After inflight systems checks, the 350.84-second translumr 

injection maneuver (second S-IVB firing) was performed at 

002:28:32.40. The S-IVB engine shut down at 002:34:23.24 

and translunar injection occurred ten seconds later, at a 

velocity of 35,541.0 ft/sec after 1.5 Earth orbits lasting 

2 hours 22 minutes 42.68 seconds. 

Apollo 14lifts off from Kennedy Space Center Pad 

(NASA S71-18398). 

Translunar Phase 

At 003:02:29.4, the CSM was separated from the S-IV

stage. Transposition occurred normally; however, six d

ing attempts were required before the CSM was succe

ly docked with the LM at 004:56:56.0. The docked sp

craft were ejected from the S-IVB by a 6.9-second 

maneuver at 005:47:14.4, and an 80.2-second separati

maneuver was performed at 006:04:01.7. Inflight exam

tion of the docking probe revealed no problems. It w

therefore assumed that the capture-latch assembly mu

not have been in the locked configuration during the 

five attempts. 

As on Apollo 13, the S-IVB stage was targeted to imp

the Moon within a prescribed area to supply seismic 

A 252.2-second auxiliary propulsion system lunar imp

maneuver was performed at 009:04:11.2 to accomplish 

objective. The S-IVB impacted the lunar surface at 

082:37:52.17. The impact point was latitude 8.07° sou

and longitude 26.04° west, 159 n mi from the target p

and 94 n mi southwest of the Apollo 12 seismometer

seismometer recorded the impact 37 seconds later and 

responded to vibrations for more than three hours. A

impact, the S-IVB weighed 30,836 pounds and was tr

ing 8,343 ft/sec. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Translunar activities included star and Earth horiwn calibration sightings in preparation for a cislunar navigation 

exercise to be performed during transearth coast, and 

dim-light photography of the Earth. A 10.19-second midcourse correction was made at 030:36:07.91. At 060:30, the 

commander and lunar module pilot transferred to the LM 

for two hours of housekeeping and systems checks. While 

there, the crew photographed a wastewater dump from the 

CM to obtain data for a particle contamination study 

being conducted for the Skylab program. A second midcourse correction, a 0.65-second maneuver, was made at 

076:58:11.98 to achieve the final trajectory desired for

lunar-orbit insertion. 

At 054:33:36, a clock update was performed to compensate 

for the weather hold during the launch countdown. This 

procedure, which added 40 minutes 2.9 seconds to the 

mission time clock, was an aid to the command module 

pilot while in lunar orbit because it eliminated the need 

for numerous updates to his flight log. 

At 081:56:40.70, at an altitude of 87.4 n mi above the

Moon, the service propulsion engine was fired for 370.84 

seconds to insert the spacecraft into a lunar orbit of 169.0 

by 58.1 n mi. The translunar coast had lasted 79 hours 

28 minutes 18.30 seconds. 

Lunar Orbit/Lunar Surface Phase 

At 086:10:52.97, a 20.81-second service propulsion system 

maneuver was performed and established the descent orbit 

of 58.8 by 9.1 n mi in preparation for undocking of the

LM. On previous missions, the descent orbit insertion 

maneuver had been performed with the LM descent 

propulsion system. A change was made on this mission to 

allow a greater margin of LM propellant for landing in a 

more rugged area. 

The commander and lunar module pilot entered the LM at 

101:20 to perform system checks and prepare for undocking. A 2.7-second firing of the service module reaction 

control system separated the CM from the LM at 

103:47:41.6 and resulted in an orbit of 60.2 by 7.8 n mi. A 

4.02-second maneuver at 105:11:46.11 circularized the CSM 

to 63.9 by 56.0 n mi. 

Following vehicle separation and before powered descent, 

ground personnel detected the presence of an abort command at a computer input channel although the crew had

not depressed the abort switch. The failure was isolated to 

the abort switch, and to prevent an unwanted abort, a 

workaround procedure was developed. The procedure was 

followed and the 764.61-second powered descent was performed successfully at 108:02:26.52 at an altitude of 7.8 n mi. 

CSM photographed against black background following 

separation from LM (NASA AS14-66-9344). 

Approximately six minutes after initial actuation of the 

landing radar, the system switched to the low-range scale, 

forcing the trackers into the narrow-band mode of operation. This ranging scale problem would have prevented 

acquisition of radar data until late in the descent-and 

prevented a lunar landing-but it was corrected by cycling 

the circuit breaker on and off manually. 

Near-vertical view of the Apollo 14 Fra Mauro landing 

site (NASA S70-49764). 

First contact with the lunar surface occurred at 09:18:11 

GMT (04:18:11 a.m. EST) on 5 February at 108:15:09.30, 

with engine shutdown 1.83 seconds later. The spacecraft 

landed in the Fra Mauro highlands at latitude 3.64530° 

south and longitude 17.47136° west, the intended landing 

Apollo 14 � 
ization began at 113:39:11. The first extravehicular activity 

began 49 minutes late due to intermittent PLSS communications during the EVA preparations. Proper communications were established during a rerun of the checklist. The 

cause was believed to have been an LM configuration 

problem. A recycling of the audio circuit breaker cleared 

the problem. 

The commander exited at 113:47. He was followed eight 

minutes later by the lunar module pilot, whose first task 

was to collect the contingency sample. 

Shepard shades his eyes after descending to the lun~ 

surface for the first time (NASA AS14-66-9230). 

During the first extravehicular period, the crew deployed 

the television, S-band antenna, and solar wind experiment; 

deployed and loaded the modularized equipment; collected 

samples; and photographed activities, panoramas, and 

equipment. 

At 115:46, the pair began their trip to the Apollo lunar 

surface experiments package deployment site, about 500 

feet west of the LM. They also deployed the laser-ranging 

retro-reflector 100 feet west of the ALSEP. The first ALSEP 

data were received on Earth at 116:47:58. 

Several problems were encountered during the deployment 

of the ALSEP package. They were as follows: difficulty in 

releasing the Boyd bolt on the suprathermal ion detector; 

stiffness in the cable between the suprathermal ion detector 

and the cold cathode ion gauge, which caused the cold 

Laser-Ranging Retro-Retlector, set up during EVA-

(NASA AS14-67-9386). 

Although communications were nominal during this 

od, gradual degradation of the television picture reso

was noted during the latter part of the EVA. 

View of the Passive Seismic Experiment set up du

EVA-1 (NASA AS14-67-9362}. 

The crew entered the LM and the cabin was repressu

at 118:27:01. The first extravehicular activity period l

4 hours 47 minutes 50 seconds. The distance traveled 

3,300 feet (1 km}; an estimated 45.2 pounds (20.5 kg

samples were collected. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Shepard holds U.S. flag during EVA-I (NASA ASI4-66­

9232). 

View of the left rear quadrant of the LM on the lunar 

surface as seen during EVA-I (NASA ASI4-66-9277). 

Shepard walks to the MET during EVA-I. Mitchell is in 

the background setting up various lunar surface experiments (NASA S71-I95IO). 

LM seen from a distance as the crew traverses the lunar 

surface during EVA-I. Note MET tracks (NASA ASI4-67­

9367). 

Components of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments 

Package (ALSEP) deployed during EVA-I (NASA ASI4­

67-9376). 

During the lunar surface operations, the CSM made an 

18.50-second plane change maneuver at 117:29:33.17, 

which adjusted the orbit to 67.1 by 57.7 n mi. 

The second extravehicular activity began with cabin 

depressurization at 131:08:13, 27 minutes earlier than 

planned, and commander egress at 131:13, followed by the 

lunar module pilot seven minutes later. 

In preparation for an excursion to the area of Cone Crater, 

0.7 n mi (1.3 km) east-northeast of the landing site, the 

crew prepared and loaded the modular equipment transporter. They experienced difficulties in navigating the 

slopes and fell 30 minutes behind schedule. As a result, 

Apollo 14 ~ 
At Station C-Prime during EVA-I, in a field of small 

boulders, Shepard takes a series of panoramic photographs. He is about 250 feet from the southern rim of 

Cone Crater (NASA AS14-64-9099). 

Mitchell looks at traverse map during EVA-2. Note lunar 

dust clinging to the left leg of his suit (NASA AS14-64­

9089). 

En route to Cone Crater, photographs, various samples, 

and terrain descriptions were obtained. Rock and soil samples were collected in a blocky field near the rim. 

During EVA-2, Shepard stands near a boulder refer

to later as "The Big Rock" (NASA AS14-68-9414). 

On the return to the LM, the crew also obtained mag

tometer measurements at two sites along the traverse. 

estimated 1.5-foot trench was dug and samples were t

An unsuccessful attempt to obtain a triple core tube s

was made, but other containerized samples were collec

An alignment adjustment was made to the ALSEP Ce

Station's antenna just prior to crew ingress preparatio

order to improve the signal strength being received at 

Manned Space Flight Network ground stations. This 

improved signal strength approximately 1/2 db; howev

data could still be received by the 30-foot antenna. 

Before reentering the LM, the commander dropped tw

golf balls on the surface. Using a golf club face attach

the handle of the contingency sample collector, he hit 

first ball into a crater and sent the next one into the 

lunar night. 

The second extravehicular activity period lasted 4 hou

minutes 41 seconds. The distance traveled was 9,800 f

km); an estimated 49.2 pounds (22.3 kg) of samples w

collected. The crew reentered the LM and the cabin w

repressurized at 135:42:54, thus ending the Apollo pro

gram's third piloted exploration of the Moon. 

While the landing crew was on the lunar surface, the co

mand module pilot performed tasks to obtain data for s

tific analyses and future mission planning. These tasks in

ed orbital science photography of the lunar surface, 

photography of the proposed Descartes landing site for 

selection studies, photography of the lunar surface unde

high-sun-angle lighting conditions for operations plannin

photography of low-brightness astronomical light source

photography of the Gegenschein and Moulton Point reg

Apollo by the Numbers 
"Weird Rock:' a large boulder approximately five feet 

wide, photographed by Shepard during EVA-2 (NASA 

AS14-64-9135). 

View of the MET as seen from inside the LM after EVA-2. 

Shadow of the erectable S-hand antenna can be seen 

(NASA AS14-66-9340). 

For the mission, the total time spent outside the LM was 9 

hours 22 minutes 31 seconds, the total distance traveled 

was 13,100 feet (4 km), and the collected samples totaled 

93.21 pounds ( 42.28 kg; official total in kilograms as determined by the Lunar Receiving Laboratory in Houston). 

The farthest point traveled from the LM was 4,770 feet. 

Ignition of the ascent stage engine for lunar liftoff 

occurred at 18:48:42 GMT (13:48:42 EST) on 6 February 

at 141:45:40. The LM had been on the lunar surface for 33 

hours 30 minutes 31 seconds. 

View of Descartes, proposed landing site for Apollo 16 

(NASA AS14-69-9560). 

The 432.1-second firing of the ascent engine placed the 

vehicle directly into a 51.7 by 8.5 n mi orbit, the first use 

of a direct lunar orbit rendezvous in the Apollo program. 

However, a 12.1-second vernier adjustment was required at 

141:56:49.4 and altered the orbit to 51.2 by 8.4 n mi. 

A 3.6-second terminal phase initiate maneuver at 

142:30:51.1 and two small midcourse corrections brought 

the ascent stage to an orbit of 60.1 by 46.0 n mi. The 

ascent stage made a 26.7-second maneuver at 143:13:29.1 

to finalize the orbit at 61.5 by 58.2 n mi for docking with 

the CSM at 143:32:50.5 at an altitude of 58.6 n mi. The 

two craft had been undocked for 39 hours 45 minutes 8.9 

seconds. During the braking phase for docking, telemetry 

indicated that the abort guidance system had failed, but no 

caution and warning signals were on. A cycling of all circuit breakers and switches did not remedy this condition. 

During docking, no probe/drogue problems were experienced. The probe was returned for postflight analysis. 

Television during rendezvous and docking was excellent 

and clearly showed the docking maneuver. 

After transfer of the crew and samples to the CM, the 

ascent stage was jettisoned at 145:44:58.0, and the CSM 

was prepared for transearth injection. The ascent stage was 

then maneuvered by remote control to impact the lunar 

surface. A 15.8-second maneuver was made at 145:49:42.5 

to separate the CM from the ascent stage, and resulted in 

Apollo 14 ~ 
Apollo 12 landing site, and 7 n mi from the target. 

View of the CSM from the LM during rendezvous 

(NASA AS14-66-9348). 

On Apollo 14, special dust control procedures were used to 

effectively decrease the amount of lunar surface dust in the 

cabins. On previous missions, dust adhering to equipment 

being returned to Earth had created a problem. 

Following a 149.23-second maneuver at 148:36:02.30, 

transearth injection was achieved at 148:38:31.53 at a 

velocity of 8,505 ft/sec after 34 lunar orbits lasting 66 

hours 35 minutes 39.99 seconds. 

Transearth Phase 

During transearth coast, a 3.0-second midcourse correction 

of 0.5 ft/sec was made at 165:34:56.69 using the service 

module reaction control system. In addition, a special oxygen flowrate test was performed to evaluate the system for 

planned extravehicular activities on subsequent missions, 

and a navigation exercise simulating a return to Earth 

without ground control was conducted using only the 

guidance and navigation system. Scientific investigations 

included televised demonstrations of electrophoretic sepa

The service module was jettisoned at 215:32:42.2, and 

CM followed a normal entry profile. The command m

ule reentered the Earth's atmosphere (400,000 feet alti

at 215:47:45.3 at a velocity of 36,170 ft/sec following a 

transearth coast of 67 hours 9 minutes 13.8 seconds. T

service module should have entered Earth's atmospher

and its debris should have landed in the Pacific Ocean 

n mi southwest of the CM splashdown; however, no r

data or sightings confirmed the entry or impact. 

The parachute system effected splashdown of the CM 

the Pacific Ocean at 21:05:00 GMT (16:05:00 EST) on 

9 February. 

CM about to splash down at the end of the mission 

(NASA S71-18753). 

Mission duration was 216:01:58.1. The impact point w

about 0.6 n mi from the target point and 3.8 n mi fr

the recovery ship U.S.S. New Orleans. The splashdown 

was estimated to be latitude 27.02° south and longitud

172.67° west. 

After splashdown, the CM assumed an apex-up flotati

attitude. The crew was retrieved by helicopter and was 

aboard the recovery ship 48 minutes after splashdown. 

CM was recovered 76 minutes later. The estimated CM 

weight at splashdown was 11,481.2 pounds, and the es

mated distance traveled for the mission was 1,000,279 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Crew in raft following splashdown (L to r.): Mitchell, 

Roosa, Shepard (NASA S71-19475). 

Apollo 14 crew on prime recovery ship U.S.S. New

Orleans (NASA S71-19473). 

The crew remained aboard the New Orleans in the mobile 

quarantine facility until they departed by aircraft for Pago 

Pago, Samoa, at 17:46 GMT on 11 February. They were 

then transferred to a second mobile quarantine facility 

aboard a C-141 aircraft and flown to Ellington Air Force 

Base, Houston, where they arrived at 09:34 GMT on 12 

February, following a refueling stop at Norton Air Force 

Base, California. The crew entered the lunar receiving laboratory at 11:35 GMT the same day. 

After the New Orleans arrived at Hawaii, the CM and first 

mobile quarantine facility were offloaded at 21:30 GMT on 

17 February. The first mobile quarantine facility was sent 

by aircraft to Houston, where it arrived at 07:40 GMT on 

18 February. The CM was taken to Hickam Air Force Base, 

Hawaii, for deactivation. Upon completion of deactivation, 

at 23:00 GMT on 19 February, it was transferred to 

Ellington Air Force Base via C-133 aircraft, where it 

arrived at 21:45 GMT on 22 February. 

The crew and medical support personnel were released 

from quarantine on 26 February, and the CM and lunar 

samples were released on 4 ApriL The tests showed no evidence of lunar microorganisms at the three sites explored, 

and this was considered to be sufficient justification for discon�uing the quarantine procedures on future missions. 

On 8 April 1971, the CM was delivered to the North

American Rockwell Space Division facility in Downey, 

California, for postflight analysis.

Conclusions 

The Apollo 14 mission was the third successful lunar landing and demonstrated excellent performance of all contributing elements, thereby resulting in the collection of a 

wealth of scientific information. All of the objectives and 

experiment operations were accomplished satisfactorily 

except for some desired photography that could not be

obtained 

The following conclusions were made from an analysis of 

post-mission data: 

I. Cryogenic oxygen system hardware modifications and changes

made as a result of the Apollo 13 failure satisfied, within safe

limits, all system requirements for future missions, including

extravehicular activity.

2. The advantages of piloted space flight were again clearly demonstrated on this mission by the crew's ability to diagnose and

work around hardware problems and malfunctions which other�

wise might have resulted in mission termination.

3. Navigation was the most difficult lunar surface task because of

problems in finding and recognizing small features, reduced visibility in the up-sun and down-sun directions, and the inability

to judge distances.

4. Rendezvous within one orbit of lunar ascent was demonstrated

fur the first time in the Apollo program. This type of rendezvous

reduces the time between lunar liftoff and docking by approxiApollo 14 � 
Mitchell and Shepard examine some of the rock samples 

they brought back from the Moon (NASA S71-20375). 

5. 	On previous lunar missions, lunar surface dust adhering to 

equipment being returned to Earth had created a problem in 

both spacecraft. The special dust control procedures and equipment used on this mission were effective in lowering the overall 

level of dust. 

6. 	Onboard navigation without air-to-ground communications was 

successfully demonstrated during the transearth phase of the 

mission to be sufficiently accurate for use as a contingency 

mode of operation during future missions. 

7. Launching through cumulus clouds with tops up to 10,000 feet 

was demonstrated to be a safe launch restriction for the prevention of triggered lightning. The cloud conditions at liftoff were at 

the limit of this restriction and no triggered lightning was 

recorded during the launch phase. 

pgpypg 

materials in a preselected region of the Fra Mauro formati

Achieved. 

2. 	To deploy and activate the Apollo lunar surface experimen

package (ALSEP). Achieved. 

3. To develop human capability to work in the lunar environ

Achieved. 

4. 	To obtain photographs of candidate exploration sites. Achi

Detailed Objectives 

Contingency sample collection. Achieved. 

1. 	 Photographs of a candidate exploration site. Partially achie

On the low-altitude pass (fourth revolution), the camera ma

tioned and no usable photography was obtained of Descarte

During the stereo strip photographic pass, the S-band high-g

antenna malfunctioned, and no usable high-bit-rate telemet

and consequently, no camera shutter-open data, were obtain

2. 	Visibility at high-sun angles. Partially achieved. The last of 

sets of observations was deleted to provide another opportu

photograph the Descartes area; however, sufficient data were 

lected to verify that the visibility analytical model could be 

for Apollo planning purposes. 

3. Modular equipment transporter evaluation. Achieved. 

4. Selenodetic reference point update. Achieved. 

5. 	Command and service module orbital science photography. 

Partially achieved. The lunar topographic camera malfunctio

and the Hasselblad 70 mm camera with the 500 mm lens wa

stituted. The photography was excellent, but the resolution wa

siderably lower than possible with the lunar topographic cam

6. Assessment of extravehicular activity operation limits. Ach

7. 	Command and service module oxygen flow rate. Achieved

8. 	Transearth lunar photography. Partially achieved. Excellent p

raphy ofthe lunar surface was obtained, but no lunar topogr

photography was obtained because of a camera malfunction. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Detailed Objectives Added During Mission 

1. 	S-IVB photography. Not achieved. The S-IVB could not be identified on the film during post-mission analysis. 

2. 	Command and service module water-dump photography. 

Partially achieved. Although some water particles were seen on 

photographs of the water dump, there was no indication of the 

''snowstorm" described by the crew. 

Experiments 

1. ALSEP IV: Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package. 

a. 	Lunar passive seismology. Achieved. 

b. 	Lunar active seismology. Achieved. 

c. Suprathermal ion detector. Achieved. 

d. 	Charged particle lunar environment. Achieved. 

e. Cold cathode gauge. Achieved. 

f. 	 Lunar dust detector. Achieved. 

2. 	Lunar geology investigation. Achieved. 

3. Laser-ranging retro-reflector. Achieved. 

4. Solar wind composition. Achieved. 

5. S-band transponder. Achieved. 

6. 	Downlink bistatic radar observation of the Moon. Achieved. 

7. 	Apollo window meteoroid experiment. Achieved. 

8. 	Gegenschein from lunar orbit. Achieved. 

9. 	Portable magnetometer. Achieved. 

10. Soil mechanics. Achieved. 

11. Bone mineral measurement. Achieved. 

2. 	 Heat flow and convection (Marshall Space Flight Center). 

Achieved. 

3. 	Liquid transfer (Lewis Research Center). Achieved. 

4. 	Composite casting (Marshall Space Flight Center). Achieved. 

Operational Tests 

1. For Manned Spacecraft Center 

a. 	Lunar gravity measurement (using the lunar module primary guidance system). Achieved. 

b. 	Hydrogen maser test (a network and unified S-band investigation sponsored by the Goddard Space Flight Center). 

Achieved. 

2. 	For Department of Defense 

a. 	Chapel Bell (classified Department of Defense test). Results 

classified. 

b. 	Radar skin tracking. Results classified. 

c. 	Ionospheric disturbance from missiles. Results classified. 

d. Acoustic measurement of missile exhaust noise. Results 

classified. 

e. 	Army acoustic test. Results classified. 

f. 	Long-focal-length optical system. Results classified. 

Launch Vehicle Objectives 

1. 	To launch on a flight azimuth between 72° and 96° and insert 

the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft into the planned circular 

Earth parking orbit. Achieved. 

2. To restart the S-IVB during either the second or third revolution 

and inject the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft into the 

planned translunar trajectory. Achieved. 

Apollo 14 ~ 
and service module/lunar module from the S-IVB/instrument 

unit. Achieved. 

5. 	To attempt to impact the S-IVB/instrument unit on the lunar 

surface within 350 kilometers (189 nautical miles) of latitude 

01 o 35' 06" south, longitude 33° 15' west. Achieved. 

6. To determine actual impact point within 5.0 kilometers (2.7 

nautical miles) and time of impact within one second. Achieved. 

7. To vent and dump the remaining gases and propellants to safe 

the S-IVB/instrument unit after final launch vehicle/spacecraft 

separation. Achieved. 

8. 	To verify the operation of the liquid oxygen feedline accumulator systems installed on the S-11 stage center engine. Achieved. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Individual and combined CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

Integrated CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

LM #8 final engineering evaluation acceptance test at factory. 

LM #8 integrated test at factory. 

LM ascent stage #8 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM descent stage #8 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

CM #110 and SM #110 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

CM #110 and SM #110 delivered to KSC. 

CM #110 and SM #110 mated. 

LM ascent stage #8 delivered to KSC. 

LM descent stage #8 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IC stage #9 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IC stage #9 erected on MLP #2. 

LM ascent stage #8 and descent stage #8 mated. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #509 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-II stage #9 delivered to KSC. 

LM #8 combined systems test comp1eted. 

CSM #110 combined systems test completed. 

Spacecraft/LM adapter # 17 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn V instrument unit #509 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-II stage #9 erected. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #509 erected. 

Saturn V instrument unit #509 erected. 

Launch vehicle electrical systems test completed. 

LM #8 altitude tests completed. 

Launch vehicle propellant dispersion/malfunction overall test completed. 

CSM #110 altitude tests completed. 

Launch vehicle service arm overall test completed. 

CSM #110 moved to VAB. 

Spacecraft erected. 

Space vehicle and MLP #2 transferred to launch complex 39A. 

LM #8 combined systems test completed. 

CSM #110 integrated systems test completed. 

CSM #110 electrically mated to launch vehicle. 

LM #7 flight readiness test completed. 

Space vehicle overall test #1 (plugs in) completed. 

Space vehicle flight readiness test completed. 

Saturn S-IC stage #9 RP-1 fuel loading completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (wet) completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (dry) completed. 

02 Apr 1969 

07 May 1969 

25 Aug 1969 

25 Aug 1969 

08 Nov 1969 

13 Nov 1969 

17 Nov 1969 

19 Nov 1969 

24 Nov 1969 

24 Nov 1969 

24 Nov 1969 

11 Jan 1970 

14 Jan 1970 

20 Jan 1970 

20 Jan 1970 

21 Jan 1970 

22 Jan 1970 

02 Feb 1970 

31 Mar 1970 

06 May 1970 

12 May 1970 

13 May 1970 

14 May 1970 

04 Jun 1970 

22 Jun 1970 

07 Jul 1970 

01 Aug 1970 

21 Oct 1970 

04 Nov 1970 

04 Nov 1970 

09 Nov 1970 

16 Nov 1970 

18 Nov 1970 

13 Dec 1970 

14 Dec 1970 

14 Dec 1970 

19 Dec 1970 

08 Jan 1971 

18 Jan 1971 

19 Jan 1971 

Apollo 14 ~ 
Fixed Fixed Event Geocentric Path Headi

Event GET Altitude Range Velocity Velocity Duration Latitude Longitude Angle Ang

(hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (nmi) (ft!sec) (ft!sec) (sec) (deg N) (deg E) (deg) (E ofN

Liftoff 000:00:00.57 0.060 0.000 1.1 1,340.7 28.4470 -80.6041 0.05 90.0

Mach 1 achieved 000:01:08.0 4.337 1.379 1,077.0 2,082.4 28.4521 -80.5787 26.80 86.0

Maximum dynamic pressure 000:01:21.0 6.649 2.886 1,524.6 2,540.5 28.4580 -80.5509 28.77 84.6

S-IC center engine cutoff 000:02:15.14 23.202 24.169 5,103.0 6,283.6 141.6 28.5441 -80.1598 23.554 79.2

S-IC outboard engine cutoff 000:02:44.10 36.317 51.132 7,741.7 8,972.5 170.6 28.6516 -79.6634 19.584 78.4

S-ICIS-II separation 000:02:44.8 36.663 51.947 7,773.0 9,004.8 28.6548 -79.6484 19.489 78.4

S-II center engine cutoff 000:07:43.09 98.091 594.709 17,212.7 18,554.4 296.59 30.3347 -69.4425 0.829 82.8

S-II outboard engine cutoff 000:09: 19.05 101.556 890.920 21,562.5 22,905.8 392.55 30.8611 -63.7444 0.621 85.7

S-II/S-IVB separation 000:09:20.00 101.596 894.194 21,573.8 22,917.2 30.8654 -63.6810 0.612 85.8

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff 000:11:40.56 103.091 1,406.287 24,215.6 25,559.9 137.16 31.0978 -53.7349 -0.004 91.2

Earth orbit insertion 000:11 :50.56 103.086 1,444.989 24,221.6 25,565.8 31.0806 -52.9826 -0.003 91.6

Apollo 14 Earth Orbit Phase 

Space 

Fixed Event Velocity 

GET Velocity Duration Change Apogee Perigee Period Inclinat

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (ft!sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (n mi) (n mi) (mins) (deg) 

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:50.56 25,565.8 100.1 98.9 88.18 31.120 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition 002:28:32.40 25,579.0 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff 002:34:23.24 35,535.5 350.84 10,366.5 30.835 

Apollo 14 Translunar Phase 

Space 

Fixed Spac

Space Flight Fixe

Fixed Event Velocity Path Head

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle Ang

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft!sec) (sec) (ft!sec) (deg) (E of

Translunar injection 002:34:33.24 179.544 35,51 1.6 7.480 65.58

CSM separated from S-IVB 003:02:29.4 4,289.341 24,102.3 46.810 65.36

CSM docked with LM/S-IVB 004:56:56.7 20,603.4 13,204.1 66.31 84.7

CSM/LM ejection ignition 005:47:14.4 26,299.6 11,723.5 68.54 87.7

CSM/LM ejection cutoff 005:47:21.3 6.9 0.8 

Midcourse correction ignition 030:36:07.91 118,515 4,437.9 76.47 101.9

Midcourse correction cutoff 030:36:18.10 118,522.1 4,367.2 10.19 71.1 76.95 102.2

Midcourse correction ignition 076:58:11.98 11,900.3 3,71 1.4 -80.1 295.

Midcourse correction cutoff 076:58:12.63 11,899.7 3,713.1 0.65 3.5 -80.1 295.6

Apollo by the Numbers 
GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Apogee Perigee 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft!sec) (nmi) (nmi) 

Lunar orbit insertion ignition 081:56:40.70 87.4 8,061.4 

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff 082:02:51.54 64.2 5,458.5 370.84 3,022.4 169.0 58.1 

Descent orbit insertion ignition 086:10:52.97 59.2 5,484.8 

Descent orbit insertion cutoff 086:11:13.78 59 5,279.5 20.81 205.7 58.8 9.1 

CSM/LM undocking!separation ignition 103:47:41.6 30.5 5,435.8 

CSM/LM undocking!separation cutoff 103:47:44.3 2.7 0.8 60.2 7.8 

CSM orbit circularization ignition 105:11:46.11 60.5 5,271.3 

CSM orbit circularization cutoff 105:11:50.13 60.3 5,342.1 4.02 77.2 63.9 56.0 

LM powered descent initiation 108:02:26.52 7.8 5,565.6 

LM powered descent cutoff 108:15:11.13 764.61 

CSM plane change ignition 117:29:33.17 62.1 5,333.1 

CSM plane change cutoff 117:29:51.67 62.1 5,333.3 18.50 370.5 62.1 57.7 

LM lunar liftoff ignition 141:45:40 

Lunar ascent orbit cutoff 141:52:52.1 432.1 6,066.1 51.7 8.5 

LM vernier adjustment ignition 141:56:49.4 11.1 5,548.5 

LM vernier adjustment cutoff 141:57:01.5 12.1 10.3 51.2 8.4 

LM terminal phase initiation ignition 142:30:51.1 44.8 5,396.6 

LM terminal phase initiation cutoff 142:30:54.7 3.6 88.5 60.1 46.0 

LM terminal phase finalize ignition 143:13:29.1 58.8 5,365.5 

LM terminal phase finalize cutoff 143:13:55.8 26.7 32 61.5 58.2 

CSM/LM docked 143:32:50.5 58.6 5,353.5 

LM ascent stage jettisoned 145:44:58.0 59.9 5,344.6 

CSM/LM final separation ignition 145:49:42.5 60.6 5,341.7 

CSM/LM final separation cutoff 145:49:58.3 15.8 3.4 63.4 56.8 

LM ascent stage deorbit ignition 147:14:16.9 57.2 5,358.7 

LM ascent stage fuel depletion 147:15:33.1 57.2 5,177 76.2 186.1 56.7 -59.8 

Apollo 14 Transearth Phase 

Space 

Fixed Space 

Space Flight Fixed 

Fixed Event Velocity Path Heading 

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle Angle 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft!sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (deg) (E ofN) 

Transearth injection ignition 148:36:02.30 60.9 5,340.6 -0.17 260.81 

Transearth injection cutoff 148:38:31.53 66.5 8,505 149.23 3,460.6 5.29 266.89 

Midcourse correction ignition 165:34:56.69 176,713.8 3,593.2 -79.61 124.88 

Midcourse correction cutoff 165:34:59.69 3.00 0.5 

CM/SM separation 215:32:42.2 1,965 29,050.8 -36.62 117.11 

Apollo 14 ~ 
Apollo 14 Timeline

E v e n t

G E T

( h h h :m m :s s )

G M T

T im e

G M T

D a te

Term inal countdow n started. -028:00:00 06:00:00 30 Jan 1971

Scheduled 9 -h o u r 23-m in u te hold at T-9 hours. -009:00:00 01:00:00 31 Jan 1971

C ountdow n resu m ed at T-9 hours. -009:00:00 10:23:00 31 Jan 1971

Scheduled 1-hour hold at T-3 h o u rs 30 m inutes. -003:30:00 15:53:00 31 Jan 1971

C ountdow n resum ed at T-3 h o u rs 30 m inutes. -003:30:00 16:53:00 31 Jan 1971

U nscheduled 4 0 -m in u te 2-second w eather ho ld at T-8 m inutes. -000:08:02 20:15:00 31 Jan 1971

C ountdow n resu m ed at T-8 m inutes. -000:08:02 20:55:02 31 Jan 1971

G uidance reference release. -000:00:16.960 21:02:45 31 Jan 1971

S-IC engine s ta rt com m and. -000:00:08.9 21:02:53 31 Jan 1971

S-IC engine ignition (#5). -000:00:06.5 21:02:55 31 Jan 1971

All S-IC engines th ru st OK. -000:00:01.6 21:03:00 31 Jan 1971

R ange zero. 000:00:00.00 21:03:02 31 Jan 1971

All holddow n a rm s released (1st m o tio n ) (1.05 g). 000:00:00.2 21:03:02 31 Jan 1971

Liftoff (um bilical disconnected). 000:00:00.57 21:03:02 31 Jan 1971

Tower clearance yaw m an eu v er started. 000:00:01.958 21:03:04 31 Jan 1971

Yaw m an eu v er ended. 000:00:09.896 21:03:11 31 Jan 1971

Pitch a n d roll m aneuver started. 000:00:12.814 21:03:14 31 Jan 1971

Roll m an eu v er ended. 000:00:28.000 21:03:30 31 Jan 1971

M ach 1 achieved. 000:01:08.0 21:04:10 31 Jan 1971

M axim um b e n d in g m o m en t (116,000,000 lbf-in). 000:01:16 21:04:18 31 Jan 1971

M axim um dynam ic p ressure (655.80 lb /ft2). 000:01:21.0 21:04:23 31 Jan 1971

S-IC center engine cutoff com m and. 000:02:15.14 21:05:17 31 Jan 1971

Pitch m an eu v er ended. 000:02:44.088 21:05:46 31 Jan 1971

S-IC o u tb o ard engine cutoff. 000:02:44.10 21:05:46 31 Jan 1971

S-IC m ax im u m total in ertial acceleration (3.82 g). 000:02:44.18 21:05:46 31 Jan 1971

S-IC m ax im u m E arth-fixed velocity. 000:02:44.59 21:05:46 31 Jan 1971

S-IC/S-II sep aratio n com m and. 000:02:44.8 21:05:46 31 Jan 1971

S-II engine s ta rt com m and. 000:02:45.5 21:05:47 31 Jan 1971

S-II ignition. 000:02:46.5 21:05:48 31 Jan 1971

S-II aft interstage jettisoned. 000:03:14.8 21:06:16 31 Jan 1971

L aunch escape tow er jettisoned. 000:03:20.7 21:06:22 31 Jan 1971

Iterative guidance m o d e initiated. 000:03:25.912 21:06:27 31 Jan 1971

S-IC apex. 000:04:31.8 21:07:33 31 Jan 1971

S-II center engine cutoff. 000:07:43.09 21:10:45 31 Jan 1971

S-II m ax im u m total inertial acceleration (1.81 g). 000:07:43.17 21:10:45 31 Jan 1971

S-IC im p act (theoretical). 000:09:06.2 21:12:08 31 Jan 1971

S-II o u tb o ard engine cutoff. 000:09:19.05 21:12:21 31 Jan 1971

S-II/S-IVB sep aratio n com m and. 000:09:20.00 21:12:22 31 Jan 1971

S-II m ax im u m E arth-fixed velocity. 000:09:20.07 21:12:22 31 Jan 1971

S-IVB 1st b u rn s ta rt co m m and. 000:09:20.1 21:12:22 31 Jan 1971

S-IVB 1st b u rn ignition. 000:09:23.4 21:12:25 31 Jan 1971

S-IVB ullage case jettisoned. 000:09:31.8 21:12:33 31 Jan 1971

S-II apex. 000:10:00.2 21:13:02 31 Jan 1971

S-IVB 1st b u rn cutoff co m m and. 000:11:40.56 21:14:42 31 Jan 1971

S-IVB 1st b u rn m ax im u m total inertial acceleration (0.67 g). 000:11:40.66 21:14:42 31 Jan 1971

E arth o rb it insertion. S-IVB 1st b u rn m ax im u m E arth-fixed velocity. 000:11:50.56 21:14:52 31 Jan 1971

M aneuver to local horizontal attitu d e started. 000:12:02.092 21:15:04 31 Jan 1971

O rbital navigation started. 000:13:22.323 21:16:24 31 Jan 1971

S-II im p act (theoretical). 000:20:46.3 21:23:48 31 Jan 1971

S-IVB 2 n d b u rn restart preparation. 002:18:54.20 23:21:56 31 Jan 1971

S-IVB 2 n d b u m restart com m and. 002:28:24.10 23:31:26 31 Jan 1971

176 Apollo by the Numbers
Apollo 14 Timeline

Event

GET GMT GMT

(hhh:mm:ss) Time Date

S-IVB 2 n d b u rn ignition. 002:28:32.40 23:31:34 31 Jan 1971

S-IVB 2 n d b u rn cutoff. 002:34:23.24 23:37:25 31 Jan 1971

S-IVB 2 n d b u rn m ax im u m total inertial acceleration (1.45 g). 002:34:23.34 23:37:25 31 Jan 1971

S-IVB 2 n d b u rn m ax im u m E arth-fixed velocity. 002:34:23.67 23:37:25 31 Jan 1971

S-IVB safing procedures started. 002:34:23.9 23:37:25 31 Jan 1971

T ranslunar injection. 002:34:33.24 23:37:35 31 Jan 1971

O rbital navigation started. 002:36:54.841 23:39:56 31 Jan 1971

M aneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 002:36:55.064 23:39:57 31 Jan 1971

M aneuver to tran sp o sitio n an d docking attitu d e started. 002:51:04.339 23:54:06 31 Jan 1971

M aneuver to tran sp o sitio n an d docking attitude ended. 002:55:23.37 23:58:25 31 Jan 1971

1st docking attem p t— 2 n d contact. 003:14:01.5 00:17:03 01 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n started. 003:05 00:08 01 Feb 1971

CSM sep arated from S-IVB. 003:02:29.4 00:05:31 01 Feb 1971

1st docking attem p t— 1st contact. 003:13:53.7 00:16:55 01 Feb 1971

1st docking attem p t— 3rd contact. 003:14:04.45 00:17:06 01 Feb 1971

1st docking attem p t— 4 th contact. 003:14:09.0 00:17:11 01 Feb 1971

2 n d docking attem pt. 003:14:43.7 00:17:45 01 Feb 1971

3rd docking attem pt. 003:16:43.4 00:19:45 01 Feb 1971

4 th docking attem pt. 003:23:41.7 00:26:43 01 Feb 1971

5th docking attem pt. 004:32:29.3 01:35:31 01 Feb 1971

6 th docking attem pt. 004:56:44.9 01:59:46 01 Feb 1971

CSM docked w ith LM /S-IVB (initial docking latch triggered). 004:56:56.7 01:59:58 01 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n ended. 005:00 02:03 01 Feb 1971

CSM /LM ejected from S-IVB (RCS ignition). 005:47:14.4 02:50:16 01 Feb 1971

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB (RCS cutoff). 005:47:21.3 02:50:23 01 Feb 1971

M aneuver to attitu d e for S-IVB APS evasive b u rn initiated. 005:55:30 02:58:32 01 Feb 1971

S-IVB APS evasive m aneuver ignition. 006:04:01.7 03:07:03 01 Feb 1971

S-IVB APS evasive m aneuver cu to ff 006:05:21.9 03:08:23 01 Feb 1971

M aneuver to S-IVB LOX d u m p attitu d e initiated. 006:13:43.0 03:16:45 01 Feb 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— CVS vent for lu n ar targeting velocity change started. 006:20:40.5 03:23:42 01 Feb 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— LOX d u m p started. 006:25:20.5 03:28:22 01 Feb 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— CVS vent for lu n ar targeting velocity change started. 006:25:40.5 03:28:42 01 Feb 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m aneuver— LOX d u m p ended. 006:26:08.5 03:29:10 01 Feb 1971

M aneuver to attitu d e required for final S-IVB APS b u rn initiated. 008:43:41.0 05:46:43 01 Feb 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m aneuver— APS ignition. 008:59:59.0 06:03:01 01 Feb 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im p act m aneuver— APS cutoff. 009:04:11.2 06:07:13 01 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n started. 011:00 08:03 01 Feb 1971

H atch, probe, an d drogue rem oved for inspection. 011:30 08:33 01 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n ended. 012:12 09:15:02 01 Feb 1971

M idcourse correction ignition (SPS). 030:36:07.91 03:39:09 02 Feb 1971

M idcourse correction cutoff. 030:36:18.10 03:39:20 02 Feb 1971

E arth darkside dim -light photography. 031:00 04:03 02 Feb 1971

S-IVB photography. 034:00 07:03 02 Feb 1971

L u n ar topographic cam era unstow ed a n d checked out. 034:15 07:18 02 Feb 1971

Bistatic ra d a r frequency check. 052:00 01:03 03 Feb 1971

M ission clock u p d ated (000:040:02.9 added). 054:53:36 03:56:38 03 Feb 1971

LM pressurization started. 059:50 08:53 03 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n started. 060:05 09:08 03 Feb 1971

Preparation for LM ingress. 060:10 09:13 03 Feb 1971

CDR a n d LM P entered LM. 060:30 09:33 03 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n ended. 060:42 09:45 03 Feb 1971

Apollo 14 177
Apollo 14 Timeline

178 Apollo by the Numbers

Event

G ET

(hhh:m m :ss)

GM T

Tim e

GM T

D ate

LM system checks. 0 61:40 10:43 03 Feb 1971

W ater dum p photography. 0 61:50 10:53 03 Feb 1971

CDR and L M P entered CM. 0 62:20 11:23 0 3 Feb 1971

Equigravisphere. 066:09:01 15:12:03 03 Feb 1971

LM cabin pressurized. 0 75:20 00:23 0 4 Feb 1971

M idcourse correction ignition (SP S). 076 :5 8 :1 1 .9 8 0 2 :0 1 :1 4 0 4 Feb 1971

M idcourse correction cutoff. 076 :5 8 :1 2 .6 3 0 2 :0 1 :1 4 0 4 Feb 1971

LM ascent battery test started. 0 78:20 03:23 0 4 Feb 1971

LM ascent battery test ended. 0 80:20 05:23 0 4 Feb 1971

Lunar orbit insertion ignition (SP S). 081 :5 6 :4 0 .7 0 06:5 9 :4 2 0 4 Feb 1971

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff. 0 8 2 :0 2 :5 1 .5 4 07:0 5 :5 3 0 4 Feb 1971

S -IV B im p act on lunar surface. 082 :3 7 :5 2 .1 7 0 7 :4 0 :5 4 0 4 Feb 1971

CSM land m ark tracking. 0 8 5 :1 0 ■ 10:13 0 4 Feb 1971

D escent orbit in sertion ignition (SP S). 086 :1 0 :5 2 .9 7 11:13:55 0 4 Feb 1971

D escent orbit in sertion cutoff. 0 8 6 :1 1 :1 3 .7 8 11:14:15 0 4 Feb 1971

CSM land m ark tracking. 0 87:10 12:13 0 4 Feb 1971

D escartes photographed. 0 8 8 :5 0 13:53 0 4 Feb 1971

LM pressurized. 101:05 02:08 05 Feb 1971

D ocking tunnel opened. CDR and LM P entered LM . 101:20 02:23 05 Feb 1971

LM activation and system checks. 101:30 02:33 05 Feb 1971

CSM/LM undocking and separation ignition (SM RCS). 103:47:41.6 04:50:43 05 Feb 1971

CSM/LM undocking and separation cutoff. 103:47:44.3 0 4 :5 0 :4 6 05 Feb 1971

CSM land m ark tracking. 104:20 05:23 05 Feb 1971

LM landing site observation. 104:30 05:33 05 Feb 1971

CSM orbit circularization ignition (SP S). 105:11:46.11 06:1 4 :4 8 05 Feb 1971

CSM orbit circularization cutoff. 105:11:50.13 06:1 4 :5 2 05 Feb 1971

Checkout o f LM descent propulsion system and landing radar. 105:40 06:43 05 Feb 1971

CSM land m ark tracking. 106:20 07:23 0 5 Feb 1971

CSM orbital scien ce photography. 107:50 08:53 05 Feb 1971

LM landing radar on. 107:57:18.66 09:0 0 :2 0 0 5 Feb 1971

LM false “data good” indications from landing radar. 107:52:46.66 08:5 5 :4 8 05 Feb 1971

LM landing rad ar sw itched to low scale. 107:57:34.66 0 9 :0 0 :3 6 0 5 Feb 1971

LM loading abo rt bit w ork-around routine started. 107:58:13.80 09:0 1 :1 5 05 Feb 1971

LM powered descent engine ignition (D P S). 108:02:26.52 09:0 5 :2 8 0 5 Feb 1971

LM m anual throttle-up to full throttle position. 108:02:53.80 09:0 5 :5 5 05 Feb 1971

L M m anual target (landing site) update. 108:04:49.80 09:07:51 0 5 Feb 1971

LM throttle down. 108:08:47.68 09:1 1 :4 9 05 Feb 1971

LM landing radar sw itched to high scale. 10 8 :0 8 :5 0 .6 6 09:1 1 :5 2 0 5 Feb 1971

LM landing rad ar velocity data good. 108:09:10.66 09:1 2 :1 2 0 5 Feb 1971

LM Land ing radar range data good. 109:09:12.66 10:12:14 0 5 Feb 1971

LM altitude updates enabled. 109:09:35.80 10:12:37 0 5 Feb 1971

LM approach phase program selected. 109:11:09.80 10:14:11 0 5 Feb 1971

LM pitchover started. 108:11:10.42 09:1 4 :1 2 0 5 Feb 1971

LM landing radar redesignation enabled. 108:11:51.60 09:14:53 0 5 Feb 1971

LM radar antenna to position 2. 108:11:52.66 0 9 :1 4 :5 4 0 5 Feb 1971

LM attitude hold m ode selected. 1 0 8 :13:07.38 0 9 :1 6 :0 9 0 5 Feb 1971

LM landing phase program selected. 108:13:09.80 09:16:11 0 5 Feb 1971

LM lunar landing (left pad touchdow n). 108:15:09.30 09:18:11 0 5 Feb 1971

LM powered descent engine cutoff. 108:15:11.13 09:1 8 :1 3 0 5 Feb 1971

LM right, forw ard, and aft pad touchdow n. 108:15:11.40 0 9 :1 8 :1 3 0 5 Feb 1971

' CSM land m ark tracking. 109:30 10:33 0 5 Feb 1971
Apollo 14 Timeline

Event

GET GMT GMT

(hhh:mm:ss) Time Date

LM lu n ar surface navigation. 110:00 11:03 05 Feb 1971

CSM G egenschein photography. 110:40 11:43 05 Feb 1971

CSM backw ard-looking zero ph ase observations. 111:20 12:23 05 Feb 1971

CSM forw ard-looking zero phase observations. 112:20 13:23 05 Feb 1971

CSM zodiacal light photography. 112:50 13:53 05 Feb 1971

1st EVA sta rte d (LM cabin depressurization started). 113:39:11 14:42:13 05 Feb 1971

Egress sta rte d (CDR). Pre-egress operations started (LM P). 113:47 14:50 05 Feb 1971

1st EVA television tran sm issio n started. 113:50 14:53 05 Feb 1971

CDR on lu n ar surface. E nvironm ental fam iliarization, m o d u lar eq uipm ent tran sp o rter

unloading, an d television deploym ent (CDR). 113:51 14:54 05 Feb 1971

LMP egress. 113:55 14:58 05 Feb 1971

E nvironm ental fam iliarization, contingency sam ple collection (LM P). 113:57 15:00 05 Feb 1971

CSM tracking o f landed LM. 114:10 15:13 05 Feb 1971

S-band an ten n a deploym ent started (CDR). 114:12 15:15 05 Feb 1971

Solar w in d com position experim ent deployed (LM P). 114:13 15:16 05 Feb 1971

L aser-ranging retroreflector unloading sta rte d (LM P). 114:14 15:17 05 Feb 1971

E xpendables transferred (CDR). 114:22 15:25 05 Feb 1971

LM P ingress. 114:23 15:26 05 Feb 1971

S -band an ten n a sw itching (LM P). 114:25 15:28 05 Feb 1971

LMP egress. 114:37 15:40 05 Feb 1971

C am era setup (LM P). 114:39 15:42 05 Feb 1971

U nited States flag deployed a n d photographed. 114:41 15:44 05 Feb 1971

LM an d site inspection (CDR). Traverse to television sta rte d (LM P). 114:47 15:50 05 Feb 1971

TV p a n o ram a (LM P). 114:50 15:53 05 Feb 1971

M odular equ ip m en t tra n sp o rte r deploym ent (LM P). CSM lan d m a rk tracking. 115:00 16:03 05 Feb 1971

TV transfer to scientific eq u ip m en t bay (CDR). 115:05 16:08 05 Feb 1971

E x perim ent package offloading sta rte d (CDR an d LM P). 115:08 16:11 05 Feb 1971

TV positioning (CDR). 115:22 16:25 05 Feb 1971

M odular equ ip m en t tran sp o rte r loading (CDR). 115:25 16:28 05 Feb 1971

Traverse to experim ent package deploym ent site (CDR, LM P). 115:46 16:49 05 Feb 1971

E xperim ent package system interconnect, th u m p e r a n d geophone unloading sta rte d (LM P). 116:03 17:06 05 Feb 1971

E x perim ent package system interconnect, passive seism ic experim ent offloading,

laser-ranging retroreflector deploym ent. 116:04 17:07 05 Feb 1971

M ortar offloaded (LM P). 116:26 17:29 05 Feb 1971

C harged p article lu n ar environm ent experim ent deploym ent (CDR). 116:30 17:33 05 Feb 1971

S upratherm al ion detector experim ent unloading an d deploym ent (LM P). 116:34 17:37 05 Feb 1971

D eploym ent of experim ent package antenna, passive seism ic experim ent, an d laser-ranging

retroreflector an d sam ple collection (CDR). 116:35 17:38 05 Feb 1971

CSM galactic survey photography. 116:40 17:43 05 Feb 1971

P enetrom eter activity (LM P). 116:45 17:48 05 Feb 1971

G eophone deploym ent sta rte d (LM P). 116:47 17:50 05 Feb 1971

1st ALSEP d ata received on E arth. 116:47:58 17:51:00 05 Feb 1971

T h u m p er activity (LM P). 117:02 18:05 05 Feb 1971

CSM plane change ignition (SPS). 117:29:33.17 18:32:35 05 Feb 1971

CSM plane change cutoff. 117:29:51.67 18:32:53 05 Feb 1971

M ortar pack arm in g sta rte d (LM P). 117:37 18:40 05 Feb 1971

R eturn traverse sta rte d (CDR). 117:38 18:41 05 Feb 1971

R etu rn traverse sta rte d (LM P). 117:42 18:45 05 Feb 1971

EVA closeout (LM P). 117:54 18:57 05 Feb 1971

Sam ple collection (CDR). 118:00 19:03 05 Feb 1971

EVA closeout (CDR). 118:03 19:06 05 Feb 1971

Apollo 14 179
Apollo 14 Timeline

Event

GET GMT GMT

(hhh:mm:ss) Time Date

CSM E arth sh in e photography. 118:10 19:13 05 Feb 1971

LM P ingress. 118:15 19:18 05 Feb 1971

EVA e n d ed (LM P). 118:18 19:21 05 Feb 1971

CDR ingress. 118:19 19:22 05 Feb 1971

1st EVA television tran sm issio n ended. 118:20 19:23 05 Feb 1971

1st EVA e n d ed (cabin pressurization started ). 118:27:01 19:30:03 05 Feb 1971

VHF bistatic ra d a r test started. 119:10 20:13 05 Feb 1971

CSM orbital science photography. 129:30 06:33 06 Feb 1971

S -band bistatic ra d ar test started. 129:45 06:48 06 Feb 1971

VHF an d S -band bistatic ra d a r tests term inated. 130:20 07:23 06 Feb 1971

2 n d EVA sta rte d (cabin depressurization started). 131:08:13 08:11:15 06 Feb 1971

CDR egress. 131:13 08:16 06 Feb 1971

Fam iliarization an d transferal o f equ ip m en t transfer bag (CDR). LMP egress. CSM vertical

a n d orbital science photography. 131:20 08:23 06 Feb 1971

M odular equ ip m en t tra n sp o rte r prep aratio n (LM P). 131:21 08:24 06 Feb 1971

M odular eq u ip m en t tra n sp o rte r loading (CDR). 131:28 08:31 06 Feb 1971

L unar p o rtab le m ag n eto m eter offloading (CDR). 131:38 08:41 06 Feb 1971

L unar p o rtab le m ag n eto m eter offloading (LM P). 131:39 08:42 06 Feb 1971

2 n d EVA television tran sm issio n started. 131:40 08:43 06 Feb 1971

Evaluation o f m o d u lar eq uipm ent tra n sp o rte r track (CDR). 131:43 08:46 06 Feb 1971

L unar p o rtab le m ag n eto m eter operation (LM P). 131:44 08:47 06 Feb 1971

D eparted LM for station A (CDR). 131:46 08:49 06 Feb 1971

D eparted LM for station A (LM P). 131:48 08:51 06 Feb 1971

Station A activity (CDR/LM P). 131:54 08:57 06 Feb 1971

CSM galactic survey photography. 132:25 09:28 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station A for station B (CDR/LM P). 132:26 09:29 06 Feb 1971

Station B activity (CDR/LM P). 132:34 09:37 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station B for station Delta (CDR/LM P). 132:39 09:42 06 Feb 1971

CSM lu n ar libration photography. 132:35 09:38 06 Feb 1971

Station D elta activity (CDR/LM P). 132:42 09:45 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station Delta for station B1 (LM P). 132:44 09:47 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station Delta for station B1 (CDR/LM P). 132:45 09:48 06 Feb 1971

Station B1 activity (CDR/LM P). 132:48 09:51 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station B1 for station B2 (CDR/LM P). 132:52 09:55 06 Feb 1971

Station B2 activity (CDR/LM P). 132:57 10:00 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station B2 for station B3 (CDR/LM P). 133:00 10:03 06 Feb 1971

Station B3 activity (CDR/LM P). 133:14 10:17 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station B2 for station C p rim e (CDR/LM P). 133:16 10:19 06 Feb 1971

Station C p rim e activity (CDR/LM P). 133:22 10:25 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station C p rim e for station C l (CDR/LM P). 133:38 10:41 06 Feb 1971

Station C l activity (CDR/LM P). 133:40 10:43 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station C l for station C2 (CDR/LM P). 133:46 10:49 06 Feb 1971

Station C2 activity (CDR/LM P). 133:52 10:55 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station C2 for station E (CDR/LM P). 133:54 10:57 06 Feb 1971

Station E activity (CDR/LM P). • 134:00 11:03 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station E for station F (CDR/LM P). 134:02 11:05 06 Feb 1971

Station F activity (CDR/LM P). 134:06 11:09 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station F for station G (CDR/LM P). 134:09 11:12 06 Feb 1971

Station G activity (CDR/LM P). 134:11 11:14 06 Feb 1971

D eparted station G for station G1 (CDR/LM P). 134:47 11:50 06 Feb 1971

Station G1 activity (CDR/LM P). 134:49 11:52 06 Feb 1971

180 Apollo by the Numbers
Apollo 14 Timeline

Event

GET

(hhh:mm:ss)

GMT

Time

GMT

Date

D eparted station G1 for LM (CDR/LM P). 134:52 11:55 06 Feb 1971

EVA closeout (CDR). 134:55 11:58 06 Feb 1971

EVA closeout (LM P). 134:57 12:00 06 Feb 1971

Solar w in d com position experim ent retrieved. 135:13 12:16 06 Feb 1971

CSM contingency photography of D escartes. 135:20 12:23 06 Feb 1971

EVA en d ed (LM P). 135:25 12:28 06 Feb 1971

EVA en d ed (CDR). Post-EVA activity operations p rio r to LM cabin repressurization (LM P). 135:35 12:38 06 Feb 1971

Post-EVA activity operations p rio r to LM cabin repressurization (CDR). 135:41 12:44 06 Feb 1971

2 n d EVA television tran sm issio n ended.

2 n d EVA e n d ed (cabin repressurization started). 135:42:54 12:45:56 06 Feb 1971

LM cabin depressurized, equipm ent jettisoned, cabin repressurized. 136:40 13:43 06 Feb 1971

CSM lan d m a rk tracking started. 137:10 14:13 06 Feb 1971

CSM lan d m a rk tracking ended. 137:55 14:58 06 Feb 1971

R endezvous ra d ar activation an d self-test. 138:40 15:43 06 Feb 1971

CSM backw ard-looking zero ph ase observations a n d orbital science photography. 139:00 16:03 06 Feb 1971

CSM forw ard-looking zero phase observations. 139:55 16:58 06 Feb 1971

LM lu n ar liftoff ignition (LM APS). 141:45:40 18:48:42 06 Feb 1971

L unar ascent orbit cutoff. 141:52:52.1 18:55:54 06 Feb 1971

V ernier adjustm ent ignition (LM RCS). 141:56:49.4 18:59:51 06 Feb 1971

V ernier ad ju stm en t cutoff. 141:5 7 :01.5 19:00:03 06 Feb 1971

T erm inal p hase initiation ignition. 142:30:51.1 19:33:53 06 Feb 1971

T erm inal p hase initiation cutoff. 142:30:54.7 19:33:56 06 Feb 1971

LM 1st m idcourse correction. 142:45 19:48 06 Feb 1971

LM 2 n d m idcourse correction. 143:00 20:03 06 Feb 1971

Term inal phase finalize ignition. 143:13:29.1 20:16:31 06 Feb 1971

T erm inal p hase finalize cutoff. 143:13:55.8 20:16:57 06 Feb 1971

T V tran sm issio n started. 143:15 20:18 06 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n ended. 143:20 20:23 06 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n started. 143:28 20:31 06 Feb 1971

CSM/LM docked. 143:32:50.5 20:35:52 06 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n ended. 143:35 20:38 06 Feb 1971

E quipm ent an d sam ples tran sferred to CM. 144:00 21:03 06 Feb 1971

LM ascent stage jettisoned. 145:44:58.0 22:48:00 06 Feb 1971

CSM /LM final separation ignition (SM RCS). 145:49:42.5 22:52:44 06 Feb 1971

CSM /LM final separation cutoff. 145:49:58.3 22:53:00 06 Feb 1971

C ontam ination control. 146:20 23:23 06 Feb 1971

LM ascent stage deorbit ignition (LM RCS). 147:14:16.9 00:17:18 07 Feb 1971

LM ascent stage fuel depletion. 147:15:33.1 00:18:35 07 Feb 1971

LM ascent stage im pact on lu n ar surface. 147:42:23.4 00:45:25 07 Feb 1971

Apollo 12 LM im pact p o in t a n d Apollo 13 an d Apollo 14 S-IVB im pact points photographed. 147:45 00:48 07 Feb 1971

T ransearth injection ignition (SPS). 148:36:02.30 01:39:04 07 Feb 1971

T ransearth injection cutoff. 148:38:31.53 01:41:33 07 Feb 1971

L unar photography. 148:55 01:58 07 Feb 1971

C islunar navigation started. 163:30 16:33 07 Feb 1971

C islunar navigation ended. 164:20 17:23 07 Feb 1971

M idcourse correction ignition (SM RCS). 165:34:56.69 18:37:58 07 Feb 1971

M idcourse correction cutoff. 165:34:59.69 18:38:01 07 Feb 1971

C islunar navigation started. 165:40 18:43 07 Feb 1971

C islunar navigation ended. 166:50 19:53 07 Feb 1971

Oxygen flow rate test attitu d e started. 167:25 20:28 07 Feb 1971

Oxygen flow rate test started. 167:50 20:53 07 Feb 1971

Apollo 14 181
Apollo 14 Timeline

Event

GET

(hhh:mm:ss)

GMT

Time

GMT

Date

Oxygen flow rate test ended. 169:00 22:03 07 Feb 1971

Oxygen flow rate test attitu d e ended. 170:40 23:43 07 Feb 1971

C ontam ination control. 171:20 00:23 08 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n started. 171:30 00:33 08 Feb 1971

Inflight d e m o n stratio n s started. 171:50 00:53 08 Feb 1971

Inflight d em o n stratio n s ended. . 172:09 01:12 08 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n ended. 172:20 01:23 08 Feb 1971

Light flash experim ent started. 190:50 19:53 08 Feb 1971

Light flash experim ent ended. 191:50 20:53 08 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n started. 194:29 23:32 08 Feb 1971

TV tran sm issio n ended. 194:52 23:55 08 Feb 1971

E arth darkside dim -light photography. 197:44 02:47 09 Feb 1971

CM/SM separation. 215:32:42.2 20:35:44 09 Feb 1971

Entry. 215:47:45.3 20:50:47 09 Feb 1971

C om m unication blackout started. 215:48:02 20:51:04 09 Feb 1971

C om m unication blackout ended. 215:51:19 20:54:21 09 Feb 1971

S -band contact w ith CM established by recovery forces. 215:52 20:55 09 Feb 1971

R ad ar contact w ith CM established by recovery ship. 215:53 20:56 09 Feb 1971

D rogue parachute deployed. 215:56:08 20:59:10 09 Feb 1971

Visual contact w ith CM established by recovery helicopter. 215:57 21:00 09 Feb 1971

Voice contact w ith CM established by recovery ship. 

M ain p arach u te deployed.

215:58 21:01 09 Feb 1971

Splashdow n (w ent to apex-up). 216:01:58.1 21:05:00 09 Feb 1971

VHF beacon contact established w ith CM by recovery helicopter. 216:04 21:07 09 Feb 1971

Sw im m ers deployed to CM. 216:09 21:12 09 Feb 1971

Flotation collar inflated. 216:17 21:20 09 Feb 1971

D econtam ination sw im m er deployed. 216:24 21:27 09 Feb 1971

H atch o pened for crew egress. 216:37 21:40 09 Feb 1971

Crew in life raft. 216:38 21:41 09 Feb 1971

Crew aboard recovery helicopter. 216:45 21:48 09 Feb 1971

Crew ab o ard recovery ship. 216:50 21:53 09 Feb 1971

Crew entered m obile q u a ran tin e facility. 217:00 22:03 09 Feb 1971

CM ab o ard recovery ship. 218:06 23:09 09 Feb 1971

1st sam ple flight d e p arted recovery ship. 246:52 03:55 11 Feb 1971

Flight crew d ep arted recovery ship. 260:43 17:46 11 Feb 1971

1st sam ple flight arrived in H ouston. 263:54 20:57 11 Feb 1971

Flight crew arrived in H ouston. 276:31 09:34 12 Feb 1971

Flight crew in L unar Receiving Laboratory. 278:32 11:35 12 Feb 1971

M obile q u a ran tin e facility a n d CM offloaded in HI. 408:27 21:30 17 Feb 1971

M obile q u a ran tin e facility arrived in H ouston. 418:37 07:40 18 Feb 1971

RCS deactivation com pleted. 457:57 23:00 19 Feb 1971

CM arrived in H ouston. 528:42 21:45 22 Feb 1971

CM delivered to L unar Receiving Laboratory. 

Crew released from qu aran tin e.

530:27 23:30 22 Feb 1971

182 Apollo by the Numbers
APOLLO 15 


The Ninth Mission: 


The Fourth Lunar Landing 

Apollo 15 crew (1. tor.): Dave Scott, AI Worden, Jim 

Irwin (NASA S71-37963). 

Background 

Apollo 15 was the first of the three Type J missions, consisting of extensive scientific investigations of the Moon on 

the lunar surface and from lunar orbit. It was designed to 

conduct exploration of the Moon over longer periods, over 

greater ranges, and with more instruments for scientific 

data acquisition than on previous Apollo missions. Major 

modifications and augmentations to the basic Apollo hardware were made. The most significant was the installation 

of a scientific instrument module in one of the service 

module bays for scientific investigations from lunar orbit. 

Other hardware changes consisted of LM modifications to 

accommodate a greater payload and permit a longer stay 

on the lunar surface, the provision of a lunar rover vehicle 

(LRV), and a scientific subsatellite to be deployed into 

lunar orbit. 

Planned to be used on this and the next two lunar missions, the LRV was a four-wheeled, lightweight vehicle 

designed to greatly extend the area that could be explored 

on the lunar surface. The LRV had five major systems: 

mobility, crew station, navigation, power, and thermal control. Auxiliary equipment included the lunar communications relay unit with high and low gain antennas, ground 

control television assembly, a motion picture camera, scientific equipment, astronaut tools, and sample stowage bags. 

It was 10 feet 2 inches long, and 44.8 inches high, with a 

7.5-foot wheelbase. Two 36-volt batteries provided power, 

although one alone would provide enough power for all 

LRV systems. Earth weight was 462 pounds, with a payload 

pouds). ote gt to te oo, te V was o

and stowed in Quad 1 of the LM descent stage. After 

ing, the astronauts would manually deploy the vehicle 

prepare it for cargo loading and operation. The LRV 

designed to operate for 78 hours during the lunar da

could travel a cumulative distance of 35 nautical mile

within a five-mile radius from the LM. 

Lunar Rover Vehicle (LRV) to be used for the first 

on Apollo 15 to significantly extend the area the a

nauts could explore within the constraints of time 

consumables (NASA S71-00166). 

The chosen landing site was an area near the foot of 

Montes Apenninus (Apennine Mountains) and adjace

Hadley Rille. 

The primary objectives for Apollo 15 were: 

• to perform selenological inspection, survey, and sampling o

materials and surface features in a preselected area of the 

Hadley-Apennine region; 

• to emplace and activate surface experiments; 

• to evaluate the capability of the Apollo equipment to provi

extended lunar surface stay time, increased extravehicular 

tions, and surface mobility; and 

• to conduct inflight experiments and photographic tasks fro

lunar orbit. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Selected as an astronaut in 1963, Scott had been pilot of 

Gemini 8, the first docking of two vehicles in space, and 

command module pilot of Apollo 9, the first flight test of 

the LM. Born 6 June 1932 in San Antonio, Texas, he was 

39 years old at the time of the Apollo 15 mission. Scott 

received a B.S. from the U.S. Military Academy in 1954 

and a M.S. in aeronautics and astronautics from the 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1962. His backup 

for the mission was Captain Richard Francis "Dick" 

Gordon, Jr. (USN). 

Worden and Irwin were making their first spaceflights. 

Worden was born 7 February 1932 in Jackson, Michigan, 

and was 39 years old at the time of the Apollo 15 mission. 

He received a B.S. in military science from the U.S. 

Military Academy in 1955, a M.S. in astronautical and 

aeronautical engineering and a M.S. in instrumentation 

engineering from the University of Michigan in 1963, and 

was selected as an astronaut in 1966. His backup was 

Vance DeVoe Brand. 

Born 17 March 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Irwin 

was 41 years old at the time of the Apollo 15 mission. He 

received a B.S. in naval science from the U.S. Naval 

Academy in 1951, and a M.S. in aeronautical engineering 

and an M.S. in instrumentation engineering from the 

University of Michigan in 1957, and was selected as an 

astronaut in 1966.' His backup was Harrison Hagan "Jack" 

Schmitt, Ph.D. 

The capsule communicators (CAPCOMs) for the mission 

were Joseph Percival Allen IV, Ph.D., Major Charles Gordon 

Fullerton (USAF), Karl Gordon Henize, Ph.D., Commander 

Edgar Dean Mitchell (USN/Sc.D.), Robert AlaB Ridley 

Parker, Ph.D., Schmitt, Captain Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. 

(USN), Gordon, and Brand. The support crew were Henize, 

Allen, and Parker. The flight directors were Gerald D. 

Griffin (first shift), Milton L. Windler (second shift), and 

Glynn S. Lunney and Eugene F. Kranz (third shift). 

The Apollo 15 launch vehicle was a Saturn V, designated 

SA-510. The mission also carried the designation Eastern 

Test Range #7744. The CSM was designated CSM-112, and 

had the call-sign "Endeavour:' The lunar module was designated LM-10 and had the call-sign "Falcon." 

ated at T-9 hours for 9 hours 34 minutes and at T-3 hours 

30 minutes for 1 hour. 

At launch time, the Cape Kennedy launch area was experiencing fair weather resulting from a ridge of high pressure 

extending westward, from the Bermuda High, through central Florida. Cirrus clouds covered 70 percent of the sky 

(base 25,000 feet), the temperature was 85.6° F, the relative 

humidity was 68 percent, and the barometric pressure was 

14.788 lb/in2• The winds, as measured by the anemometer 

on the light pole 60.0 feet above ground at the launch site, 

measured 9.9 knots at 156° from true north. The winds, as 

measured at 530 feet above the launch site, measured 10.5 

knots at 158° from true north. 

Ascent Phase 

Apollo IS liftoff from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A 


(NASA S?l-41356). 


Apollo 15 was launched from Kennedy Space Center 

Launch Complex 39, Pad A, at a Range Zero time of 

13:34:00 GMT (09:34:00 a.m. EDT) on 26 July 1971. The 

planned launch window for Apollo 15 extended to 16:11:00 

GMT to take advantage of a sun elevation angle on the 

lunar surface of 12.0°. 

1 Irwin, who had a history of heart trouble, died of a heart attack on 08 August 1991 in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. 

Apollo IS~ 
separation from the S-IVB, which ignited at 000:09:13.20. 

The first S-IVB engine cutoff occurred at 000:11:34.67, 

with deviations from the planned trajectory of only -2.0 

ft/sec in velocity and only 0.4 n mi in altitude. 

The maximum wind conditions encountered during ascent 

were 36.2 knots at 63° from true north at 45,110 feet and 

a maximum wind shear of 0.0110 sec! at 36,830 feet. 

Parking orbit conditions at insertion, 000:11:44.67 (S-IVB 

cutoff plus 10 seconds to account for engine tailoff and 

other transient effects), showed an apogee and perigee of 

91.5 by 89.6 n mi, an inclination of 29.679°, a period of 

87.84 minutes, and a velocity of 25,602.7 ft/sec. The apogee 

and perigee were based upon a spherical Earth with a 

radius of 3,443.934 n mi. 

The international designation for the CSM upon achieving 

orbit was 1971-063A and the S-IVB was designated 1971­

063B. After undocking at the Moon, the LM ascent stage 

would be designated 1971-063C, the descent stage 1971­

063E, and the subsatellite 1971-063D. 

Translunar Phase 

After inflight systems checks, the 350.79-second translunar 

injection maneuver (second S-IVB firing) was performed at 

002:50:02.90. The S-IVB engine shut down at 002:55:53.61 

and translunar injection occurred ten seconds later at a 

velocity of 35,606.5 ft/sec after 1.5 Earth orbits lasting 2 

hours 44 minutes 19.02 seconds. 

At 003:22:27.2, the CSM was separated from the S-IVB 

stage, transposed, and docked at 003:33:49.50. Onboard 

color television was initiated to cover the docking. The 

docked spacecraft were ejected from the S-IVB at 

004:18:01.2, and an 80.2-second separation maneuver was 

performed at 004:40:01.8. 

At 005:46:00.7, the S-IVB tanks were vented and the auxiliary propulsion system was fired for 241.2 seconds to target the S-IVB for a luna1 impact. An additional 71-second 

maneuver was made at 010:00:01, about 30 minutes later 

than planned. The late burn provided additional tracking 

time to compensate for any trajectory perturbations introduced by liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen tarlk venting. 

The S-IVB impacted the lunar surface at 079:24:41.55. The 

View of Earth from approximately 30,000 n mi (NAS

AS15-91-12343). 

Two minor midcourse corrections were required during 

translunar flight to assure proper lunar orbit injection. 

first was a 0.8-second maneuver at 028:40:22.00 that pr

duced a change in velocity of 5.3 ft/sec. 

The second midcourse correction was performed with 

service propulsion system bank A in order to provide b

ter analysis of an apparent intermittent short. Because 

power could still be applied to the valve with a downstream short, barlk A could be operated satisfactorily in 

manual mode for subsequent firings. The redundant ba

B system was nominal and could be used for automati

starting and shutdown. 

The LM crew entered the LM at 033:56 for checkout, 

approximately 50 minutes earlier than scheduled. LM c

munications checks were performed between 034:21 an

034:45. Good quality voice and data were received even 

though the Goldstone tracking station in California wa

not yet configured correctly during the initial portion o

the down-voice backup checks. Approximately 15 minu

later, the downlink carrier lock was lost for a minute a

half; however, because other stations were tracking, dat

loss was reduced to just a few seconds. 

A television transmission of the CSM and LM interiors 

was broadcast between 034:55 and 035:46. Camera ope

Apollo by the Numbers 
ground testing qualified the unprotected meter for use 

during the remainder of the mission in the spacecraft 

ambient atmosphere. 

Intravehicular transfer and LM housekeeping began at 

056:26, about an hour and a half earlier than scheduled. 

The crew vacuumed the LM to remove broken glass from 

the damaged range/range rate meter. LM checkout was 

completed as planned. 

Based on the first midcourse correction burn test data, it 

was decided to perform all service propulsion system 

maneuvers except lunar orbit insertion and transearth 

injection using bank B only. The insertion and injection 

maneuvers would be dual bank burns with modified procedures to permit automatic start and shutdown on bank 

B. The second midcourse correction, using this propulsion 

system, was made at 073:31:14.81 for 0.91 seconds and 

changed the velocity by 5.4 ft/sec. 

The scientific instrument bay door was jettisoned at 

074:06:47.1. The lunar module pilot photographed the jettisoned door and visually observed it slowly tumbling 

through space away from the CSM and eventually into 

heliocentric orbit. 

At 078:31:46.70, at an altitude of 86.7 n mi above the 

Moon, the service propulsion engine was fired for 398.36 

seconds, inserting the spacecraft into a lunar orbit of 170.1 

by 57.7 n mi. The translunar coast had lasted 75 hours 42 

minutes 21.37 seconds. During the burn, bank A was shut 

down 32 seconds before planned cutoff to obtain performance data on bank B for future single bank burns. 

Lunar Orbit/Lunar Surface Phase 

At 082:39:49:09, a 24.53-second service propulsion system 

maneuver was performed to establish the descent orbit of 

58.5 by 9.6 n mi in preparation for undocking of the LM. 

A 30.40-second orbit trim maneuver was performed at 

095:56:44.70 and adjusted the orbit to 60.3 by 8.8 n mi. 

During the 12th lunar revolution on the far side of the 

Moon at about 100:14, the CSM/LM undocking and separation maneuver was initiated; however, undocking did not 

occur. The crew and ground control decided that the 

probe instrumentation LM/CSM umbilical was either loose 

or disconnected. The command module pilot went into the 

Wide angle view of the target landing site-the 

Apennine Mountains, adjacent to Hadley Rille (jagged 

line) (NASA ASIS-94-12811). 

the spacecraft attitude, undocking and separation were 

achieved approximately 25 minutes late at 100:39:16.2 at an 

altitude of 7.4 n mi. A 3.67-second maneuver at 101:38:58.98 

circularized the CSM orbit to 65.2 by 54.8 n rni in preparation for the acquisition of scientific data. 

View of planned landing site taken with 250 mm lens 

(NASA AS15-96-13010). 

Apollo IS~ 
Hadley Rille at latitude 26.13222° north and longitude 

3.63386° east, and about 1,800 feet from the planned landing point. Approximately 103 seconds of engine firing time 

remained at landing. 

At 106:42:49, two hours after landing, the cabin was 

depressurized and the commander opened the LM top 

hatch to photograph and describe the area surrounding the 

landing site. During this "stand-up EVA'' (SEVA), which 

lasted 33 minutes 7 seconds, he took a series of panoramic 

photos of the area immediately surrounding the LM landing site. 

The first lunar surface extravehicular activity was initiated 

at 119:39:17 when the cabin of the LM was depressurized. 

View of Hadley Delta as seen from the top hatch of the 

LM during the SEVA period following the LM landing 

(NASA ASIS-87-11748). 

On the way down the ladder, the commander deployed the 

modularized equipment stowage assembly (MESA). The 

television in the MESA was activated and the pictures of 

the commander's remaining descent to the lunar surface 

were excellent. The lunar module pilot then exited to the 

surface. While the commander removed the television camera from the MESA and deployed it on a tripod, the lunar 

module pilot collected the contingency sample. 

Scott maneuvers LRV at the start of EVA-I (NASA A

85-11471). 

At 120:18:31, the crew oftloaded the LRV and deploye

13 minutes later. They unstowed the third Apollo luna

surface experiments package (ALSEP) and other equip

ment, and configured the LRV for lunar surface operat

Some problems were experienced in deploying and che

ing out the LRV but these problems were worked out. 

During checkout of the LRV, it was found that the fro

steering mechanism was inoperative. Additionally, there 

were no readouts on the LRV battery #2 ampere/volt 

meter. After minor troubleshooting, a decision was ma

to perform the first extravehicular activity (EVA-1) wit

the LRV front wheel steering activated. 

Irwin works at LRV during EVA-I (NASA ASI5-86­

II602). 


Apollo by the Numbers 
The LMP (large shadow on right) is about to sample fillet on east side of Station 2 boulder during EVA-I. 

Shadow at left is sample bag held by CDR (NASA 

(ASI5-86-II548). 

The mission control center provided television control during various stops. After obtaining additional samples and 

photographs near St. George Crater, the crew returned to 

the LM using the LRV navigation system. 

Underside of overturned boulder during EVA-I (NASA 

ASI5-86-11563). 

heatflow experiment probe was not emplaced because 

drilling was more difficult than expected and the hole was 

not completed. 

Irwin at LRV at end of EVA-I (NASA ASI5-86-11603). 

The crew entered the LM and the cabin was repressurized 

at 126:11:59. The first extravehicular activity lasted 6 hours 

32 minutes 42 seconds, about 27 minutes less than 

planned because of higher than anticipated oxygen usage 

by the commander. The distance traveled in the lunar 

rover vehicle was 33,800 feet (10.3 km), vehicle drive time 

was 1 hour 2 minutes, parked time was 1 hour 14 minutes, and an estimated 31.9 pounds (14.5 kg) of samples 

were collected. 

Between the first and second extravehicular periods, the 

crew spent 16 hours in the LM. The second period began 

at 142:14:48 when the cabin was depressurized. 

After the crew left the LM for the second EVA, they checked 

out the LRV and prepared it for the second traverse. During 

the checkout, they recycled the circuit breakers on the vehicle and the front steering became completely operational. 

The crew started their traverse at 143:10:43, heading south 

to the Apennine front, just east of the first traverse. Stops 

were made at Spur Crater and other points along the base 

of the front, as well as at Dune Crater on the return trip. 

Television transmission was very good. 

Apollo IS~ 
Checkout of LRV prior to EVA-2. Note surface map 

hanging from steering bar (NASA ASlS-82-11200). 

The return route closely followed the outbound route. 

Documented samples, a core sample, and a comprehensive 

sample were collected, and photographs were taken. 

Scott reaches for drill during EVA-2. Solar Wmd 

Spectrometer is in foreground (NASA ASlS-87-11847). 

During this period, the lunar module pilot performed soil 

mechanics tasks. The commander also tried to drill for a 

deep-core sample but terminated the effort because of time 

constraints. 

Apollo by the Numbers 

Irwin uses scoop to make a trench in the lunar so

(NASA ASlS-92-12424). 


After reaching the LM at 148:32:17, the crew returned 

experiments package site where the commander comp

drilling the second hole for the heat flow experiment, 

emplaced the probe, and collected a core tube sample

drill core stems were left at the ALSEP site for retrieva

ing EVA-3. 

Rock-strewn "relatively fresh" crater. Apell114te Fr

and Hadley Delta are in background (NASA ASlS

11082). 
Scott on slope of Hadley Delta during EVA-2 (NASA 

AS15-85-11514). 

View over station 6a into the Swann Hills (AS15-90­

12188). 

The crew then returned to the LM and deployed the 

United States flag. The sample container and film were 

stowed in the LM. 

Scott and Irwin gather lunar samples during EVA-2 (TV 

still image (NASA 571-41426). 

LM photographed against rolling lunar hills during 

EVA-2 (NASA AS15-82-11057). 

The crew entered the LM and the cabin was repressurized 

at 149:27:02. The second extravehicular activity period lasted 7 hours 12 minutes 14 seconds. The distance traveled in 

the lunar rover vehicle was 41,000 feet (12.5 km), vehicle 

drive time was 1 hour 23 minutes, the vehicle was parked 

for 2 hour 34 minutes, and an estimated 76.9 pounds 

(34.9 kg) of samples were collected. 

The crew spent almost 14 hours in the LM before the 

cabin was depressurized for the third extravehicular period 

Apollo IS~ 
Irwin salutes U.S. flag during EVA-3. LM is in background; LRV to the right (NASA AS15-88-11866). 

The first stop was the ALSEP site at 164:09:00 to retrieve 

drill core stem samples left during EVA-2. Two core sections were disengaged and placed in the LRV. The drill and 

the remaining four sections could not be separated and 

were left for later retrieval. 

Group of boulders on the west wall of Hadley Rille seen 

during EVA-3 (NASA AS15-89-12074). 

Apollo by the Numbers 

Interesting feature encountered during EVA-3-a w

ejecta crater on the east rim of St. George Crater (N

AS15-89-12164) 

The third geologic traverse took a westerly direction and 

included stops at Scarp Crater, Rim Crater, and "The Te

near Rim Crater. Extensive samples and a double-core-tu

sample were obtained. 

Scott has put his tongs atop station 6a boulder. No

the LRV right front wheel is off ground (NASA AS

86-11658). 
Blocky-rimmed crater on the left flank of Swann 

Mountain rises into the background, seen during EVA-3 

(NASA AS15-89-12177). 

To prove that items of different mass fall at the same 

speed in zero gravity, Scott drops feather and hammerand it works-as seen in this TV still (NASA S71-43788). 

Photographs were taken of the west wall of Hadley Rille, 

where exposed layering was observed. The return trip was 

east toward the LM with a stop at .the ALSEP site at 

166:43:40 to retrieve the remaining sections of the deepcore sample. One more section was separated, and the 

remaining three sections were returned in one piece. 

During sample collecting, the commander tripped over a 

rock and fell, but experienced no difficulty in getting up. 

To honor fallen astronauts and cosmonauts, a plaque 

and human image were left on the lunar surface (NASA 

ASIS-88-11894). 

After returning to the LM, the LRV was unloaded and 

parked at 167:35:24 for ground-controlled television coverage of the LM ascent. The commander selected a site 

slightly closer to the LM than planned in order to take 

advantage of more elevated terrain for better television 

coverage of the ascent. 

Final parking site for the first lunar rover vehicle which 

will televise the liftoff of the Apollo IS LM ascent stage 

(NASA AS15-88-11901). 

The third extravehicular period lasted 4 hours 49 minutes 

50 seconds. The distance traveled in the lunar rover vehicle 

was 16,700 feet (5.1 km), vehicle drive time was 35 minutes, the vehicle was parked for 1 hour 22 minutes, and an 

estimated 60.2 pounds (27.3 kg) of samples were collected. 

The crew reentered the LM and the cabin was repressurized at 168:08:04, thus ending the Apollo program's fourth 

piloted exploration of the Moon. 

Apollo IS Q§J 
utes, and the collected samples totaled 170.44 pounds 

(77.31 kg; official total in kilograms as determined by the 

Lunar Receiving Laboratory in Houston). The farthest 

point traveled from the LM was 16,470 feet. 

Crater La Hire A, a classic bowl-shaped crater with a 

ridge to the south (NASA AS15-81-11039). 

While the LM was on the surface, the command module 

pilot completed 34 lunar orbits, conducting scientific 

instrument module experiments and operating cameras to 

obtain data concerning the lunar surface and the lunar 

environment. 

Some scientific tasks accomplished during this time were 

photographing the sunlit lunar surface, gathering data 

needed for mapping the bulk chemical composition of the 

lunar surface and for determining the geometry of the 

Moon along the ground track, visually surveying regions of 

the Moon to assist in identifying processes that formed 

geologic features, obtaining lunar atmospheric data, and 

surveying gamma ray and x-ray sources. 

High-resolution photographs were obtained with the 

panoramic and mapping cameras during the missions. An 

18.31-second CSM plane change maneuver had been conducted at 165:11:32.74 and resulted in an orbit of 64.5 by 

53.6 n mi. 

Craters Aristarchus and Herodotus as seen from 

(NASA AS15-88-11980). 

Oblique view of previous photo-the lunar nears

near northeast ridge of Ocean of Storms (NASA 

88-12002). 

Ignition of the ascent stage engine for lunar liftoff o

at 17:11:23 GMT (01:11:23 p.m. EDT) on 2 August 

171:37:23.2. The LM had been on the lunar surface 

hours 54 minutes 53.9 seconds. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Crater Prinz (left) and Cobra's Head features of 

Shroter'~ Valley (NASA AS15-93-12602). 

Interesting view of crescent Earthrise as seen from the 

CM during revolution 70 (NASA AS15-97-13267). 

The 431.0-second firing achieved the initial lunar orbit of 

42.5 by 9.0 n mi. Several rendezvous sequence maneuvers 

were required before docking could occur approximately 

two hours later. 

A 2.6-second terminal phase initiate maneuver at 172:29:40.0 

adjusted the ascent stage orbit to 64.4 by 38.7 n mi. The 

ascent stage and the CSM docked at 173:36:25.5 at an altitude of 57.0 n mi. The two craft had been undocked for 72 

hours 57 minutes 9.3 seconds. 

After transfer of the crew and samples to the CSM, the 

ascent stage was jettisoned at 179:30.01.4, and the CSM was 

prepared for transearth injection. Jettison had been delayed 

one revolution because of difficulty verifying the spacecraft 

tunnel sealing and astronaut pressure suit integrity. 

Liftoff of the LM ascent stage as seen from the TV camera mounted on the LRV (NASA S?l-41512). 

View of the CM and the Scientific Instrument Module 

(SIM) bay following rendezvous with the LM ascent 

stage (NASA AS15-88-11972). 

At 181:04:19.8 and 61.5 n mi altitude, the ascent stage was 

maneuvered to impact the lunar surface by firing the 

engine to depletion, which occurred 83.0 seconds after 

ignition. Impact occurred at latitude 26° 21' north and 

longitude 0° 15' east 03:03:37 GMT on 3 August (11:03:37 

p.m. EDT on 2 August) at 181:29:35.8. The impact point 

was 12.7 n mi (23.5 km) from the planned point and 50 n 

mi (93 km) west of the Apollo 15 landing site. The impact 

was recorded by the Apollo 12, 14, and 15 seismic stations. 

Apollo IS~ 
y g 

orbit of 76.3 by 55.1 n mi at an inclination of -28.7°. The 

subsatellite was instrumented to measure plasma and energetic-particle fluxes, vector magnetic fields, and subsatellite 

velocity from which lunar gravitational anomalies could be 

determined. All systems operated as expected. 

Following a 140.90-second maneuver at 67.6 n mi altitude 

at 223:48:45.84, transearth injection was achieved at 

223:51:06.74 at a velocity of 8,272.4 ft/sec after 74 lunar 

orbits lasting 145:12:41.68. 

Artist's concept of deployment of the subsatellite deployed 

into lunar orbit from the SIM bay (NASA S71-39481). 

Transearth Phase 

At 241:57:12, the command module pilot began a 

transearth coast extravehicular activity. Television coverage 

was provided for the 39-minute ?-second extravehicular 

period during which Worden retrieved panoramic and 

mapping camera film cassettes from the scientific instrument module bay. 

Three excursions were made to the bay. The film cassettes 

were retrieved during trips one and two. The third trip 

was used to observe and report the general condition of 

the instruments, in particular the mapping camera. 

The command module pilot reported no evidence of the 

cause for the mapping camera extend/retract mechanism failure in the extended position and no observable reason for 

the pan camera velocity/altitude sensor failure. He also 

Seismometer readings are studied in Mission Con

(NASA S71-41422). 

CMP Al Worden retrieves film cassettes from the 

module during a transearth EVA (NASA S71-4320

A 22.30-second midcourse correction of 5.6 ft/sec w

formed 291:56:49.91 to put the CSM on a proper tr

Earth entry. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
reentered the Earth's atmosphere ( 400,000 feet altitude) at 

294:58:54.7 at a yelocity of 36,096 ft/sec, following a 

transearth coast of 71 hours 7 minutes 48.0 seconds. 

The parachute system, with two main parachutes properly 

inflated and one collapsed, effected splashdown of the CM 

in the Pacific Ocean at 20:45:53 GMT (04:45:53 p.m. EDT) 

on 7 August. Mission duration was 295:11:53.0. The impact 

point was about 1.0 n mi from the target point and 5 n 

mi from the recovery ship U.S.S. Okinawa. 

The collapsed parachute contributed to the fastest entry 

time in the Apollo program, just 778.3 seconds from entry 

to splashdown. The splashdown site was estimated to be 

latitude 26.13° north and longitude 158.13° west. 

After splashdown, the CM assumed an apex-up flotation 

attitude. The crew was retrieved by helicopter and was 

aboard the recovery 39 minutes after splashdown. The CM 

was recovered 55 minutes later. The estimated CM weight 

at splashdown was 11,731 pounds, and the estimated distance traveled for the mission was 1,107,945 n mi. 

Although one of the three parachutes collapsed prior to 

CM splashdown, the crew was not harmed (NASA S71­

41999). 

Apollo 15 crew members are welcomed by family members upon arrival at Ellington AFB (NASA S71-43428). 

Conclusions 

Scott (left) and Irwin join geologists in looking at 


Apollo 15 rock samples (NASA S71-43203). 


:r'he mission accomplished all primary objectives and provided scientists with a large amount of new information 

concerning the Moon and its characteristics. 

Apollo IS~ 
Rock sample No. 15415 in the Lunar Receiving 

Laboratory, Houston (NASA S71-42951). 

The Apollo 15 mission was the fourth lunar landing and 

resulted in the collection of a wealth of scientific information. The Apollo system, in addition to providing a means 

of transportation, excelled as an operational scientific facility. The following conclusions were made from an analysis 

of post-mission data: 

1. 	 The Apollo 15 mission demonstrated that, with the addition of 

consumables and the installation of scientific instruments, the 

CSM is an effective means of gathering scientific data. Real-time 

data allowed participation by scientists with the crew in planning and making decisions to maximize scientific results. 

2. 	The mission demonstrated that the modified launch vehicle, 

spacecraft, and life support system configurations could successfully transport larger payloads and safely extend the time spent 

on the Moon. 

3. The modified pressure garment and portable life support systems provided better mobility and extended the lunar surface 

extravehicular time. 

4. 	The ground-controlled mobile television camera allowed greater 

real-time participation by Earth-bound scientists and operational personnel during lunar surface extravehicular activity. 

5. 	The practicality of the lunar rover vehicle was demonstrated by 

greatly increasing load-carrying capability and range of exploration of the lunar surface. 

6. The lunar communications relay unit provided the capability for 

continuous communications en route to and at the extended 

ranges made possible by the lunar rover vehicle. 

ggy 

the ground support team for systems monitoring. 

9. The value of human space flight was further demonstra

the unique human capability to observe and think creat

shown in the supplementation and redirection of many 

the crew to enhance scientific data return. 

10. 	The mission confirmed that, in order to maximize mis

cess, crews should train with actual flight equipment o

ment with equal reliability. 

In an attempt to grow "germ-free" plants, lettuce

to, and citrus plants are grown in lunar soil retu

Apollo 15 (NASA S71-51318). 

Apollo IS Objectives 

Spacecraft Primary Objectives 

1. 	To perform selenological inspection, survey, and sampli

materials and surface features in a preselected area of t

Hadley-Apennine region. Achieved. 

2. To emplace and activate surface experiments. Achieved. 

3. 	To evaluate the capability of the Apollo equipment to pr

extended lunar surface stay time, increased extravehicu

tions, and surface mobility. Achieved. 

4. 	 To conduct inflight experiments and photographic tasks 

lunar orbit. Achieved. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
2. 	Extravehicular communications with the lunar communications 

relay unit and ground controlled television assembly. Achieved. 

3. Extravehicular mobility unit assessment on lunar surface. 

Achieved. 

4. 	Lunar module landing effects evaluation. Achieved. 

5. 	Service module orbital photographic tasks. Achieved. 

6. 	Command module photographic tasks. Achieved. 

7. Scientific instrument module thermal data. Achieved. 

8. 	Scientific instrument module inspection during extravehicular 

activity. Achieved. 

9. 	Scientific instrument module door jettison evaluation. Achieved. 

10. Lunar module descent engine performance. Achieved. 

11. Visual observations from lunar orbit. Achieved. 

12. Visual light flash phenomenon. Achieved. 

Experiments 

1. 	Contingency sample collection. Achieved. 

2. 	ALSEP V: Apollo Lunar Scientific Experiment Package. 

a. 	Passive seismic. Achieved. 

b. 	Lunar surface magnetometer. Achieved. 

c. Solar wind spectrometer. Achieved. 

d. 	Suprathermal ion detector. Achieved. 

e. Heat flow. Achieved. 


£ Cold cathode ion gauge. Achieved. 


3. Lunar geology investigation. Achieved. 

4. Laser ranging retroreflector. Achieved. 

5. Solar wind composition. Achieved. 

8. 	Alpha particle spectrometer. Achieved. 

9. 	S-band transponder (command and service module and lunar 

module). Achieved. 

10. Mass spectrometer. Achieved. 

11. 	Downlink bistatic radar observations of the Moon. Achieved. 

12. Apollo window meteoroid. Achieved. 

13. Ultraviolet photography of the Earth and Moon. Achieved. 

14. 	Gegenschein from lunar orbit. Not achieved. The fourteen 35-mm 

photographs scheduled for this experiment were not obtained due 

to an error in the spacecraft photographic attitudes. 

15. Soil mechanics. Achieved. 

16. Bone mineral measurement. Achieved. 

17. Lunar dust detector. Achieved. 

Subsatellite Experiments 

1. S-164: S-hand transponder. Achieved. 

2. S-173: Particle shadows/boundary layer. Achieved. 

3. S-174: Magnetometer. Achieved. 

Operational Tests 

1. For Manned Spacecraft Center. 

a. 	Lunar gravity measurement using the lunar module primary 

guidance system. Achieved. 

b. 	Lunar module voice and data relay test. Achieved. 

2. For Department of Defense/Kennedy Space Center. 

a. 	Chapel Bell (classified Department of Defense test). Results 

classified. 

b. 	Radar skin tracking. Results classified. 

c. 	Ionospheric disturbance from missiles. Results classified. 

Apollo IS~ 
f. 	 Long-focal-length optical system. Results classified. 

g. Sonic boom measurement. Results classified. 

Launch Vehicle Objectives 

1. 	To launch on a flight azimuth between 80° and 100° and insert 

the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft into the planned circular 

Earth parking orbit. Achieved. 

2. 	To restart the S-IVB during either the second or third revolution 

and inject the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft into the 

planned translunar trajectory. Achieved. 

3. 	To provide the required attitude control for the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft during transposition, docking, and ejection. 

Achieved. 

4. 	To perform an evasive maneuver after ejection of the command 

and service module/lunar module from the S-IVB/instrument 

unit. Achieved. 

5. 	To attempt to impact the S-IVB/instrument unit on the lunar 

surface within 350 kilometers {189 nautical miles) of latitude 

3.65° south, longitude 7.58° west. Achieved. 

6. 	To determine actual impact point within 5.0 kilometers {2.7 

nautical miles) and time of impact within one second. Achieved. 

7. 	To vent and dump the remaining gases and propellants to safe 

the S-IVB/instrument unit. Achieved. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Individual and combined CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

Saturn S-II stage #10 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #510 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn V instrument unit #510 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IC stage #10 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IC stage #10 erected on MLP #3. 

Spacecraft/1M adapter #19 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-II stage #10 erected. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #51 0 erected. 

Saturn V instrument unit #510 erected. 

LM #10 final engineering evaluation acceptance test at factory. 

LM #10 integrated test at factory. 

LM ascent stage #10 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #10 delivered to KSC. 

LM descent stage #10 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

Launch vehicle electrical systems test completed. 

Integrated CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

CM #112 and SM #112 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

CM #112 and SM #112 delivered to KSC. 

CM #112 and SM #112 mated. 

LM ascent stage #10 and descent stage #10 mated. 

LM #10 combined systems test completed. 

CSM #112 combined systems test completed. 

LRV #1 delivered to KSC. 

LM #10 altitude tests completed. 

CSM #112 altitude tests completed. 

Launch vehicle propellant dispersion/malfunction overall test completed. 

Launch vehicle service arm overall test completed. 

LRV # 1 installed. 

CSM #112 moved to VAB. 

Spacecraft erected. 

Space vehicle and MLP #3 transferred to launch complex 39A. 

LM #10 combined systems test completed. 

CSM #112 integrated systems test completed. 

CSM #112 electrically mated to launch vehicle. 

Space vehicle overall test #1 (plugs in) completed. 

LM #8 flight readiness test completed. 

Space vehicle flight readiness test completed. 

Saturn S-IC stage #10 RP-1 fuel loading completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (wet) completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (dry) completed. 

05 Nov 1969 

18 May 1970 

13 Jun 1970 

26 Jun 1970 

06 Jul 1970 

08 Jul 1970 

08 Jull970 

15 Sep 1970 

16 Sep 1970 

17 Sep 1970 

21 Sep 1970 

21 Sep 1970 

04 Nov 1970 

06 Nov 1970 

16 Nov 1970 

17 Nov 1970 

24 Nov 1970 

11 Jan 1971 

14 Jan 1971 

18 Jan 1971 

09 Feb 1971 

12 Feb 1971 

08 Mar 1971 

15 Mar 1971 

06 Apr 1971 

09 Apr 1971 

15 Apr 1971 

27 Apr 1971 

28 Apr 1971 

08 May 1971 

08 May 1971 

11 May 1971 

17 May 1971 

18 May 1971 

07 Jun 1971 

09 Jun 1971 

10 Jun 1971 

22 Jun 1971 

06 Jul 1971 

13 Jul 1971 

14 Jul 1971 

Apollo IS~ 
Event 

Liftoff 

Mach 1 achieved 

Maximum dynamic pressure 

S-IC center engine cutoffl 

S-IC outboard engine cutoff 

S-IC/S-11 separation2 

S-II outboard engine cutoff 

S-11/S-IVB separation2 

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff 

Earth orbit insertion 

Event 

Earth orbit insertion 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff 

Event 

Translunar injection 

CSM separated from S-IVB 

CSM docked with LM/S-IVB 

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB 

Midcourse correction ignition 

Midcourse correction cutoff 

Midcourse correction ignition 

Midcourse correction cutoff 

GET 

(hhh:mm:ss) 

000:00:00.58 

000:01:05.0 

000:01:22.0 

000:02:15.96 

000:02:39.56 

000:02:41.2 

000:09:09.06 

000:09:10.1 

000:11:34.67 

000:11:44.67 

Fixed Fixed Event Geocentric Path Head

Altitude Range Velocity Velocity Duration Latitude Longitude Angle An

(n mi) (n mi) (ftlsec) (ftlsec) (deg E) (deg N) (deg E) (deg) (E o

0.060 0.000 1.5 1,340.7 28.4470 -80.6041 0.07 90

4.224 1.004 1,052.0 2,028.1 28.4497 -80.5854 27.86 87

7.401 2.970 1,661.1 2,681.3 28.4555 -80.5847 29.80 85

25.271 25.987 5,518.4 6,708.5 142.5 28.5203 -80.1190 24.217 82

36.947 48.610 7,811.3 9,043.3 166.1 28.5824 -79.6961 21.266 82

37.830 596.012 7,827.6 9,062.2 28.5876 -79.6605 21.021 82

95.184 874.532 21,588.4 22,949.6 386.06 29.6810 -63.9910 0.059 89

95.187 878.126 21,601.2 22,962.5 29.6811 -63.9221 0.047 89

93.215 1,406.808 24,236.4 25,596.7 141.47 29.2688 -53.8183 0.013 95

93.215 1,445.652 24,242.4 25,602.6 29.2052 -53.0807 0.015 95

Apollo IS Earth Orbit Phase 

Space 

Fixed Event Velocity 

GET Velocity Duration Change Apogee Perigee Period Inclina

(hhh:mm:ss) (ftlsec) (sec) (ftlsec) (n mi) (n mi) (mins) (deg

000:11:44.67 25,602.6 91.5 89.6 87.84 29.67

002:50:02.90 25,597.1 

002:55:53.61 35,603.0 350.71 10,414.7 

Apollo IS Translunar Phase 

Space 

Fixed Spa

Space Flight Fix

Fixed Event Velocity Path Hea

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle An

(hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft/sec) (sec) (ftlsec) (deg) (E o

002:56:03.61 173.679 35,579.1 7.430 73.

003:22:27.2 4,028.139 24,586.6 46.015 112

003:33:49.5 5,985.4 21,811.0 51.66 115

004:18:01.2 12,826.9 16,402.2 61.45 119

028:40:22.00 114,783.2 4,849.8 77.22 116

028:40:22.80 114,784.0 4,845.6 0.80 5.3 77.18 116

073:31:14.81 12,618.4 3,963.1 -81.08 -139

073:31:15.72 12,617.7 3,966.8 0.91 5.4 -81.10 -140

2 Only the commanded time is available for this event. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Apogee Perigee 

Event (hhh:nun:ss) (n mi) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (nmi) (nmi) 

Lunar orbit insertion ignition 078:31:46.70 86.7 8,188.6 

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff 078:38:25.06 74.1 5,407.5 398.36 3,000.1 170.1 57.7 

Descent orbit insertion ignition 082:39:49.09 55.3 5,491.7 

Descent orbit insertion cutoff 082:40:13.62 54.9 5,285 24.53 213.9 58.5 9.6 

Descent orbit trim ignition 095:56:44.70 56.4 5,276.9 

Descent orbit trim cutoff 095:57:15.10 50.1 5,314.8 30.40 3.2 60.3 8.8 

LM undocking and separation 100:39:16.2 7.4 5,553.6 

CSM orbit circularization ignition 101:38:58.98 57.1 5,276.5 

CSM orbit circularization cutoff 101:39:02.65 55.8 5,352.3 3.67 68.3 65.2 54.8 

LM powered descent initiation 104:30:09.4 5.8 5,560.2 

LM powered descent cutoff 104:42:28.6 739.2 6813 

CSM plane change ignition 165:11:32.74 61.8 5,318.1 

CSM plane change cutoff 165:11:51.05 62 5,318.8 18.31 330.6 64.5 53.6 

LM lunar liftoff ignition 171:37:23.2 54.8 5,357.1 

LM ascent orbit cutoff 171:44:34.2 431.0 6,059 42.5 9.0 

LM terminal phase initiation ignition 172:29:40.0 34.2 5,368.8 

LM terminal phase initiation cutoff 172:29:42.6 2.6 72.7 64.4 38.7 

CSM/LM docked 173:36:25.5 57 5,345.8 

LM ascent stage jettisoned 179:30:01.4 57.5 5,342.1 

CSM separation from LM 179:50 2 

LM ascent stage deorbit ignition 181:04:19.8 61.5 5,318.9 

LM ascent stage deorbit cutoff 181:05:42.8 61.8 5,196.0 83.0 200.3 

CSM orbit shaping maneuver ignition 221:20:48.02 53.6 5,362.9 

CSM orbit shaping maneuver cutoff 221:20:51.44 53.7 5,379.2 3.42 66.4 76.0 54.3 

Subsatellite deployed 222:39:29.1 62.6 5,331.6 76.3 55.1 

Apollo IS Transearth Phase 

Space 

Fixed Space 

Space Flight Fixed 

Fixed Event Velocity Path Heading 

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle Angle 

Event (hhh:nun:ss) (n mi) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft/sec) (deg) (E of N) 

Transearth injection ignition 223:48:45.84 67.6 5,305.9 0.52 -128.90 

Transearth injection cutoff 223:51:06.74 71.8 8,272.4 140.90 3,046.8 4.43 -129.08 

Midcourse correction ignition 291:56:49.91 25,190.3 11,994.6 -68.47 103.11 

Midcourse correction cutoff 291:57:12.21 25,149.3 12,002.4 22.30 5.6 -68.49 103.09 

CM/SM separation 294:43:55.2 1,951.8 29,001.7 -36.44 56.65 

Apollo 15 ~ 
Terminal countdown started. 

Scheduled 9-hour 34-minute hold at T-9 hours. 

Countdown resumed at T-9 hours. 

Scheduled 1-hour hold at T-3 hours 30 minutes. 

Countdown resumed at T-3 hours 30 minutes. 

Guidance reference release. 

S-IC engine start command. 

S-IC engine ignition (#5). 

All S-IC engines thrust OK. 

Range zero. 

All holddown arms released (1st motion) (1.08 g). 

Liftoff (umbilical disconnected). 

Tower clearance yaw maneuver started. 

Yaw maneuver ended. 

Pitch and roll maneuver started. 

Roll maneuver ended. 

Mach 1 achieved. 

Maximum bending moment (80,000,000 lbf-in). 

Maximum dynamic pressure (768.58 lbfft2). 

S-IC center engine cutoff command. 

Pitch maneuver ended. 

S-IC outboard engine cutoff. Maximum total inertial acceleration (3.97 g). 

S-IC maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

S-IC/S-II separation command. 

S-II engine start command. 

S-II ignition. 

S-II aft interstage jettisoned. 

Launch escape tower jettisoned. 

Iterative guidance mode initiated. 

S-IC apex. 

S-II maximum total inertial acceleration (1.79 g). S-II center engine cutoff. 

S-II outboard engine cutoff. 

S-II maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

S-II/S-IVB separation command. 

S-IVB 1st burn start command. 

S-IVB 1st burn ignition. 

S-II apex. 

S-IC impact (theoretical). 

S-IVB ullage case jettisoned. 

S-IVB 1st burn maximum total inertial acceleration (0.65 g). S-IVB 1st burn cutoff. 

Earth orbit insertion. S-IVB 1st burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

Orbital navigation started. 

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 

S-II impact (theoretical). 

S-IVB 2nd burn restart preparation. 

S-IVB 2nd burn restart command. 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition. 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff and maximum total inertial acceleration (1.40 g). 

S-IVB 2nd burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

Translunar injection. 

Orbital navigation started. 

I 204 I Apollo by the Numbers 

-028:00:00 .J:,23:00:00 24 Jul 197

-009:00:00 18:00:00 25 Jul197

-009:00:00 03:34:00 26 Jul197

-003:30:00 09:04:00 26 Jul197

-003:30:00 10:04:00 26 Jul197

-000:00:16.939 13:33:43 26 Jul 197

-000:00:08.9 13:33:51 26 Jul197

-000:00:06.5 13:33:53 26 Jul197

-000:00:01.4 13:33:58 26 Jul 197

000:00:00.00 13:34:00 26 Jul197

000:00:00.3 13:34:00 26 Jul197

000:00:00.58 13:34:00 26 Jul 197

000:00:01.68 13:34:01 26 Jul197

000:00:09.66 13:34:09 26 Jul197

000:00:12.21 13:34:12 26 Jul197

000:00:23.02 13:34:23 26 Jul197

000:01:05.0 13:35:05 26 Jul197

000:01:20.1 13:35:20 26 Jul 197

000:01 :22.0 13:35:22 26 Jul 197

000:02:15.96 13:36:16 26 Jul197

000:02:36.94 13:36:36 26 Jul197

000:02:39.56 13:36:39 26 Jul197

000:02:40.00 13:36:40 26 Jul197

000:02:41.2 13:36:41 26 Jul 197

000:02:41.9 13:36:41 26 Jul 197

000:02:43.0 13:36:43 26 Jul 197

000:03:11.2 13:37:11 26 Jul 197

000:03:15.9 13:37:15 26 Jul197

000:03:22.62 13:37:22 26 Jul 197

000:04:37.562 13:38:37 26 Jul 197

000:07:39.56 13:41:39 26 Jul197

000:09:09.06 13:43:09 26 Jul 197

000:09:10.00 13:43:10 26 Jul 197

000:09:10.1 13:43:10 26 Jul 197

000:09:10.20 13:43:10 26 Jul197

000:09:13.20 13:43:13 26 Jul197

000:09:13.225 13:43:13 26 Jul 197

000:09:20.839 13:43:20 26 Jul 197

000:09:21.8 13:43:21 26 Jul197

000:11:34.67 13:45:34 26 Jul197

000:11:44.67 13:45:44 26 Jul197

000:11:56.3 13:45:56 26 Jul197

000:13:15.7 13:47:15 26 Jul197

000:19:43.912 13:53:43 26 Jul197

002:40:24.80 16:14:24 26 Jul197

002:49:54.90 16:23:54 26 Jul197

002:50:02.90 16:24:02 26 Jul197

002:55:53.61 16:29:53 26 Jul197

002:55:54.00 16:29:54 26 Jul 197

002:56:03.61 16:30:03 26 Jul197

002:58:26.0 16:32:26 26 Jull97
Apollo 15 Timeline

E vent

GET

(hhh:m m :ss)

G M T

T im e

G M T

D ate

M aneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 002:58:26.2 16:32:26 26 Jul 971

M aneuver to tran sp o sitio n an d docking attitude started. 003:10:54.6 16:44:54 26 Jul 1971

CSM separated from S-IVB. 003:22:27.2 16:56:27 26 Jul 1971

TV tran sm issio n started. 003:25 16:34 26 Jul 1971

CSM docked w ith LM/S-IVB. 003:33:49.5 17:07:49 26 Jul 1971

TV tran sm issio n ended. 003:50 16:34 26 Jul 971

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB. 004:18:01.2 17:52:01 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB APS evasive m aneuver ignition. 004:40:01.8 18:14:01 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB APS evasive m an eu v er cutoff. 004:41:22.0 18:15:22 26 Jul 1971

M aneuver to S-IVB LOX d u m p attitu d e initiated. 004:49:41.8 18:23:41 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— CVS venting closed. 004:56:40.6 18:30:40 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— LOX dum p. S tart o f u n p lan n ed velocity increm ent d u e to

J-2 engine control helium dum p. 005:01:20.6 18:35:20 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im p act m an eu v er— CVS vent opened. 005:01:40.6 18:35:40 26 Jul 971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— LOX d u m p ended. 005:02:08.7 18:36:08 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im p act m an eu v er— J-2 engine control helium d u m p ended. 005:18:51 18:52:51 26 Jul 1971

M aneuver to attitude required for final S-IVB APS b u rn initiated. 005:27:13.5 19:01:13 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— 1st APS ignition. 005:46:00.7 19:20:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— S tart o f 1st u n p lan n ed velocity increm ent d u e to in stru m e n t

u n it th erm al control system w ater valve operations an d APS attitu d e engine reactions. 006:18:00 19:52:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m aneuver— E nd o f 1st velocity in crem en t due to IU/TCS a n d APS effects. 006:23:00 19:57:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— Start o f 2 n d velocity increm ent due to IU/TCS an d APS effects. 006:58:00 20:32:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— E nd o f 2 n d velocity increm ent due to IU/TCS an d APS effects. 007:03:00 20:37:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im p act m an eu v er— S tart o f 3rd velocity increm ent due to IU/TCS an d APS effects. 007:38:00 21:12:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— E nd o f 3rd velocity increm ent due to IU/TCS a n d APS effects. 007:43:00 21:17:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— S tart o f 4 th velocity in crem en t due to IU/TCS an d APS effects. 008:18:00 21:52:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im p act m aneuver— E nd o f 4 th velocity in crem en t d u e to IU/TCS an d APS effects. 008:23:00 21:57:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— Start o f 5th velocity increm ent due to IU/TCS an d APS effects. 008:53:00 22:27:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— E n d o f 5th velocity increm ent due to IU/TCS an d APS effects. 008:58:00 22:32:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— S tart o f 6 th velocity increm ent d u e to IU/TCS an d APS effects. 009:28:00 23:02:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m an eu v er— E nd o f 6th velocity increm ent d u e to IU/TCS an d APS effects. 009:33:00 23:07:00 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im p act m an eu v er— 2 n d APS ignition. 010:00:01 23:34:01 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB lu n ar im pact m aneuver— 2 n d APS cutoff. 010:01:12 23:35:12 26 Jul 1971

S-IVB 0.3° p e r second solar heating avoidance roll com m and. 010:19:22 23:53:22 26 Jul 1971

M idcourse correction ignition. 028:40:22.00 18:14:22 27 Jul 1971

M idcourse correction cutoff. 028:40:22.80 18:14:22 27 Jul 1971

Sextant photography test started. 032:00 21:34 27 Jul 1971

Sextant photography test ended. 032:50 22:24 27 Jul 1971

Preparations for LM ingress. 033:25 22:59 27 Jul 1971

CDR an d LM P entered LM for checkout. 033:56 23:30 27 Jul 1971

TV tran sm issio n o f CM an d LM interiors started. 034:55 00:29 28 Jul 1971

TV tran sm issio n o f CM an d LM interiors ended. 035:46 01:20 28 Jul 1971

CDR an d LM P entered CM. 036:55 02:29 28 Jul 1971

Visual light flash ph en o m en o n observations started. 051:37 17:11 28 Jul 1971

Visual light flash p h en o m en o n observations ended. 052:33 18:07 28 Jul 1971

LM ingress an d housekeeping. 056:26 22:00 28 Jul 1971

CDR an d LM P entered LM for checkout. 057:00 22:34 28 Jul 1971

CDR a n d LM P entered CM. 058:00 23:34 28 Jul 1971

Equigravisphere. 063:55:20 05:29:20 29 Jul 1971

M idcourse correction ignition. 073:31:14.81 15:05:14 29 Jul 1971

M idcourse correction cutoff. 073:31:15.72 15:05:15 29 Jul 1971

A pollo 15 205
Apollo 15 Timeline

E vent

GET

(h hh:m m :ss)

G M T

T im e

G M T

D a te

Scientific in stru m e n t m odule d o o r jettisoned. 074:06:47.1 15:40:47 29 Jul 1971

L unar o rbit in sertio n ignition (SPS). 078:31:46.70 20:05:46 29 Jul 1971

L unar orbit in sertio n cutoff. 078:38:25.06 20:12:25 29 Jul 1971

S-IVB im p act o n lu n ar surface. 079:24:41.55 20:58:41 29 Jul 1971

O rbital science photography started. ' 080:35 22:09 29 Jul 1971

O rbital science photography ended. 080:50 22:24 29 Jul 1971

T erm inator photography. 082:00 23:34 29 Jul 1971

D escent o rbit in sertio n ignition (SPS). 082:39:49.09 00:13:49 30 Jul 1971

D escent orbit in sertio n cutoff. 082:40:13.62 00:14:13 30 Jul 1971

CSM lan d m a rk tracking. 083:45 01:19 30 Jul 1971

T erm inator photography. 084:35 02:09 30 Jul 1971

TV tran sm issio n o f landing site started. 095:00 12:34 30 Jul 1971

TV tran sm issio n o f lan d in g site ended. 095:10 12:44 30 Jul 1971

D escent orbit trim ignition (RCS). 095:56:44.70 13:30:44 30 Jul 1971

D escent orbit trim cutoff. 095:57:15.10 13:31:15 30 Jul 1971

CDR a n d LM P entered LM for activation, checkout, an d platform alignm ent. 098:00 15:34 30 Jul 1971

CM /LM und o ck in g failure due to loose CM /LM um bilical. 100:14 17:48 30 Jul 1971

LM u n d o ck in g an d separation. 100:39:16.2 18:13:16 30 Jul 1971

CSM o rb it circularization ignition (SPS). 101:38:58.98 19:12:59 30 Jul 1971

CSM orbit circularization cutoff. 101:39:02.65 19:13:02 30 Jul 1971

CSM lu n ar surface la n d m a rk tracking. 102:35 20:09 30 Jul 1971

LM landing ra d a r on. 104:25:13.0 21:59:13 30 Jul 1971

LM pow ered descent engine ignition. 104:30:09.4 22:04:09 30 Jul 1971

LM throttle to full-throttle position. 104:30:35.9 22:04:35 30 Jul 1971

LM m an u al target (landing site) update. 104:31:44.2 22:05:44 30 Jul 1971

LM pitchover started. 104:33:10.4 22:07:10 30 Jul 1971

LM lan d in g ra d a r range d ata good. 104:33:26.2 22:07:26 30 Jul 1971

LM landing ra d ar altitude data good. 104:33:38.2 22:07:38 30 Jul 1971

LM landing ra d ar u pdates enabled. 104:33:50.2 22:07:50 30 Jul 1971

LM th ro td e dow n. 104:37:31.1 22:11:31 30 Jul 1971

LM approach p hase p ro g ram selected. . 104:39:32.2 22:13:32 30 Jul 1971

LM lan d in g ra d a r an ten n a to position 2. 104:39:39.0 22:13:39 30 Jul 1971

LM 1st landing p oint redesignation. 104:39:40.0 22:13:40 30 Jul 1971

LM landing ra d ar sw itched to low scale. 104:40:13.0 . 22:14:13 30 Jul 1971

LM attitu d e hold m ode selected. 104:41:08.7 22:15:08 30 Jul 1971

LM lan d in g phase p ro g ram selected. 104:41:10.2 22:15:10 30 Jul 1971

LM pow ered descent engine cutoff. 104:42:28.6 22:16:28 30 Jul 1971

LM lu n ar lan d in g (right side & forw ard footpad contact). 104:42.29.3 22:16:29 30 Jul 1971

LM final settling. 104:42.31.1 22:16:31 30 Jul 1971

CSM orbital science photography. 106:00 23:34 30 Jul 1971

Stand-up EVA sta rte d (Scott). 106:42:49 00:16:49 31 Jul 1971

Stand-up EVA ended. 107:15:56 00:49:56 31 Jul 1971

CSM orbital science photography. 108:00 01:34 31 Jul 1971

CSM orbital science photography.

TV tran sm issio n started for 1st EVA.

108:40 02:14 31 Jul 1971

CSM bistatic ra d ar test. 110:00 03:34 31 Jul 1971

1st EVA sta rte d (LM cabin depressurized). 119:39:17 13:13:17 31 Jul 1971

TV deployed. 119:54:54 13:28:54 31 Jul 1971

C ontingency sam ple collected. 120:00:05 13:34:05 31 Jul 1971

L unar rover vehicle (LRV) offloaded. 120:18:31 13:52:31 31 Jul 1971

206 Apollo by the Numbers
Apollo 15 Timeline

E vent

GET

(h hh:m m :ss)

G M T

T im e

G M T

D a te

LRV deployed. 120:31:33 14:05:33 31 Jul 1971

LRV configured for traverse. 121:24:03 14:58:03 31 Jul 1971

D eparted for station 1.

A rrived at station 1. Perform ed radial sam pling, gathered d o cum ented sam ples, and

121:44:55 15:18:55 31 Jul 1971

p erfo rm ed pan o ram ic photography. 122:10:46 15:44:46 31 Jul 1971

D eparted for station 2.

A rrived at station 2. G athered sam ples, ob tain ed a double core tu b e sam ple an d perform ed

122:22:36 15:56:36 31 Jul 1971

stereopanoram ic an d 500 m m photography. 122:34:44 16:08:44 31 Jul 1971

CSM deep space m easurem ents. 122:40 16:14 31 Jul 1971

CSM su n rise solar corona photography. 123:05 16:39 31 Jul 1971

D eparted for LM.

A rrived a t LM. Offloaded an d deployed Apollo lu n ar surface experim ent package (ALSEP),

123:26:02 17:02 31 Jul 1971

laser ranging retroreflector, an d solar w ind com position experim ent. 123:59:39 17:33:39 31 Jul 1971

CSM su n set solar corona photography. 124:30 18:04 31 Jul 1971

CSM lu n ar libration photography. 125:00 18:34 31 Jul 1971

1st ALSEP d a ta received on E arth. 125:18:00 18:52 31 Jul 1971

TV tran sm issio n e n d ed for 1st EVA. 125:55 19:29 31 Jul 1971

Cold cathode gauge experim ent tu rn e d on. CSM orbital science photography. 126:00 19:34 31 Jul 1971

1st EVA e n d ed (cabin repressurized). 126:11:59 19:45:59 31 Jul 1971

H eat flow ex perim ent tu rn e d on. 126:13 19:47 31 Jul 1971

CSM bistatic rad ar test. 131:40 01:14 01 Aug 1971

CSM orbital science photography. 142:00 11:34 01 Aug 1971

2 n d EVA sta rte d (cabin depressurized). 142:14:48 11:48:48 01 Aug 1971

E q uipm ent p rep ared for LRV traverse. 142:25:04 11:59:04 01 Aug 1971

TV tran sm issio n sta rte d for 2 n d EVA. 142:35 12:09 01 Aug 1971

D eparted for station 6.

A rrived at station 6. G athered sam ples, o b tain ed a single core tu b e sam ple, obtained a special 

environm ental sam ple from trench, an d perform ed pan o ram ic and 500 m m photography

143:10:43 12:44:43 01 Aug 1971

tasks. 143:53:46 13:27:46 01 Aug 1971

CSM E arth sh in e photography. 144:10:32 13:44:32 01 Aug 1971

D ep arted for station 6a. 144:58:49 14:32:49 01 Aug 1971

A rrived at station 6a. G athered sam ples an d perfo rm ed pan o ram ic photography tasks. 145:01:11 14:35:11 01 Aug 1971

D eparted for station 7.

A rrived at station 7. G athered selected sam ples, a com prehensive soil sam ple, and

145:22:40 14:56:40 01 Aug 1971

perform ed pan o ram ic photography. 145:26:25 15:00:25 01 Aug 1971

D eparted for station 4. 146:16:09 15:50:09 01 Aug 1971

A rrived at station 4. G athered sam ples a n d perfo rm ed pan o ram ic photography. 146:28:59 16:02:59 01 Aug 1971

CSM deep space m easurem ents. 146:30 16:04 01 Aug 1971

D eparted for LM. 146:45:44 16:19:44 01 Aug 1971

A rrived at LM. O ffloaded sam ples an d configured LRV for trip to station 8 (ALSEP site). 147:08:09 16:42:09 01 Aug 1971

D eparted for station 8. 147:19:33 16:53:33 01 Aug 1971

CSM orbital science photography.

A rrived at station 8. G athered com prehensive geologic sam ple, gathered special environm ental 

sam ple from trench, drilled second heat flow hole an d em placed probe, drilled deep core

147:20 16:54 01 Aug 1971

sam ple hole, an d perform ed p en etro m eter experim ents. 147:21:15 16:55:15 01 Aug 1971

D eparted for LM. 148:31:08 18:05:08 01 Aug 1971

A rrived at LM. Deployed U nited States flag an d sta rte d EVA closeout. 148:32:17 18:06:17 01 Aug 1971

CSM zodiacal light photography. 148:40 18:14 01 Aug 1971

CSM orbital science photography. 149:10 18:44 01 Aug 1971

TV tran sm issio n e n d ed for 2 n d EVA. 149:20 18:54 01 Aug 1971

2 n d EVA e n d ed (cabin repressurized). 149:27:02 19:01:02 01 Aug 1971 

A p o llo 15 207
Apollo 15 Timeline

Event

GET

(hhh:m m :ss)

GMT

Tim e

GMT

D ate

3rd EVA sta rte d (LM cabin depressurized). 163:18:14 08:52:14 02 Aug 1971

TV tran sm issio n sta rte d for 3rd EVA. 163:45 09:19 02 Aug 1971

D eparted for ALSEP site. 164:04:13 09:38:13 02 Aug 1971

A rrived at ALSEP site. Recovered deep core sam ple an d p h o to g rap h ed LRV operation. 164:09:00 09:43:00 02 Aug 1971

D ep arted for station 9. 164:48:05 10:22:05 02 Aug 1971

A rrived at station 9. Collected sam ples a n d p erfo rm ed pan o ram ic photography tasks. 165:01:22 10:35:22 02 Aug 1971

CSM p lane change ignition (SPS). 165:11:32.74 10:45:32 02 Aug 1971

CSM p lane change cutoff. 165:11:51.05 10:45:51 02 Aug 1971

D ep arted for station 9a. 165:16:50 10:50:50 02 Aug 1971

A rrived at station 9a. G athered extensive sam ples, ob tain ed a double core tu b e an d

perfo rm ed photographic task s including 500 m m a n d stereoscopic p an o ram ic photography. 165:19:26 10:53:26 02 Aug 1971

D eparted for statio n 10. 166:14:25 11:48:25 02 Aug 1971

A rrived at statio n 10. G athered sam ples a n d perfo rm ed 500 m m an d pan o ram ic 

photography tasks. 166:16:45 11:50:45 02 Aug 1971

D ep arted for ALSEP site. 166:28:49 12:02:49 02 Aug 1971

A rrived at ALSEP site. Recovered drilled core sam ple a n d p erfo rm ed photographic tasks. 166:43:40 12:17:40 02 Aug 1971

A rrived at LM. EVA closeout procedures started . 166:45:45 12:19:45 02 Aug 1971

Solar w in d com position ex perim ent retrieved. 167:10 12:44 02 Aug 1971

D eparted for final positioning o f LRV to o b tain television coverage o f LM ascent. 167:32:18 13:06:18 02 A ug 1971

LRV positioned. 167:35:24 13:09:24 02 Aug 1971

3rd EVA e n d ed (LM cabin repressurized). 168:08:04 13:42:04 02 Aug 1971

TV tran sm issio n e n d ed for 3 rd EVA. 168:20 13:54 02 Aug 1971

CSM G egenschein photography. 168:30 14:04 02 A ug 1971

LM equ ip m en t jettisoned. 169:00 14:34 02 Aug 1971

CSM tracking o f LM lan d in g site. 169:30 15:04 02 Aug 1971

Surface television tran sm issio n sta rte d for lu n ar liftoff. 171:30 17:04 02 Aug 1971

LM lu n ar liftoff ignition (LM APS). 171:37:23.2 17:11:23 02 Aug 1971

Surface television tran sm issio n ended. 171:40 17:14 02 Aug 1971

L unar ascent o rbit cutoff. 171:44:34.2 17:18:34 02 Aug 1971

T erm inal p hase initiation ignition. 172:29:40.0 18:03:40 02 Aug 1971

Term inal p h ase initiation cutoff. 172:29:42.6 18:03:42 02 Aug 1971

TV tran sm issio n started. 173:05 18:39 02 A ug 1971

TV tran sm issio n ended. 173:10 18:44 02 Aug 1971

T erm inal p h ase finalize. 173:11:07 18:45:07 02 Aug 1971

TV tran sm issio n started. 173:35 19:09 02 Aug 1971

CSM/LM docked. 173:36:25.5 19:10:25 02 Aug 1971

TV tran sm issio n ended. CDR a n d LM P p rep ared to transfer to CSM. 173:40 19:14 02 Aug 1971

Sam ples a n d eq u ip m en t tran sferred to CSM. 175:00 20:34 02 Aug 1971

CDR a n d LM P entered CSM a n d hatch closed. 176:40 22:14 02 Aug 1971

LM ascent stage jettisoned. 179:30:01.4 01:04:01 03 Aug 1971

CSM sep aratio n m aneuver from LM. 179:50 01:24 03 Aug 1971

LM ascent stage d eorbit ignition. 181:04:19.8 02:38:19 03 Aug 1971

LM ascent stage fuel depletion. 181:05:42.8 02:39:42 03 Aug 1971

LM ascent stage im pact o n lu n ar surface. 181:29:35.8 03:03:35 03 Aug 1971

Deep space m easu rem en ts a n d G egenschein photography. 195:45 17:19 03 Aug 1971

U ltraviolet photography o f lu n ar m aria. 196:35 18:09 03 Aug 1971

Visual light flash p h en o m en o n observations started. 197:00 18:34 03 A ug 1971

V isual observations fro m lu n ar orbit. 197:20 18:54 03 Aug 1971

Visual light flash p h en o m en o n observations ended. 198:00 19:34 03 Aug 1971

O rbital science photography. 198:35 20:09 03 Aug 1971

V isual observations from lu n ar orbit. 199:00 20:34 03 Aug 1971

208 Apollo by the Numbers
Apollo 15 Timeline

E v e n t

G E T

( h h h :m m :s s )

G M T

T im e

G M T

D a te

CSM lu n ar term in ato r photography. 199:30 21:04 03 Aug 1971

CSM lu n ar term in ato r photography. 200:30 22:04 03 Aug 1971

O rbital science photography. 200:50 22:24 03 Aug 1971

U ltraviolet photography o f lu n ar surface. 201:00 22:34 03 Aug 1971

CSM lu n ar term in ato r photography. 201:40 23:14 03 Aug 1971

CSM b o o m photography. 202:20 23:54 03 Aug 1971

CSM lu n ar term in ato r p h o tography 214:05 11:39 04 Aug 1971

O rbital science p h o tography 214:35 12:09 04 Aug 1971

D eep space m easurem ents. 215:40 13:14 04 Aug 1971

Sunrise solar corona p h o tography 216:00 13:34 04 Aug 1971

O rbital science p h o tography 217:00 14:34 04 Aug 1971

CSM lu n ar term in ato r photography 217:20 14:54 04 Aug 1971

CSM lu n ar term in ato r p h o tography 219:20 16:54 04 Aug 1971

O rbit shaping m aneuver ignition. 221:20:48.02 18:54:48 04 Aug 1971

O rbit shaping m aneuver cutoff. 221:20:51.44 18:54:51 04 Aug 1971

Subsatellite launched. 222:39:29.1 20:13:29 04 Aug 1971

T ransearth injection ignition (SPS). 223:48:45.84 21:22:45 04 Aug 1971

T ransearth injection cutoff. 223:51:06.74 21:25:06 04 Aug 1971

M oon a n d star field p h o tography 224:20 21:54 04 Aug 1971

C orona w indow calibration. 239:05 12:39 05 Aug 1971

T ransearth EVA sta rte d (W orden). 241:57:12 15:31:12 05 Aug 1971

T ransearth EVA— TV tran sm issio n started. 242:00 15:34 05 Aug 1971

T ransearth EVA— TV an d data acquisition cam eras installed a n d adjusted. 242:02 15:36 05 Aug 1971

T ransearth EVA— C am era cassette retrieved. 242:22 15:56 05 Aug 1971

T ransearth EVA— TV tran sm issio n ended. 242:28 16:02 05 Aug 1971

T ransearth EVA— Ingress a n d hatch closed. 242:33 16:07 05 Aug 1971

T ransearth EVA ended. 242:36:19 16:10:19 05 Aug 1971

Visual light flash p h en o m en o n observations started. 264:35 14:09 06 Aug 1971

V isual light flash p h en o m en o n observations ended. 265:35 15:09 06 Aug 1971

L unar eclipse p h o tography 269:00 18:34 06 Aug 1971

Sextant photography. 270:00 19:34 06 Aug 1971

L unar eclipse ph o to g rap h y 271:00 20:34 06 Aug 1971

C ontam ination p h o tography 271:50 21:24 06 Aug 1971

M ass spectrom eter b o o m retractio n test. 272:45 22:19 06 Aug 1971

M idcourse correction ignition. 291:56:49.91 17:30:49 07 Aug 1971

M idcourse correction cutoff. 291:57:12.21 17:31:12 07 Aug 1971

CM/SM separation. 294:43:55.2 20:17:55 07 Aug 1971

E n try 294:58:54.7 20:32:54 07 Aug 1971

C om m unication blackout started. 295:59:13 21:33:13 07 Aug 1971

C om m unication blackout ended. 295:02:31 20:36:31 07 Aug 1971

R ad ar contact w ith CM by established recovery ship. 295:03 20:37 07 Aug 1971

S -band contact w ith CM established by recovery aircraft. 295:04 20:38 07 Aug 1971

Forw ard h eat shield jettisoned. 295:06:45 20:40:45 07 Aug 1971

D rogue parachute deployed. 295:06:46 20:40:46 07 Aug 1971

VHF recovery beacon contact established w ith CM by recovery ship an d recovery aircraft. 295:07 20:41 07 Aug 1971

Visual sighting o f CM established by su p p o rt helicopters.

M ain parachute deployed. 295:07:34 20:41:34 07 Aug 1971

Splashdow n (w ent to apex-up). 295:11:53.0 20:45:53 07 Aug 1971

Crew aboard recovery helicopter.

Crew aboard recovery ship. 295:51 21:25 07 Aug 1971

CM ab o ard recovery ship. 296:46 22:20 07 Aug 1971

Apollo 15 209
Apollo by the Numbers 
APOLLO 16 


The Tenth Mission: 


The Fifth Lunar Landing 

Apollo 16 crew (l. to. r): Ken Mattingly, John Young, 

Charlie Duke (NASA S72-16660). 

Background 

Apollo 16 was the second Type J mission, an extensive scientific investigation of the Moon from the lunar surface 

and from lunar orbit. The vehicles and payload were similar to those of Apollo 15. 

The primary objectives were: 

• to perform selenological inspection, survey, and sampling of 

materials and surface features in a preselected area of the 

Descartes region; 

• to emplace and activate surface expe~iments; and 

• to conduct infiight experiments and photographic tasks. 

The crew members were Captain John Watts Young (USN), 

commander; Lt. Commander Thomas Kenneth "Ken" 

Mattingly, II (USN), command module pilot; and Lt. 

Colonel Charles Moss Duke, Jr. (USAF), lunar module 

pilot. 

Selected as an astronaut in 1962, Young was making his 

fourth spaceflight, only the second astronaut to achieve 

that distinction. He had been pilot of Gemini 3 command 

pnot of Gemini 10, and command module pilot of Apollo 

received a B.S. in aeronautical engineering from the 

Georgia Institute of Technology -in 1952. His backup 

the mission was Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. 

SU8SATflUJE 

PROTKTIVf COVER 

Line drawing of the scientific instrument bay in t

Apollo 16 service module (NASA S72-16852). 

Mattingly, who had been removed from the comma

pilot's position one day before the Apollo 13 mission 

because of his susceptibility to German measles, was 

ing his first spaceflight. Born 17 March 1936 in Chic

Illinois, Mattingly was 36 years old at the time of th

Apollo 16 mission. He received a B.S. in aeronautica

neering from Auburn University in 1958, and was se

as an astronaut in 1966. His backup was Lt. Colonel 

Allen Roosa (USAF). 

Duke was making his first spaceflight. Born 3 Octob

1935 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Duke was 36 yea

at the time of the Apollo 16 mission. Duke received 

in Naval sciences from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1

and an M.S. in aeronautics and astronautics from th

Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1964. He w

selected as an astronaut in 1966 and his backup was 

Captain Edgar Dean Mitchell (USN). 

The capsule communicators (CAPCOMs) for the missi

Major Donald Herod Peterson (USAF), Major Charles 

Fullerton (USAF), Colonel James Benson Irwin (USAF)

Roosa, Mitchell, Major Henry Warren Hartsfield, Jr. (US

Anthony Wayne "Tony" England, Ph.D., and Lt. Colone

Robert Franklyn Overmyer (USMC). The support crew 

sisted of Peterson, England, Hartsfield, and Phillip Keny

Apollo' by the Numbers 
Chapman. The flight directors were M.P. "Pete" Frank and

Philip C. Shaffer (first shift), Eugene F. Kranz and Donald R 

Puddy (second shift), and Gerald D. Griffin, Neil B. 

Hutchinson, and Charles R Lewis (third shift). 

The Apollo 16 launch vehicl� was a Saturn V, designated 

SA-511. The mission also carried the designation Eastern 

Test Range #1601. The CSM was designated CSM-113, and 

had the call-sign "Casper:' The lunar module was designated LM-11, and had the call-sign "Orion:' 

Launch Preparations 

The terminal countdown was picked up at T-28 hours at 

03:54:00 GMT on 15 April. Scheduled holds were initiated 

at T-9 hours for 9 hours and at T-3 hours 30 minutes for 

one hour. 

At launch time, the Cape Kennedy launch area was experiencing fair weather resulting from a ridge of high pressure 

extending westward, from the Atlantic Ocean through central Florida. Cumulus clouds covered 20 percent of the sky 

(base 3,000 feet), the temperature was 88.2° F, the relative 

humidity was 44 percent, and the barometric pressure was

14.769 lb/in2• The winds, as measured by the anemometer 

on the light pole 60.0 feet above ground at the launch site 

measured 12.2 knots at 269° from true north. The winds, 

as measured at 530 feet above the launch site, measured 

9.9 knots at 256° from true north. 

Ascent Phase 

Apollo 16 launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch 

Complex 39, Pad A, at a Range Zero time of 17:54:00 

GMT (12:54:00 p.m. EST) on 16 April 1972. The planned 

launch window extended to 21:43:00 GMT to take advantage of a sun elevation angle on the lunar surface of 11.9°

. 

Between 000:00:12.7 and 000:00:31.8, the vehicle rolled 

from a launch pad azimuth of 90° to a flight azimuth of 

72.034°

. The S-IC engine shut down at 000:02:41.78, followed S-IC/S-II separation, and S-II engine ignition. The 

S-II engine shut down at 000:09:19.54 followed by separation from the S-NB, which ignited at 000:09:23.60. The 

first S-NB engine cutoff occurred at 000:11:46.21 with 

deviations from the planned trajectory of only +0.6 ft/sec 

in velocity; altitude was exactly as planned.

The maximum wind conditions encountered during ascent 

were 50. 7 knots at 257° from true north at 38,880 feet, and 

a maximum wind shear of 0.0095 sec1 at 44,780 feet. 

Parking orbit conditions at insertion, 000:11:56.21 (S-NB 

cutoff plus 10 seconds to account for engine tailoff and 

other transient effects), showed an apogee and perigee of 

90.7 by 90.0 n mi, an inclination of 32.542°, a period of 

87.84 minutes, and a velocity of 25,605.0 ft/sec. The apogee 

and perigee were based upon a spherical Earth with a 

radius of 3,443.934 n mi. 

Apollo 16 lifts off from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A 

(NASA KSC-72PC-176). 

The international designation for the CSM upon achieving 

orbit was 1972-031A and the S-IVB was designated 1972-

0318. After undocking at the Moon, the LM ascent stage 

would be designated 1972-031C, the descent stage 1972-

031E, and the particles and fields subsatellite 1972-0310. 

Translunar Phase 

After inflight systems checks, the 341.92-second translunar 

injection maneuver (second S-NB firing) was performed at 

002:33:36.50. The S-NB engine shut down at 002:39:18.42 

and translunar injection occurred ten seconds later, at a 

velocity of 35,589.9 ft/sec after 1.5 Earth orbits lasting 2 

hours 37 minutes 32.21 seconds. 

At 003:04:59.0, the CSM was separated from the S-NB

stage, transposed, and docked at 003:21:53.4. The docked 

spacecraft were ejected from the S-NB at 003:59:15.1, and 

an 80.2-second separation maneuver was performed at 

004:18:08.3. Color television was transmitted for 18 minutes during the transposition and docking. 

Apollo 16 � 
At 005:40:07.2, a 54.2-second propulsive force from the

S-IVB auxiliary propulsion system targeted the S-IVB for

impact on the Moon near the Apollo 12 landing site. As

on previous missions, S-IVB impact was desired to produce seismic vibrations that could be used to study the

nature of the lunar interior structure. Although launch

vehicle systems malfunctions precluded a planned trajectory refinement, the impact point was within the desired

area. Loss of S-IVB telemetry prevented establishment of

the precise time of impact, making the interpretation of

seismic data uncertain. However, it is estimated that the

S-IVB impacted the lunar surface at 075:08:04.0. The estimated impact point was latitude 2.1° north and longitude

22.1° west, 173 n mi from the target point, 86 n mi from

the Apollo 12 seismometer, 121 n mi from the Apollo 14 

seismometer, and 585 n mi from the Apollo 15 seismometer. At impact, the S-IVB weighed 30,805 pounds and was 

traveling 8,202 ft/sec.

View of North America following translunar injection 

(NASA AS16-118-18885). 

During the CSM/LM docking, light colored particles were

noticed coming from the LM area. The particles were

unexplained. At 007:18, the crew reported a stream of particles emitting from the LM in the vicinity of aluminum

close-out panel 51, which covers the Mylar insulation over

reaction control system A. This panel was located below

the docking target on the +Z face of the LM ascent stage.

To determine systems status, the crew entered the LM at

008:17 and powered up. All systems were normal and the

LM was powered down at 008:52. The CM television was

turned on at 008:45 to give the mission control center a

view of the particle emission. In order to point the high

� Apollo by the Numbers

gain antenna, panel 51 was rotated out of sunlight and a

marked decrease was then noted in the quantity of particles. On the television picture, the source of the particles

appeared to be a growth of grass-like particles at the base

of the panel. The television was turned off at 009:06.

Results of the investigation deteμnined that the particles

were shredded thermal paint, and that the degraded thermal protection due to the paint shredding would have no

effect on subsequent LM operations.

The 45-minute inflight electrophoresis demonstration commenced on schedule at 020:05 and was successful.

Ultraviolet photography of the Earth from 58,000 and

117,000 n mi was accomplished as planned.

The only required midcourse correction was made at

030:39:00.66. It lasted 2.01 seconds and was required to

ensure proper lunar orbit insertion.

At 038:18:56, the command module computer received an

indication that an inertial measurement unit gimbal lock

had occurred. The computer correctly downmoded the

IMU to "coarse align" mode and set the appropriate

alarms. Due to the large number of LM panel particles

floating near the spacecraft and blocking the command

module pilot's vision of the stars, realignment of the platform was accomplished using the Sun and Moon. It was

suspected that the gimbal lock indication was an electrical

transient caused by actuation of the thrust vector control

enable relay when exiting the IMU alignment program. An

erasable software program was uplinked to the crew and

entered in the computer. The program would cause the

computer tc;> ignore gimbal lock indication during critical

periods.

The visual light flash phenomena experiment started at

049:10. Numerous flashes were reported by the crew prior

to terminating the experiment at 050:16. The crew also

reported the flashes left no after-glow, were instantaneous,

and were white.

The second LM housekeeping commenced about 053:30

and was completed at 055:11. All LM system checks were

normal. The scientific instrumentation module door was

jettisoned at 069:59:01.

At an altitude of 92.9 n mi above the Moon, the service

propulsion engine was fired for 374.90 seconds to insert

the spacecraft into a lunar orbit of 170.3 by 58.1 n mi.

The translunar coast had lasted 71 hours 55 minutes

14.35 seconds.
Interesting crater patterns and lunar horizon as seen 


from the CM (NASA AS16-121-19449). 


Lunar Orbit/Lunar Surface Phase 

At 078:33:45.04, a 24.35-second service propulsion system 

maneuver was performed to reach the descent orbit of 58.5 

by 10.9 n mi for undocking of the LM. 

LM activation started at 093:34, about 11 minutes early. 

The LM was powered up and all systems were nominal. 

After undocking from the CSM, the LM gets a visual 


inspection from the command module pilot (NASA 


AS16-118-18894). 


Lunar module undocking and separation were performed at 

096:13:31, during the 12th revolution. At 103:21:43.08, the 

service propulsion system was fired for 4.66 seconds to place 

the CSM in a near-circular lunar orbit of 68.0 by 53.1 n mi 

in preparation for the acquisition of scientific data. 

The CSM as seen from the LM during the twelfth revolution of the Moon (NASA AS16-113-18282). 

The CSM was scheduled to perform an orbit circularization maneuver on the 13th lunar revolution at 097:41:44. 

However, oscillations were detected in a secondary system 

that controlled the direction of thrust of the service 

propulsion system engine. 

Earthrise over the lunar horizon (NASA AS15-120­

19187). 

While flight controllers evaluated the problem, the CSM 

maneuvered into a stationkeeping situation with the LM 

and prepared either to redock or continue the mission. 

After 5 hours 45 minutes, tests and analyses showed that 

the system was still usable and safe; therefore, the vehicles 

were separated again and the mission continued on a 

revised tirneline. A separation maneuver was performed at 

102:30:00, and the 4.66-second CSM circularization maneuver was performed successfully with the primary system at 

103:21:43.08. 

Apollo 16 ~ 
NASA officials discuss whether to land on the Moon following failure of the circularization maneuver by the 

CSM (NASA S72-37009}. 

The 734.0-second powered descent engine firing began at 

104:17:25 at an altitude of 10.9 n mi. Landing occurred at 

02:23:35 GMT on 21 April (09:23:35 p.m. EST on 20 April) 

at 104:29:35. 

The spacecraft landed in the Plain of Descartes at latitude 

8.97301° south and longitude 15.50019° east, 886 feet 

northwest of the planned landing site. Approximately 102 

seconds of engine firing time remained at landing. 

Image from Apollo 16 pan camera frame 4623 shows 

area around LM landing site. Palmetto Crater is at the 

top. The detail image below clearly shows the LM as a 

black spot, with white streaking from the descent engine 

plume. The crater in the center is Spook and to the 

upper left is Flag Crater. 

Because the LM had remained in lunar orbit six hour

longer than planned, the LM was powered down to c

serve electrical power and the first extravehicular activ

was delayed in order to provide the crew with a well­

!feserved sleep period. 

The LM cabin was depressurized at 118:53:38 for the 

extravehicular activity period. Television coverage of s

activity was delayed until the LRV systems were activa

because the LM steerable antenna, used for initial lun

surface television transmission, remained locked in on

and could not be used. 

The lunar surface experiments package was successful

deployed, but the commander accidentally tripped ove

electronics cable, breaking it, and rendering the heat f

experiment inoperative. 

The ALSEP deployment site as seen during EVA-1 

(NASA AS16-113-18347}. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
This photo, taken during EVA-I, shows the undulating 

terrain of the landing site, with the LM in the center in 

the distance. In the foreground is the PSE, with the 

mortar pack at the left (NASA ASI6-113-I8359). 

After completing their activities at the experiments site, the 

crew drove the lunar roving vehicle (LRV-2) west to Flag 

Crater where they made visual observations, photographed 

items of interest, and collected lunar samples. 

At the rim of Plum Crater, Young gathers rock samples 

(NASA ASI6-I09-I7804) 

Duke also collected lunar samples at Plum Crater during EVA-I (NASA ASI6-114-I8423). 

The inbound traverse route was just slightly south of the 

outbound route, and the next stop was Spook Crater. The 

crew then returned by way of the experiment station to 

the LM, at whkh time they deployed the solar wind composition experiment. 

At the end of a trail of lunar bootprints, Young works at 

the LRV (NASA ASI6-109-I7813). 

Apollo 16 � 
In one of the most famous photographs from the 

Apollo program, John Young salutes the U.S. flag while 

"hanging in the air:' thanks to the Moon's gravity which 

is one-sixth that of Earth. The photo was taken during 

EVA-I at the Descartes landing site. The LM and lunar 

rover can be seen to the left (NASA ASI6-113-I8340}. 

Several LRV problems occurred during EVA-1. While 

ascending ridges and traversing very rocky terrain, there 

was no response at the rear wheels when full throttle was 

applied. The vehicle continued to move, but the front 

wheels were digging into the surface. 

Following problems with the rover, Young takes it for a 

"grand prix" test ride during EVA-I (NASA S72-36970}. 

Deployed during EVA-I, the ultraviolet camera can 

seen in the shadow of the LM. Duke is in the shado

with the rover and U.S. flag in the background in f

sunlight (NASA ASI6-114-I8439}. 

The crew entered the LM and the cabin was repressur

at 126:04:40. 

The first extravehicular activity lasted 7 hours 11 minu

2 seconds. The distance traveled in the lunar rover veh

was 13,800 feet (4.2 krn), vehicle drive time was 43 m

utes, the vehicle was parked for 3 hours 39 minutes, a

estimated 65.9 pounds (29.9 kg) of samples were colle

After 16 hours, 30 minutes in the LM, the crew depre

ized the cabin at 142:39:35 to begin the second extrav

ular period. 

After preparing the LRV, the crew headed south-south

to a mare sampling area near the Cinco Craters on th

north slope of Stone Mountain. They then drove in a 

northwesterly direction, making stops near Stubby an

Wreck Craters. The last leg of the traverse was north 

experiments station and the LM. 

Later, at station 8, a rear-drive troubleshooting proced

was implemented. During this procedure, a mismatch 

power mode switching was identified as the cause of 

problem. After a change in switch configuration, the L

was working properly. An hour and a half later, at sta

9 and 10, the LRV range, bearing, and distance were 

reported to be inoperative. However, navigation headi

was working. When the crew reset the power switches

navigation system began operating nominally. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Duke begins a photographic pan of the landing site at 

the start of EVA-2 (NASA AS16-107-17436). 

View of cosmic ray experiment deployed on the landing 

gear of the LM (NASA AS16-107-17442). 

After the crew arrived at station 10 (LM and ALSEP area), 

the surface activity was extended about 20 minutes because 

the crew's consumables usage was lower than predicted. 

The lunar module pilot then examined the damaged heat 

flow experiment. Visual inspection revealed that the cable 

separated at the connector. Results of troubleshooting a 

model of the experiment at mission control indicated a fix 

could be accomplished. However it was not attempted 

because the time required could affect the third EVA. 

Young aligns the high-gain antenna on the LRV during 

a stop at station 8 (NASA AS16-108-17670). 

Young breaks off a piece of rock and takes a soil sample 

at station 8 (NASA AS16-108-17701). 

The period ended with ingress and repressurization of the 

LM cabin at 150:02:44. During ingress, a two-inch portion 

of the commander's antenna was broken off, which produced a 15 to 18 db drop in signal strength. Since the commander's backpack radio relayed the lunar module pilot's 

information to the LM and the lunar communications relay 

unit for transmission to ground stations, a decision was 

made later to have the commander use the lunar module 

pilot's oxygen purge system, which supported the antenna. 

Apollo 16 ~ 
Close-up of the RCA television camera affixed to the

LRV. The LM is up slope (NASA AS16-115-18549).

The second extravehicular activity lasted 7 hours 23 minutes

9 seconds. The distance traveled in the lunar rover vehicle

was 37,100 feet (11.3 km), vehicle drive time was 1 hour 31

minutes, park time was 3 hours 56 minutes, and an estimated 63.9 pounds (29.0 kg) of samples were collected.

The third extravehicular period began 30 minutes early

when the cabin was depressurized at 165:31:28, but four

stations were deleted because of time limitations.

Full view of LM taken by LMP during EVA-3 (NASA

AS16-l 16-18579).

� Apollo by the Numbers

The crew first drove to the rim of North Ray Crater where

photographs were taken and samples gathered, some from

House Rock, the largest single rock seen during the

extravehicular activities. The extra 30 minutes were used at

North Ray Crater.

Young uses the lunar rake during EVA-2 (NASA ASI6- 

110-18020).

Double core tube sample at ALSEP (NASA AS16-l 15-

18557).

They then drove southeast to the second sampling area,

Shadow Rock. On completing activities there, the crew

drove the vehicle back to the LM, retracing the outbound

route.

The third extravehicular activity lasted 5 hours 40 minutes

3 seconds. The distance traveled in the lunar rover vehicle
was 37,400 feet (11.4 km), vehicle drive time was 1 hour 

12 minutes, the vehicle was parked for 2 hours 26 minutes, 

and an estimated 78.0 pounds (35.4 kg) of samples were 

collected. 

Block discovered during EVA-2. Note impact impression 

in soil (NASA AS16-107-17573). 

Duke in small boulder field at station 4 sample site 

(NASA AS16-107-17446). 

The crew reentered the LM and the cabin was repressurized at 171:11:31, thus ending the Apollo program's fifth 

human exploration of the Moon. 

For the mission, the total time spent outside the LM was 

20 hours 14 minutes 14 seconds, the total distance traveled 

in the lunar rover vehicle was 88,300 feet (26.9 km), vehide drive time was 3 hours 26 minutes, the vehicle was 

parked during extravehicular activities for 10 hours 1 

minute, and the collected samples totaled 211.00 pounds 

(95.71 kg) (official total in kilograms as determined by the 

Lunar Receiving Laboratory in Houston). The farthest 

point traveled from the LM was 15,092 feet 

Duke examines the surface of House Rock at North Ray 

Crater (NASA AS16-116-18647}. 

Dulce follows his examination of House Rock by taking 

soil samples at its base (NASA AS16-116-18653). 

Apollo 16 � 
While the crew was on the surface, the command module 

pilot had obtained photographs, measured physical properties of the Moon, and made visual observations. The command module pilot also had made comprehensive deep 

space measurements, providing scientific data that could be 

used to validate findings from the Apollo 15 mission. A 

7.14-second CSM plane change maneuver was made at 

169:05:52.14 and adjusted the orbit to 64.6 by 55.0 n mi. 

Young examines permanently shadowed area under 

Shado� Rock, a large boulder at station 13 during EVA-3 

(NASA AS16-106-17413). 

View across North Ray Crater at station 11, approximately 3,000 feet wide, revealing boulders the size of 

houses (NASA AS16-116-18599). 

Ignition of the ascent stage engine for lunar liftoff occurred 

at 01:25:47 GMT on 24 April (at 08:25:47 p.m. EST on 23

April) at 175:31:47.9 and was televised. It had been on the

lunar surface for 71 hours 2 minutes 13 seconds.·

§J Apollo by the Numbers

Photo of station 10 prime rake site before John Young 

started raking (NASA AS16-117-18826). 

Before entering the LM for the return trip, Duke left a 

photo of his family on the lunar surface (NASA AS16-

117-18841).
Geocorona, a halo of low density hydrogen around the 

Earth, photographed with the ultraviolet camera (NASA 

AS16-123-19650). 

Rim of Guyot crater on the lunar farside (AS16-121-

19407). 

The 427.7-second firing of the ascent engine placed the 

vehicle into a 40.2 by 7.9 n mi orbit. Several rendezvous 

sequence maneuvers were required before docking could 

occur two hours later. first, a vernier adjustment was made 

at 175:42:18 at an altitude of 11.2 n mi. Then the terminal 

phase was initiated with a 2.5 second maneuver at 

176:26:05. This maneuver brought the ascent stage to an 

orbit of 64.2 by 40.1 n mi. Following a nominal rendezvous sequence, the ascent stage docked with the CM at 

177:41:18 at an altitude of 65.6 n mi, after being undocked 

for 81 hours 27 minutes 47 seconds. 

Still from television transmission of the LM ascent stage 

liftoff (NASA S72-35614). 

LM ascent stage, seen against the Sea of Fertility, 

approaches the CSM following a successful lunar surface 

expedition (AS16-122-19533). 

After the crew transferred the samples, film, and equipment 

to the CSM, the ascent stage was jettisoned at 195:00:12 at 

an altitude of 59.2 n mi. After jettison, the LM lost stability 

and began twnbling at a rate of about 3

° per second This 

may have been due to a guidance circuit breaker inadvertently being left open. A maneuver was made at 195:03:13 

to separate the CSM from the ascent stage. No deorbit 

burn maneuver was possible, and the ascent stage remained 

in lunar orbit for approximately one year. 1 

The mass spectrometer deployment boom stalled during a 

retract cycle and was, therefore, jettisoned at 195:23:12. 

Apollo 16 � 
the 73rd revolution into an orbit of 170 by 58 n mi. The 

subsatellite was instrumented to measure plasma and energetic-particle fluxes, vector magnetic fields, and subsatellite 

velocity from which lunar gravitational anomalies could be 

determined. However, as a result of the engine gimbal 

anomaly earlier in the mission, a planned CSM orbit -shaping maneuver had not been performed before ejection of 

the subsatellite. As a result, the subsatellite was placed in 

an orbit with a much shorter lifetime than planned. 

It was not possible to activate the subsatellite for about 20 

hours after launch because of communications interference 

resulting from the failure of the ascent stage to deorbit, but 

this did not interfere with the subsatellite systems. Loss of 

all tracking and telemetry data occurred at 20:31 GMT on 

29 May 1972. Reacquisition of the signal was expected at 

22:00 GMT on that day; but was not achieved, and it is 

believed that the subsatellite struck the far side of the lunar 

surface during the 425th revolution at longitude ll0° east. 

The lower-than-desired orbit contributed to the short 

orbital life because the lunar mass concentrations on the 

front and far sides of the Moon were located relatively 

near the subsatellite ground track. 

The second plane-change maneuver and some orbital science photography were deleted so that transearth injection 

could be performed 24 hours earlier than originally planned. 

This decision was made due to the engine problem experienced during the lunar orbit circularization maneuver. 

Following a 162.29-second maneuver at 200:21:33.07 at 

52.2 n mi, transearth injection was achieved at 

200:24:15.36 after 64 lunar orbits lasting 125:49:32.59, at 

velocity of 8,663.0 ft:Jsec. 

Transearth Phase 

Between 202:57 and 203:12, good quality television pictures 

were transmitted from inside the CM. From 203:29 to 

204:12, pictures were broadcast from the LRV camera on 

the lunar surface. 

The first of two midcourse corrections, a 22.6-second 

3.4-ft/sec maneuver, was made at 214:35:02.8 to achieve the 

desired entry interface conditions with Earth. 

CMP Mattingly (right) during transearth EVA. The 

is at left. (NASA 572-37001). 

At 218:39:46, the command module pilot began a 

transearth coast EVA. Television coverage was provide

the 1 hour 23 minute 42 second period, during whic

Mattingly retrieved film cassettes from the scientific i

ment module cameras, visually inspected the equipm

and exposed an experiment for ten minutes to provid

data on microbial response to the space environment

brought the total extravehicular activity for the missio

22 hours 17 minutes 36 seconds. 

A scheduled television press conference started at 243

and lasted for 18 minutes. During the conference, the 

gave a brief description of the farside of the Moon. A

item of particular interest was the crew's description 

Guyot Crater, which appeared to be full of material. T

material seemed to have overflowed and spilled down 

side of the crater. The crew compared their observati

with similar geological formations in Hawaii. 

Additional activities during transearth coast included 

tography for a Skylab program study of the behavior 

effects of particles emanating from the spacecraft, and 

second light-flash observation session. The second mi

course correction, a 6.4-second maneuver of 1.4 ft/sec

made at 262:37:20.7. 

Recovery 

The service module was jettisoned at 265:22:33, and t

CM entry followed a normal profile. The command m

ule reentered Earth's atmosphere ( 400,000 feet altitud

265:37:31 at a velocity of 36,090 ft/sec, following a 

transearth coast of 65 hours 13 minutes 16 seconds. 

1 Later analysis indicated that the ascent stage struck the lunar surface before Apollo 17 commenced, but no data were available for substantiation. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
While on the drogue parachutes, the CM was viewed on 

television, and continuous coverage was provided through 

crew recovery. 

The parachute system effected splashdown of the CM in 

the Pacific Ocean at 19:45:05 GMT (02:45:05 p.m. EST) on 

27 April. Mission duration was 265:51:05. The impact point 

was about 3.0 n mi from the target point and 2.7 n mi 

from the recovery ship U.S.S. Ticonderoga. The splashdown 

site was estimated to be latitude 0.70

° south and longitude 

156.22° west. After splashdown, the CM assumed an apexdown flotation attitude, but was successfully returned to the 

normal flotation position in 4 minutes 30 seconds by the 

inflatable bag uprighting system. 

Apollo 16 CM about to splash down into the central 

Pacific Ocean (NASA S72-36291). 

The crew was retrieved by helicopter and was aboard the 

recovery ship 37 minutes after splashdown. The CM was 

recovered 62 minutes later. The estimated CM weight at 

splashdown was 11,995 pounds, and the estimated distance 

traveled for the mission was 1,208,746 n mi. 

The crew remained aboard the Ticonderoga until 17:30 GMT 

on 29 April, when they were flown to Hickam Air Force 

Base, Hawaii, where they arrived at 19:21 GMT. They departed by C-141 aircraft for Ellington Air Force Base, Houston, at 

20:07 GMT and arrived at 03:40 GMT on 30 April. 

The CM arrived in Hawaii at 03:30 GMT on 30 April. At 

18:00 GMT on 1 May, it departed for North Island Naval 

Air Station, San Diego, for deactivation, where it arrived at 

00:00 GMT on 6 May. 

Welcome ceremonies aboard the recovery ship U.S.S. 

Ticonderoga (NASA S72-36262). 

On May 7, while propellants were being removed from the 

CM, a tank cart exploded because of overpressurization. 

Forty-six persons suspected of inhaling toxic fumes were 

hospitalized, but examination revealed no symptoms of 

inhalation. The CM was not damaged. An investigation 

board reported that the ratio of neutralizer to oxidizer being 

detanked !->ad been too low because of the extra oxidizer 

retained in the CM tanks as a result of the Apollo 15 parachute anomaly. Changes were made in ground support 

equipment and detanking procedures to prevent future overpressurization. Deactivation was completed at 00:00 GMT 

on 11 May. The CM left North Island at 03:00 GMT on 

12 May, and was transferred to the North American 

Rockwell Space Division facility at Downey, California, for 

postflight analysis. It arrived at 10:30 GMT on 12 May. 

Conclusions 

The overall performance of the Apollo 16 mission was excellent, with all of the primary mission objectives and most of 

the detailed objectives being met, although the mission was 

terminated one day earlier than planned. Experiment data 

were gathered during lunar orbit, from the lunar surface, 

and during both the translunar and transearth coast phases 

for all detailed objectives and experiments except subsatellite 

tracking for autonomous navigation and the heat flow 

experiment. Especially significant scientific findings included 

the first photography obtained of the geocorona in the 

hydrogen (Lyman alpha) wavelength from outside Earth's 

Apollo 16 � 
equipment, although procedural measures were taken and equipment changes and additions were made to control the condition. 

2. Loss of the heat flow experiment emphasized that all hardware 

should be designed for loads accidentally induced by crew movements because of vision and mobility constraints while wearing 

the pressurized suits. 

3. The capability of the S-band omni-directional antenna system to 

support the overall lunar module mission operations was 

demonstrated after the failure experienced with the S-band 

steerable antenna. 

4. The performance of the Apollo 16 particles and fields subsatellite 

showed that the lunar gravitational model was not sufficiently 

accurate for the orbital conditions that existed to accurately predict the time of impact. 

5. The absence of cardiac arrhythmias on this mission was, in part, 

attributed to a better physiological balance of electrolytes and 

body fluids resulting from an augmented dietary intake of potassium and a better rest-work cycle that effectively improved the 

crew's sleep. 

6. The ability of the crew and the capability of the spacecraft to 

land safely in the rough terrain of a lunar highlands region without having high resolution photography prior to the mission was 

demonstrated. Further, the capability of the lunar roving vehicle 

to operate under these conditions and on slopes up to 20° was 

demonstrated. 

Earth as viewed with far ultraviolet camera (NASA S72­

40818). 

10-minute far ultraviolet exposure of Earth (NAS

40821). 

Lunar sample 67015. The white matrix consists o

fractured and crushed mineral and rock detritus, 

dominantly feldspar (NASA S72-37216). 

Apollo 16 Objectives 

Spacecraft Primary Objectives 

1. To perform selenological inspection, survey, and samplin

materials and surface features in a preselected area of th

Descartes region. Achieved. 

2. To emplace and activate surface experiments. Achieved. 

3. To conduct inflight experiments and photographic tasks. A

Apollo by the Numbers 
2. Visual light flash phenomenon. Achieved. 

3. Command module photographic tasks. Partially achieved. 

Timeline changes caused data loss. 

4. Visual observations from lunar orbit. Achieved. 

5. Skylab contamination study. Partially achieved. Timeline changes 

caused data loss. 

6. Improved gas/water separator. Not achieved. Separator failed 

before it could be evaluated. 

7. Body fluid balance analysis. Achieved. 

8. Subsatellite tracking for autonomous navigation. Not achieved. 

Timeline changes caused data loss. 

9. Improved fecal collection bag. Achieved. 

10. Skylab food package. Achieved. 

11. Lunar rover vehicle evaluation. Achieved. 

Crew Participation Experiments 

1. Passive seismic. Partially achieved. No lunar module ascent stage 

impact. 

2. Active seismic. Partially achieved. The fourth mortar was not 

fired. 

3. Lunar surface magnetometer. Achieved. 

4. Heat flow. Not achieved. Electronics package cable broken. 

5. Lunar geology investigation. Achieved. 

6. Solar wind composition. Achieved. 

8. 

9

7. 

10. 

. X-ray 

Cosmic 

Gamma 

ment 

Alpha 

of

fluorescence. 

particle 

ray 

panel 

ray 

detector 

spectrometer. 

#4. 

spectrometer. 

Achieved. 

(sheets). 

Achieved. 

Partially 

Achieved. 

achieved. Partial deploy

13. Downlink bistatic radar observations of the Moon. Achieved. 

14. Ultraviolet photography of Earth and Moon. Partially achieved. 

Timeline changes caused data loss. 

15. Gegenschein from lunar orbit. Achieved. 

16. Soil mechanics. Partially achieved. No trench was dug due to 

time constraints. 

17. Far ultraviolet camera/spectroscope. Achieved. 

18. Portable magnetometer. Achieved. 

19. Microbial response in space environment. Achieved. 

Passive Experiments 

1. Bone mineral measurement. Achieved. 

2. Biostack. Achieved. 

3. Apollo window meteoroid. Achieved. 


Operational Test 


Lunar module voice and data relay. Achieved. 


Inflight Demonstration 


Fluid electrophoresis in space. Achieved. 


Subsatellite Experiments 


1. S-164: S-band transponder. Achieved. 

2. S-173: Particle shadows/boundary layer. Achieved. 

3. S-174: Magnetometer. Achieved. 

Operational Tests for Manned Spacecraft Center and U.S. 

Department of Defense 

1. Chapel Bell (classified, Department of Defense test). Results classified. 

2. Radar skin tracking. Results classified. 

Apollo 16 ~ 
y f

6. Long-focal-length optical system. Results classified. 

7. Sonic boom measurement. Results classified. 

Launch Vehicle Objectives 

1. To launch on a flight azimuth between 72° and 100° and insert 

the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft into the planned circular 

Earth parking orbit. Achieved. 

2. To restart the S-IVB during either the second or third revolution 

and inject the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft into the planned 

translunar trajectory. Achieved. 

3. To provide the required attitude control for the S-IVB/instrument 

unit/spacecraft during transposition, docking, and ejection. 

Achieved. 

4. To perform an evasive maneuver after ejection of the command 

and service module/lunar module from the S-IVB/instrument 

unit. Achieved. 

5. To target the S-IVB/instrument stages for impact on the lunar 

surface at latitude 2.3° south and longitude 31.7° west. Achieved. 

6. To determine actual impact point within 5.0 kilometers (2.7 n mi) 

and time of impact within one second. Not achieved. The desired 

accuracy was not achieved. 

7. To vent and dump the remaining gases and propellants to safe 

the S-IVB/instrument unit. Achieved. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Saturn S-IVB stage #S 11 delivered to KSC. 

Spacecraft/1M adapter #20 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn V instrument unit #S 11 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-II stage #11 delivered to KSC. 

Individual and combined CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

LM #11 final engineering evaluation acceptance test at factory. 

LM #11 integrated test at factory. 

Integrated CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 

LM descent stage #11 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM descent stage #11 delivered to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #11 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

LM ascent stage #11 delivered to KSC. 

CM #113 and SM #113 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 

CM #113 and SM #113 delivered to KSC. 

CM #113 and SM #113 mated. 

LRV #2 delivered to KSC. 

CSM #113 combined systems test completed. 

Saturn S-IC stage #11 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-IC stage #11 erected on MLP #3. 

Saturn V instrument unit #S 11 delivered to KSC. 

Saturn S-II stage #11 erected. 

Saturn S-IVB stage #S 11 erected. 

Saturn V instrument unit #S 11 erected. 

Launch vehicle electrical systems test completed. 

LM #11 altitude tests completed. 

CSM #113 altitude tests completed. 

Launch vehicle propellant dispersion/malfunction overall test completed. 

LRV #2 installed. 

Launch vehicle service arm overall test completed. 

CSM #113 moved to VAB. 

Spacecraft erected. 

Space vehicle and MLP #3 transferred to launch complex 39A. 

CSM #113 integrated systems test completed. 

LM #11 combined systems test completed. 

Space vehicle and MLP #3 returned to VAB. 

Space vehicle and MLP #3 returned to launch complex 39A. 

CSM #113 integrated systems test repeated. 

CSM #113 electrically mated to launch vehicle. 

Space vehicle overall test #1 (plugs in) completed. 

LM #9 flight readiness test completed. 

Space vehicle flight readiness test completed. 

Saturn S-IC stage #11 RP-1 fuel loading completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (wet) completed. 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (dry) completed. 

01 Jul1970 

17 Aug 1970 

29 Sep 1970 

30 Sep 1970 

03 Dec 1970 

24 Feb 1971 

24 Feb 1971 

17 Mar 1971 

01 May 1971 

OS May 1971 

07 May 1971 

14 May 1971 

26 Jul1971 

29 Jul1971 

02 Aug 1971 

01 Sep 1971 

13 Sep 1971 

17 Sep 1971 

21 Sep 1971 

29 Sep 1971 

01 Oct 1971 

OS Oct 1971 

06 Oct 1971 

1S Oct 1971 

19 Oct 1971 

21 Oct 1971 

08 Nov 1971 

16 Nov 1971 

18 Nov 1971 

07 Dec 1971 

08 Dec 1971 

13 Dec 1971 

03 Jan 1972 

04 Jan 1972 

27 Jan 1972 

09 Feb 1972 

14 Feb 1972 

21 Feb 1972 

23 Feb 1972 

24 Feb 1972 

02 Mar 1972 

20 Mar 1972 

30 Mar 1972 

31 Mar 1972 

Apollo 16 ~ 
p

g

Fixed Fixed Event Geocentric Path Hea

GET Altitude Range Velocity Velocity Duration Latitude Longitude Angle An

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (n mi) (ftlsec) (ftlsec) (sec) (deg N) (deg E) (deg) (E o

Liftoff 000:00:00.59 0.060 0.000 0.0 1,340.7 28.4470 -80.6041 0.05 90

Mach 1 achieved 000:01:07.5 4.282 1.358 1,076.4 2,075.5 28.4539 -80.5797 26.79 84

Maximum dynamic pressure 000:01:26.0 7.755 3.800 1,759.6 2,785.9 28.4670 -80.5359 29.12 81

S-IC center engine cutoff2 000:02:17.85 24.548 26.821 5,488.2 6,658.8 144.55 28.5847 -80.1207 23.105 76

S-IC outboard engine cutoff 000:02:41.78 35.698 49.927 7,753.0 8,961.7 168.5 28.7009 -79.7028 19.914 75

S-IC/S-II separation2 000:02:43.5 36.560 51.929 7,767.8 8,979.2 28.7109 -79.6666 19.643 75

S-II center engine cutoff 000:07:41.77 92.441 592.660 17,039.0 18,357.7 296.57 30.9376 -69.6064 0.116 79

S-II outboard engine cutoff 000:09:19.54 93.445 894.079 21,539.3 22,858.7 394.34 31.7737 -63.8100 0.367 82

S-IIIS-IVB separation2 000:09:20.5 93.468 897.389 21,550.4 22,869.8 31.7812 -63.7457 0.358 82

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff 000:11:46.21 93.374 1,430.142 24,280.1 25,600.0 142.61 32.5109 -53.2983 0.001 88

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:56.21 93.377 1,469.052 24,286.1 25,605.1 32.5262 -52.5300 0.001 88

Apollo 16 Earth Orbit Phase 

Space 

Fixed Event Velocity Geocentric 

GET Velocity Duration Change Latitude Longitude Apogee Perigee Period Incli

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (ft/sec) (sec) (ftlsec) (deg N) (deg E) (n mi) (n mi) (mins) (d

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:56.21 25,605.1 32.5262 -52.5300 91.3 90.0 87.85 32

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition 002:33:36.50 25,598.1 -24.5488 137.4789 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff 002:39:18.42 35,590.2 341.92 10,389.6 -12.3781 161.7104 32

Apollo 16 Translunar Phase 

Space 

Fixed Sp

Space Flight Fi

Fixed Event Velocity Path Hea

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle An

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ftlsec) (sec) (ftlsec) (deg) (E o

Translunar injection 002:39:28.42 171.243 35,566.1 7.461 59

CSM separated from S-IVB 003:04:59.0 3,870.361 24,824.8 45.397 69

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB 003:59:15.1 12,492.7 16,533.5 61.07 88

Midcourse correction ignition 030:39:00.66 119,343.8 4,514.8 76.86 11

Midcourse correction cutoff 030:39:02.67 119,345.3 4,508.1 2.01 12.5 76.72 11

2 Data for this event reflects postflight trajectory reconstruction for 36 seconds Ground Elapsed Time. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Latitude Longitude Apogee Perigee 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft!sec) (sec) (ft!sec) (deg N) (degE) (n mi) (mins) 

Lunar orbit insertion ignition 074:28:27.87 93.9 8,105.4 8.15 -166.63 

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff 074:34:42.77 75.3 5,399.2 374.90 2,802 7.12 169.32 170.3 58.1 

Descent orbit insertion ignition 078:33:45.04 58.5 5,486.3 8.58 136.02 

Descent orbit insertion cutoff 078:34:09.39 58.4 5,281.9 24.35 209.5 8.58 -137.27 58.5 10.9 

LM undocking and separation 096:13:31 33.8 5,417.2 2.37 121.92 

CSM orbit circularization ignition 103:21:43.08 59.2 5,277.8 9.22 -151.98 

CSM orbit circularization cutoff 103:21:47.74 59.1 5,348.7 4.66 81.6 9.23 -151.95 68.0 53.1 

LM powered descent initiation 104:17:25 10.944 5,548.8 -8.67 32.73 

LM powered descent cutoff 104:29:39 734 6,703 

CSM plane change ignition 169:05:52.14 58.6 5,349.8 5.60 108.83 

CSM plane change cutoff 169:05:59.28 58.6 5,349.9 7.14 124 5.57 108.50 64.6 55.0 

LM lunar liftoff ignition 175:31:47.9 

LM lunar ascent orbit cutoff 175:38:55.7 9.9 5,523.3 427.8 6,054.2 -9.77 5.43 40.2 7.9 

LM vernier adjustment 175:42:18 11.2 5,515.2 -10.67 -5.83 

LM terminal phase initiation ignition 176:26:05 40.2 5,351.6 6.88 -147.37 

LM terminal phase initiation cutoff 176:26:07.5 2.5 78.0 

LM terminal phase finalize 177:08:42 64.2 40.1 

CSM/LM docked 177:41:18 65.6 5,313.7 -10.53 -55.65 

LM ascent stage jettisoned 195:00:12 59.2 5,347.9 

CSM separation maneuver 195:03: 13 2.0 -0.02 -115.98 

Subsatellite launched 196:02:09 58.4 5,349.4 1.13 70.47 66 52 

Apollo 16 Transearth Phase 

Space 

Fixed Space 

Space Flight Fixed 

Fixed Event Velocity Path Heading 

GET Altitude Velocity Duration Change Angle Angle 

Event (hhh:mm:ss) (n mi) (ft/sec) (sec) (ft!sec) (deg) (E ofN) 

Transearth injection ignition 200:21:33.07 52.2 5,383.6 0.15 -85.80 

Transearth injection cutoff 200:24:15.36 59.7 8,663.0 162.29 3,370.9 5.12 -82.37 

Midcourse correction ignition 214:35:02.8 183,668.0 3,806.8 -75.08 165.08 

Midcourse correction cutoff 214:35:25.4 183,664.8 3,807.9 22.6 3.4 -80.35 164.99 

Midcourse correction ignition 262:37:20.7 25,312.9 12,256.5 -69.02 157.11 

Midcourse correction cutoff 262:37:27.1 25,305.2 12,258.3 6.4 1.4 -69.02 157.10 

Apollo 16 ~ 
Terminal countdown started. 

Scheduled 9-hour hold at T-9 hours. 

Countdown resumed at T-9 hours. 

Scheduled 1-hour hold at T-3 hours 30 minutes. 

Countdown resumed at T-3 hours 30 minutes. 

Guidance reference release. 

S-IC engine start command. 

S-IC engine ignition (#5). 

All S-IC engines thrust OK. 

Range zero. 

All holddown arms released (1st motion) (1.08 g). 

Liftoff (umbilical disconnected). 

Tower clearance yaw maneuver started. 

Yaw maneuver ended. 

Pitch and roll maneuver started. 

Roll maneuver ended. 

Mach 1 achieved. 

Maximum dynamic pressure (724.72 lbfft2). 

Maximum bending moment (71,000,000 lbf-in). 

S-IC center engine cutoff command. 

Pitch maneuver ended. 

S-IC outboard engine cutoff. Maximum total inertial acceleration (3.82 g). 

S-IC maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

S-IC/S-11 separation command. 

S-II engine start command. 

S-II ignition. 

S-II aft interstage jettisoned. 

Launch escape tower jettisoned. 

Iterative guidance mode initiated. 

S-IC apex. 

S-11 center engine cutoff. S-11 maximum total inertial acceleration (1.74 g). 

S-IC impact (theoretical). 

S-II outboard engine cutoff. 

S-11 maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

S-II/S-IVB separation command. 

S-IVB 1st burn start command. 

S-IVB 1st burn ignition. 

S-IVB ullage case jettisoned. 

S-II apex. 

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff and maximum total inertial acceleration (0.67 g). 

Earth orbit insertion. S-IVB 1st burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 

Orbital navigation started. 

S-11 impact (theoretical). 

S-IVB 2nd burn restart preparation. 

S-IVB 2nd burn restart command. 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition. 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff and maximum total inertial acceleration (1.42 g). 

S-IVB safing procedures started. 

S-IVB 2nd burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 

Translunar injection. 

Apollo by the Numbers 

-028:00:00 03:54:00 15 Apr 

-009:00:00 22:54:00 15 Apr 

-009:00:00 07:54:00 16 Apr 

-003:30:00 13:24:00 16 Apr 

-003:30:00 14:24:00 16 Apr 

-000:00:16.963 17:53:43 16 Apr 

-000:00:08.9 17:53:51 16 Apr 

-000:00:06.7 17:53:53 16 Apr 

-000:00:01.9 17:53:58 16 Apr 

000:00:00.00 17:54:00 16 Apr 

000:00:00.3 17:54:00 16 Apr 

000:00:00.59 17:54:00 16 Apr 

000:00:01.7 17:54:01 16 Apr 

000:00:10.9 17:54:10 16 Apr 

000:00:12.7 17:54:12 16 Apr 

000:00:31.8 17:54:31 16 Apr 

000:01:07.5 17:55:07 16 Apr 

000:01.:26.0 17:55:26 16 Apr 

000:01:26.5 17:55:26 16 Apr 

000:02:17.85 17:56:17 16 Apr 

000:02:38.9 17:56:38 16 Apr 

000:02:41.78 17:56:41 16 Apr 

000:02:42.5 17:56:42 16 Apr 

000:02:43.5 17:56:43 16 Apr 

000:02:44.2 17:56:44 16 Apr 

000:02:45.2 17:56:45 16 Apr 

000:03:13.5 17:57:13 16 Apr 

000:03:19.8 17:57:19 16 Apr 

000:03:24.5 17:57:24 16 Apr 

000:04:30.973 17:58:31 16 Apr 

000:07:41.77 18:01:41 16 Apr 

000:09:07.136 18:03:07 16 Apr 

000:09:19.54 18:03:19 16 Apr 

000:09:20.0 18:03:20 16 Apr 

000:09:20.5 18:03:20 16 Apr 

000:09:20.60 18:03:20 16 Apr 

000:09:23.60 18:03:23 16 Apr 

000:09:32.3 18:03:32 16 Apr 

000:09:44.122 18:03:44 16 Apr 

000:1 1:46.21 18:05:46 16 Apr 

000:11:56.21 18:05:56 16 Apr 

000: 12:07.8 18:06:07 16 Apr 

000:13:26.1 18:07:26 16 Apr 

000:20:02.390 18:14:02 16 Apr 

002:23:58.60 20:17:58 16 Apr 

002:33:28.50 20:27:28 16 Apr 

002:33:36.50 20:27:36 16 Apr 

002:39:18.42 20:33:18 16 Apr 

002:39:19.1 20:33:19 16 Apr 

002:39:20.0 20:33:20 16 Apr 

002:39:28.42 20:33:28 16 Apr 
Maneuver to local horizontal attitude and orbital navigation started. 

Maneuver to transposition and docking attitude started. 

CSM separated from S-IVB. 

TV transmission started. 

CSM docked with LM/S-IVB. 

TV transmission ended. 

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB. 

TV transmission started. 

S-IVB yaw maneuver to attain attitude for evasive maneuver. 

S-IVB APS evasive maneuver ignition. 

S-IVB APS evasive maneuver cutoff. 

TV transmission ended. 

Maneuver to S-IVB LOX dump attitude initiated. 

Alternate (second) maneuver to LOX dump attitude. 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-CVS vent opened. 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-LOX dump started. 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-CVS vent closed. 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-LOX dump ended. 

Maneuver to attitude required for final S-IVB APS burn initiated. 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-APS ignition. 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-APS cutoff. 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver~3-axis tumble command initiated. 

Command to inhibit instrument unit flight control computer to leave S-IVB in 3-axis 

tumble mode. 

Crew reported stream of particles coming from LM. 

Unscheduled crew transfer to LM for system checks. 

TV transmission to give Mission Control a view of the particle emissions started. 

LM powered down. 

TV transmission ended. 

Electrophoresis demonstration started. 

Electrophoresis demonstration ended. 

Loss of S-IVB tracking data precluded exact determination of impact time and location 

within mission objectives. 

Midcourse correction ignition (SPS). 

Midcourse correction cutoff. 

LM pressurized. 

CDR and LMP entered LM for housekeeping and communication checkout. 

CDR and LMP entered CM. 

False gimbal lock indication. 

Visual light flash phenomenon observations started. 

Visual light flash phenomenon observations ended. 

CDR and LMP entered LM for housekeeping. 

CDR and LMP entered CM. 

Skylab food test. 

Equigravisphere. 

Scientific instrument module door jettisoned. 

Lunar orbit insertion ignition (SPS). 

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff. 

S-IVB impact on lunar surface. 

Descent orbit insertion ignition (SPS). 

Descent orbit insertion cutoff. 

002:41:50.3 

002:54:19.3 

003:04:59.0 

003:10 

003:21:53.4 

003:28 

003:59:15.1 

004:10 

004:10:01 

004:18:08.3 

004: 19:28.5 

004:20 

004:27:48.4 

004:31:09 

004:34:47.1 

004:39:27.1 

004:39:47.1 

004:40:15.1 

005:30:37.2 

005:40:07.2 

005:41:01.4 

005:55:06.2 

005:55:37 

007:18 

008:17 

008:45 

008:52 

009:06 

025:05 

025:50 

027:09:59 

030:39:00.66 

030:39:02.67 

032:30 

033:00 

035:00 

038:18:56 

049:10 

050:16 

053:30 

055:11 

056:30 

059:19:45 

069:59:01 

074:28:27.87 

074:34:42.77 

075:08:04.0 

078:33:45.04 

078:34:09.39 

20:35:50 16 Apr 1972 

20:48:19 16 Apr 1972 

20:58:59 16 Apr 1972 

21:04 16 Apr 1972 

21:15:53 16 Apr 1972 

21:22 16 Apr 1972 

21:53:15 16 Apr 1972 

22:04 16 Apr 1972 

22:04:01 16 Apr 1972 

22:12:08 16 Apr 1972 

22:13:28 16 Apr 1972 

22:14 16 Apr 1972 

22:21:48 16 Apr 1972 

22:25:09 16 Apr 1972 

22:28:47 16 Apr 1972 

22:33:27 16 Apr 1972 

22:33:47 16 Apr 1972 

22:34:15 16 Apr 1972 

23:24:37 16 Apr 1972 

23:34:07 16 Apr 1972 

23:35:01 16 Apr 1972 

23:49:06 16 Apr 1972 

23:49:37 16 Apr 1972 

01:12 17 Apr 1972 

02:11 17 Apr 1972 

02:39 17 Apr 1972 

02:46 17 Apr 1972 

03:00 17 Apr 1972 

18:59 17 Apr 1972 

19:44 17 Apr 1972 

21:03:59 17 Apr 1972 

00:33 18 Apr 1972 

00:33:02 18 Apr 1972 

02:24 18 Apr 1972 

02:54 18 Apr 1972 

04:54 18 Apr 1972 

08:12:56 18 Apr 1972 

19:04 18 Apr 1972 

20:10 18 Apr 1972 

23:24 18 Apr 1972 

01 :05 19 Apr 1972 

02:24 19 Apr 1972 

05:13:45 19 Apr 1972 

15:53:01 19 Apr 1972 

20:22:27 19 Apr 1972 

20:28:42 19 Apr 1972 

21:02:04 19 Apr 1972 

00:27:45 20 Apr 1972 

00:28:09 20 Apr 1972 

Apollo 16 ~ 
CSM landmark tracking. 

Solar monitor door/tie-down release. 

CDR and LMP entered LM. 

LM activation and system checks. 

Terminator photography. 

LM undocking and separation. 

CSM landmark tracking. 

CSM checkout indicated no rate feedback and SPS engine gimbal position indicator showed 

yaw oscillations. Planned circularization maneuver at 097:41:44 not performed. 

Rendezvous (CSM active). 

LM separation from CSM. 

CSM and LM platforms realigned. 

CSM orbit circularization ignition (SPS). 

CSM orbit circularization cutoff. 

LM powered descent engine ignition (LM DPS). 

LM throttle to full-throttle position. 

LM manual target (landing site) update. 

CSM landmark tracking. 

LM landing radar velocity data good. 

LM landing radar range data good. 

LM landing radar updates enabled. 

LM landing point redesignation phase entered. 

LM throttle down. 

LM landing radar antenna to position 2. 

LM approach phase program selected and pitchover. 

LM 1st landing point redesignation. 

LM landing radar switched to low scale. 

LM attitude hold mode selected. 

LM landing phase program selected. 

LM lunar landing. 

LM powered descent engine cutoff. 

Mission clock updated (000:11:48.00 added). 

CSM terminator photography. 

1st EVA started (LM cabin depressurized). 

Lunar roving vehicle (LRV) offioaded. 

LRV deployed. 

Far ultraviolet camera/spectroscope deployed. 

TV transmission started for 1st EVA. 

United States flag deployed. 

Apollo lunar surface experiments package (ALSEP) offioaded. 

CSM terminator photography. 

CSM Gum nebula photography. 

ALSEP deployed, deep core sample gathered, and LRV configured for traverse. 

Departed for station l. 

CSM zodiacal photography. 

CDR reported bright flash on lunar surface. 

Arrived at station l. Performed radial sampling, gathered rake and documented samples, 

and performed panoramic and stereographic photography. 

Departed for station 2. 

Arrived at station 2. Performed a lunar portable magnetometer measurement, gathered 

samples and performed panoramic and 500 mm photography. 

Apollo by the Numbers 

079:30 01:24 20 Apr 1

080:10 02:04 20 Apr 1

092:50 14:44 20 Apr 1

093:34 15:28 20 Apr 1

094:40 16:34 20 Apr 1

096:13:31 18:07:31 20 Apr 1

096:40 18:34 20 Apr 1

097:40 19:34 20 Apr 1

100:00 21:54 20 Apr 1

102:30:00 00:24 21 Apr 1

102:40 00:34 21 Apr 1

103:21:43.08 01:15:43 21 Apr 1

103:21:47.74 01:15:47 21 Apr 1

104:17:25 02:11:25 21 Apr 1

104:17:53 02:11:53 21 Apr 1

104:19:16 02:13:16 21 Apr 1

104:20 02:14:20 21 Apr 1

104:20:38 02:14:38 21 Apr 1

104:21:24 02:15:24 21 Apr 1

104:21:54 02:15:54 21 Apr 1

104:24:14 02:18:14 21 Apr 1

104:24:54 02:18:54 21 Apr 1

104:26:50 02:20:50 21 Apr 1

104:26:52 02:20:52 21 Apr 1

104:27:20 02:21:20 21 Apr 1

104:27:32 02:21:32 21 Apr 1

104:28:37 02:22:37 21 Apr 1

104:28:42 02:22:42 21 Apr 1

104:29:35 02:23:35 21 Apr 1

104:29:39 02:23:39 21 Apr 1

118:06:31 16:00:31 21 Apr 1

118:20 16:14 21 Apr 1

118:53:38 16:47:38 21 Apr 1

119:25:29 17:19:29 21 Apr 1

119:32:44 17:26:44 21 Apr 1

119:54:01 17:48:01 21 Apr 1

120:05:40 17:59:40 21 Apr 1

120:15 18:09 21 Apr 1

120:21:35 18:15:35 21 Apr 1

120:30 18:24 21 Apr 1

121:20 19:14 21 Apr 1

122:55:23 20:49:23 21 Apr 1

122:58:02 20:52:02 21 Apr 1

123:00 20:54 21 Apr 1

123:09:40 21:03:40 21 Apr 1

123:23:54 21:1 7:54 21 Apr 1

124:14:32 22:08:32 21 Apr 1

124:21:10 22:15:10 21 Apr 1
Departed for ALSEP site (station 3/10). 

Arrived at station 3/10. Performed "grand prix" with LRV, retrieved core sample, 

armed the active seismic experiment mortar package, and departed for LM. 

Arrived at LM. Deployed solar wind composition experiment, gathered samples, performed 

photography, and started EVA closeout. 

Solar wind composition experiment deployed. 

TV transmission ended for 1st EVA. 

1st EVA ended (LM cabin repressurized). 

CSM ultraviolet photography. 

CSM Gegenschein calibration. 

CSM orbital science visual observations. 

LM crew debriefing. 

CSM terminator photography. 

CSM orbital science visual observations. 

CSM orbital science photography. 

CSM terminator photography. 

2nd EVA started (LM cabin depressurized). 

LRV prepared for traverse. 

CSM Gegenschein photography. 

TV transmission started for 2nd EVA. 

CSM Gegenschein photography. 

Departed for station 4. 

Arrived at station 4. Performed penetrometer measurements, gathered samples, obtained a 

double core tube sample, gathered a soil trench sample, and performed 500 mm and 

panoramic photography. 

CSM deep space measurement. 

Departed for station 5. 

Arrived at station 5. Gathered samples, performed lunar portable magnetometer 

measurement, and performed panoramic photography. 

CSM orbital science photography. 

Departed for station 6. 

CSM orbital science visual observations. 

Arrived at station 6. Gathered samples and performed panoramic photography. 

Departed for station 8 (station 7 deleted). 

Arrived at station 8. Gathered samples, obtained a double core tube sample, and performed 

panoramic photography. 

CSM terminator photography. 

Departed for station 9. 

Arrived at station 9. Gathered samples, obtained single core tube sample, and performed 

panoramic photography. 

Departed for station 10. 

Arrived at station 10. Gathered samples, performed penetrometer measurements, obtained 

a double core tube sample, and performed panoramic photography. 

CSM solar corona photography. 

Departed for LM. 

Arrived at LM and started EVA activity closeout. 

TV transmission ended for 2nd EVA. 

2nd EVA ended (LM cabin repressurized). 

CSM photography of mass spectrometer boom. 

CSM orbital science visual observations. 

CSM terminator photography. 

124:48:07 

124:54:14 

125:05:09 

125:07:00 

125:35 

126:04:40 

126:20 

127:00 

128:00 

128:20 

128:30 

129:25 

130:00 

131:20 

142:39:35 

142:49:29 

142:30 

142:55 

142:30 

143:31:40 

144:07:26 

~44:45 

145:05:16 

145:10:05 

145:35 

145:58:40 

146:05 

146:06:37 

146:29:18 

146:40:19 

147:15 

147:48:15 

147:53:12 

148:29:45 

148:54:16 

149:05 

149:21:17 

149:23:24 

149:40 

150:02:44 

153:05 

153:40 

154:20 

22:42:07 21 Apr 1972 

22:48:14 21 Apr 1972 

22:59:09 21 Apr 1972 

23:01 21 Apr 1972 

23:29 21 Apr 1972 

23:58:40 21 Apr 1972 

00:14 22 Apr 1972 

00:54 22 Apr 1972 

01:54 22 Apr 1972 

02:14 22 Apr 1972 

02:24 22 Apr 1972 

03:19 22 Apr 1972 

03:54 22 Apr 1972 

05:14 22 Apr 1972 

16:33:35 22 Apr 1972 

16:43:29 22 Apr 1972 

16:24 22 Apr 1972 

16:49 22 Apr 1972 

16:24 22 Apr 1972 

17:25:40 22 Apr 1972 

18:01:26 22 Apr 1972 

18:39 22 Apr 1972 

18:59:16 22 Apr 1972 

19:04:05 22 Apr 1972 

19:29 22 Apr 1972 

19:52:40 22 Apr 1972 

19:59 22 Apr 1972 

20:00:37 22 Apr 1972 

20:23:18 22 Apr 1972 

20:34:19 22 Apr 1972 

21:09 22 Apr 1972 

21:42:15 22 Apr 1972 

21:47: 12 22 Apr 1972 

22:23:45 22 Apr 1972 

22:48:16 22 Apr 1972 

22:59 22 Apr 1972 

23:15:17 22 Apr 1972 

23:17:24 22 Apr 1972 

23:34 22 Apr 1972 

23:56:44 22 Apr 1972 

02:59 23 Apr 1972 

03:34 23 Apr 1972 

04:14 23 Apr 1972 

Apollo 16 ~ 
CSM orbital science photography. 155:05 04:59 23 Apr 1

CSM bistatic radar test started. 155:20 05:14 23 Apr 1

CSM bistatic radar test ended. 
 156:00 05:54 23 Apr 1

CSM mass spectrometer retraction test started. 
 165:30 15:24 23 Apr 1

3rd EVA started (LM cabin depressurized). 165:31:28 15:25:28 23 Apr 1

LRV prepared for traverse. 165:43:29 15:37:29 23 Apr 1

TV transmission started for 3rd EVA. 165:40 15:34 23 Apr 1

CSM mass spectrometer retraction test ended. 166:00 15:54 23 Apr 1

Departed for station 11. 166:09:13 16:03:13 23 Apr 1

Arrived at station 11. Gathered samples, performed 500 mmand panoramic photography. 166:44:50 16:38:50 23 Apr 1

CSM solar camera photography. 166:50 16:44 23 Apr 1

CSM orbital science visual observations. 167:50 17:44 23 Apr 1

Departed for station 13. 168:09:46 18:03:46 23 Apr 1

Arrived at station 13. Gathered samples, performed lunar portable 

magnetometer measurement and performed panoramic photography. 168:17:39 18:11:39 23 Apr 1

Departed for station 10 prime. 168:46:33 18:40:33 23 Apr 1

CSM plane change ignition (SPS). 169:05:52.14 18:59:52 23 Apr 1

CSM plane change cutoff. 169:05:59.28 18:59:59 23 Apr 1

Arrived at station 10 prime. Gathered samples, obtained a double core tube sample, and 

performed 500 mm and panoramic photography. 169:15:38 19:09:38 23 Apr 19

LRV driven to LM. Samples gathered. EVA closeout started. 169:51:48 19:45:48 23 Apr 1

Solar wind composition experiment retrieved. 170:12:00 20:06 23 Apr 1

Departed for LRV final parking area. 170:23:06 20:17:06 23 Apr 19

Arrived at final parking area. Performed two lunar portable magnetometer measurements, 

gathered samples and continued EVA closeout. 170:27:09 20:21:09 23 Apr 19

Film from far ultraviolet camera/spectroscope retrieved. 171:01:42 20:55:42 23 Apr 19

CSM Gegenschein photography. 171:00 20:54 23 Apr 19

TV transmission ended for 3rd EVA. CSM deep space measurement. 171:10 21 :04 23 Apr 19

3rd EVA ended (LM cabin repressurized). 171:11:31 21:05:31 23 Apr 19

LM equipment jettisoned. 172:15 22:09 23 Apr 19

TV transmission started. 175:15 01:09 24 Apr 19

LM lunar liftoff ignition (LM APS). 175:31:47.9 01:25:47 24 Apr 19

Lunar ascent orbit cutoff. 175:38:55.7 01:32:55 24 Apr 19

TV transmission ended. 175:40 01:34 24 Apr 19

Vernier adjustment. 175:42:18 01:36:18 24 Apr 19

TV transmission started. 176:18 02: 12 24 Apr 19

TV transmission ended. 176:25 02:19 24 Apr 19

Terminal phase initiation ignition (LM APS). 176:26:05 02:20:05 24 Apr 19

Terminal phase initiation cutoff. 176:26:07.5 02:20:07 24 Apr 19

LM 1st midcourse correction. 176:35 02:29 24 Apr 19

LM 2nd midcourse correction. 176:50 02:44 24 Apr 19

Terminal phase finalize. 177:08:42 03:02:42 24 Apr 19

CSM/LM docked. 177:41:18 03:35:18 24 Apr 19

Transfer and stowing of equipment and samples started. 178:15 04:09 24 Apr 19

Mass spectrometer deployed. 178:40 04:34 24 Apr 19

Transfer and stowing of equipment and samples ended. 180:00 05:54 24 Apr 19

Transfer of items to LM ascent stage started. 192:00 17:54 24 Apr 19

Transfer of items to LM ascent stage ended. LM ascent stage activated. 192:30 18:24 24 Apr 19

Maneuver to LM jettison attitude. 192:55 18:49 24 Apr 19

Hatch closeout. 194:30 20:24 24 Apr 19

LM prepared for jettison. 194:35 20:29 24 Apr 19

Apollo by the Numbers 
LM ascent stage jettisoned. 195:00:12 20:54:12 24 Apr 1972 

LM tumbling started. 

LM tumbling ended. 

CSM separation maneuver. 195:03:13 20:57:13 24 Apr 1972 

Mass spectrometer boom jettisoned. 195:23:12 21:17:12 24 Apr 1972 

Subsatellite launched. 196:02:09 21:56:09 24 Apr 1972 

Sunrise solar corona photography. 196:40 22:34 24 Apr 1972 

Transearth injection ignition (SPS). 200:21:33.07 02:15:33 25 Apr 1972 

Transearth injection cutoff. 200:24:15.36 02:18:15 25 Apr 1972 

X-Ray spectrometer -Scorpius X -1 observation started. 201:31 03:25 25 Apr 1972 

X-Ray spectrometer-Scorpius X-1 observation ended. 202:11 04:05 24 Apr 1972 

Mission clock updated (024:34:12 added). 202:18:12 04:12:12 25 Apr 1972 

TV transmission from CM started. 202:57 04:51 25 Apr 1972 

TV transmission from CM ended. 203:12 05:06 25 Apr 1972 

TV transmission from lunar surface (LRV camera) started. 203:29 05:23 25 Apr 1972 

TV transmission from lunar surface ended. 204:12 06:06 25 Apr 1972 

Midcourse correction ignition. 214:35:02.8 16:29:02 25 Apr 1972 

Midcourse correction cutoff. 214:35:25.4 16:29:25 25 Apr 1972 

Transearth EVA started (Mattingly). 218:39:46 20:33:46 25 Apr 1972 

TV transmission st.arted for transearth EVA. 218:40 20:34 25 Apr 1972 

Installation of television camera and data acquisition cameras started. 218:50 20:44 25 Apr 1972 

Camera cassette retrieval and scientific instrument module inspection. 219:10 21:04 25 Apr 1972 

Microbial response in space environment experiment. 219:30 21:24 25 Apr 1972 

TV transmission ended for transearth EVA. 219:49 21:43 25 Apr 1972 

Ingress and hatch closing started. 219:50 21:44 25 Apr 1972 

Transearth EVA ended. 220:03:28 21:57:28 25 Apr 1972 

X-Ray spectrometer -Cygnus X -1 observation started. 221:01 22:55 25 Apr 1972 

X-Ray spectrometer -Cygnus X -1 observation ended. 224:01 01:55 26 Apr 1972 

X-Ray spectrometer -Scorpius X -1 observation started. 224:21 02:15 26 Apr 1972 

Contamination control. 226:10 04:04 26 Apr 1972 

X-Ray spectrometer -Scorpius X -1 observation ended. 226:51 04:45 26 Apr 1972 

Apollo 15 subsatellite reactivated. 226:50 04:44 26 Apr 1972 

Visual light flash phenomenon observations started. 238:00 15:54 26 Apr 1972 

Visual light flash phenomenon observations ended. 239:00 16:54 26 Apr 1972 

X-Ray spectrometer-Scorpius X-1 observation started. 242:21 20:15 26 Apr 1972 

Televised press conference started. 243:35 21:29 26 Apr 1972 

Televised press conference ended. 243:53 21:47 26 Apr 1972 

Jet firing test. 245:00 22:54 26 Apr 1972 

X-Ray spectrometer-Scorpius X-1 observation ended. 245:51 23:45 26 Apr 1972 

Skylab contamination photography started. 245:30 23:24 26 Apr 1972 

Skylab contamination photography ended. 247:00 00:54 27 Apr 1972 

X-ray spectrometer-Cygnus X-1 observation started. 248:51 02:45 27 Apr 1972 

X-ray spectrometer-Cygnus X-1 observation ended. 251:51 05:45 27 Apr 1972 

Midcourse correction ignition. 262:37:20.7 16:31:20 27 Apr 1972 

Midcourse correction cutoff. 262:37:27.1 16:31:27 27 Apr 1972 

Earth ultraviolet photography. 263:00 16:54 27 Apr 1972 

CM/SM separation. 265:22:23 19:16:23 27 Apr 1972 

Entry. 265:37:31 19:31:31 27 Apr 1972 

Communication blackout started. 265:37:47 19:31:47 27 Apr 1972 

Radar contact with CM by recovery ship. 265:40 19:34 27 Apr 1972 

Communication blackout ended. 265:41:01 19:35:01 27 Apr 1972 

Apollo 16 ~ 
Forward heat shield jettisoned. 265:45:25 19:39:25 27 Apr 

Drogue parachute deployed 265:45:26 19:39:26 27 Apr 

Visual contact with CM established by recovery forces. 265:45 19:39 27 Apr 

Main parachute deployed. 265:46:16 19:40:16 27 Apr 

VHF recovery beacon contact with CM established by recovery ship. 265:46 19:40 27 Apr 

Voice contact with CM established by recovery ship. 265:47 19:41 27 Apr 

Splashdown (went to apex-down). 265:51:05 19:45:05 27 Apr 

CM returned to apex-up position. 265:55:30 19:49:30 27 Apr 

Swimmers deployed to CM. 265:56 19:50 27 Apr 

flotation collar inflated. 266:06 20:00 27 Apr 

Hatch opened for crew egress. 266:10 20:04 27 Apr 

Crew aboard recovery helicopter. 266:22 20:16 27 Apr 

Crew abo.ard recovery ship. 266:28 20:22 27 Apr 

CM aboard recovery ship. 267:30 21:24 27 Apr 

1st sample flight departed recovery ship. 305:51 11:45 29 Apr 

1st sample flight arrived in Hawaii. 308:20 14:14 29 Apr 

1st sample flight departed Hawaii. 309:09 15:03 29 Apr 

Flight crew departed recovery ship. 311:36 17:30 29 Apr 

Flight crew arrived in Hawaii. 313:27 19:21 29 Apr 

Flight crew departed Hawaii. 314:13 20:07 29 Apr 

1st sample flight arrived in Houston. 316:38 22:32 29 Apr 

CM arrived in Hawaii. 321:36 03:30 30 Apr 

Flight crew arrived in Houston. 321:46 03:40 30 Apr 

CM departed Hawaii. 360:06 18:00 01 May 

CM arrived at North Island, San Diego. 462:06 00:00 06 May 

Explosive failure of ground support equipment decontamination unit tank during 

deactivation of nitrogen tetroxide portion of CM RCS. 07 May 

CM deactivated. 606:06 00:00 11 May 

CM departed San Diego. 609:06 03:00 12 May 

CM arrived at contractor's facility in Downey, CA. 616:36 10:30 12 May 

Final telemetry from subsatellite (just before impact on lunar surface). 1034:37 20:31 29 May 

Apollo by the Numbers 
APOLLO 17 


The Eleventh Mission: 


The Sixth Lunar Landing 

Apollo 17 crew (l. tor.): Jack Schmitt, Gene Cernan 

(seated), Ron Evans (NASA S72-50438). 

Background 

Apollo 17 was the third Type J mission, an extensive scientific investigation of the Moon on the lunar surface and 

from lunar orbit. Although the spacecraft and launch vehicle were similar to those for Apollo 15 and 16, some 

experiments were unique to this mission. It was also the 

final piloted lunar landing mission of the Apollo program. 

The primary objectives were: 

• to perform selenological inspection, survey, and sampling of 

materials and surface features in a preselected area of the 

Taurus-Littrow region; 

• to emplace and activate surface experiments; and 

• to conduct inflight experiments and photographic tasks. 

The targeted landing site was the Taurus-Littrow region, 

selected because of the certainty of acquiring highlands 

material, the potential for superior orbital coverage, and 

for better use of the LRV. 

The crew members were Captain Eugene Andrew "Gene" 

Cernan, (USN), commander; Commander Ronald Ellwin 

Evans (USN), command module pilot; and Harrison 

Hagan "Jack" Schmitt, Ph.D., lunar module pilot. 

1Evans died of a heart attack on 7 April 1990 in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

Illinois, Cernan was 38 years old at the time of the 

17 mission. He received a B.S. in electrical engineeri

from Purdue University in 1956 and an M.S. in aero

cal engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate Sc

1963. His backup for the mission was Captain John 

Young (USN). 

Evans and Schmitt were making their first spacefligh

Born 10 November 1933 in St. Francis, Kansas, Evan

39 years old at the time of the mission. He received 

in electrical engineering from the University of Kans

1956 and a M.S. in aeronautical engineering from th

Naval Postgraduate School in 1964, and he was selec

an astronaut in 1966.1 His backup was Lt. Colonel S

Allen Roosa (USAF). 

A geologist, Schmitt was the first true scientist to ex

the Moon. Born 3 July 1935 in Santa Rita, New Mex

was 3 7 years old at the time of the Apollo 17 missio

Schmitt received a B.S. in science from the Californi

Institute of Technology in 1957 and a Ph.D. in geolo

from Harvard University in 1964. He was selected as 

astronaut in 1965. His backup was Colonel Charles 

Duke, Jr. (USAF). 

The capsule communicators (CAPCOMs) for the mi

were Major Charles Gordon Fullerton (USAF), Lt. C

Robert Franklyn Overmyer (USMC), Robert Alan R

Parker, Ph. D., Joseph Percival Allen IV, Ph. D., Capt

Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. (USN), Commander Thom

Kenneth "Ken" Mattingly, II (USN), Duke, Roosa, an

Young. The support crew were Overmyer, Parker, an

Fullerton. The flight directors were Gerald D. Griffin 

shift), Eugene F. Kranz and Neil B. Hutchinson (sec

shift), and M.P. "Pete" Frank and Charles R. Lewis (

shift). 

The Apollo 17 launch vehicle was a Saturn V, design

SA-512. The mission also carried the designation Ea

Test Range #1701. The CSM was designated CSM-11

had the call-sign ''America." The lunar module was d

nated LM-12, and had the call-sign "Challenger:' 

Launch Preparations 

The terminal countdown was picked up at T-28 hou

at 12:53:00 GMT on 5 December 1972. Scheduled ho

Apollo by the Numbers 
, 

Terminal Countdown Sequencer failed to issue the S-IVB 

LOX tank pressurization command. As a result, an automatic hold command was issued at T-30 seconds which 

lasted 1 hour S minutes 11 seconds. The countdown was 

recycled to T-22 minutes, but was held again at T-8 minutes to resolve the sequencer corrective action. This hold 

lasted 1 hour 13 minutes 19 seconds The countdown was 

then picked up at T-8 minutes and proceeded smoothly to 

launch. The delays totaled 2 hours 40 minutes. 

During the evening launch of Apollo 17, the Cape 

Kennedy area was experiencing mild temperatures with 

gentle surface winds. These conditions resulted from a 

warm moist air mass covering most of Florida. This warm 

air was separated from an extremely cold air mass over the 

rest of the south by a cold front oriented northeast-southwest and passing through the Florida panhandle. Surface 

winds in the Cape Kennedy area were light and northwesterly. The maximum wind belt was located north of 

Florida, giving less intense wind flow aloft over the Cape 

Kennedy area. At launch time, stratocumulus clouds covered 20 percent of the sky (base 2,600 feet) and cirrus 

clouds covered SO percent (base 26,000 feet); the temperature was 70.0° F; the relative humidity was 93 percent; and 

the barometric pressure was 14.79S lb/in2. The winds, as 

measured by the anemometer on the light pole 60.0 feet 

above ground at the launch site measured 8.0 knots at so 

from true north. The winds, as measured at S30 feet above 

the launch site, measured 10.5 knots at 33S0 from true 

north. 

Ascent Phase 

Apollo 17 was launched from Kennedy Space Center 

Launch Complex 39, Pad A, at a Range Zero time of 

OS:33:00 GMT (12:33:00 a.m. EST) on 7 December 1972. 

The planned launch window was 02:S3:00 GMT to 

06:31:00 GMT on 7 December to take advantage of a sun 

elevation angle on the lunar surface of 13.3°. 

Between 000:00:12.9 and 000:00:14.3, the vehicle rolled 

from a launch pad azimuth of 90° to a flight azimuth of 

9l.S04°. The S-IC engine shut down at 000:02:41.20, followed by S-IC/S-11 separation, and S-11 engine ignition. The 

S-11 engine shut down at 000:09:19.66 followed by separation from the S-IVB, which ignited at 000:09:23.80. The 

first S-IVB engine cutoff occurred at 000:11:42.6S, with 

,, 

a maximum wind shear of 0.0177 sec-t at 26,164 feet. 

Apollo 17lifts off from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A 

(NASA S72-55482). 

Parking orbit conditions at insertion, 000:11:S2.6S (S-IVB 

cutoff plus 10 seconds to account for engine tailoff and 

other transient effects), showed an apogee and perigee of 

90.3 by 90.0 n mi, an inclination of 28.526°, a period of 

87.83 minutes, and a velocity of 2S,604.0 ft/sec. The apogee 

and perigee were based upon a spherical Earth with a 

radius of 3,443.934 n mi. 

The international designation for the CSM upon achieving 

orbit was 1972-096A and the S-IVB was designated 1972­

096B. After undocking at the Moon, the LM ascent stage 

would be designated 1972-096C and the descent stage 

1972-096D. 

Translunar Phase 

After inflight systems checks, the 3Sl.04-second translunar 

injection maneuver (second S-IVB firing) was performed at 

003:12:36.60. The S-IVB engine shut down at 003:18:27.64 

and translunar injection occurred ten seconds later at a 

Apollo 17 ~ 
View of Earth during translunar flight. This photo is 

unique because it was the only Apollo lunar mission 

from which the crew could see the Earth's South Pole 

(NASA AS17-148-22726). 

At 003:42:27.6, the CSM was separated from the S-NB 

stage, transposed, and docked at 003:57:10.7. During docking, there were indications of a ring latch malfunction. The 

LM was pressurized, the hatch removed, and troubleshooting revealed that the handles for latches 7, 9, and 10 were 

not locked. All were manually set and the docked spacecraft were ejected from the S-NB at 004:45:02.3. A 79.9­

second separation maneuver was performed at 005:03:01.1. 

The S-IVB tanks were vented at 006:09:59.8, and the auxiliary propulsion system was fired for 98.2 seconds to target 

the S-IVB for a lunar impact. A second, 102.4-second 

maneuver was performed at 011:14:59.8. 

The S-IVB impacted the lunar surface at 086:59:40.99. The 

impact point was latitude 4.33° south and longitude 12.37° 

west, 84 n mi from the target point, 182 n mi from the 

Apollo 12 seismometer, 84 n mi from the Apollo 14 seismometer, 559 n mi from the Apollo 15 seismometer, and 

460 n mi from the Apollo 16 seismometer. The impact was 

recorded by all four instruments. At impact, the S-IVB 

weighed 30,712 pounds and was traveling 8,346 ft/sec. 

The 2-hour 40-minute launch delay caused ground controllers to modify Apollo 17's trajectory so that it would 

Apollo by the Numbers 

View of LM inside S-IVB stage following separati

from the CSM (NASA AS17-148-22688). 

The commander and lunar module pilot transferred 

LM at 040:10. At ingress, it was discovered that #4 d

latch was not properly latched. The command modu

pilot moved the latch handle between 30° and 45°, d

gaging the hook from the docking ring. After discus

with ground control, it was decided to curtail furthe

action on the latch until the second LM activation. T

remainder of the LM housekeeping was nominal an

LM was closed out at 042:11. 

The heat flow and convection demonstrations were 

ducted as planned. The first demonstration began at 

042:55 and was performed with the spacecraft in att

hold while the second run was accomplished with th

spacecraft in the passive thermal control mode. The 

demonstrations produced satisfactory results, and we

concluded at 046:00. 

The second LM housekeeping session commenced a

059:59 and was completed at 062:16. All LM system

checks were nominal. During the LM housekeeping 

the command module pilot performed troubleshoot

the docking latch #4 problem experienced during th

session. Following instructions from the ground con

he stroked the latch handle and succeeded in cockin

latch. The latch was left in the cocked position for t

CSM/LM rendezvous. 
At 068:19, a one-hour visual light flash phenomenon 

observation was conducted by the crew. They reported seeing light flashes ranging from bright to dull. 

The scientific instrument module bay door was jettisoned 

at 081:32:40. 

At 086:14:22.60, at an altitude of 76.8 n mi above the 

Moon, the service propulsion engine was fired for 393.16 

seconds to insert the spacecraft into a lunar orbit of 170.0 

by 52.6 n mi. The translunar coast had lasted 83 hours 2 

minutes 18.11 seconds. 

Lunar Orbit/Lunar Surface Phase 

At 090:31:37.43, a 22.27-second service propulsion system 

maneuver was performed and lowered the spacecraft to the 

descent orbit of 59.0 by 14.5 n mi in preparation for 

undocking of the LM. 

The CSM/LM combination was retained in this orbit 17 

hours before the spacecraft were undocked and separated 

by a 3.4-second maneuver at 107:47:56 at an altitude of 

47.2 n mi, while in an orbit of 61.5 by 11.5 n mi. After 

undocking, a 3.80-second maneuver at 109:17:28.92 circularized the CSM orbit to 70.0 by 54.0 n mi. 

The second LM descent orbit insertion maneuver, performed for 21.5 seconds at 109:22:42, lowered the orbit to 

59.6 by 6.2 n mi. The 725-second powered descent maneuver was initiated from this orbit at 110:09:53 at an altitude 

of 8.7 n mi. 

CSM (inside circle) barely seen against the Taurus 

Littrow landing site (NASA AS17-147-22465). 

Landing occurred at 19:54:58 GMT (02:54:58 p.m. EST) on 

11 December at 110:21:58. The spacecraft landed in the 

Taurus-Littrow region at latitude 20.19080° north and longitude 30.77168° east, within 656 feet of the planned landing point. Approximately 117 seconds of engine firing time 

remained at landing. 

The first extravehicular activity began at 114:21:49 with the 

depressurization of the LM cabin. After exiting to the surface, the crew offloaded the lunar roving vehicle (LRV-3) at 

114:51:10. 

Ceman checks out LRV during EVA-I and prior to loading it with equipment (NASA ASI7-147-22526). 

After deploying the LRV, and prior to traversing to the 

ALSEP site, the commander inadvertently knocked the 

right rear fender extension off the LRV. The extension was 

subsequently secured to the fender with tape. Later during 

EVA-1, the extension came off and showered the crew and 

the LRV with a great deal of lunar dust. 

Following an LRV test drive the crew gathered samples and 

performed panoramic photography. 

The crew deployed the U.S. flag at 115:40:58 and offloaded 

the ALSEP package at 115:58:30. Following several traverse 

gravimeter readings, the ALSEP was deployed 607 feet 

(185 m) west-northwest of the LM. 

At the ALSEP site, at 118:35:27, Ceman drilled two holes 

for heat flow experiment probes and a deep core hole. 

Apollo 17 §J 
Cernan drives the LRV by the LM during EVA-I (NASA 

ASI7-I47-22527). 

Cernan salutes U.S. flag during EVA-I (NASA ASI7-134­

20380). 

Schmitt takes his turn posing with the flag during EVA-I. 

Note the Earth at the top of the figure (NASA ASI7-134­

20384). 

Apollo by the Numbers 

Schmitt collects lunar rake samples during EVA-

.(NASA ASI7-134-20425). 

Panorama of Schmitt, SEP transmitter, LRV, LM, 

Geophone Rock, and ALSEP during EVA-I (NASA 

134-20435). 

At 119:56:47, the crew departed for the surface elec

properties experiment, with a stop to deploy a seism

profiling explosive charge. 

The crew entered the LM and the cabin was repres

at 121:33:42. The first EVA lasted 7 hours 11 minut

53 seconds. The distance traveled in the lunar rover 

was 10,800 feet (3.3 km), vehicle drive time was 33 

utes, and an estimated 31.5 pounds (14.3 kg) of sam

were collected. 

The second extravehicular activity began 80 minute

with cabin depressurization at 137:55:06. 
made an excellent substitute for the extension. 

Flight team discusses repairs to the damaged LRV fender that occurred during EVA-I (NASA S72-55170). 

This figure from EVA-2 shows the makeshift repair to 

the LRV. (NASA AS17-137-20979). 

Schmitt uses a "lunar scoop" to retrieve soil samples at 

station 5 during EVA-2 (NASA AS17-145-22157). 

The crew deployed three explosive packages in support of 

the lunar seismic prhfiling experiment, made seven traverse 

gravimeter measurements, gathered numerous samples, and 

completed their 500 mm and panoramic photographic 

tasks. 

Schmitt enjoys the Moon's one-sixth Earth gravity as he 

searches for rock samples during EVA-2 (NASA AS17­

145-22165). 

Apollo 17 ~ 
View of the orange soil found at station 4 at the rim of 

Shorty Crater during EVA-2 (NASA AS17-137-20990). 

An orange-colored material, believed to be of volcanic origin, was found at station 4 (Shorty Crater). 

The crew entered the LM and the cabin was repressurized 

at 145:32:02. The second extravehicular activity lasted 7 

hours 36 minutes 56 seconds. The distance traveled in the 

lunar rover vehicl~ was 66,600 feet (20.3 km), vehicle drive 

time was 2 hours 25 minutes, and an estimated 75.2 

pounds (34.1 kg) of samples were collected. 

After a 15 hour 30-minute period in the LM, the cabin 

was depressurized at 160:52:48 for the third EVA, about 50 

minutes later than planned. 

A view of "Tracy's Rock;' named for Cernan's daughter, 

and Henry Crater at station 6. The LRV is parked at an 

outcrop of rocks and near the shadow of the large boulder (NASA AS17-140-21493). 

Schmitt, with gnomon in hand, stands to the lef

"Tracy's Rock;' a large split boulder. (NASA AS1

21496). 

Photo taken at station 8 of a small boulder befo

rolled over so soil samples could be taken (NASA 

146-22365). 

Specific sampling objectives were accomplished and 

traverse gravimeter measurements were made, as w

additional 500 mm and panoramic photography. 

The surface electrical properties experiment was ter

because the receiver temperature was increasing to 

that could have affected the data tape. Consequentl

tape recorder was removed on the way back to the 

The cosmic ray experiment and the lunar neutron 

experiment were retrieved at 161:20:17, and several 

profiling charges were deployed. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Schmitt holds a scoop over the small boulder seen in 

the previous image, after it was rolled over (NASA 

ASl 7-146-22371 ). 

Many 500 mm panoramic images were taken during 

EVA-3. This one, at Station 6, shows the LM, in the center, surrounded by the rolling hills of the landing site 

(NASA AS17-139-21204). 

The third extravehicular activity lasted 7 hours 15 minutes 

8 seconds. The distance traveled in the lunar rover vehicle 

was 39,700 feet (12.1 km), vehicle drive time was 1 hour 

31 minutes, and an estimated 136.7 pounds (62.0 kg) of 

samples were collected. 

Interesting image of the hole left by a core tube sample 

taken during EVA-3. The regular shape was characteristic of the soil at Taurus-Llttrow, which proved to be 

very stable when penetrated by the core tubes (NASA 

ASl 7-146-22295). 

Close-up view of the U.S. flag and "United States" banner displayed on the outside of the LM (NASA AS17-

134-20469).

The crew entered the LM, and, following equipment jettison, the cabin was repressurized at 168:07:56, thus ending 

the Apollo program's sixth and final human exploration of 

the Moon. 

Apollo 17 � 
Ceman prepares to mount the IM ladder. Commemorative 

plaque can barely be seen above the third rung from the 

bottom (NASA ASl 7-134-20482). 

The only geologist to visit the lunar surface, Schmitt

smiles inside the IM following the final EVA of the 

Apollo program (NASA AS17-134-20530). 

For the mission, the total time spent outside the LM was 

22 hours 3 minutes 57 seconds, the total distance traveled 

in the lunar rover vehicle was 117,000 feet (35.7 km), vehicle drive time was 4 hours 29 minutes, and the collected 

samples totaled 243.65 pounds (110.52 kg, official total in 

kilograms as determined by the Lunar Receiving Laboratory 

in Houston). The farthest point traveled from the LM was 

24,180 feet. Good quality television transmissions were 

received during all three EVA'.s. 

� Apollo by the Numbers 

View of craters Eratosthenese and Copernicus from CM 

(NASA AS17-145-22285). 

Numerous science activities were conducted in lunar orbit 

while the surface was being explored. In addition to the 

panoramic camera, the mapping camera, and the laser 

altimeter (which were used on previous missions), three 

new experiments were included in the service module. 

An ultraviolet spectrometer measured lunar atmospheric 

density and composition, an infrared radiometer mapped 

the thermal characteristics of the Moon, and a lunar 

sounder acquired data on the subsurface structure. 

The CSM orbit did not decay as predicted while the LM 

was on the Moon. Consequently, a 37.50-second orbital 

trim maneuver was performed at 178:54:05.45 to lower the 

orbit to 67.3 by 62.5 n mi. In addition, a planned 20.05-

second plane change maneuver was made at 179:53:53.83 

in preparation for rendezvous and resulted in an orbit of 

62.8 by 62.5 n mi. 

Interesting oblique view of crater Copernicus as seen 

from lunar orbit (NASA AS17-145-22287). 

Ignition of the ascent stage engine for lunar liftoff 

occurred at 05:54:37 GMT (22:54:37 p.m. EST) on 14 

December at 185:21:37. The LM had been on the lunar 

surface for 7 4 hours 59 minutes 40 seconds. 
The LM ascent stage lifts off from the lunar surface as 

seen by the television camera mounted on the LRV 

(NASA S72-55421). 

The LM ascent stage approaches the CM for docking 

(NASA AS17-149-22857). 

The 441-second maneuver was made to achieve the initial 

lunar orbit of 48.5 by 9.1 n mi. Several rendezvous sequence 

maneuvers were required before docking could occur two 

hours later. A IO-second vernier adjustment maneuver at 

185:32:12 adjusted the orbit to 48.5 by 9.4 n mi. Finally, the 

3.2-second terminal phase initiation at 186:15:58 brought the 

ascent stage to an orbit of 64.7 by 48.5 n mi. 

A clear view of the Scientific Instrument Module bay as 

seen from the approaching LM. CMP Evans would later

do a spacewalk to retrieve film and a camera from the 

bay (NASA AS17-145-22257). 

The nose of the CM, with docking probe, as seen just 

before linkup (NASA AS17-145-22272). 

The ascent stage and the CSM docked at 187:37:15 at an 

altitude of 60.6 n mi. The two spacecraft had been 

undocked for 79 hours 49 minutes 19 seconds. 

After transfer of the crew and samples to the CSM, the 

ascent stage was jettisoned at 191:18:31, and the CSM was 

prepared for transearth injection. The ascent stage was then 

maneuvered by remote control to strike the lunar surface. 

A 12-second maneuver was made at 191:23:31 to separate 

the CSM from the ascent stage, and resulted in an orbit of 

63.9 by 61.2 n mi. A 116-second deorbit firing at 60.5 n mi 

Apollo 17 � 
altitude depleted the ascent stage propellants by 193:00:10.

hn.pact occurred at latitude 19" 57' 58" north and longitude

30" 29' 23" east at 193:17:21. The impact point was 0.94 n

mi (1.75 km) from the planned point and 5.35 n mi-(9.9

km) southwest of the Apollo 17 landing site. The impact was

recorded by the Apollo 12, 14, 15, and 16 seismic stations.

Explosive packages placed by the crew on the lunar surface

were detonated at 210:15:35 and 212:45:01. Both events

were picked up by the lunar seismic profiling geophones,

and the resulting flash and dust from the second explosion

were seen on television.

The television assembly and lunar communications relay

unit failed to operate when attempts were made to command the camera on at 218:20, 235:04, and 235:13. It was 

later determined that the relay unit experienced an overtemperature failure.

Following a 143.69-second maneuver at 234:02:09.18 at an

altitude of 62.1 n mi, transearth injection was achi_eved at

234:04:32.87, at a velocity of 8,374.3 ft/sec, after 75 lunar

orbits lasting 147 hours 43 minutes 37.11 seconds. The

crew had spent an additional day in lunar orbit performing scientific experiments.

Transearth Phase 

Two more explosive packages were detonated (235:09:52

and 238:12:50), and the geophones received strong signals.

At 254:54:40, the command module pilot began a 1-hour

5-minute 44-second transearth coast extravehicular activity,

televised to Earth, during which he retrieved the lunar

sounder film, panoramic camera, and mapping camera cassettes in three trips to the scientific instrument module

bay. This brought the total extravehicular activity for the

mission to 23 hours 9 minutes 41 seconds.

Three final explosive packages were detonated at 257:43:56,

259:12:02, and 262:34:29, and were detected by the lunar

surface geophones.

During the remainder of transearth flight, the crew performed another light-flash experiment, and operated the

infrared radiometer and ultraviolet spectrometer. One midcourse correction was required, a 9-second 2.1-ft/sec

maneuver at 298:38:01.

� Apollo by the Numbers

Evans performs a transearth EVA to retrieve items from

the SIM bay (NASA AS17-152-23374).

Cernan and Evans, and Cernan and Schmitt, enjoy the

final trip home from the Moon (NASA AS17-162-24053 

and AS17-163-24149).
One last look at the Moon during transearth coast 

(NASA AS17-152-23312). 

Recovery 

The service module was jettisoned at 301:23:49, and the 

CM entry followed a normal profile. The command module reentered Earth's atmosphere ( 400,000 feet altitude) at 

301:38:38 at a velocity of 36.090.3 ft/sec, following a 

transearth coast of 67 hours 34 minutes OS seconds. 

The parachute system effected splashdown of the CM in the 

Pacific Ocean at 19:24:59 GMT (02:24:59 p.m. EST) on 19 

December. Mission duration was 301:51:59. The impact point 

was about 1.0 n rni from the target point and 3.5 n rni from 

the recovery ship U.S.S. Ticonderoga. 

The splashdown site was estimated to be latitude 17.88° 

south and longitude 166.ll 0 west. After splashdown, the 

CM assumed an apex-up flotation attitude. The crew was 

retrieved by helicopter and was aboard the recovery ship 

52 minutes after splashdown. The CM was recovered 71 

minutes later. The estimated CM weight at splashdown was 

12,120 pounds, and the estimated distance traveled for the 

mission was 1,291,299 n mi. 

The crew departed the Ticonderoga at 00:38 GMT on 

21 December and arrived in Houston at 15:50 GMT. The 

CM was sent for deactivation to North Island Naval Air 

Rockwell Space Division facility in Downey, California, for 

postflight analysis. It arrived at 22:00 GMT. 

The final Apollo mission nears splashdown (NASA S72­

55834). 

The Apollo 17 crew arrives aboard the recovery ship 

U.S.S. Ticonderoga after retrieval by helicopter (NASA 

S72-55937). 

Apollo 17 ~ 
On the first anniversary of their mission, Ceman and 

Schmitt (c. and r., respectively) present a U.S. flag that 

went to the Moon with them to flight controllers in 

Houston. Chief of the flight Control Division, Gene 

Kranz looks on (NASA S73-38346). 

Conclusions 

All facets of the Apollo 17 mission were conducted with 

skill, precision, and relative ease because of experienced 

personnel and excellent performance of equipment. The 

following conclusions were made from an analysis of postmission data: 

1. 	The Apollo 17 mission was the most productive and trouble-free 

piloted mission, and represented the culmination of continual 

advancements in hardware, procedures, training, planning, operations, and scientific experiments. 

2. 	The Apollo 17 mission demonstrated the practicality of training 

scientists to become qualified astronauts while retaining their 

expertise and scientific knowledge. 

3. 	Stars and the horizon were not visible during night launches, 

therefore out-of-the-window alignment techniques could not be 

used for attitude reference. 

4. 	The dynamic environment within the cabin during the early 

phases of the launch made system troubleshooting or corrective 

actions by the crew impractical. Therefore, either the ground 

control or automation should be relied upon for system troubleshooting and, in some cases, corrective actions. 

5. 	As a result of problems on this and other missions, further 

research was needed to increase the dependability of mechanisms used to extend and retract equipment repeatedly in the 

space environment. 

Lunar sample 72255 (NASA S72-16007). 

Apollo 17 Objectives 

Spacecraft Primary Objectives 

1. 	To perform selenological inspection, survey, and sampling 

materials and surface features in a preselected area of the 

Taurus-Littrow region. Achieved. 

2. 	To emplace and activate surface experiments. Achieved. 

3. 	To conduct infiight experiments and photographic tasks. 

Achieved. 

Micrograph of orange soil particles discovered on 

lunar surface (NASA S73-15171). 

Apollo by the Numbers 
View of lunar rock sample 76055 (NASA S72-15713). 

Detailed Objectives 

1. 	To obtain (service module) lunar surface photographs and altitude data from lunar orbit. Achieved. 

2. 	 To obtain data on the visual light flash phenomenon. Achieved. 

3. 	To obtain (command module) photographs of lunar surface features of scientific interest and photographs of low brightness 

astronomical and terrestrial sources. Achieved. 

4. 	 To record visual observations (from lunar orbit) of particular 

lunar surface features and processes. Achieved. 

5. 	 To obtain data on Apollo spacecraft-induced contamination 

(Skylab contamination study). Achieved. 

6. To obtain data on whole body metabolic gains or losses, together with associated endocrinological controls (food compatibility 

assessment). Achieved. 

7. 	 To obtain data on the use of the protective pressure garment. 

Achieved. 

Experiments 

1. 	 ALSEP V: Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package. 

a. 	S-037: Heat flow experiment. Achieved. 

b. 	S-202: Lunar ejecta and meteorites experiment. Partially 

achieved. Operation was restricted during lunar day due to 

overheating. 

c. 	 S-203: Lunar seismic profiling experiment. Achieved. 

channels only. 

2. Collect and document samples, and study lunar surface geology. 

Achieved. 

3. Cosmic ray detector (sheets) experiment. Achieved. 

4. 	S-band transponder experiment (command and service module/lunar module). Achieved. 

5. Far ultraviolet spectrometer experiment. Achieved. 

6. 	Infrared scanning radiometer experiment. Achieved. 

7. 	 Traverse gravimeter experiment. Achieved. 

8. 	Surface electrical properties experiment. Achieved. 

9. 	 Lunar sounder experiment. Achieved. 

10. Lunar neutron probe experiment. Achieved. 

Inflight Demonstration 

Heat flow and convection. Achieved. 

Passive Objectives 

1. Long-term lunar surface exposure. Achieved. 

2. 	S-160: Gamma ray spectrometer. Achieved. 

3. S-176: Apollo window meteoroid. Achieved. 

4. 	 S-200: Soil mechanics. Achieved. 

5. 	 M-211: Biostack IIA. Achieved. 

6. 	 M-212: Biocore. Achieved. 

Operational Tests for Manned Spacecraft 

Center/Department of Defense 

1. 	 Chapel Bell (classified Department of Defense test). Results 

classified. 

2. 	Radar skin tracking. Results classified. 

Apollo 17 ~ 
6. 	Long-focal-length optical system. Results classified. 

7. Sonic boom measurement. Results classified. 

8. Skylab Medical Mobile Laboratory. Results classified. 

Launch Vehicle Objectives 

1. 	To launch on a flight azimuth between no and 100° and insert 

the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft into the planned circular 

Earth parking orbit. Achieved. 

2. 	To restart the S-IVB during either the first or second opportunity over the Atlantic and inject the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft into the planned translunar trajectory. Achieved. 

3. 	To provide the required attitude control for the S-IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft during transposition, docking, and ejection. 

Achieved. 

4. To perform an evasive maneuver after ejection of the command 

and service module/lunar module from the S-IVB/instrument 

unit. Achieved. 

5. 	To attempt to impact the S-IVB/instrument unit on the lunar 

surface within 350 kilometers (189 nautical miles) of latitude 7° 

south, longitude go west. Achieved. 

6. 	To determine actual impact point within 5.0 kilometers (2.7 

nautical miles) and time of impact within one second. Achieved. 

7. 	To vent and dump the remaining gases and propellants to safe 

the S-IVB/instrument unit. Achieved. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Saturn S-II stage #12 delivered to KSC. 
 27 Oct 1970 

Saturn S-IVB stage #512 delivered to KSC. 
 21 Dec 1970 

Individual and combined CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 
 08 May 1971 

LM #12 final engineering evaluation acceptance test at factory. 
 23 May 1971 

LM #12 integrated test at factory. 
 23 May 1971 

LM ascent stage #12 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 
 14 Jun 1971 

LM descent stage #12 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 
 14 Jun 1971 

LM ascent stage #12 delivered to KSC. 
 16 Jun 1971 

LM descent stage #12 delivered to KSC. 
 17 Jun 1971 

Integrated CM and SM systems test completed at factory. 
 02 Aug 1971 

CM #114 and SM #114 ready to ship from factory to KSC. 
 17 Mar 1972 

CM #114 and SM #114 delivered to KSC. 
 24 Mar 1972 

Spacecraft/1M adapter #21 delivered to KSC. 
 24 Mar 1972 

CM #114 and SM #114 mated. 
 28 Mar 1972 

CSM #114 combined systems test completed. 
 09 May 1972 

Saturn S-IC stage #12 delivered to KSC. 
 11 May 1972 

Saturn S-IC stage #12 erected on MLP #3. 
 15 May 1972 

LM ascent stage #12 and descent stage #12 mated. 
 18 May 1972 

Saturn S-II stage #12 erected. 
 19 May 1972 

LRV #3 delivered to KSC. 
 02 Jun 1972 

LM #12 combined systems test completed. 
 07 Jun 1972 

Saturn S-IVB instrument unit #512 delivered to KSC. 
 07 Jun 1972 

CSM #114 altitude tests completed. 
 19 Jun 1972 

Saturn S-IVB instrument unit #512 erected. 
 20 Jun 1972 

Saturn S-IVB stage #512 erected. 
 23 Jun 1972 

Launch vehicle electrical systems test completed. 
 12 Jul1972 

LM #12 altitude tests completed. 
 25 Jul1972 

Launch vehicle propellant dispersion/malfunction overall test completed. 
 01 Aug 1972 

Launch vehicle service arm overall test completed. 
 11 Aug 1972 

LRV #3 installed. 
 13 Aug 1972 

CSM #114 moved to VAB. 
 22 Aug 1972 

Spacecraft erected. 
 23 Aug 1972 

Spacecraft moved to VAB. 
 24 Aug 1972 

Space vehicle and MLP #3 transferred to launch complex 39A. 
 28 Aug 1972 

LM #12 combined systems test completed. 
 06 Sep 1972 

CSM #114 integrated systems test completed. 
 11 Sep 1972 

LM #10 flight readiness test completed. 
 04 Oct 1972 

CSM #114 electrically mated to launch vehicle. 
 11 Oct 1972 

Space vehicle overall test #1 (plugs in) completed. 
 12 Oct 1972 

Space vehicle overall test completed. 
 17 Oct 1972 

Space vehicle flight readiness test completed. 
 20 Oct 1972 

Saturn S-IC stage #12 RP-1loading completed. 
 10 Nov 1972 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (wet) completed. 
 20 Nov 1972 

Space vehicle countdown demonstration test (dry) completed. 
 21 Nov 1972 

Apollo 17 ~ 
Flight 

Path 

Angle 

(deg) 

H

(E 

Earth 

Fixed 

Velocity 

(ft!sec) 

Space 

Fixed 

Velocity 

(ft!sec) 

Event 

Duration 

(sec) 

Geocentric 

Latitude 

(deg N) 

GET 

(hhh:mm:ss) 

Altitude 

(n mi) 

Range 

(n mi) 

Longitude 

Event (deg E) 

Liftoff 000:00:00.63 0.060 0.000 1.1 1,340.6 28.4470 -80.6041 0.05 

Mach 1 achieved 000:01:07.5 4.315 1.265 1,076.7 2,085.8 28.4465 -80.5082 26.91 

Maximum dynamic pressure 000:01:22.5 6.992 3.071 1,611.1 2,650.5 28.4457 -80.5460 28.89 

S-IC center engine cutoffl 000:02: 19.30 25.388 27.795 5,646.8 6,862.7 146.2 28.4329 -80.0781 23.199 

S-IC outboard engine cutoff 000:02:41.20 35.900 49.145 7,757.4 9,012.1 168.1 28.4211 -79.6741 20.4285 

S-IC/S-11 separation2 000:02:42.9 36.776 51.112 7,778.4 9,036.1 28.4200 -79.6369 20.151 

S-II center engine cutoff 000:07:41.21 93.420 591.254 17,064.6 18,439.6 296.61 27.5754 -69.4919 -0.058 

S-II outboard engine cutoff 000:09: 19.66 93.182 895.010 21,559.1 22,933.5 395.06 26.7251 -63.8908 0.254 1

S-11/S-IVB separation2 000:09:20.6 93.195 898.234 21,567.7 22,942.1 26.7147 -63.8314 0.244 1

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff 000:11:42.65 92.082 1,417.476 24,225.0 25,598.0 138.85 24.7139 -54.4952 0.00118 1

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:52.65 92.057 1,456.314 24,230.9 25,603.9 24.5384 -53.8107 0.0003 1

Apollo I 7 Earth Orbit Phase 

Space 

Fixed 

Velocity 

(ft!sec) 

Event 

Duration 

(sec) 

Velocity 

Change 

(ft!sec) 

GET 

(hhh:mm:ss) 

Altitude 

(n mi) 

Apogee 

(n mi) 

Perigee 

(n mi) 

Period 

(mins) 

Inc

Event 

Earth orbit insertion 000:11:52.65 92.057 25,603.9 90.3 90.0 87.83 

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition 003:12:36.60 96.417 22,589.4 

S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff 003:18:27.64 162.127 35,579.5 351.04 10,376 

Apollo 17 Translunar Phase 

Space 

Fixed 

Flight 

Path 

Angle 

(deg) 

H

A

(E 

Space 

Fixed 

Velocity 

(ft!sec) 

Event 

Duration 

(sec) 

Velocity 

Change 

(ft!sec) 

GET 

(hhh:mm:ss) 

Altitude 

Event (n mi) 

Translunar injection 003:18:37.64 169.401 35,555.3 7.379 1

CSM separated from S-IVB 003:42:27.6 3,566.842 25,344.9 44.177 1

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB 004:45:02.3 13,393.6 16,012.8 61.80 

Midcourse correction ignition 035:29:59.91 128,217.7 4,058.1 76.40 

Midcourse correction cutoff 035:30:01.64 128,246.9 4,066.8 1.7 10.5 76.48 

2 Data for this event reflects postflight trajectory reconstruction for 36 seconds Ground Elapsed Time. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Velocity 

(ft/sec) 

Duration 

(sec) 

Change 

(ft/sec) 

GET 

(hhh:mm:ss) 

Altitude 

(n mi) 

Apogee 

(n mi) 

Perigee 

Event (n mi) 

Lunar orbit insertion ignition 086:14:22.60 76.8 8,110.2 

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff 086:20:55.76 51.2 5,512.1 393.16 2,988 170 52.6 

Ist descent orbit insertion ignition 090:31:37.43 51.1 5,512.7 

1st descent orbit insertion cutoff 090:31:59.70 50.9 5,322.1 22.27 197 59 14.5 

CSM/LM separation initiated 107:47:56 47.2 5,342.8 

CSM/LM separation cutoff 107:47:59.4 3.4 61.5 11.5 

CSM orbit circularization ignition 109:17:28.92 58.6 5,279.9 

CSM orbit circularization cutoff 109:17:32.72 58.8 5,349.9 3.80 70.5 70 54 

LM 2nd descent orbit insertion ignition 109:22:42 59.6 5,274.5 

LM 2nd descent orbit insertion cutoff 109:23:03.5 59.6 5,267.0 21.5 7.5 59.6 6.2 

LM powered descent initiation 110:09:53 8.7 5,550.3 

LM powered descent cutoff 110:21:58 721 6,698 

CSM orbital trim ignition 178:54:05.45 64.9 5,315.1 

CSM orbital trim cutoff 178:54:42.95 37.50 9.2 67.3 62.5 

CSM plane change cutoff 179:54:13.88 60.5 5,341.1 20.05 366 62.8 62.5 

LM lunar liftoff ignition 185:21:37 

LM ascent orbit cutoff 185:28:58 8 5,542.3 441 6,075.7 48.5 9.1 

LM vernier adjustment initiated 185:32:12 9.4 5,534.7 

LM vernier adjustment cutoff 185:32:22 10 10.0 48.5 9.4 

LM terminal phase initiation ignition 186:15:58 44.6 5,333.3 

LM terminal phase initiation cutoff 186:16:01.2 3.2 53.8 64.7 48.5 

CSM/LM docked 187:37:15 60.6 5,341.7 

LM ascent stage jettisoned 191:18:31 60.6 5,343.4 

CSM separation cutoff 191:23:43 12 2.0 63.9 61.2 

LM ascent stage deorbit ignition 192:58:14 60.5 5,343.7 

LM ascent stage deorbit cutoff 193:00:10 58.9 5,130.1 116 286.0 

Apollo I 7 Transearth Phase 

Space 

Fixed 

Flight 

Path 

Angle 

(deg) 

Space 

Fixed 

Heading 

Angle 

(EofN) 

Space 

Fixed 

Velocity 

(ft/sec) 

Event 

Duration 

(sec) 

Velocity 

Change 

(ft/sec) 

GET 

(hhh:mm:ss) 

Altitude 

Event (n mi) 

Transearth injection ignition 234:02:09.18 62.1 5,337.1 -0.18 257.32 

Transearth injection cutoff 234:04:32.87 63.1 8,374.3 143.69 3,046.3 2.46 259.47 

Midcourse correction ignition 298:38:01 25,016.3 12,021.1 -68.43 34.63 

Midcourse correction cutoff 298:38:10 24,999.7 12,025.8 9 2.1 -68.42 34.63 

Apollo 17 ~ 
Terminal countdown started. -028:00:00 12:53:00 OS Dec 19

Scheduled 9-hour hold at T-9 hours. -009:00:00 07:53:00 06 Dec 19

Countdown resumed at T-9 hours. -009:00:00 16:53:00 06 Dec 19

Scheduled 1-hour hold at T-3 hours 30 minutes. -003:30:00 22:23:00 06 Dec 19

Countdown resumed at T-3 hours 30 minutes. -003:30:00 23:23:00 06 Dec 19

Terminal Countdown Sequencer (TCS) failed to issue the S-IVB LOX pressurization command. -000:02:47 02:50:13 07 Dec 19

Unscheduled but automatic 1-hour 5-minute 11-second hold at T-30 seconds due to TCS failure. -000:00:30 02:52:30 07 Dec 19

Countdown recycled to T-22 minutes. -000:22:00 03:57:41 07 Dec 19

Unscheduled 1-hour 13-minute 19-second hold at T-8 minutes to resolve TCS corrective action. -000:08:00 04:11:41 07 Dec 19

Countdown resumed at T-8 minutes. -000:08:00 05:25:00 07 Dec 19

Guidance reference release. -000:00:16.960 05:32:43 07 Dec 19

S-IC engine start command. -000:00:08.9 

S-IC engine ignition (#5). -000:00:06.9 

All S-IC engines thrust OK. -000:00:01.6 

Range zero. 000:00:00.00 

All holddown arms released (1st motion) (1.08 g). 000:00:00.24 

Liftoff (umbilical disconnected). 000:00:00.63 

Tower clearance yaw maneuver started. 000:00:01.7 

Yaw maneuver ended. 000:00:09.7 

05:32:51 

05:32:53 

05:32:58 

05:33:00 

05:33:00 

05:33:00 

05:33:01 

05:33:09 

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 19

07 Dec 19

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

Pitch and roll maneuver started. 000:00:12.9 05:33:12 07 Dec 1

Roll maneuver ended. 000:00:14.3 05:33:14 07 Dec 1

Mach 1 achieved. 000:01:07.5 05:34:07 07 Dec 1

Maximum bending moment (96,000,000 lbf-in). 000:01:19 

Maximum dynamic pressure (701.75 lb/ft2). 000:01 :22.5 

S-IC center engine cutoff command. 000:02:19.30 

Pitch maneuver ended. 000:02:40.1 

05:34:19 

05:34:22 

05:35:19 

05:35:40 

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

S-IC outboard engine cutoff. Maximum total inertial acceleration (3.87 g). 000:02:41.20 

S-IC maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 000:02:42.0 

S-IC/S-II separation command. 000:02:42.9 

S-II engine start command. 000:02:43.6 

S-II ignition. 000:02:44.6 

S-II aft interstage jettisoned. 000:03:12.9 

Launch escape tower jettisoned (planned time, actual time not recorded). 000:03:19 

Iterative guidance mode initiated. 000:03:24.1 

S-IC apex. 000:04:33.689 

S-II center engine cutoff. Maximum total inertial acceleration (1.74 g). 000:07:41.21 

S-IC impact (theoretical). 000:09:11.708 

S-II outboard engine cutoff. 000:09:19.66 

S-II!S-IVB separation command. S-II maximum Earth-fixed velccity. 000:09:20.6 

S-IVB 1st burn start command. 000:09:20.70 

05:35:41 

05:35:42 

05:35:42 

05:35:43 

05:35:44 

05:36:12 

05:36:19 

05:36:24 

05:37:33 

05:40:41 

05:42:11 

05:42:19 

05:42:20 

05:42:20 

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 19

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

S-IVB 1st burn ignition. 000:09:23.80 

S-IVB ullage case jettisoned. 000:09:32.4 

S-II apex. 000:09:34.527 

S-IVB 1st burn cutoff and maximum total inertial acceleration (0.67 g). 000:11:42.65 

Earth orbit insertion. 000:11:52.65 

05:42:23 

05:42:32 

05:42:34 

05:44:42 

05:44:52 

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

S-IVB 1st burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 000:11:52.7 

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude started. 000:12:04.4 

05:44:52 

05:45:04 

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

S-II impact (theoretical). 000:19:56.947 

S-IVB 2nd burn restart preparation. 003:02:58.60 

S-IVB 2nd burn restart command. 003:12:28.60 

05:52:56 

08:35:58 

08:45:28 

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

07 Dec 1

S-IVB 2nd burn ignition. 003:12:36.60 08:45:36 07 Dec 1

Apollo by the Numbers 
S-IVB 2nd burn cutoff and maximum total inertial acceleration (1.41 g). 003:18:27.64 08:51:27 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB 2nd burn maximum Earth-fixed velocity. 003:18:28.5 08:51:28 07 Dec 1972 

Translunar injection. 003:18:37.64 08:51:37 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB safmg procedure-CVS opened. 003:18:28.3 08:51:28 07 Dec 1972 

Maneuver to local horizontal attitude and orbital navigation started. 003:20:59.6 08:53:59 07 Dec 1972 

Maneuver to transposition and docking attitude started. 003:33:28.9 09:06:28 07 Dec 1972 

CSM separated from S-IVB. 003:42:27.6 09:15:27 07 Dec 1972 

TV transmission started. 003:50 09:23 07 Dec 1972 

CSM docked with LM/S-IVB. 003:57:10.7 09:30:10 07 Dec 1972 

TV transmission ended. 004:10 09:43 07 Dec 1972 

CSM/LM ejected from S-IVB. 004:45:02.3 10:18:02 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB APS evasive maneuver ignition. 005:03:01.1 10:36:01 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB APS evasive maneuver cutoff (estimated). 005:04:21.0 10:37:21 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-CVS opened. 005:19:39.8 10:52:39 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-LOX dump started. 005:24:20.2 10:57:20 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-CVS closed. 005:24:40.0 10:57:40 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-LOX dump ended. 005:25:07.9 10:58:07 07 Dec 1972 

Maneuver to attitude for 1st S-IVB APS lunar impact burn. 006:02:15 11:35:15 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-1st APS ignition command. 006:09:59.8 11:42:59 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-1st APS cutoff command. 006:11:38.0 11:44:38 07 Dec 1972 

Maneuver to S-IVB solar heating attitude. 006:17:44 11:50:44 07 Dec 1972 

Maneuver to attitude for 2nd S-IVB APS lunar impact burn. 011:02:40 16:35:40 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-2nd APS ignition command. 011:14:59.8 16:47:59 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB lunar impact maneuver-2nd APS cutoff command. 011:16:42.0 16:49:42 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB 3-axis tumble mode initiated. 011:31:42 17:04:42 07 Dec 1972 

S-IVB passive thermal control maneuver. 011:31:50 17:04:50 07 Dec 1972 

Command to inhibit instrument unit flight control computer to leave the S-IVB in 3-axis 

tumble mode. 011:32:12.5 17:05:12 07 Dec 1972 

Midcourse correction ignition (SPS). 035:29:59.91 17:02:59 08 Dec 1972 

Midcourse correction cutoff. 035:30:01.64 17:03:01 08 Dec 1972 

Maneuver to LM checkout attitude. 039:05 20:38 08 Dec 1972 

Preparations for intravehicular transfer. 039:20 20:53 08 Dec 1972 

LM pressurization started. 039:30 21:03 08 Dec 1972 

CDR and LMP entered LM for housekeeping and communications check. 040:10 21:43 08 Dec 1972 

LM closeout. 042:11 23:44 08 Dec 1972 

Heat flow and convection demonstration started. 042:55 00:28 09 Dec 1972 

Heat flow and convection demonstration ended. 043:45 01:18 09 Dec 1972 

Heat flow and convection demonstration started. 045:20 02:53 09 Dec 1972 

Heat flow and convection demonstration ended. 046:00 03:33 09 Dec 1972 

LM pressurization started. 059:30 17:03 09 Dec 1972 

CDR and LMP entered LM for telemetry checkout. 059:59 17:32 09 Dec 1972 

CDR and LMP entered CM. 060:35 18:08 09 Dec 1972 

Mission clock updated (002:40:00 added). 065:00 22:33 09 Dec 1972 

Apollo light flash phenomenon experiment started. 065:39 23:12 09 Dec 1972 

Apollo light flash phenomenon experiment ended. 066:39 00:12 10 Dec 1972 

Equigravisphere. 070:37:45 04:10:45 10 Dec 1972 

Scientific instrument module door jettisoned. 081:32:40 15:05:40 10 Dec 1972 

Inflight science phase of mission initiated with turn-on of Far Ultraviolet Spectrometer. 083:26 16:59 10 Dec 1972 

Ultraviolet photography of dark Moon. 084:50 18:23 10 Dec 1972 

Lunar orbit insertion ignition (SPS). 086:14:22.60 19:47:22 10 Dec 1972 

Lunar orbit insertion cutoff. 086:20:55.76 19:53:55 10 Dec 1972 

Apollo 17 ~ 
S-IVB impact on lunar surface. 086:59:40.99 20:32:40 10 Dec 1

Terminator photography. 087:05 20:38 10 Dec 1

Orbital science visual observations. 087:15 20:48 10 Dec 1

Orbital science photography. 
 088:00 21:33 10 Dec 1

1st descent orbit insertion ignition (SPS). 
 090:31:37.43 00:04:37 11 Dec 1

1st descent orbit insertion cutoff. 
 090:31:59.70 00:04:59 11 Dec 1

Landmark observations. 
 090:50 00:23 11 Dec 1

CDR and LMP ente~ed LM. 105:02 14:35 11 Dec 1

CSM/LM separation maneuver initiated (RCS). 107:47:56 17:20:56 11 Dec 1

CSM/LM separation maneuver cutoff. 107:47:59.4 17:20:59 11 Dec 1

CSM orbit circularization ignition (SPS). 109:17:28.92 18:50:28 11 Dec 1

CSM orbit circularization cutoff. 109:17:32.72 18:50:32 11 Dec 1

2nd descent orbit insertion ignition (LM RCS). 109:22:42 18:55:42 11 Dec 1

2nd descent orbit insertion cutoff. 109:23:03.5 18:56:03 11 Dec 1

CSM landmark tracking started. 109:40 19:13 11 Dec 1

LM powered descent engine ignition (DPS). 110:09:53 19:42:53 11 Dec 1

LM throttle to full-throttle position. 110:10:21 19:43:21 11 Dec 1

LM manual target (landing site) update. 110:11:25 19:44:25 11 Dec 1

LM landing radar velocity data good. 110:13:28 19:46:28 11 Dec 1

LM landing radar range data good. 110:14:06 19:47:06 11 Dec 1

LM landing radar updates enabled. 110:14:32 19:47:32 11 Dec 1

LM throttle down. 110:17:19 19:50:19 11 Dec 1

LM approach phase program selected. 110:19:15 19:52:15 11 Dec 1

LM landing radar antenna to position 2. 110:19:16 19:52:16 11 Dec 1

LM 1st landing point redesignation. 110:19:26 19:52:26 11 Dec 1

LM landing radar switched to low scale. 110:19:54 19:52:54 11 Dec 1

LM landing phase program selected. 110:20:51 19:53:51 11 Dec 1

LM lunar landing and powered descent engine cutoff. 110:21:58 19:54:58 11 Dec 1

CSM landmark tracking ended. lll:20 20:53 11 Dec 1

1st EVA started (LM cabin depressurized). 114:21:49 23:54:49 11 Dec 1

CSM orbital science visual observations. 114:45 00:18 12 Dec 1

Lunar roving vehicle (LRV) offloaded. 114:51:10 00:24:10 12 Dec 1

LRV deployed, test drive performed and documented with photography, gathered samples 

and performed 500 mm and panoramic photography. 115:13:50 00:46:50 12 Dec 1

CSM orbital science photography. 115:15 00:48 12 Dec 1

United States flag deployed and documented with photographs and stereo photography. 115:40:58 01:13:58 12 Dec 1

Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 115:50:51 01:23:51 12 Dec 1

Cosmic ray experiment deployed. 115:54:40 01:27:40 12 Dec 1

Apollo lunar surface experiment (ALSEP) package offloaded. 115:58:30 01:31:30 12 Dec 1

Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 116:06:01 01:39:01 12 Dec 1

Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 116:11:54 01:44:54 12 Dec 1

Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 116:46:17 02:19: 17 12 Dec 1

CSM orbital science photography. 117:10 02:43 12 Dec 1

1st ALSEP data received on Earth. 11 7:21:00 02:54 12 Dec 1

Heat flow experiment turned on. 117:29 03:02 12 Dec 1

ALSEP deployment completed and documented with photographs and panoramic photography. 118:07:43 03:40:43 12 Dec 1

CSM terminator photography. 118:10 03:43 12 Dec 1

Lunar seismic profiling experiment (S-203) turned on. CSM Earthshine photography started. 118:25 03:58 12 Dec 1

Deep core sample obtained and lunar neutron probe experiment deployed. 118:35:27 04:08:27 12 Dec 1

Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 118:43:08 04:16:08 12 Dec 1

CSM Earthshine photography ended. 118:50 04:23 12 Dec 1

Apollo by the Numbers 
Departed for station 1. 119:11:02 04:44:02 12 Dec 1972 

Arrived at station 1 and deployed seismic profiling experiment explosive charge 6, obtained 

traverse gravimeter experiment reading and documented rake samples and performed 

panoramic photography. 119:24:02 04:57:02 12 Dec 1972 

Lunar surface gravimeter experiment (S-207) activated. 119:50 05:23 12 Dec 1972 

Departed for surface electrical properties experiment site with a stop to deploy seismic 

profiling experiment explosive charge 7, and performed panoramic photography. 119:56:47 05:29:47 12 Dec 1972 

Arrived at surface electrical properties experiment site. Deployed antennas and the 

transmitter, gathered samples and performed documentary and panoramic photograph 

traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 120:11:02 05:44:02 12 Dec 1972 

Departed for LM. 
 120:33:39 06:06:39 12 Dec 1972 

Arrived at LM and started EVA activity closeout. 
 120:36: 15 06:09:15 12 Dec 1972 

Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 
 121:16:37 06:49:37 12 Dec 1972 

Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 
 121:21:11 06:54:11 12 Dec 1972 

1st EVA ended (LM cabin repressurized). 
 121:33:42 07:06:42 12 Dec 1972 

CSM zodiacal light photography. 
 130:35 16:08 12 Dec 1972 

CSM orbital science photography. 
 134:00 19:33 12 Dec 1972 

CSM solar corona photography. 
 134:50 20:23 12 Dec 1972 

CSM orbital science visual observations. 
 137:00 22:33 12 Dec 1972 

2nd EVA started (LM cabin depressurized). 
 137:55:06 23:28:06 12 Dec 1972 

Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 
 138:04:08 23:37:08 12 Dec 1972 

TV transmission started for 2nd EVA. 
 138:05 23:38 12 Dec 1972 

LRV loaded for traverse and a traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 
 138:39:00 00:12 13 Dec 1972 

Departed for surface electrical properties experiment site. 
 138:44:02 00:17:02 13 Dec 1972 

Arrived at surface electrical properties experiment site. Activated experiment, gathered 

samples, and performed panoramic photography. 138:47:05 00:20:05 13 Dec 1972 

Departed for station 2 with four short stops-one to deploy seismic profiling experiment 

explosive charge 4, and three to gather en route samples. 138:51 :43 00:24:43 13 Dec 1972 

CSM orbital science photography and visual observations. 139:45 01:18 13 Dec 1972 

Arrived at station 2. Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained, gathered samples 

including a rake sample, and performed documentary and panoramic photography. 140:01:30 01:34:30 13 Dec 1972 

Departed for station 3 with one stop to obtain a traverse gravimeter experiment reading, gather 

samples and perform panoramic and 500 mm photography. 141:07:25 02:40:25 13 Dec 1972 

Arrived at station 3. Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained, gathered samples 

including a double core-tube sample and a rake sample, and performed panoramic and 

500 mm photography. 141:48:38 03:21:38 13 Dec 1972 

CSM terminator photography. 142:05 03:38 13 Dec 1972 

Departed for station 4 with two short stops to gather en route samples. 142:25:56 03:58:56 13 Dec 1972 

Arrived at station 4. Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained, gathered samples 

including a trench sample and a double core-tube sample, and performed documentary 

and panoramic photography. 142:42:57 04:15:57 13 Dec 1972 

Departed for station 5 with one stop to deploy seismic profiling experiment explosive charge, 

gather samples, and perform panoramic photography. 143:19:03 04:52:03 13 Dec 1972 

Arrived at station 5. Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained, gathered samples, 

and performed documentary and panoramic photography. 143:45:15 05:18:15 13 Dec 1972 

Departed for the LM with a short stop to deploy seismic profiling experiment explosive 

charge 8 documented with photographs, and a stop at the ALSEP site to allow the LMP 

to relevel the lunar surface gravimeter experiment. 144:15:58 05:48:58 13 Dec 1972 

Arrived at the LM and started EVA closeout. 144:32:24 06:05:24 13 Dec 1972 

TV transmission ended for 2nd EVA. 144:55 06:28 13 Dec 1972 

Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 145:19:24 06:52:24 13 Dec 1972 

Apollo 17 ~ 
2nd EVA ended (LM cabin repressurized). 145:32:02 07:05:02 13 Dec 

CSM orbital science photography. 154:40 16:13 13 Dec 

CSM terminator photography. 156:50 18:23 13 Dec 

3rd EVA started (LM cabin depressurized). 160:52:48 22:25:48 13 Dec 

Zodiacal light photography. 160:55 22:28 13 Dec 

Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 161:02:40 22:35:40 13 Dec 

TV transmission started for 3rd EVA. 161:15 22:48 13 Dec 

LRV loaded for traverse, and panoramic and 500 mm photography performed. 161:16:15 22:49:15 13 Dec 

Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 161:19:45 22:52:45 13 Dec 

Cosmic ray experiment retrieved. 161:20:17 22:53:1 7 13 Dec 

Departed for surface electrical properties experiment site. 161:36:31 23:09:31 13 Dec 

Arrived at surface electrical properties experiment site. Activated the experiment, gathered 

samples, and performed documentary photography. 161:39:07 23:12:07 13 Dec 

Departed for station 6 with two short stops to gather en route samples. 161:42:36 23:15:36 13 Dec 

CSM orbital science photography. 161:50 23:23 13 Dec 

Arrived at station 6. Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained, gathered 

samples including a single core-tube sample, a rake sample, and performed documentary, 

panoramic, and 500 mm photography. 162:11:24 23:44:24 13 Dec 

Departed for station 7. 163:22:10 00:55:10 14 Dec 

Arrived at station 7. Gathered samples and performed documentary and panoramic 

photography. 163:29:05 01:02:05 14 Dec 

CSM orbital science visual observations. 163:30 01:03 14 Dec 

Departed for station 8 with one short stop to gather en route samples. 163:51:09 01:24:09 14 Dec 

Arrived at station 8. Two traverse gravimeter experiment readings obtained, gathered 

samples including rake and trench samples, and performed documentary and panoramic 

photography. 164:07:40 01:40:40 14 Dec 

Departed for station 9. 164:55:33 02:28:33 14 Dec 

Arrived at station 9. Seismic profiling experiment explosive charge 5 deployed, 

two traverse gravimeter readings obtained, gathered samples including a trench 

sample and a double core-tube sample, and performed documentary, panoramic 

and 500 mm photography. Removed data storage electronics assembly from 

surface electrical properties receiver. 165:13:10 02:46:10 14 Dec 

Departed for the LM with two short stops - one to gather en route samples and the other to 

deploy seismic profiling experiment explosive charge 2 and perform documentary and 

panoramic photography. 166:09:25 03:42:25 14 Dec 

Arrived at LM and started EVA closeout. 
 166:37:51 04:10:51 14 Dec 

Traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 
 166:55:09 04:28:09 14 Dec 

final traverse gravimeter experiment reading obtained. 
 167:11:11 04:44:11 14 Dec 

ALSEP photography completed. 
 167:33:58 05:06:58 14 Dec 

Lunar neutron probe experiment retrieved.. 
 167:36:43 05:09:43 14 Dec 

LRV positioned to monitor LM ascent. 
 167:39:57 05:12:57 14 Dec 

Seismic profiling experiment explosive charge 3 deployed. 167:44:41 05:17:41 14 Dec 

TV transmission ended for 3rd EVA. 

Equipment jettisoned. 167:45 05:18 14 Dec 

3rd EVA ended (LM cabin repressurized). 168:07:56 05:40:56 14 Dec 

Orbital trim maneuver ignition (RCS). 178:54:05.45 16:27:05 14 Dec 

Orbital trim maneuver cutoff. 178:54:42.95 16:27:42 14 Dec 

CSM plane change ignition (RCS). 179:53:53.83 17:26:53 14 Dec 

CSM plane change cutoff. 179:54:1 3.88 17:27:13 14 Dec 

1st equipment jettison from LM. 180:15 17:48 14 Dec 

CSM zodiacal light photography. 182:20 19:53 14 Dec 

Apollo by the Numbers 
CSM landmark tracking. 182:40 20:13 14 Dec 1972 

2nd equipment jettison from LM. 183:24 20:57 14 Dec 1972 

CSM landmark tracking. 183:00 20:33 14 Dec 1972 

TV transmission for lunar liftoff started. 

LM lunar liftoff ignition (LM APS). 185:21:37 22:54:37 14 Dec 1972 

TV transmission for lunar liftoff ended. 

LM ascent orbit cutoff. 185:28:58 23:01:58 14 Dec 1972 

Vernier adjustment maneuver initiated (LM RCS). 185:32:12 23:05:12 14 Dec 1972 

Vernier adjustment maneuver cutoff. 185:32:22 23:05:22 14 Dec 1972 

Terminal phase initiation ignition (LM APS). 186:15:58 23:48:58 14 Dec 1972 

Terminal phase initiation cutoff. 186:16:01.2 23:49:01 14 Dec 1972 

LM midcourse corrections. 186:30 00:03 14 Dec 1972 

CSM/LM docked. 187:37:15 01:10:15 15 Dec 1972 

Transfer, stowing of equipment and samples started. 188:00 01:33 15 Dec 1972 

Transfer, stowing of equipment and samples ended. 190:05 03:38 15 Dec 1972 

CDR and LMP entered CM. 190:10 03:43 15 Dec 1972 

LM closeout. 190:30 04:03 15 Dec 1972 

LM ascent stage jettisoned. 191:18:31 04:51:31 15 Dec 1972 

Separation maneuver initiated. 191:23:31 04:56:31 15 Dec 1972 

Separation maneuver cutoff. 191:23:43 04:56:43 15 Dec 1972 

LM ascent stage deorbit ignition. 192:58:14 06:31:14 15 Dec 1972 

LM ascent stage deorbit cutoff. 193:00:10 06:33:10 15 Dec 1972 

LM ascent stage impact on lunar surface. 193:17:21 06:50:21 15 Dec 1972 

Terminator photography. 206:20 19:53 15 Dec 1972 

Orbital science visual observations. 206:40 20:13 15 Dec 1972 

Orbital science visual observations. 207:10 20:43 15 Dec 1972 

Explosive package detonated on lunar surface. 210:15:35 23:58:35 15 Dec 1972 

Explosive package detonated on lunar surface. 212:45:01 02:28:01 16 Dec 1972 

Orbital science photography. 213:10 02:43 16 Dec 1972 

Terminator photography. 215:20 04:53 16 Dec 1972 

Terminator photography. 231:20 20:53 16 Dec 1972 

Transearth injection ignition (SPS). 234:02:09.18 23:35:09 16 Dec 1972 

Transearth injection cutoff. 234:04:32.87 23:37:32 16 Dec 1972 

TV transmission started. 234:10 23:43 16 Dec 1972 

TV transmission ended. 234:35 00:08 17 Dec 1972 

Ultraviolet spectrometer of Lyman Alpha region started. 235:00 00:33 17 Dec 1972 

Explosive package detonated on lunar surface. 235:09:52 00:42:52 17 Dec 1972 

Ultraviolet spectrometer of Lyman Alpha region ended. 236:00 01:33 17 Dec 1972 

Ultraviolet spectrometer of Earth. 236:05 01:38 17 Dec 1972 

Ultraviolet spectrometer of Moon. 237:15 02:48 17 Dec 1972 

Ultraviolet spectrometer of Moon off. 238:00 03:33 17 Dec 1972 

Explosive package detonated on lunar surface. 238:12:50 03:45 17 Dec 1972 

Ultraviolet spectrometer on for passive thermal control galactic scan. 239:40 05:13 17 Dec 1972 

TV transmission started for transearth EVA. 

CM cabin depressurization and hatch opening for transearth EVA. 

Transearth EVA started (Evans). 254:54:40 20:27:40 17 Dec 1972 

Installation of television camera and data acquisition camera started. 255:00 20:33 17 Dec 1972 

Panoramic film cassette retrieved. 255:23 20:56 17 Dec 1972 

Mapping camera film cassette retrieved. 255:36 21:09 17 Dec 1972 

CM hatch closed. 255:40 21:13 17 Dec 1972 

TV transmission ended for transearth EVA. 255:42 21:15 17 Dec 1972 

Apollo 17 ~ 
Transearth EVA ended. 256:00:24 21:33:24 17 Dec 1

Ultraviolet coma cluster observation. 257:00 22:33 17 Dec 1

Explosive package detonated on lunar surface. 257:43:56 23:16:56 17 Dec 1

Explosive package detonated on lunar surface. 259:12:02 01:45:02 18 Dec 1

Ultraviolet Alpha ERI measurements. 260:30 02:03 18 Dec 

Ultraviolet passive thermal control measurements for Alpha ERI and Alpha GRU. 261:20 02:53 18 Dec 1

Ultraviolet passive thermal control for galactic scan. 262:30 04:03 18 Dec 1

Explosive package detonated on lunar surface. 262:34:29 04:07:29 18 Dec 1

Ultraviolet dark north observation. 274:30 16:03 18 Dec 1

Apollo light flash observation and investigation. 277:10 18:43 18 Dec 1

Ultraviolet spectrometer of Virgo cluster. 279:10 20:43 18 Dec 1

Ultraviolet spectrometer viewing dark south. 280:50 22:23 18 Dec 1

TV transmission for inflight press conference started. 281:20 22:53 18 Dec 1

TV transmission ended. 281 :47 23:20 18 Dec 1

Ultraviolet spectrometer of Spica. 283:45 01:18 19 Dec 1

Ultraviolet passive thermal control for galactic scan. 285:30 03:03 19 Dec 1

Midcourse correction ignition (RCS). 298:38:01 16:11:01 19 Dec 1

Midcourse correction cutoff. 298:38:10 16:11:10 19 Dec 1

Inflight science phase of mission ended with turn-off of Far Ultraviolet Spectrometer. 299:20 16:53 19 Dec 

CM/SM separation. 301:23:49 18:56:49 19 Dec 1

Entry. 301:38:38 19:11:38 19 Dec 1

Communication blackout started. 301:38:55 19:1 1:55 19 Dec 1

Radar contact with CM established by recovery ship. 301:41 19:14 19 Dec 1

Communication blackout ended. 301:42:15 19:15:15 19 Dec 1

Forward heat shield jettisoned. 301:46:20 19:19:20 19 Dec 1

Drogue parachute deployed. 301:46:22 19:19:22 19 Dec 1

Visual contact with CM established by recovery ship and photo helicopter. 301:47 19:20 19 Dec 1

Main parachute deployed. 301:47:13 19:20:13 19 Dec 1

VHF recovery beacon contact with CM established by recovery ship. 301:48 19:21 19 Dec 1

Voice contact with CM established by recovery ship. 301:49 19:22 19 Dec 1

Splashdown (went to apex-up). 301:51:59 19:24:59 19 Dec 

Swimmers deployed to CM. 302:02 19:35 19 Dec 1

Flotation collar inflated. 302:08 19:41 19 Dec 1

Hatch opened for crew egress. 302:21 19:54 19 Dec 1

Crew aboard recovery helicopter. 302:33 20:06 19 Dec 1

Crew aboard recovery ship. 302:44 20:17 19 Dec 1

CM aboard recovery ship. 
 303:55 21:28 19 Dec 

1st sample flight departed recovery ship. 
 323:52 17:25 20 Dec 

1st sample flight arrived in Hawaii. 
 330:27 00:00 21 Dec 

Flight crew departed recovery ship. 
 331:05 00:38 21 Dec 

1st sample flight departed Hawaii. 
 333:37 03:10 21 Dec 

1st sample flight arrived in Houston. 
 340:43 10:16 21 Dec 

Flight crew arrived in Houston. 
 346:17 15:50 21 Dec 1

CM arrived at North Island Naval Air Station, San Diego. 
 493:57 19:30 27 Dec 

CM deactivated. 
 568:27 22:00 30 Dec 

CM departed San Diego. 
 637:27 19:00 02 Jan 1

CM arrived at contractor's facility in Downey, CA. 
 640:27 22:00 02 Jan 1

§] Apollo by the Numbers 

General Background I 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 

Mission Information Mission Type c Cprime D G H-1 Purpose CSM manned flight CSM manned flight Lunar module manned Lunar module manned Manned lunar landing Precision manned Precision ma

demonstration. demonstration. flight demonstration. flight demonstration. demonstration. lunar landing lunar lan

demonstration and demonstration 

systematic lunar systematic 

exploration. explora

Trajectory Type Earth Orbital Lunar Orbital Earth Orbital Lunar Orbital Lunar Landing Lunar Landing Lunar Lan

Payload Description Block II CSM, adapter, Block II CSM, lunar Block II CSM, lunar Block I\ CSM, lunar Block II CSM, lunar Block I\ CSM, lunar Block I\ CSM, 

and LES. module, adapter, and module, adapter, and module, adapter, and module, adapter, and module, adapter, and module, adapter

LES. LES. LES. LES. LES. 

Launch Information Launch Site Cape Kennedy KSC KSC KSC KSC KSC Launch Complex Complex 34 Complex 39A Complex 39A Complex 39B Complex 39A Complex 39A Complex 

Geodetic Latitude (dcg N) 28.52 1%3 28.608422 28.608422 28.627306 28.608422 28.608422 28.60Geocentric Latitude (deg N) 28.3608 28.4470 28.4470 28.4658 28.4470 28.4470 28

Longitude (deg E) -80.561141 -80.604133 -80.604133 -80.620869 -80.604133 -80.604133 -80.60Range Zero2 KSC Date II Oct 1%8 21 Dec 1%8 03 Mar 1%9 18 May 1%9 16 jull%9 14 Nov 1969 II Apr KSC Time 11 :02:45 a.m. 07:51:00 a.m. !!:OO:OOa.m. 12:49:00 p.m. 09:32:00 a.m. II:22:00 a.m. 02:13:00 KSC Time Zone EDT EST EST EDT EDT EST 

GMT Date I I Oct 1%8 21 Dec 1%8 03 Mar 1%9 18 May 1%9 16 jul l%9 14 Nov 1%9 I I Apr 

GMT Time 15:02:45 12:5 1:00 16:00:00 16:49:00 13:32:00 16:22:00 19:

Actual GMT Liftoff lime 15:02:45.36 12:5 1:00.67 16:00:00.67 16:49:00.58 13:32:00.63 16:22:00.68 19:13:

Selected Durations 

Ascent to Orbit (sec) 626.76 694.98 674.66 71 3.76 709.33 703.91 7

Earth Orbit 259:42:59 002:44:30.53 240:32:55.5 002:27:26.82 002:38:23.70 002:41:30.03 002:28:

Revolutions 163.0 1.5 151.0 1.5 1.5 1.5 

Translunar Coast 066:16:2 1.8 073:22:29.5 073:05:34.87 080:38:01.67 

Ti me on Lunar Surface 021:36:21 031:31:12 

Lunar Orbit 020:10:13.0 061:43:23.6 059:30:25.79 088:58:11.52 

Revolutions 10 31 30 45 

CSMJLM Undocked 006:22:50 008:10:05 027:5 1:00.0 037:42:17.9 

Transearth Coast 057:23:32.5 054:09:40.8 059:36:52.0 071 :52:51.% 

CM Earth Entry (sec from 400,000 ft 937.0 869.2 1,004 869 929 846 

to Splashdown) 

Mission Duration 260:09:03 147:00:42.0 241:00:54 192:03:23 195: 18:35 244:36:25 142:

1 Compiled from mission reports, launch vehicle reports, and other sources 

2 Range Zero was the integral second before liftoff. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Crew Information-Earth Orbit and Lunar 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 

Commander Walter Marty Schirra, jr. Frank Frederick Borman, II 

Date of Birth 12 Mar 1923 14 Mar 1928 

Place of Birth Hackensack, NJ Gary, IN 

Age On Launch Date 45 40 

Status Captain Colonel 

USN USAF 

Year Selected Astronaut 1959 1962 

Prior Space Flights MA-8, GT-6A GT-7 

Backup Thomas Patten Stafford Neil Alden Armstrong 

Status Colonel Civilian 

USAF NASA 

Command Module Pilot Donn Fulton Eisele James Arthur Lovell, jr. 

Date of Birth 23 jun 1930 25 Mar 1928 Place of Birth Columbus, OH Cleveland, OH Date of Death 01 -Dec-87 Place of Death Tokyo, Japan 

Age On Launch Date 38 40 

Status Major Captain 

USAF USN 

Year Selected Astronaut 1963 1962 

Prior Space Flights None GT-7, GT-12 

Backup john Watts Young Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr. 

Status Commander Colonel 

USN USAF 

Lunar Module Pilot Ronnie Walter Cunningham William Alison Anders 

Date of Birth 16 Mar 1932 17 Oct 1933 

Place of Birth Creston, !A Hong Kong 

Age On Launch Date 36 35 

Status Civilian Major 

USAF 

Year Selected Astronaut 1963 1963 

Prior Space Flights None None 

Backup Eugene Andrew Cernan Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. 

Status Commander Civilian 

USN NASA 

3 Compiled from press kits and mission reports, and Whos Who in Space (Cassutt) . 
Crew Information-Lunar Landing Missions4 

Apollo 11 

Commander Neil Alden Armstrong 

Date of Birth 05 Aug 1930 

Place of Birth Wapakoneta, OH 

Date of Death 

Place of Death 

Age On Launch Date 38 

Status Civilian 

Year Selected Astronaut 1962 

Prior Space Flights GT-8 

Backup James Arthur Lovell, Jr. 

Status Captain 

USN 

Command Module Pilot Michael Collins 

Date of Birth 31 Oct 1930 

Place of Birth Rome, Italy 

Date of Death 

Place of Death 

Age On Launch Date 38 

Status Lt Colonel 

USAF 

Year Selected Astronaut 1963 

Prior Space flights GT-10 

Backup William Alison Anders 

Status Lt. Colonel 

USAF 

Lunar Module Pilot Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr. 

Date of Birth 20 Jan 1930 

Place of Birth Montclair, NJ 

Date of Death 

Place of Death 

Age On Launch Date 39 

Status Colonel, Sc. D. 

USAF 

Year Selected Astronaut 1963 

Prior Space flights GT-12I 

Backup Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. 

Status Civilian 

NASA 

Apollo 12 

Charles Conrad, Jr. 

02 Jun 1930 

Philadelphia, PA 

39 

Commander 

USN 

1962 

GT-5, GT-11 

David Randolph Scott 

Colonel 

USAF 

Richard Francis Gordon, Jr. 

05 Oct 1929 

Seattle,WA 

40 

Commander 

USN 

1963 

GT-11 

Apollo 13 

James Arthur Lovell, Jr. 

25 Mar 1928 

Oeveland, OH 

42 

Captain 

USN 

1962 

GT-7, GT-12,Apollo 8 

John Watts Young 

Commander 

USN 

John Leonard Swigert, Jr. 

30 Aug 1931 

Denver.CO 

27 Dec 82 

Washington, DC 

38 

Civilian 

1966 

None 

Alfred Merrill Worden Thomas Kenneth Mattingly, II 

Major Lt. Commander 

USAF USN 

Alan LaVem Bean Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. 

15 Mar 1932 14 Nov 1933 

Wheeler, TX Biloxi, MS 

37 36 

Commander Civilian 

USN 

1963 1966 

None None 

James Benson Irwin Charles Moss Duke, Jr. 

Lt. Colonel Major 

USAF USAF 

4 Compiled from press kits and mission reports, and "Whos Who in Spaa" (Cassutt).

� Apollo by the Numbers 

Apollo 14 Apollo 15 Apollo 16 

Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. David Randolph Scott John Watts Young 

18 Nov 1923 06 Jun 1932 24 Sep 1930 

East Derry, NH San Antonio, TX San Francisco, CA 

21-07-98

Monterey, CA 

47 39 41 

Captain Colonel Captain 

USN USAF USN 

1959 1963 1962 

MR-3 GT-8, Apollo 9 GT-3, GT-10, Apollo 10 

Eugene Andrew Ceman Richard Francis Gordon, Jr. Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. 

Captain Captain Civilian 

USN USN NASA 

Stuart Allen Roosa Alfred Merrill Worden Thomas Kenneth Mattingly, ll 

16 Aug 1933 07 Feb 1932 17 Mar 1936 

Durango, CO Jackson, MI Chicago, IL 

12 Dec 94 

Washington, DC 

37 39 36 

Major Major Lt. Commander 

USAF USAF USN 

1966 1966 1966 

None None None 

Ronald Ellwin Evans Vance DeVoe Brand Stuart Allen Roosa 

Commander Civilian Lt. Colonel 

USN NASA USAF 

Edgar Dean Mitchell James Benson Irwin Charles Moss Duke, Jr. 

17 Sep 1930 17 Mar 1930 03 Oct 1935 

Hereford, TX Pittsburgh, PA Charlotte, NC 

08 Aug 91 

Glenwood Springs, CO 

40 41 36 

Commander, Sc. D. Lt. Colonel Lt. Colonel 

USN USAF USAF 

1966 1966 1966 

None None None 

Joe Henry Engle Harrison Hagan Schmitt Edgar Dean Mitchell 

Lt. Colonel Civilian Captain 

USAF NASA USN 

Apollo 17 

Eugene Andrew Ceman 

14 Mar 1934 

Chicago, IL 

—

—

38 

Captain 

USN 

1963 

GT-9A,Apollo 10 

John Watts Young 

Captain 

USN 

Ronald Ellwin Evans 

10 Nov 1933 

St Francis, KS 

07 Apr 1990 

Scottsdale, AZ 

39 

Commander 

USN 

1966 

None 

Stuart Allen Roosa 

Lt. Colonel 

USAF 

Harrison Hagan Schmitt 

03 Jul 1935 

Santa Rita, NM 

37 

Civilian, Ph. D. 

1965 

Non 

Charles Moss Duke, Jr. 

Colonel 

USAF 
Apportionment of Training According to Mission Type5

Training Category 

Simulators 

Special Purpose 

Procedures 

Briefings 

Spacecraft Tests 

Total 

Missions Before 1st Lunar 

Landing(Apollo 7-10) 

Hours % of Total 

11,51 I 36 

4,023 13 

7,924 25 

5,894 18 

2,576 8 

31,928 100 

Early Lunar Landing 

Missions(Apollo 11-14) 

Hours 

15,029 

5,379 

2,084 

3.070 

1,260 

26,822 

% of Total 

56 

20 

8 

11 

5 

100 

Apollo Training Exercises6 

Exercise Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 

Lunar Surface Activity Simulations (Sessions) 

Surface Operations 20 31 

Operations Before/ After EVA 10 4 

Total Per Mission 30 35 

Geology Field Trips7 4 

Integrated Crew/Ground Mission Simulations (Days) 

Command Module Simulator 18 14 6 (1) 10 

Lunar Module Simulator 0 0 4 3 

Command Module and Lunar Module Simulators 0 0 7 12 

Total Per Mission 18 14 17 (!) 25 

Final Lunar Landing 

Missions (Apollo 15-17) 

Hours % of Total 

11,413 45 

9,246 36 

1,265 5 

2,142 9 

1,255 5 

25,321 100 

Apollo 13 Apollo 14 Apollo 15 Apollo 16 

42 43 91 67 

11 18 20 10 

53 61 111 77 

7 7 12 18 

13 12 (3) 13 (6) 16 (5) 

5 5 (2) 5 7 (!) 

9 12 (1) 7 10 

27 29 (6) 25 (6) 33 (6) 

5 Apollo Program Summary Report (JSC-09423), pps. 6-20 to 6-23. Includes participation of Mission Control Center personnel. Numbers in parentheses indicate simulations accomplished by follow-on or support crew members.

6 Ibid.

7 Each field trip lasted from one to seven days. 

Apollo 17 

47 

20 

67 

13 

13 (2) 

6 

9 

28 (2) 

Statistical Tables � 
Capsule Communicators (CAPCOMS

Apollo 7 

Col. Thomas Patten Stafford, USAF 

Lt. Cdr. Ronald Ellwin Evans, USN 

Maj. William Reid Pogue, USAF 

John Leonard Swigert, Jr. 

Cdr. John Watts Young, USN 

Cdr. Eugene Andrew Cernan, USN 

Apollo 8 

Lt. Col. Michael Collins, USAF Lt. Cdr. Thomas Kenneth Mattingly, II, USN 

Maj. Gerald Paul Carr, USMC 

Neil Alden Armstrong 

Col. Edwin Eugene Aldrin, USAF/Sc.D. 

Vance DeVoe Brand 

Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. 

Apollo 9 

Maj. Stuart Allen Roosa, USAF 

Lt. Cdr. Ronald Ellwin Evans, USN 

Maj. Alfred Merrill Worden, USAF 

Cdr. Charles Conrad, Jr., USN Cdr. Richard Francis Gordon, Jr., USN 

Cdr. Alan LaVern Bean, USN 

Apollo 10 

Maj. Charles Moss Duke, Jr., USAF Maj. Joe Henry Engle, USAF 

Maj. Jack Robert Lousma, USMC 

Lt. Cdr. Bruce McCandless, II, USN 

Apollo 11 

Maj. Charles Moss Duke, Jr., USAF 

Lt. Cdr. Ronald Ellwin Evans, USN 

Lt. Cdr. Bruce McCandless, II, USN 

Capt. James Arthur Lovell, Jr., USN 

Lt. Col. William Alison Anders, USAF Lt. Cdr. Thomas Kenneth Mattingly, II, USN Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. 

Don Leslie Lind, Ph.D. 

Owen Kay Garriott, Jr., Ph.D. 

Harrison Hagan Schmitt, Ph.D. 

Apollo 12 

Lt. Col. Gerald Paul Carr, USMC Edward George Gibson, Ph.D. 

Cdr. Paul Joseph Weitz, USN 

Don Leslie Lind, Ph.D. 

Col. David Randolph Scott, USAF 

Maj. Alfred Merrill Worden, USAF 

Lt. Col. James Benson Irwin, USAF 

Civilian Backup CAPCOMS 

Dickie K. Warren 

James 0. Rippey 

James L. Lewis 

Michael R. Wash 

Apollo 13 

Cdr. Joseph Peter Kerwin, USN

Vance DeVoe Brand 

Maj. Jack Robert Lousma, USM

Cdr. John Watts Young, USN 

Lt. Cdr. Thomas Kenneth Matti

Apollo 14 

Maj. Charles Gordon Fullerton, 

Lt. Cdr. Bruce McCandless, II, U

Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. 

Lt. Cdr. Ronald Ellwin Evans, U

Apollo 15 

Joseph Percival Allen, IV, Ph.D. 

Maj. Charles Gordon Fullerton, 

Karl Gordon Henize, Ph.D. 


Cdr. Edgar Dean Mitchell, USN

Robert Alan Ridley Parker, Ph.D

Harrison Hagan Schmitt, Ph.D. 

Capt. Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr., Capt. Richard Francis Gordon, J

Vance DeVoe Brand 


8 Derived from various documents and memoranda in Rice University archives. Military ranks for astronauts who are not also backups are implied from available inf

Apollo by the Numbers 
Support Crews9 

Apollo 7 

Lt. Cdr. Ronald Ellwin Evans, USN 

Maj. William Reid Pogue, USAF 

John Leonard Swigert, Jr. 

Apollo 8 

Vance DeVoe Brand 

Lt. Cdr. Thomas Kenneth Mattingly, II, USN 

Maj. Gerald Paul Carr, USMC 

Apollo 9 

Maj. Jack Robert Lousma, USMC 

Lt. Cdr. Edgar Dean Mitchell, USN/Sc.D. Maj. Alfred Merrill Worden, USAF 

Apollo 10 

Maj. Charles Moss Duke, Jr., USAF 

Maj. Joe Henry Engle, USAF 

Lt. Col. James Benson Irwin, USAF 

Apollo 11 

Lt. Cdr. Thomas Kenneth Mattingly, II, USN Lt. Cdr. Ronald Ellwin Evans, USN Maj. William Reid Pogue, USAF 

John Leonard Swigert, Jr. 

Apollo 12 

Maj. Gerald Paul Carr, USMC 

Cdr. Paul Joseph Weitz, USN 

Edward George Gibson, Ph.D. 

Apollo 13 

Maj. Jack Robert Lousma, USMC 

Vance DeVoe Brand 

Maj. William Reid Pogue, USAF 

Apollo 14 

Lt. Cdr. Bruce McCandless, II, USN Lt. Col. William Reid Pogue, USAF Maj. Charles Gordon Fullerton, USAF Phillip Kenyon Chapman, Sc.D. 

9 Compiled from various documents and memoranda in the Rice University archives. For Apollo 7, Bill Pogue replaced Maj. Edward Galen Givens, jr., USAF, 

implied from available information and B. Hello (Rockwell) memo, 10 December 1969. 
Flight DirectorsiO 

Apollo 7 Director Apollo 12 Director 

Shift #1 Shift #2 

Shift #3 

Apollo 8 

Shift #1 

Glynn S. Lunney 

Eugene E Kranz 

Gerald D. Griffm 

Director 

Clifford E. Charlesworth 

Shift #1 Shift #2 Shift #3 Shift #4 

Apollo 13 

Gerald D. Griffin 

M.P. "Pete" Frank III 

Clifford E. Charlesworth 

Milton L. Windler 

Director 

Shift #2 

Shift #3 

Apollo 9 

Shift #1 

Shift #2 Shift #3 

Glynn S. Lunney 

Milton L. Windler 

Director 

Eugene E Kranz 

Gerald D. Griffin 

M.P. "Pete" Frank III 

Shift #1 Shift #2 

Shift #3 

Shift #4 

Apollo 14 

Shift #1 

Milton L. Windler 

Gerald D. Griffin 

Eugene E Kranz 

Glynn S. Lunney 

Director 

M.P. "Pete" Frank III 

Apollo 10 

Shift #1 

Shift #2 Shift #3 

Director 

Glynn S. Lunney Gerald D. Griffin 

Milton L. Windler 

M.P. "Pete" Frank III 

Shift #2 

Shift #3 

Shift #4 

Glynn S. Lunney 

Milton L. Windler 

Gerald D. Griffin Glynn S. Lunney 

Apollo 11 Director 

Shift #1 Clifford E. Charlesworth 

Gerald D. Griffin 

Shift #2 Shift #3 

Eugene F. Kranz 

Glynn S. Lunney 

IO Compiled from various documents and memoranda in the Rice University archives. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
S-11 

Apollo Space Vehicle Configura

S-IB (Apollo 7) 

• Reached 1.640 million pounds of thrust at liftoff • Accelerated total space vehicle to -7,620 fps (inertial/spacefixed) • Reached -33 nautical miles in - 2.5 minutes 

S-IC 

• Reached 7.650 million pounds of thrust at liftoff • Accelerated total space vehicle to -7,880 fps (inertial/spacefixed) • Reached -58 nautical miles in - 2.5 minutes 

S-11 interstage 

• Interfaced first and second stages 

• Housed second stage engines • Provided ullage for S-II engine start 

• Accelerated vehicle from -7,880 fps to - 22,850 fps in -370 

seconds. 

• Achieved altitude of -101 nautical miles 

• Housed S-II retro-rocket mounting 

S-IVB Interstage 

• Provided structural transition from diameter of S-II to S-IVB 

• Housed S-IVB engine 

• Had attitude control about 3 axed and +X ullage with APS, 

up to 505 seconds of burn time 

S-IVB 

• Increased inertial/space-fixed velocity from 7,620 fps to 

25,553 fps in 470 sec to accomplish orbit (Apollo 7) 

• Increased inertial!space-fixed velocity from 22,850 fps 

25,568 fps in 154 sec to accomplish orbit (all other flig

• Accelerated space vehicle to -35,500 fps for TLI (all ex

Apollo 7) 

Instrument Unit 

• Provided launch vehicle guidance; navigation; control s

telemetry; command communications; tracking; EDS r

and display activation timing and stage functional sequ

Spacecraft/Lunar Module Adapter 

• Housed and supported the LM, aerodynamically enclos

supported LM 

• Provided the structural electrical interface between spa

and launch vehicle 

• Provided diameter transition from S-IVB to CSM • Allowed LM extraction 

Lunar Module Descent Stage 

• Provided velocity change for lunar deorbit and lunar la

(throttleable) 

• Protected ascent stage from landing damage • Provided ascent stage/descent stage staging • Provided LM ascent stage launch pad • Stowed lunar scientific equipment 
Designations'' 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 1

Call-Signs 

Command Module 

lunar Module 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Gumdrop 

Spider 

Charlie Brown 

Snoopy 

Columbia 

Eagle 

Yankee Clipper 

Intrepid 

Odys

Aquar

NASNContractor Designations 

Space Vehicle 

Launch Vehicle Launch Vehicle Type Launch Vehicle lst Stage 

Launch Vehicle 2nd Stage 

Launch Vehicle 3rd Stage 

Instrument Unit 

SpacecraftiLM Adapter 

Command Module 

Service Module 

Lunar-Module 

AS-205 

SA-205 

Saturn IB 

S-IB-5 

S-IVB-205 

S-IU-205 

SLA-5 

CM'-101 

SM-101 

AS-503 

SA-503 

Saturn V 

S-IC-3 

S-11 -3 

S-JV8-503 

S-IU-503 

SLA-n A 

CM­ 103 

SM-103 

Lunar Module 

TC'S tAr-tide 

AS-504 

SA-504 

Saturn V 

S-IC-4 

S-II -4 

S-IVB-504 

S-IU-504 

SLA-12A 

CM-104 

SM-104 

LM-3 

AS-505 

SA-505 

Saturn V 

S-IC-5 

S-11-5 

S-IVB-505 

S-I U-505 

SLA-13A 

CM­ 106 

SM -106 

LM-4 

AS-506 

SA-506 

Saturn V 

S-IC-6 

S-11 -6 

S-IV8-506 

S-IU-506 

SLA-14 

CM- 107 

SM -la7 

LM-5 

AS-507 

SA-507 

Salurn V 

S-IC-7 

S-11-7 

S-IVB-507 

S-IU-507 

SLA-15 

CM -108 

SM-108 

LM-6 

AS-

SA-

Saturn 

S-IC

S-1

S-IV8-5

S-IU-5

SLA

CM-1 

SM-

LM

Lunar Roving Vehicle 

VA8 High Bay 

Firing Room 

Mobile Launcher Platform 

(LTA-B) 

MLP-1 MLP-2 MLP-3 MLP-1 MLP-2 

ML

Computer Programs !Not fou nd! Colossus Colossus, 

Sundance 

Colossus 2, 

Luminary I 

Colossus 2A, 

Luminary lA 

Colossus 2C, 

Luminary IB 

Colossus 

Luminary 

Eastern Test Range Number 66 170 9025 920 5307 2793 33International Designations 

CSM 

S-IVB Stage 

LM Ascent Stage 12 LM Descent Stage Lunar Subsatellite 

1968-089A 

1968-0898 

1968-118A 

1968-11 88 

1969-018A 

1969-0188 

1969-018( 

1969-01 80 

1969-043A 

1969-0438 

1969-0430 

1969-043( 

1969-059A 

1969-0596 1%9-059( 

1969-0590 

1969-099A 

1969-0998 

1969-099C 

1969-0990 

1970-02

1970-02

1970-02

1970-02

NORAD Designations 

CSM 

S-JVB Stage 

LM Ascent Stage 

LM Descent Stage Lunar Subsatellite 

03486 

03487 

03626 

03627 

03769 03770 03771 03780 

03941 03943 

03949 

03948 

04039 04040 04041 

04225 04226 04246 

043043

11 	 Compiled from RAE Table of Earth Satellites 1957-1986; press kits; mission implementation plans; Saturn V flight evaluation reports; Apollo Program Summary Rep

and other sources. 

12 Ascent and descent stages for Apollo 13 remained as one piece until Earth entry. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Launch Vehicle/Spacecraft Key F

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 A

First Stage (S-IB) 

Contractor Chrysler 

Diameter, base, ft 21.500 Diameter, top, ft 21.61;7 

Height, ft 80.200 

Engines, type/number H-1/8 Fuel RP-1 

Oxidizer L02 

Rated thrust each engine, lbf 2oo.ooo Rated thrust total, lbf 1,600,000 

Thrust at 35 to 38 sec, lbf 1,744,400 

First Stage (s-IC) 

Contractor - Boeing Boeing Boeing Boeing Boeing 

Diameter, base, ft - 33.000 33.000 33.000 33.000 33.000 Diameter, top, ft - 33.000 33.000 33.000 33.000 33.000 

Height,ft - 138.030 138.030 138.030 138.030 138.030 

Engines, type/number - F-1/5 F-1/5 F-1/5 F-1/5 F-1/5 

Fuel RP-1 RP-1 RP-1 RP-1 RP-1 

Oxidizer L02 L02 w, w, w, 

Rated thrust each engine, lbf - 1,500,000 1,522,000 1,522,000 1,522,000 1,522,000 

Rated thrust total, lbf - 7,500,000 7,610,000 7,610,000 7,610,000 7,610,000 

Thrust at 35 to 38 sec, lbf 7,560,000 7,576,000 7,536,000 7,552,000 7,594,000 

Second Stage (s-II) 

Contractor - North American North American North American North American North American N

Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell 

Diameter, ft - 33.000 33.000 33.000 33.000 33.000 

Height, ft 81.500 81.500 81.500 81.500 81.500 

Engines, type/number - J-2/5 J-2/5 J-2/5 J-2/5 J-2/5 

Fuel - LH 2 I.Hl LH 2 LH2 LH2 

Oxidizer L02 w, L02 w, w, 

Rated thrust each engine, lbf - 225,000 230,000 230,000 230,000 230,000 

Rated thrust total, lbf - 1,125,000 1,150,000 1,150,000 1,150,000 1,150,000 

Thrust, ESC+61 sec, lbf - 1,143,578 1,155,611 1,159,477 1,155,859 1,161,534 Thrust, OECO, lbf - 865,302 730,000 642,068 625,751 611,266 

13 Compiled from Saturn launch vehicle flight evaluation reports. Thrust for S-IC stage is at sea level and for the S-11 and S-JVB stages is at altitude. Thrust 

Engine Cutoff (OECO) is actual thrust as flown. 
Launch Vehicle/Spacecraft Key Facts 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 13 

Third Stage (S-IVB) 

Contractor McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Dougla

Diameter, ft (base) 33.000 33.000 33.000 33.000 33.000 33.000 33.00Diameter, ft (top)' 21.667 21.667 21.667 21.667 21.667 21.667 21.667 

Height, fi 58.400 58.630 58.630 58.630 58.630 58.630 58.630 Engines, type/number J-21 1 J-211 J-211 J-211 J-211 J-211 )-21

Fuel LH2 LH2 LH 2 LH2 LH2 LH

Oxidizer w, w, w, w, w, w

Rated thrust total, Jbf 200,000 230,000 230,000 230.000 230,000 230,000 230,00

Thrust, Jbf ­ 1st burn 207,802 202,678 232,366 204,965 202,603 206,956 199,57Thrust,lbf - 2nd burn 201,777 203,568 204,71 2 201,061 207,668 198.53Thrust, lbf - 3rd bum 199.516 

Instrument Unit (IU) 

Contractor IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM 

Diameter, ft 21.667 21.667 21.667 21.667 21.667 21.667 21.66

Height, fi 3.000 3.000 3.000 3.000 3.000 3.000 3.00

Service Module (SM) 

Contractor North American North American North American North American North American North American North American 

Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell Rockwe

Diameter, ft 12.833 12.833 12.833 12.833 12.833 12.833 12.83

Height (with engine bell), fi 24.583 24.583 24.583 24.583 24.583 24.583 24.58Height (engine bell), fi 9.750 9.750 9.750 9.750 9.750 9.750 9.75

Fairing, ft 24.583 24.583 24.583 24.583 24.583 24.583 24.58

Main structure, ft 1.91 7 1.917 1.917 1.917 1.917 1.9t7 1.91

SPS nozzle structure 12.91 7 12.917 12.917 12.917 12.917 12.917 12.91

Weight, Jb 19,730 51,258 36,159 51,371 51,243 51.105 51,10Weight, dry, lb Propellant, Jb Rated Thrust, SPS engine, lbf 20,500 20,500 20,500 20,500 20,500 20,500 20,50

Spacecraft/1M Adapter 

Contractor Grumman Grumman Grumman Grumman Grumman Grumman Grumma

Minimum diameter, ft 12.833 12.833 12.833 12.833 12.833 12.833 12.83Maximum diameter, ft 21.667 21.667 21.667 21.667 21.667 21.667 21.66

Height, ft 28.000 27.999 27.999 27.999 27.999 27.999 27.99

Upper jettisonable panels, ft 21.129 21.208 21.208 21.208 21.208 21.208 21.20

Lower ftxed panels, ft 6.871 6.791 6.791 6.791 6.791 6.791 6.79

Lunar Module (LM) 

Contractor Grumman Grumman Grumman Grumman Grumman Grumman GrummaOverall 

Width, fi 31.000 31.000 31.000 31.000 31.00

Height, ft 22.917 22.917 22.917 22.917 22.91

Footpad diameter, ft 3.083 3.083 3.083 3.083 3.08

Sensing probe length, ft 5.667 5.667 5.667 5.667 5.66

Weight (lb) (LTA) 19,900 32,034 30,735 33,278 33,562 33,49

Apollo by the Numbers 
Launch Vehicle/Spacecraft Key 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 

LM Descent Stage 

Diametc r,ft 14.083 14.083 14.083 14.083 

Height, ft 10.583 \0.583 \0.583 10.583 Weight, dry, lb 14 4,265 4, 703 4,483 4,875 Max im um rated thrust, lb 9,870 9,870 9,870 9,870 

LM Ascent Stage 

Diameter,ft 14.083 14.083 14.083 14.083 

Height, ft 12.333 12.333 12.333 12.333 

Cabin volume, cu ft 235 235 235 235 

Habitable volume, cu ft \60 160 160 160 

Crew compartment height , ft 7.667 7.667 7.667 7.667 

Crew compa rtment depth, ft 3.500 3.500 3.500 3.500 

Weight, dry, lb 5,071 4,781 4,804 4,760 

Maximum rated thrust, lb 2,524 \,650 3,2\8 3,224 

Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) 

Contractor 

Length, ft 

Width, ft 

Wheel base, ft 

Weight,lb 

Payload capacity, lb 

Command Module (CM) Contractor North American North American North American North Amer ican North American North American 

Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell 

Diameter, ft 12.833 12.833 12.833 12.833 12.833 12.833 

Height, ft 11.417 11.417 11.41 7 11.417 11.417 11.417 Docking probe cone, ft 2.583 2.583 2.583 2.583 2.583 2.583 

Main structure, ft 6.750 6.750 6.750 6.750 6.750 6.750 

Aft/heat shield, ft 2.083 2.083 2.083 2.083 2.083 2.083 

Weight,lb 12,659 12,392 12,405 12,277 12,250 12,365 

Habitable volume, cu ft 210 210 210 210 2\0 21 0 Launch Escape System (LES) 

Contractor North American North American North American North American North American North American 

Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell Rockwell 

Diameter,ft 4.000 4.000 4.000 4.000 4.000 4.000 Height,ft 33.460 33.460 33.460 33.460 33.460 33.460 Rocket motors (I each) 

Thrust, LES, lb 155,000 147,000 147,000 147,000 147,000 147,000 Thrust, pitch control motor, lb 3,000 2,400 2,400 2,400 2,400 2,400 

Thrust tower jettison motor, Jb 33,000 31,500 31,500 31,500 3\,500 3\,500 

Total Vehicle 

Height (ft) 223.488 363.0\3 363.0 \J 363.0\ 3 363.013 363.0\J 

14 LM ascent and descent stages, LRV and CM dry weights are as published in mission press kits. All other weights are actual "as flown:' 
Launch Windows 1s 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 

Launch Wmdow Opening 

KSC Date ll Oct 1968 21 Dec 1968 03 Mar 1969 18 May 1969 16 Jul1969 14 Nov 1969 II Apr 

KSC Time II:00:00 a.m. 07:50:22 a.m. 11:00:00 a.m. 12:49:00 p.m. 09:32:00 a.m. II:22:00 a.m. 02:13:00 

Time Zone EST EST EST EDT EDT EST 

GMT Date ll Oct 1968 21 Dec 1968 03 Mar 1969 18 May 1969 16 Jull969 14 Nov 1969 II Apr GMT Time )6:00:00 12:50:22 16:00:00 16:49:00 13:32:00 16:22:00 19:

Launch Wmdow Closing 

KSC Date II Oct 1968 21 Dec 1968 03 Mar 1969 18 May 1969 16 Jul 1969 14 Nov 1969 II Apr 

KSC Time 03:00:00 p.m. 12:31:40 p.m. 02:15:00 p.m. 05:09:00 p.m. 01:54:00 p.m. 02:28:00 p.m. 05:36:00 

Time Zone EST i'.ST EST EDT EDT EST 

GMT Date II Oct 1968 21 Dec 1968 03 Mar 1969 18 May 1969 16 Jul 1969 14 Nov 1969 II Apr GMT Time 20:00:00 17:31:40 19:15:00 21:09:00 17:54:00 19:28:00 22:

Wmdow Duration 

H:MM:SS 4:00:00 4:41:18 3:15:00 4:20:00 4:22:00 3:06:00 3:

Minutes 240 281 195 260 262 186 

Torgeted Lunar Sun Elevation AnsJe (deg) 6.74 - 11.0 10.8 5. 1 

15 Compiled from press kits, mission implementation plans, and mission reports. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Launch Weatherl6 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 

Surface Observations 

Pressure (lb/in_) 

Temperatu re (°F) 

Relative Humidity 

Dew Point (°F) Visibi lity (s mi) 

14.765 

82.9 

65% 

70 

11.5 

14.804 

59.0 

88% 

56 

9.9 

14.642 

67.3 

61% 

53 

9.9 

14.779 

80.1 

75% 

72 

11.2 

14.798 

84.9 

73% 

75 

9.9 

14.621 

68.0 

92% 

65 

3.7 

Surface Wmd Conditions 

1st Level Wind Site (ft) 1st Level Wind Speed (ftlsec) 

1st Level Wind Direction (deg) 

2nd Level Wind Site (f,) 2nd Level Wind Speed (ftlsec) 2nd Level Wind Direction (deg) 

64.0 

33.5 

090 

N/R 

N/R l7 

N/R 

60.0 

18.7 

348 

N/R N/R N/R 

60.0 

22.6 

160 

N/R N/R N/R 

60.0 

32.2 

142 

N/R N/R 

N/R 

60.0 

10.8 

175 

N/R N/R N/R 

60.0 

22.3 

280 

N/R 

N/R N/R 

Cloud Coverage 

Ist Level Cover 

Ist Level Type 

1st Level Altitude (ft) 

2nd Level Cover 2nd Level Type 2nd Level Altitude (ft) 

3rd Level Cove r 

3rd Level Type 3rd Level Altitude (ft) 

30% 

Cumulo nimbus 

2,100 

---

40% 

Cirrus 

N/R 

----

70% 

Stratocumulus 

3,500 

100% 

Altostratus 

9,000 

-

40% 

Cumulus 

2,200 

20% 

Altocumulus 

11 ,000 

100% 

Cirrus 

Unknown 

10% 

Cumulus 

2,400 

20% 

Altocumulu s 

15,000 

90% 

Cirrostratus 

Unknown 

100%/rain 

Stratocumulus 

2,100 

-

Maximum Wrnd Speed/Ascent 

Speed (fUsee) 

Altitude (ft) 

136.2 

172,000 

150.9 

108,300 

250.0 

38,480 

!54 

295,276 

203 

183,727 

256 

180,446 

Maximum Dynamic Pressure 

Ground Elapsed Time (sec) 

MaJCq (lb/ft2) 

Altitude (ft) 

75.5 

665.60 39,903 

78.9 

776.938 

44,062 

85.5 

630.73 

45,138 

82.6 

694.232 

43,366 

83.0 

735.17 

44,512 

81.1 

682.95 

42,133 

l6 Compiled from Saturn launch vehicle reports, trajectory reconstruction reports, and Summary of Atmospheric Data Observations For 155 Flights of MSFC

17 This measurement not used or not recorded at launch time. 
Launch Weatherls 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 

Maximum Wmd Conditions in the High 

Dynamic Pressure Region 

Altitude (ft) 

Wind Speed (ftlsec) 

Wind Direction (deg) 

44,500 

51.1 

309 

49,900 

114.1 

284 

38,480 

250.0 

264 

46,520 

139.4 

270 

37,400 

31.6 

297 

46,670 

156. 1 

245 

44

Maximum Wmd Components Pitch Plane - Pitch (ft/sec) 

Pitch Plane - Altilude (ft) 

Yaw Plane - Yaw (ft/scc) Yaw Plane - Altitude (ft) 

51.8 

36,800 

51.5 

47,500 

102.4 

49,500 

74.1 

51 ,800 

244.4 

38,390 

71.2 

37,500 

133.9 

45,280 

61.4 

48,720 

24.9 

36,680 

23.3 

39,530 

154.9 

46,670 

-64.0 

44,780 

4442

Maximum Shear Values (D h= IOOO m) Pitch Plane Shear (sec·') Pitch Plane Altitude (ft) 

Yaw Plane Shear (sec ·1) Yaw Plane Altitude (ft) 

O.Otl3 

48,100 

0.0085 

46,500 

0.0103 

52,500 

O.O t57 

57,800 

0.0248 

49,700 

0.0254 

48,160 

0.0203 

50,200 

O.Ot 25 

50,950 

0.0077 

48,490 

0.0056 

33,790 

0.0183 

46,750 

0.0178 

47,820 

0.

50

0.0

45

Maximum % Density Deviations 

Negative Deviation From PRA6319 

Altitude (n mi) 

Positive Deviation from PRA63 

Altitude (n mi) 

-0.1 

4.32 

+ 1.3 

5.80 

-0.7 

4.32 

+3.3 

8.50 

-6.t 

7.56 

None 

None 

-1.0 

4.32 

+3.3 

7.56 

-0.2 

4.45 

+4.4 

7.69 

-7.6 

8.50 

+1.2 

5.67 

18 Compiled from Saturn launch vehicle reports, trajectory reconstruction reports, and Summary ofAtmospheric Data Observations For 155 Flights of MSFC/ABMA R19 Patrick Air Force Base Reference Atmosphere, 1963. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
1960 1961 

Advanced Technical Development Studies $100 $1,000 

Orbital Flight Tests $0 $0 

Biomedical Flight Tests $0 $0 

High-Speed Reentry Tests $0 $0 

Spacecraft Development $0 $0 

Instrumentation & Scientific Equipment $0 $0 

Operational Support $0 $0 

Little Joe II Development $0 $0 

Supporting Development $0 $0 

Command and Service Modules $0 $0 

Lunar Module $0 $0 

Guidance & Navigation $0 $0 

Integration, Reliability, & Checkout $0 $0 

Spacecraft Support $0 $0 

Saturn C-1 $0 $0 

Saturn I $0 $0 

Saturn 1B $0 $0 

Saturn V $0 $0 

Engine Development $0 $0 

Apollo Mission Support $0 $0 

Manned Space Flight Operations $0 $0 

Advanced Development $0 $0 

Flight Modules $0 $0 

Science Payloads $0 $0 

Ground Support $0 $0 

Spacecraft $0 $0 

Apollo Program $100 $1,000 

NASA Total $523,575 $964,000 

Apollo Share of Total Budget <1% <1%

io The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology, volumes I through JV.

Apollo 

1962 

$0 

$63,900 

$16,550 

$27,550 

$52,000 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 

$160,000 

$1,671,750 

10% 

Program Budget Appropriations ($000)20 

1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$11,500 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$2,500 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$8,800 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$3,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$345,000 $545,874 $577,834 $615,000 $560,400 $455,300 $346,000 

$123,100 $135,000 $242,600 $310,800 $472,500 $399,600 $326,000 

$32,400 $91,499 $81,038 $115,000 $76,654 $113,000 $43,900 

$0 $60,699 $24,763 $34,400 $29,975 $66,600 $65,100 

$0 $43,503 $83,663 $95,400 $110,771 $60,500 $121,800 

$90,864 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$0 $187,077 $40,265 $800 $0 $0 $0 

$0 $146,817 $262,690 $274,185 $236,600 $146,600 $41,347 

$0 $763,382 $964,924 $1,177,320 $1,135,600 $998,900 $534,453 

$0 $166,000 $166,300 $134,095 $49,800 $18,700 $0 

$0 $133,101 $170,542 $210,385 $243,900 $296,800 $0 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $546,400 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 

$617,164 $2,272,952 $2,614,619 $2,967,385 $2,916,200 $2,556,000 $2,025,000 

$3,674,115 $3,974,979 $4,270,695 $4,511,644 $4,175,100 $3,970,000 $3,193,559 

17% 57% 61% 66% 700A, 64% 63% 

1970 1971 1972 1973 Program 

Total 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $1,100 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $63,900 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $16,550 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $27,550 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $52,000 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $11,500 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $2,500 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $8,800 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $3,000 

$282,821 $0 $0 $0 $3,728,229 

$231,433 $0 $0 $0 $2,241,033 

$33,866 $0 $0 $0 $587,357 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $281,537 

$170,764 $0 $0 $0 $686,401 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $90,864 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $228,142 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $1,108,239 

$484,439 $189,059 $142,458 $26,300 $6,416,835 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $534,895 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $1,054,728 

$422,728 $314,963 $307,450 $0 $1,591,541 

$0 $11,500 $12,500 $0 $24,000 

$0 $245,542 $55,033 $0 $300,575 

$60,094 $106,194 $52,100 $0 $218,388 

$0 $46,411 $31,659 $0 $78,070 

$0 $0 $0 $50,400 $50,400 

$1,686,145 $913,669 $601,200 $76,700 $19,408,134 

$3,113,765 $2,555,000 $2,517,700 $2,509,900 $56,661,332 

54% 36% 24% 3% 34% 

Statistical Tables � 
Mission Command Module Lunar M

Apollo 7 "Apollo 7:' None. 

Apollo 8 '!\polio s:' None. 

Apollo 9 "Gumdrop:' Derived from the appearance of the 

spacecraft when transported on Earth. During shipment, 

it was covered in blue wrappings giving appearance of 

a wrapped gumdrop. 

"Spider;' d

Apollo 10 Apollo 11 

"Charlie Brown;' from a character in the comic strip 

Peanuts(c) drawn by Charles L. Schulz. As in the comic, 

the CM "Charlie Brown" would be the guardian of the 

LM "Snoopy." 

"Columbia;' after Jules Verne's mythical moonship, 

"Columbiad;' and the close relationship of the word to 

our Nation's origins. 

"SnoopY,' 

The name 

around th

Snoopy w

outstandin

"Eagle;' af

Apollo 12 "Yankee Clipper;' selected from names submitted by 

employees of the command module prime contractor. 

"Intrepid;

of the lun

Apollo 13 "Odyssey,' reminiscent of the long voyage of Odysseus 

of Greek mythology. 

'1\quarius

carrier. Aq

knowledge hoped to 

Apollo 14 "Kitty Hawk;' the site of the Wright brothers' first flight. '1\ntares;' 

lunar land

Apollo 15 "Endeavour;' for the ship which carried Captain James 

Cook on his 18th-century scientific voyages. 

"Falcon;' n

Apollo IS

Apollo 16 "Casper;' named for a cartoon character, "Casper 

the Friendly Ghost;' because the white Teflon suits worn 

by the crew looked shapeless on television screens. 

"Orion;' fo

depend on 

Apollo 17 '1\merica;' as a tribute and a symbol of thanks to the 

American people who made the Apollo program possible. 

"Challeng

beyond th

Call Signs21 

21 Excerpted and reworked from Astronaut Mission Patches and Spacecraft Callsigns, by Dick Lattimer, unpublished draft in JSC History Office; Space Patches From M

Apollo by the Numbers 
Mission lnsignias22 

Apollo 7 Apollo 11 

Symbolizing the Earth-orbital nature of the mission, a command and service module combination circled the globe, trailing an ellipse of orange flame. The background was navy blue, 

symbolizing the depth of space. In the center was Earth, with 

the North and South American continents appearing against 

light blue oceans. The crew's names appeared in an arc at the 

bottom. A Roman numeral VII appeared in the Pacific region of 

the globe. 

Apollo 8 

The shape of the insignia symbolized the Apollo command 

module. The red figure 8 circled Earth and the Moon, representing not only the number of the mission but the translunar and transearth trajectories. 

Apollo 9 

Orbiting near the command module, the lunar module symbolized the first flight of the spacecraft that would take humans to 

the lunar surface on future flights. A Saturn V launch vehicle 

was depicted at the left. The crew names appeared around the 

top edge of the insignia, and the mission name, Apollo IX, 

appeared along the bottom. The 'D' in McDivitt had a red interior, identifying Apollo 9 as the "D" mission in the Apollo series. 

Apollo 10 

Shaped like a shield, the design of the insignia was based more 

on mechanics than on mission goals. The large Roman numeral 

'X' identified the mission, and was three-dimensional to give the 

effect of sitting on the Moon. The command module circled the 

Moon as the LM fired the descent engine for its low pass over 

the surface. Earth appeared in the background. Although Apollo 

10 did not land, the prominence of the 'X' indicated the mission 

would make a significant contribution to the Apollo program. 

The American eagle, symbolic of the United States, was land on the Moon. In its talons, an olive branch indicate

the crew "came in peace for all mankind:' Earth, the pla

which the crew came and would return safely in order t

President John F. Kennedy's challenge to the nation, reste

field of black, representing the vast unknown of space. 

Apollo 12 

An American clipper ship and the blue and gold motif s

that the crew was all-Navy and symbolically related the ethe clipper ship to the era of space flight. As the clipper 

brought foreign shores closer to the United States, and m

the increased utilization of the seas by this Nation, space

have opened the way to the other planets, Apollo 12 mar

increased utilization of space-based on knowledge gained 

lier missions. The portion of the Moon shown represente

Ocean of Storms area in which Apollo would land. The f

represented the crew and C.C. Williams, who would have 

the lunar module pilot had he not died in an aircraft acc

Apollo 13 

Apollo, the Sun god of Greek mythology, was represented 

Sun, with three horses driving his chariot across the sur

the Moon, symbolizing how the Apollo flights have exten

light of knowledge to all humankind. The Latin phrase "

Luna, Scientia" means "From the Moon, Knowledge:' 

Apollo 14 

The Apollo 14 insignia featured the astronaut insignia 

approaching the Moon and leaving a comet trail from th

point on Earth. The mission name and crew name appe

the border. 

22 Excerpted and reworked from Astronaut Mission Patches and Spacecraft Callsigns, by Dick Lattimer, unpublished draft in )SC History Office; Space Patch
Ground Ignition Weightsn 

Weights In Pounds Mass Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 

Ground Ignition Time Relative 

to Range Zero (sec) -2.988 -6.585 -63 -6.4 -6.4 -6.5 

S-IB stage, dry 

S-IB stage, fuel S-IB stage, oxidizer S-IB stage, other S-IB stage, total 

84,530 

276,900 

631 ,300 

1,182 

993,912 

S-18/S-IVB interstage, dry 

Retromotor PropeUant 

5,543 

1,061 

S-IC stage, dry S-IC stage, fuel S-IC stage, oxidizer S-IC stage, other 

S-IC stage, total 

305,232 

1,357,634 

3,128,034 

6,226 

4,797,126 

294,468 

1,43 1,678 

3,301 ,203 

5,508 

5,032,857 

293,974 

1,423,254 

3,302,827 

5,491 

5,025,546 

287,531 

1,424,889 

3,305,786 

5,442 

5,023,648 

287,898 

1,424,287 

3,310,199 

5,442 

5,027,826 

287

1,431 

3,304

5

5,029

S-IC/S-11 interstage, dry 12,436 11,591 11,585 11,477 11 ,509 11 

S-11 stage, dry 

S-11 stage, fuel 

S-11 stage, oxidizer 

S-11 stage, other S-Il stage, total 

88,500 

793,795 

154,907 

1,426 

1,038,628 

84,31 2 

821,504 

158,663 

1,188 

1,065,667 

84,273 

823,325 

158,541 

1,250 

1,067,389 

79,714 

819,050 

158,116 

1,260 

1,058,140 

80,236 

825,406 

157,986 

1,250 

1,064,878 

77

836

159

1

1,075

S-IUS-JVB interstage, dry 8,731 7,998 8,045 8,076 8,021 8

S-IVBstage, dry 

S-IVB stage, fuel S-IVB stage, oxidizer 

S-IVB stage, other 

S-IVB stage, total 

21,852 

39,909 

193,330 

1,432 

256,523 

25,926 

43,395 

192,840 

1,626 

263,787 

25,089 

43,709 

189,686 

1,667 

260,151 

25,680 

43,388 

192,089 

1,684 

262,841 

24,852 

43,608 

192,497 

1,656 

262,61 3 

25,064 

43,663 

190,587 

1,873 

26 1,187 

25

43

191

1

262

Total Instrument Unit 4,263 4,842 4,281 4,267 4,275 4,277 4

Spacecraft/Lunar Module Adapter 

LM (LTA Apollo 8) 

Command and Service Module 

Total Launch Escape S)"'tem 

Total Spacecraft (CSM) 

3,943 

32,495 

8,874 

45,312 

3,951 

19,900 

63,531 

8,890 

96,272 

4,01 2 

32,034 

59,116 

8,869 

104,031 

3,969 

30,735 63,560 

8,936 

107,200 

3,951 

33,278 63,507 

8,910 

109,646 

3,960 

33,562 

63,559 

8,963 

11(),044 

3

33

63

8

110

Total Vehicle 1,306,614 6,221,823 6,486,577 6,486,873 6,477,875 6,487,742 6,501

23 Actual weights at S-IC stage ignition, compiled from Saturn launch vehicle flight evaluation reports. Weights to do not add to vehicle totals due to truncated data 

I 284 I Apollo by the Numbers 
Ascent Data24 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 A

Pre-Staging Pad Azimuth (deg East of North) 100 90.0 90.0 90.0 90.0 90.0 Flight Azimuth (deg East of North) 72 72.124 72.0 72.028 72.058 72.029 Mach I - GET (sec) 62. 15 61.48 68.2 66.8 66.3 66.1 

Mach I Altitude (ft) 25,034 24,128 25,78 1 25,788 25,736 25,610 

Maximum Bending Moment - GET (sec) 73.1 74.7 79.4 84.6 91.5 77.5 Maximum Bending Moment (lbf-in) 7,546,000 60,000,000 86,000,000 88,000,000 33,200,000 37,000,000 

Maximum q - GET (sec) 75.5 78.90 85.5 82.6 83.0 81.1 

Maximum q Altitude (ft) 39,903 44,062 45,138 43,366 44,512 42,133 

Maximum q (ib/ft2) 665.60 776.938 630.73 694.232 735.17 682.95 

S-IC Stage Burn (S-IB Apollo 7) 

Duration (sec) 147.31 160.41 169.06 168.03 168.03 168.2 

Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration - GET (sec) 140.10 153.92 162.84 161.71 161.71 161.82 Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration - (ft/secl) 137.76 127.46 123.75 126.21 126.67 125.79 Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration - (g) 4.28 3.% 3.85 3.92 3.94 3.91 

Maximum Earth-Fixed Velocity - GET (sec) 144.6 154.47 163.45 161.% 162.30 162.18 Maximum Earth-Fixed Velocity (ftlsec) 6,490.1 7,727.36 7,837.89 7,835.76 7,882.9 7,852.0 

Apex - GET (sec) 259.4 266.54 265.03 266.87 269.1 275.6 Apex -Altitude (n mi) 64.4 64.69 59.23 60.61 62.1 66.4 Apex - Range (n mi) 132.6 175.70 172.37 172.90 176.8 181.4 

S-11 Stage Burn 

Duration (sec) 367.85 371.06 388.59 384.22 389.14 

Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration- GET (sec} 524.14 536.31 460.69 460.70 460.83 Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration - (ft/secl) 59_;1 64.34 58.46 58.53 58.79 Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration - (g) 1.86 2.00 1.82 1.82 1.83 

Maximum Earth-Fixed Velocity GET (sec) 524.90 536.45 553.50 549.00 553.20 Maximum Earth-Fixed Velocity (ftlsec) 21,068.14 21,441.11 21,317.81 21,377.0 21.517.8 

Apex - GET (sec) 560.34 593.58 597.21 587.0 581.7 Apex - Altitude (n mi) 104.21 102.50 102.31 101.9 103.2 Apex - Range (n mi} 934.06 1,026.36 1,035.06 1,005.9 985.3 

S-IVB First Burn 

Duration (sec) 469.79 156.69 123.84 146.95 147.13 137.31 

Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration - GET (sec) 616.9 685.08 664.74 703.84 699.41 693.99 Maximum TotallnertiaJ Acceleration (ftlsec2) 82.22 23.10 25.72 22.60 22.08 22.21 Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration (g) 2.56 0.72 0.80 0.70 0.69 0.69 

Maximum Earth-Fixed Velocity- GET (sec) 619.3 685.50 674.66 703.84 709.33 703.91 

Maximum Earth-Fixed Velocity (ftlsec) 24,208.4 24,244.26 24,246.39 24,240.09 24,243.8 24,242.3 

S-IVB Serond Burn 

Duration (sec) 317.72 62.06 343.06 346.83 341.14 

Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration - GET25 002:55:55.61 004:46:57.68 002:39: I0.66 002:50:03.11 002:53:04.02 

Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration (ft/secl) 49.77 39.90 47.90 46.65 47.74 

Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration (g) 1.55 1.24 1.49 1.45 1.48 Maximum Earth-Fixed Velocity - GET 002:55:56.00 004:46:58.20 002:39:11.30 002:50:03.50 002:53:04.32 

Maximum Earth-Fixed Velocity (ft/sec) 34,178.74 26,432.58 34,251.67 34,230.3 34,063.0 

S-IVB Third Burn 

Duration (sec) 242.06 

Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration - GET 006:08:53.00 Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration (ft/seC) 54.40 Maximum Total Inertial Acceleration (g) 1.69 Maximum Earth-Fixed Velocity - GET 006: II :23.50 

Maximum Earth-Fixed Velocity (ftlsec) 29,923.49 

24 Compiled from Saturn V launch vehicle flight evaluation reports, Apollo/Saturn V postflight trajectory reports, and mission reports. Segments do not add 

25 GET is expressed as hours:minutes:seconds (hhh:mm:ss) for the S-IVB second and third burns. 
Earth Orbit Data26 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 

Earth Orbit Insertion 

Insertion - GET (sec) 626.76 694.98 674.66 713.76 709.33 703.91 

Altitude (ft) 748,439 627,819 626,777 627,869 626,909 626,360 

Surface Range (n mi) 1,121.743 1,430.363 1,335.515 1,469.790 1,460.697 1,438.608 

Earth Fixed Velocity (ft/sec) 24,208.5 24,242.9 24,246.39 24,244.3 24,243.9 24,242.3 

Space-Fixed Velocity (ft/sec) 25,553.2 25,567.06 25,569.78 25,567.88 25,567.9 25,565.9 

Geocentric Latitude (deg N) 31.4091 32.4741 32.4599 32.5303 32.5027 31.5128 Geodetic Latitude (deg N) 31.58 32.6487 32.629 32.700 32.672 32.6823 

Longitude (deg E) -61.2293 -53.2923 -55.1658 -52.5260 -52.6941 -53.1311 

Space-Fixed Flight Path Angle (deg) 0.005 0.0006 -0.0058 -0.0049 0.012 -0.014 

Space-Fixed Heading Angle (deg E of N) 86.32 88.532 87.412 89.933 88.848 88.580 

Apogee (n mi) 152.34 99.99 100.74 100.32 100.4 100.1 

Perigee (n mi) 123.03 99.57 99.68 99.71 98.9 97.8 

Period (mins) 89.55 88.19 88.20 88.20 88.18 88.16 

Inclination (deg) 31.608 32.509 32.552 32.546 32.521 32.540 

Descending Node (deg) 42.415 45.538 123.132 123.088 123.126 

Eccentricity 0.0045 0.00006 0.000149 0.000086 0.00021 0.00032 

Earth Orbit- Revolutions 163.0 1.5 151.0 1.5 1.5 1.5 Earth Orbit Duration 259:42:59.24 002:44:30.53 240:32:55.54 002:27:26.82 002:38:23.70 002:41:30.03 0

26 Compiled from Saturn V launch vehicle flight evaluation reports, Apollo/Saturn V postflight trajectory reports and mission reports. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Saturn Stage Earth lmpact2

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apoll

S-IB Impact 

GET (sec) 

Surface Range (n mi) 

Geodetic Latitude (deg N) 

Longitude (deg E) 

560.2 

265.002 

29.7605 

-75.7183 

S-IC Impact 

GET (sec) 

Surface Range (n mi) 

Geodetic Latitude (deg N) 

Longitude (deg E) 

-

-

-

-

540.410 

353.462 30.2040 

-74.1090 

536.436 

346.635 30.1830 

-74.238 

539.12 

348.800 

30.188 

-74.207 

543.7 

357.1 

30.212 

-74.038 

36

3

-7

S-11 Impact 

GET (sec) 

Surface Range (n mi) 

Geodetic Latitude (deg N) 

Longitude (deg E) 

-

-

-

-

1,145.106 

2,245.913 

31.8338 

-37.2774 

1,205.346 

2,413.198 

31.4618 

-34.0408 

1,217.89 

2,389.290 

31.522 

-34.512 

1,213.7 

2,371.8 

31.535 

-34.844 

1,

2,

3

-34

S-IVB Earth Impact 

GET 

SC Date 

GMT Date 

KSC Time 

Time Zone 

GMT Time 

Latitude (deg N) Longitude (deg E) 

162:27:15 

18 Oct 1968 18 Oct 1968 

05:30a.m. 

EDT 

09:30 GMT 

-8.90 

081.6 

27 Theoretical impacts compiled from Saturn V launch vehicle flight evaluation reports, and Apollo/Saturn V postflight trajectory reports. Impact date is sam
Launch Vehicle Propellant Usagels 

Apollo 7 Apollo 7 Apollo 7 Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 8 Apollo 8 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 9 

Burn 

Start 

Burn 

End Change 

Burn Rate 

(lb/sec) 

Burn 

Start 

Burn 

End Change 

Burn Rate 

(lb/sec) 

Burn 

Start 

Burn 

End 

S-IB Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (RP-1), lb 

Total, lb 

-2.988 

631,300 

276,900 

908,200 

144.32 

3,231 

4,728 

7,959 

147.31 

628,069 

272,172 

900,241 

4,263.6 

1,847.6 

6,111.3 

S-IC Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (RP-1) 

Total, lb 

---

-

-

-

-

--

-

-

-

-

-

-6.585 

3,128,034 

1,357,634 

4,485,668 

153.82 

46,065 

26,622 

72,687 

160.41 

3,081,969 

1,331,012 

4,412,981 

-

19,213.7 

8,297.8 

27,511.5 

-6.3 

3,301,203 

1,431,678 

4,732,881 

162.76 

45,230 42,390 

87,620 

S-11 Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (LH2), lb 

Total, lb 

----

---

-

-

-

-

-

156.19 

793,795 

154,907 

948,702 

524.04 

5,169 

4,514 

9,683 

367.85 

788,626 

150,393 

939,019 

-

2,143.9 

408.8 

2,552.7 

165. 16 

821,504 

158,663 

980,167 

536.22 

3,230 3,381 

6,611 

S-IVB 1st Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (LH2), lb 

Total, lb 

146.97 

193,330 

39,909 

233,239 

616.76 

1,671 

2,502 

4,173 

469.79 

191,659 

37,407 

229,066 

408.0 

79.6 

487.6 

528.29 

192,840 

43,395 

236,235 

684.98 

132,220 

30,678 

162,898 

156.69 

60,620 

12,717 

73,337 

-

386.9 

81.2 

468.0 

540.82 

189,686 

43,709 

233,395 

664.66 

133,421 

32,999 

166,420 

S-IVB 2nd Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (LH2), lb 

Total, lb 

--

-

-

---

-

----

---

10,237.79 

131,975 

28,358 

160,333 

!0,555.51 

8,064 

2,759 

10,823 

317.72 

123,911 

25,599 

149,5!0 

-

390.0 

80.6 

470.6 

17,155.54 

132,988 

29,369 

162,357 

17,2 17.60 

109,298 

24,476 

133,774 

S-IVB 3rd Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (LH2), lb 

Total, lb 

-

-

----

-

---

-

-

-

-

-

--

--

----

22,039.26 

108,927 

23,520 

132,447 

22,281.32 

34,051 

8,951 

43,002 

Oxidizer-Fuel Ratio 

S-IB Stage 

S-IC Stage 

S-II Stage 

S-IVB Stage 1st burn 

S-!VB Stage 2nd burn 

S-IVB Stage 3rd burn 

2.280 

-

4.844 

--

-

--

-

-

2.308 

-

5.124 

-

-

-

--

-

2.304 

5.124 

4.444 

4.654 

-

--

-

-

2.316 

5.244 

4.767 4.840 

----

-

2.306 

5.178 

4.340 4.528 4.631 

---

28 All times are referenced to Range Zero; all other values represent actual usage, in pounds mass. Sources are the Saturn V launch vehicle flight evaluation reports a

Apollo by the Numbers 
Launch Vehicle Propellant Usag

Apollo 11 Apollo 11 Apollo 11 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 12 Apollo 12 Apollo 12 Apollo 13 Ap

Burn 

Start 

Burn 

End Change 

Burn Rate 

(lb/sec) 

Burn 

Start 

Burn 

End Change 

Burn Rate 

(lb/sec) 

Burn 

Start 

S-IC Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (RP-1) 

Total,lb 

-6.4 

3,305,786 

1,424,889 

4,730,675 

161.63 

39,772 30,763 

70,535 

168.03 

3,266,014 

1,394,126 

4,660,140 

19,437.1 

8,296.9 

27,734.0 

-6.5 

3,310, 199 

1,424,287 

4,734,486 

161.74 

42,093 

36,309 

78,402 

168.24 

3,268,106 

1,387,978 

4,656,084 

-

19,425.3 

8,250.0 

27,675.2 

-6.7 

3,304,734 

1,431,384 

4,736,118 

S-11 Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (LH 2), lb 

Total,lb 

164.00 

819,050 

158,116 

977,166 

548.22 

3,536 

10,818 14,354 

384.22 

815,514 

147,298 

962,812 

2,122.5 

383.4 

2,505.9 

163.20 

825,406 

157,986 

983,392 

552.34 

3,536 

4,610 

8,146 

389.14 

821,870 

153,376 

975,246 

2,112.0 

394.1 

2,506.2 

166.00 

836,741 

159,931 

996,672 

S-IVB 1st Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (LH2), lb 

Total,lb 

552.20 

192,497 

43,608 

236,105 

699.33 

135,144 

31,736 

166,880 

147.13 

57,353 

11,872 

69,225 

389.8 

80.7 

470.5 

556.60 

190,587 

43,663 

234,250 

693.91 

135,909 

32,346 

168,255 

137.31 

54,678 

11,317 

65,995 

398.2 

82.4 

480.6 

596.90 

191,890 

43,657 

235,547 

S-IVB 2nd Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (LH 2), lb 

Total,lb 

9,856.20 

134,817 

29,324 

164,141 

10,203.03 

5,350 

2,112 

7,462 

346.83 

129,467 

27,212 

156,679 

373.3 

78.5 

451.7 

10,042.80 

135,617 

29,804 

165,421 

10,383.94 

4,659 

2,109 

6,768 

341.14 

130,958 

27,695 

158,653 

383.9 

81.2 

465.1 

9,346.30 

132,525 

29,367 

161 ,892 

Oxidizer-Fuel Ratio 

S-IB Stage S-IC Stage 

S-11 Stage 

S-!VB Stage I st burn S-IVB Stage 2nd burn S-IVB Stage 3rd burn 

2.320 

5.180 

4.414 4.597 

--

2.343 

5.536 

4.831 4.758 

---

2.324 

5.225 

4.365 4.550 

-

---

2.355 

5.359 

4.831 4.729 

---

2.309 

5.232 

4.395 4.513 

29 All times are referenced to Range Zero; all other values represent actual usage, in pounds mass. Sources are the Saturn V launch vehicle flight evaluation 
Launch Vehicle Propellant UsageJo 

Apollo IS Apollo IS Apollo IS Apollo IS Apollo I6 Apollo I6 Apollo I6 Apollo I6 Apollo I7 Apollo I7 

Burn 

Start 

Burn 

End Change 

Burn Rate 

(lb/sec) 

Burn 

Start 

Burn 

End Change 

Burn Rate 

(lb/sec) 

Bum 

Start 

Burn 

End 

S-IC Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (RP-1) 

Total, lb 

-65 

3,312,030 

1,410,798 

4,722,828 

159.56 

31,135 

27,142 

58,277 

166.06 

3,280,895 

1,383,656 

4,664,551 

-

19,757.3 

8,332.3 

28,089.6 

-6.7 

3,311,226 

1,439,894 

4,751,120 

161.78 

34,028 

31,601 

65,629 

168.48 

3,277,1-98 

1,408,293 

4,685,491 

-

19,451.6 

8,358.8 

27,810.4 

-6.9 

3,314,388 

1,431,921 

4,746,309 

161.20 

36,479 

26,305 

62,784 

S-11 Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (LH2), lb 

Total, lb 

163.00 

837,991 

158,966 

996,957 

549.06 

3,109 

4,022 

7,131 

386.06 

834,882 

154,944 

989,826 

-

2,162.6 

401.3 

2,563.9 

165.20 

846,157 

160,551 

1,006,708 

55954 

3,141 

2,884 

6,025 

394.34 

843,016 

157,667 

1,000,683 

-

2,137.8 

399.8 

2,537.6 

164.60 

844,094 

160,451 

1,004,545 

559.66 

3,137 3,024 6,161 

S-IVB 1st Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (LH2), lb 

Total, lb 

553.20 

195,788 

43,674 

239,462 

694.67 

140,293 

32,416 

172,709 

141.47 

55,495 

11,258 

66,753 

-

392.3 

79.6 

471.9 

563.60 

195,372 

43,727 

239,099 

706.21 

138,937 

32,081 

171,018 

142.61 

56,435 

11,646 

68,081 

-

395.7 

81.7 

477.4 

563.80 

195,636 

43,752 

239,388 

702.65 

140,Q47 

32,685 

172,732 

S-IVB 2nd Burn (sec) 

Oxidizer (LOX), lb 

Fuel (LH2), lb 

Total, lb 

10,202.90 

139,665 

29,799 

169,464 

10,553.61 

4,273 

1,722 

5,995 

350.71 

135,392 

28,077 

163,469 

-

386.1 

80.1 

466.1 

9,216.50 

138,532 

29,968 

168,500 

9,558.42 

3,869 

2,190 

6,059 

341.92 

134,663 

27,778 

162,441 

-

393.8 

81.2 

475.1 

11,556.60 

139,879 

30,050 

169,929 

11,907.64 

4,219 

2,212 

6,431 

Oxidizer-Fuel Ratio 

S-IB Stage S-IC Stage 

S-II Stage 

S-IVB Stage 1st burn 

S-IVB Stage 2nd burn 

S-IVB Stage 3rd burn 

-

2.348 

5.272 

4.483 

4.687 

-

------

-

2.371 

5.388 

4.929 4.822 

-

-

----

-

-

2.300 

5.270 

4.468 4.623 

-

------

-

2.327 

5.347 

4.846 4.848 

-

-----

-

2.315 

5.261 

4.471 4.655 

-

-

-

--

30 All times are referenced to Range Zero; all other values represent actual usage, in pounds mass. Sources are the Saturn V launch vehicle flight evaluation reports. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Translunar 

lnjection31 

Apollo 8 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 13 

GET 002:56:05.51 002:39:20.58 002:50:13.03 002:53:13.94 002:41:47.15 

KSC Date 21 Dec 1968 18 May 1969 16 jul 1969 14 Nov 1969 II Apr 1970 

GMT Date 21 Dec 1968 18 May 1969 16 jul 1969 14 Nov 1969 II Apr 1970 

KSC Time 10:47:05 a.m. 03:28:20 p.m. 12:22:13 p.m. 02:15:13 p.m. 04:54:47 p.m. 

Time Zone EST EDT EDT EST EST GMT Time 15:47:05 19:28:20 16:22:13 19:15:13 21:54:47 

Altitude (ft) 1,137,577 1,093,217 1,097,229 1,209,284 1,108,555 Altitude (n mi) 187.221 179.920 180.581 199.023 182.445 

Earth Fixed Velocity (ft/sec) 34,140.1 34,217.2 34,195.6 34,020.5 34,195.3 

Space-Fixed Velocity (ft/sec) 35,505.41 35,562.96 35,545.6 35,389.8 35,538.4 

Geocentric Latitude (deg N) 21.3460 -13.5435 9.9204 16.0791 -3.8635 Geodetic Latitude (deg N) 21.477 -13.627 9.983 16.176 -3.8602 

Longitude (deg E) -143.9242 159.9201 -164.8373 -154.2798 167.2074 

Flight Path Angle (deg)32 7.897 7.379 7.367 8.584 7.635 

Heading Angle (deg E of N) 67.494 61.065 60.073 63.902 59.318 

Inclination (deg) 30.636 31.698 31.383 30.555 31.817 

Descending Node (deg) 38.983 123.515 121.847 120.388 122.997 

Eccentricity 0.97553 0.97834 0.97696 0.96966 0.9772 

C3 (ft/sec) -15,918,930 -14,084,265 -14,979,133 -19,745,586 -14,814,090 

3! Compiled from Saturn V launch vehicle flight evaluation reports and mission reports. 32 Flight path angle and heading angle are 'space-fixed' for these measurements. 
S-IVB Solar TrajectoryJJ 

Apollo 8 Apollo 9 A

S-IVB Closest Approach To Moon 

GET 069:58:55.2 - 0

KSC Date 24 Dec 1968 - 21 

GMT Date 24 Dec 1968 - 21 

KSC Time 05:49:55 a.m. - KSC Time Zone EST - 

GMT Time 10:49:55 - 

Lunar Radius (n mi) 1,620 - 

Altitude Above Lunar Surface (n mi) 681 - Velocity Increase Due To Lunar Gravity (n mi/sec) 0.79 - 

S-IVB Solar Orbit Conditions 

Semi-Major Axis (n mi) 77,130,000 74,848,893 

Eccentricity - 0.07256 

Aphelion (n mi) 79,770,000 80,280,052 

Perihelion (n mi) 74,490,000 69,417,732 

Inclination (deg) 23.47 24,390 

Period (days) 340.8 325.8 

33 Compiled from Saturn V launch vehicle flight evaluation reports. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
S-IVB Lunar lmpactl4 

Apollo 13 
 Apollo 14 
 

S-IVB Lunar Impact 

GET 
 077:56:39.7 082:37:52.17 

KSC Date 
 14 Apr 1970 04 Feb 1971 

GMT Date 
 15 Apr 1970 04 Feb 1971 

KSC Time 
 08:09:39 p.m. 02:40:54 a.m. 

Time Zone 
 EST EST 

GMT Time 
 01:09:39 07:40:54 

Weight (Ibm) 
 29,599 30,836 

Velocity (ft/sec) 
 8,461 8,343 

Energy (ergs) 
 4.63x1017 
 4.52x1017 
 

Angle From Horizontal (deg) 
 76 
 69 
 

Heading Angle (deg N to W) 
 100.6 
 75.7 
 

S-IVB Lunar Impact-Tumble Rate (deg/sec) 
 12 
 1 


Selenographic Latitude (deg N) 
 -2.75 -8.09 Selenographic Longitude (deg E) 
 -27.86 -26.02 

Crater Diameter (calculated) (ft) 
 134.8 133.9 Crater Diameter (measured) (ft) 
 135.0 129.6 

Distance To Target (n mi) 35.4 159 
 

Distance To Seismic Stations (n mi) 

Apollo 12 
 73 
 93 
 Apollo 14 
 - - Apollo 15 
 - - 

Apollo 16 
 - - Azimuth To Seismic Stations ( deg) 

Apollo 12 
 274 
 207 
 Apollo 14 
 - - Apollo 15 
 - - Apollo 16 
 - - 

34 Compiled from Saturn V launch vehicle flight evaluation reports, preliminary science reports, and mission reports. Apollo 16 data based on seismic data 

occurred on the Moon, not when signal received on Earth, a method used by other sources. 
LM Lunar Landing Conditions 

PD! Burn Duration (sec) 

Hover lime Remaining (sec) 

Landing Site 

Targeted Latitude ( deg N) 

Targeted Longitude (deg E) 

Actual Landing Latitude ( deg N) 

Actual Landing Longitude ( deg E) 

GET 

KSC Date 

GMT Date 

KSC Time 

Tune Zone 

GMT Tune 

Sun Angle ( deg) 

LM Surfuce Angle ( deg) 

LM Distance To Target (ft) 

Distance To Seismic Stations (n mi) 

Apollo 12 

Apollo 14 

Apollo JS 

Apollo 16 

Azimuth To Seismic Stations (deg) 

Apollo 12 

Apollo 14 

Apollo 15 

Apollo 16 

Apollo 1D36 

Sea of 

Tranquility 

0.7333° 

23.6500" 

11.0 

Apollo 11 

756.39 

45 

Sea of 

Tranquility 

0.6833° 

23.7167° 

0.67408° 

23.47297° 

102:45:39.9 

20 Jul 1969 

20 Jul 1969 

04: I 7:39 p.DL 

EDT 

20:17:39 

10.8 

4.5° tilt east; 

yaw 13° south 

22,500 ft W 

of landing 

ellipse center 

LM Lunar Landing1s 

Apollo 12 

717.0 

103 

Ocean of 

Storms 

-2.9833° 

-23.4000° 

-3.01239°

-23.42157"

110:32:36.2 

19 Nov 1969 

19 Nov 1969 

01:54:36 a.m. 

ESf 

06:54:36 

5.1 

3

° pitch up, 

3.8° roll left 

535 ft NW of 

Surveyor III 

98 

641 

641 

276 

226 

276 

Apollo 1337 

Fra Mauro 

-3.6167° 

-17.5500° 

18.5 

Apollo 14 

764.61 

68 

Fra Mauro 

-3.6719° 

-17.4627°

-3.64530"

-17.47136° 

108:15:11.40 

05 Feb 1971 

05 Feb 1971 

04:18:13 a.m. 

ESf 

09:18:13 

10.3 

I

O pitch down; 

6. 9° roll right;

1.4° yaw left

in tilt of 11° 

from horizontal · 

55 ft N; 

165 ft E 

98 

591 

544 

96 

218 

277 

Apollo 15 

739.2 

103 

HadleyApennine 

26.0816° 

3.6583° 

26.13222° 

3.63386° 

104:42:31.J 

30 Jul 1971 

30 Jul 1971 

06:16:29 p.m. 

EDT 

22:16:29 

12.2 

6.9° pitch up; 

8.6° roll left 

resulting 

1,800 ft NW 

641 

591 

604 

40 

33 

342 

Apollo 16 Apollo 17 

734 721 

102 117 

Plains of TaurusDescartes Littrow 

-9.0002° 20.1639° 

15.5164° 30.7495° 

-8.97301° 20.190800 

15.50019° 30.77168° 

104:29:35 110:21:58 

20 Apr 1972 11 Dec 1972 

21 Apr 1972 11 Dec 1972 

09:23:35 p.m. 02:54:58 p.m. 

EST ESf 

02:23:35 19:54:58 

11.9 13.0 

0

° roll, 2.s0 4 to 5

° 

pitch up, slight pitch up, 0

° roll, 

yaw south near 0

° yaw 

668 ft N; 197 ft W 656 ft 

641 [Not found] 

544 [Not found] 

604 [Not found] 

[Not found] 

100 [Not found] 

JOI [Not found] 

160 [Not found] 

[Not found] 

35 Compiled from mission reports and summary science reports. Actual landing site coordinaies based on International Astronomical Union (!AU) Mean Earth Polar Axis coordinate system as described in the Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 

105, pages 20,227 to 20,280; 2000. 

36 Although not planned as a lunar landing mission, Apollo lO flew over the area to be targeted by the first lunar landing mission. 

37 Data is for intended landing site; mission aborted. 

j 294 I Apollo by the Numbers 
LM Descent Stage Propellant St

Weight (lbm) Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 13 

-

Loaded 

Fuel 6,977 7,009.5 6,975 7,079 7,083.6 

Oxidizer 11,063 11,209.2 11,209 11,350 11,350.9 

Total 18,040 18,218.7 18,184 18,429 18,434.5 

Consumed 

Fuel 4,127 295.0 6,724 6,658 3,225.5 

Oxidizer 6,524 470.0 10,690 10,596 5,117.4 

Total 10,651 765.0 17,414 17,254 8,342.9 

Remaining at Cutoff 

Fuel - - 251 421 - 

Oxidizer - - 519 754 - 

Total - - 770 1,175 - 

Usable at Cutoff 

Fuel - - 216 386 - 

Oxidizer - - 458 693 

Total - - 674 1,079 - 

Remaining at Cutoff (No Landing) 

Fuel 2,850 6,714.5 - - 3,858.1 

Oxidizer 4,539 10,739.2 - - 6,233.5 

Total 7,389 17,453.7 - - 10,091.6 

38 Compiled from mission reports. 
LM Ascent Stage Propellant StatusJ

Weight (Ibm) Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 

Loaded 

Fuel 

Oxidizer 

Total 

Transferred from RCS 

1,626 

2,524 

4,150 

981 

1,650 

2,631 

2,020 

3,218 

5,238 

2,012 

3,224 

5,236 

Fuel 

Oxidizer 

Total 

Consumed by RCS 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Fuel 

Oxidizer 

Total 

22 

44 

66 

13.9 

28.0 

41.9 

23 

46 

69 

31 

62 

93 

Consumed by APS Prior to jettison 

Fuel 

Oxidizer 

Total 

31 

59 

90 

67 

108 

175 

1,833 

2,934 

4,767 

1,831 

2,943 

4,774 

Remaining at jettison 

Fuel 

Oxidizer 

Total 

Consumed at Fuel Depletion 

-

-

--

164 

238 

402 

ISO 

219 

369 

Fuel 

Oxidizer 

Total 

-

--

13 

106 

119 

Consumed at Oxidizer Depletion 

Fuel 68 

Oxidizer 0 

Total 68 

Total Consumed 

Fuel 

Oxidizer 

Total 

1,558 

2,524 

4,082 

887 

1,408 

2,295 

1,856 

2,980 

4,836 

1,862 

3,005 

4,867 

39 Compiled from mission reports. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
LM Ascent 

GET 

KSC Date 

GMT Date 

KSC Time 

KSC Time Zone 

GMT Time 

LM Ascent Stage Lunar Impact 

GET 

KSC Date 

GMT Date 

KSC Time 

Time Zone 

GMT Time 

Selenocentric Latitude ( deg N) 

Selenocentric Longitude ( deg E) 

Selenocentric Latitude 

Selenocentric Longitude 

Velocity (ft/sec) 

Mass (lbm) 

LM Ascent Stage Lunar Impact Energy (ergs) 

Angle From Horizontal ( deg) 

Heading Angle ( deg) 

Crater Diameter (calculated) (ft) 

Crater Diameter (measured) (ft) 

Distance Tu Target ( n mi) 

Distance to LM Descent Stage Landing Site (n mi) 

Distance to Apollo 17 Landing Site (n mi) 

Distance to Seismic Stations (n mi) 

Apollo 12 

Apollo 14 

Apollo IS 

Apollo 16 

Azimuth to Seismic Stations ( deg) 

Apollo 12 

Apollo 14 

Apollo IS 

Apollo 16 

LM Ascent and Ascent Stage Lunar lmpact40 

Apollo 11 Apollo 12 

124:22:00.79 142:03:47.78 

21 Jul 1969 20 Nov 1969 

21 Jul 1969 20 Nov 1969 

01:54:00 p.m. 09:25:47 a.m. 

EDT EST 

17:54:00 14:25:47 

I 49:55: I 6.4 

20 Nov 1969 

20 Nov 1969 

05:17:16 p.m. 

EST 

22:17:16 

-3.94000

-21.20000

3

° 56' 24" s 

21° 12'00"W 

5,512 

5,254 

3.36xlo16 

3.7 

305.85 

29.9 

35 

41.0 

39 

112 

Apollo 14 

141:45:40 

06 Feb 1971 

06 Feb 1971 

0 I :48:42 p.m. 

EST 

18:48:42 

147:42:23.4 

06 Feb 1971 

07 Feb 1971 

07:45:25 p.m. 

EST 

00:45:25 

-3.42000

- 1 9.67000 

3

° 25' 12" s 

19" 40' 01" W 

5,512 

5,077 

3.25xl0 16 

3.6 

282 

29.6

7 

36 

62 

36 

096 

276 

Apollo 15 

171:37:23.2 

02 Aug 1971 

02 Aug 1971 

01:11:23 p.m. 

EDT 

17:11:23 

181:29:35.8 

02 Aug 1971 

03 Aug 1971 

11:03:35 p.m. 

EDT 

03:03:35 

26.35583 

0.25000 

26° 21' 21" N 

0

° IS' 00" E 

5,577 

5,258 

3.43xIOt6 

3.2 

284 

30.2

12 

so 

610 

566 

so 

036 

029 

276 

Apollo 1641 Apollo 17 

I 75:31 :47.9 185:21:37 

23 Apr 1972 14 Dec 1972 

24 Apr 1972 14 Dec 1972 

08:25:47 p.m. 05:54:37 p.m. 

EST EST 

01 :25:47 22:54:37 

193:17:21 

15 Dec 1972 

15 Dec 1972 

01:50:21 a.m. 

EST 

06:50:21 

19.96611 

30.48972 

19° 57' 58" N 

30° 29' 23" E 

5,479 

4,982 

3.ISxI0 16 

283 

[Not found) 

[Not found] 

0.7 

4.7 

4.7 

945 

863 

416 

532 

064 

061 

098 

027 

4° Compiled from Saturn V launch vehicle flight evaluation report and mission report for each flight. Actual landing site coordinates based on International Astronomical Union (]AU) Mean Earth Polar Axis coordinate system as described in the 

Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. I 05, pages 20,227 to 20,280; 2000. 

41 Deorbit maneuver was not possible and LM ascent stage remained in lunar orbit for about one year. No impact information is available.

Statistical Tables � 
Extravehicular Activity42 

Apollo 9 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 A

Earth Orbit EVA Ist EVA Participant Scott 

Ist EVA Duration 01:01 

2nd EVA Participant Schweickart 

2nd EVA Duration 01:07:00 

2nd EVA Duration Out:-ide LM 00:47:01 

LM Stand-Up EVA Participant - - 

Duration - 

First Surface EVA Duration - 02:31:40 03:56:03 

Total Distance Traveled (n mi) - 0.5 0.5 

LRV Ride Time - 

LRV Park Time 

Total LRV Time - 

Samples Collected (lbm)43 47.51 36.82 

Second Surface EVA Duration 03:49:15 

Total Distance Traveled (n mi) - 0.7 

LRV Ride Time - 

LRV Park Time - 

Total LRV Time - 

Samples Collected (lbm) 38.80 

Third Surface EVA Duration 

Total Distance Traveled (n mi) - 

LRV Ride Time, - 

LRV Park Time 

Total LRV Time - - 

Samples Collected (lbm) - 

Total Lunar Surface EVA Total Duration - 02:31:40 07:45:18 

Total Distance Traveled (n mi) 0.5 1.2 

Total Samples Collected (lbm) - 47.51 75.73 

Total LRV Ride Time Total LRV Park Time - 

Total LRV Time - - 

Maximum Distance Traveled From LM (ft) 20o44 1,35045 

Transearth EVA Participant - - 

Duration - 

­­

­­

­

­

­­­

­

­

­­

­­

­­­

42 Compiled from mission reports. Durations represent time from cabin depressurization to cabin pressurization. 
43 Returned sample weights provided by Lunar Sample Curator, NASA johnson Space Center. 
44 Apollo ll Preliminary Science Report (SP-214), p. 44. 
45 Apollo 12 Preliminary Science Report, p. 26 (measured from map). 
46 Skylab: A Chronology (SP-40ll), pps. 420-421 for Apollo 14, Apollo 15 and Apollo 17. 
47 Measured from map in Apollo 16 Preliminary Science Report (SP-315). 


Apollo by the Numbers 
Lunar Surface Experiments Package Arra

Experiment Principal Investigator Apollo 11 Apo

Array 

Design Life (days) 

Date Commanded Off 

EASEP 

14 

A

30 Se

Passive Seismic Experiment Gary Latham, University of Texas X 

Laser-Ranging Retroreflector J. E. Faller, Wesleyan University 100 corner Lunar Surface Magnetometer Palmer Dyal, Ames Research Center 

Charles Sonett, University of Ariwna X 

Solar Wind Spectrometer (Exposure) Conway W. Snyder, Jet Propulsion Laboratory 1 hr 17 min" 18 hr Suprathermal Ion Detector Experiment John Freeman, Rice University 

Heat Flow Experiment Mark Langseth, Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, 

Columbia University 

Charged-Particle Lunar Environment 

Experiment 

D. Reasoner, Rice University 

Cold-Cathode Gage Experiment Francis Johnson, University of Texas 

Active Seismic Experiment Robert Kovach, Stanford University 

Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment Robert Kovach, Stanford University Lunar Surface Gravimeter Joseph Weber, University of Maryland Lunar Mass Spectrometer John H. Hoffman, University of Texas Lunar Ejecta Meteoroid Experiment Otto Berg, Goddard Space Flight Center Dust Detector James Bates, Manned Spacecraft Center X 

48 Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP): Five J-ears of Lunar Science and Still Going Strong, Bendix Aerospace. 

49 )SC-09423, p. 3-54. 
Lunar Surface Experimentsso 

Designation Experiment Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apol

M-515 Lunar Dust Detector X 

S-031 Passive Seismic Experiment X X 

S-033 Active Seismic Experiment S-034 Lunar Surface Magnetometer X S-035 Solar Wind Spectrometer X S-036 Suprathermal Ion Detector X S-037 Heat Flow Experiment 

S-038 Charged Particle Lunar Environment S-058 Cold Cathode Ion Gauge X S-059 Lunar Field Geology X X S-078 Laser Ranging Retroreflector X S-080 Solar Wind Composition X X S-151 Cosmic-Ray Detection (helmets) X S-152 Cosmic-Ray Detector (sheets) S-184 Lunar Surface Close-up (photography) X S-198 Portable Magnetometer S-199 Lunar Gravity Traverse S-200 Soil Mechanics S-201 Far-Ultraviolet Camera/Spectroscope S-202 Lunar Ejecta and Meteorites S-203 Lunar Seismic Profiling S-204 Surface Electrical Properties S-205 Lunar Atmospheric Composition 

S-207 Lunar Surface Gravimeter S-229 Lunar Neutron Probe 

Lunar sample Analysis X X 

Surveyor III Analysis X 

Long-term Lunar Surface Exposure 

SO Project Apollo: NASA Facts. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Lunar Surface Experimentss

Central Station 

The heart of the experiment package, provided 

the radio frequency link to Earth for telemetering data, command/control, and power distribution to the experiments. 

Early Apollo 


Scientific Experiment Package 


(EASEP) 

Flown on Apollo 11 only, this experiment package was powered by solar energy and contained an abbreviated set of experiments. It 

continued to return data for 71 days. 

Active Seismic Experiments 

Used an astronaut-activated thumper device 

and mortar firing explosive charges to generate 

seismic signals. This experiment used geophone seismic listening devices to determine 

lunar structure to depths of about 1,000 feet. 

Heat Flow Experiment 

Probes containing temperature sensors were 

implanted in holes to depths of 8 feet to measure the near-surface temperature gradient and 

thermal conductivity from which heat flow 

from the lunar interior could be determined. 

Lunar Mass Spectrometer 

Used a magnetic deflection mass spectrometer 

to identify lunar atmospheric components and their relative abundance. 

Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment 

Flown on Apollo 17 only, this experiment was 

an advanced version of the Active Seismic 

Experiment. It used four geophones to detect 

seismic signals generated by eight explosive 

charges weighing from about .10 to 6.5 

pounds. The charges were deployed at distances up to 2 n mi from the Lunar Module 

and were detonated by timers after the Lunar 

Module departed. Lunar structure to depths of 

1.5 n mi was measured. Used in a listening 

mode, the experiment continued to provide 

data on Moon/thermal quakes and meteoroid 

impacts beyond its planned lifetime. 

Solar Wmd Spectrometer 

Measured interaction between the Moon and 

the solar wind by sensing flow-direction and 

energies of both electrons and positive ions. 

Results showed that solar wind plasma measurements on the lunar surface are indistinguishable from simultaneous plasma measurements 

made by nearby satellites. 

Suprathermal Ion Detector 

Provided information on the energy and mass 

spectra of positive ions near the lunar surface. 

Evidence of prompt ionization and acceleration 

of gases generated on the Moon was found in 

the return data. 

Charged Particle L

Measured the fluxes of 

electrons and ions, havin

50,000 electron volts. Th

ured plasma particles or

and low-energy particle 

tail of Earth. 

Laser Ranging 

The retroreflector bounc

Earth ground stations to 

cise measurements of th

to determine Earth wobtinental drift, lunar libra

100 retroreflecting corne

Apollos 11 and 14, and 

was flown on Apollo 15

Lunar Surface 

Measured the intrinsic r

field and the magnetic r

to large-scale solar and 

fields. The electrical con

interior was also determ

ments of the Moon's res

step-transients. Three b

measured mutually-orth

the field. 

51 Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP): Five J:ears of Lunar Science and Still Going Strong, Bendix Aerospace. 
Lunar Orbit Experiments52 

Designation Experiment Apollo 8 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 

S-151 Cosmic Ray Detector (Helmets) X 

S-158 Multispectral Photography X 

S-160 Gamma-Ray Spectrometer 

S-161 X-Ray Fluorescence S-162 Alpha-Particle Spectrometer S-164 S-Band Transponder (CSM/LM) 

S-164 S-Band Transponder (Subsatellite) 

S-165 Mass Spectrometer 

S-169 Far-Ultraviolet Spectrometer S-170 Bistatic Radar S-171 Infrared Scanning Radiometer 

S-17353 Particle Shadows/Boundary Layer 

S-174 Magnetometer S-176 Command Module Window Meteoroid S-177 Ultraviolet Photography, Earth and Moon S-178 Gegenschein from Lunar Orbit S-209 Lunar Sounder 

Candidate Exploration Sites 

CM Orbital Science Photography CM Photographic Tasks 

Dim Light Photography 

Lunar Mission Photography From CM X X 

Selenodetic Reference Point Update X 

SM Orbital Photographic Tasks54 

Transearth Lunar Photography 

Visual Observations From Lunar Orbit 

52 Project Apollo: NASA Facts. 

53 Experiments S-173 and S-174 were Particles and Fields Subsatellite experiments. 54 Included panoramic camera photography, mappiog camera photography, and laser altimetry. Also supported geologic objectives. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Geology and Soil Mechanics Tools and E

Item Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 14 

Apollo Lunar Surface Hand Tools 

Hammer l l l 

Large Scoop l l l 

Adjustable Scoop 0 0 0 

Extension Handle l l l 

Gnomon l l l 

Tongs I l I 

Adjustable Trenching Tool 0 0 I 

Rake 0 0 0 

Core Tubes 2 4 6 

Core Tube Caps 2 l 0 

Drive Tubes (Lower) 0 0 0 

Drive Tubes (Upper) 0 0 0 

Drive Tube Cape and Bracket Assembly 0 0 0 

Drive Tube Tool Assembly 0 0 0 

Spring Scale I l 0 Sample Scale 0 0 l 

Tool Carrier 0 0 0 

Sample Return Container 2 2 2 

Bags and Special Containers 

Small Sample Bags 5 0 0 

Documented Sample Bags (IS-Bag Dispenser) l 3 I Documented Sample Bags (20-Bag Dispenser) 0 0 0 Documented Sample Bags (35-Bag Dispenser) 0 1 2 Round Documented Sample Bag 0 0 0 Protective Padded Sample Bag 0 0 0 Documented Sample Weigh Bag 2 4 4 

Sample Collection Bag 0 0 0 

Gas Analysis Sample Container l l 0 

Core Sample Vacuum Container 0 l 3 

Solar Wind Composition Bag 2 l I 

Magnetic Shield Sample Container 0 0 I 

Extra Sample Collection Bags 0 0 0 

Organic Control Sample 0 l 2 

Lunar Surface Sampler (Beta Cloth) 0 0 0 

Lunar Surface Sampler (Velvet) 0 0 0 

Lunar Roving Vehicle Soil Sampler 0 0 0 

Magnetic Sample Assembly 0 0 0 

Tether Hook I I l 

Lunar Surface Drill 0 0 0 

Core Stem With Bit 0 0 0 Core Stems Without Bit 0 0 0 Core Stem Cap and Retainer Assembly 0 0 0 

Self-Recording Penetrometer 0 0 0 

55 )SC-09423, p. 3-27. 
Lunar Subsatellitess6 

Apollo 15 Apollo 16 

Designations 

International 1971-063D 1972-031D 

NORAD 05377 06009 

Deploy Conditions 

GET 222:39:29.1 196:02:02 

KSC Date 04 Aug 1971 24 Apr 1972 

GMT Date 04 Aug 1971 24 Apr 1972 

KSC Time 04:13:29 p.m. 04:56:09 p.m. KSC Time Zone EDT EST 

GMT Time 20:13:29 21:56:09 

Weight (lbs) 78.5 90 

Apogee (n mi) 76.3 66 

Perigee (n mi) 55.1 52 

Inclination (deg) -28.7 -11 

Period (min) 120 120 Flight Path Angle (deg) -0.60 -0.41 Heading Angle (deg) -41.78 -79.43 

Weight (Ibm) 79 93 

Status Selenocentric orbit, 1984 Impacted lunar surface 

Data for last telemetry 

GET (hh:mm) [Unknown] 1,034:37 

KSC Date [Unknown] 29 May 1972 

GMT Date 30 Jul1971 29 May 1972 

KSC Time [Unknown] 03:31 p.m. EDT 

GMT Time [Unknown] 20:31 

Revolutions [Unknown] 425 

Lunar Impact Latitude (deg N) [Unknown] [Unknown] Lunar Impact Longitude (deg E) [Unknown] 110 

56 Compiled from Apollo 15 Preliminary Science Report (SP-289) and Apollo 16 Preliminary Science Report {SP-315) and mission reports. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Entry, Splashdown, and Recove

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apoll

Earth Entry 

Velocity (ft/sec) 25,846.4 36,221.1 25,894 36,314 36,194.4 36,116

Maximum Entry Velocity (ft/sec) 25,955 36,303 25,989 36,397 36,277 Maximum g 3.33 6.84 3.35 6.78 6.56 

Range (n mi) 1,594 1,292 1,835 1,295 1,497 

Geodetic Latitude (deg N) -29.92 20.83 33.52 -23.60 -3.19 -

Longitude (deg E) 92.62 -179.89 -99.05 174.39 171.96 1

Flight Path Angle (deg E of N) -2.0720 -6.50 -1.74 -6.54 -6.48 

Heading Angle (deg) 87.47 121.57 99.26 71.89 50.18 Lift To Drag Ratio 0.300 - 0.305 0.300 0

Max. Heating Rate (BTU/fll/sec) - 296 - 296 286 

Total Heating Load (BTU/ft') - 26,140 - 25,728 26,482 2

Duration (sec) 937.0 869.2 1,003.8 868.5 929.3 

Avg. Radiation Skin Dose (Rads)" 0.16 0.16 0.20 0.48 0.18 

Earth Splashdown 

GET 260:09:03 147:00:42.0 241:00:54 192:03:23 195:18:35 244:3

KSC Date 22 Oct 1968 27 Dec 1968 13 Mar 1969 26 May 1969 24 jul 1969 24 Nov 

GMT Date 22 Oct 1968 27 Dec 1968 13 Mar 1969 26 May 1969 24 Jul 1969 24 Nov 

KSC Time 07:11:48 a.m. 10:51:42 a.m. 12:00:54 p.m. 12:52:23 a.m. 12:50:35 p.m. 03:58:25 

Time Zone EDT EST EST EDT EDT 

GMT Time ll:11:48 15:51:42 17:00:54 16:52:23 16:50:35 20:

Splashdown Site (Ocean) Atlantic Pacific Atlantic Pacific Pacific P

Latitude (deg N) 27.63 8.10 23.22 -15.07 13.30 -Longitude (deg E) -64.15 -165.00 -67.98 -164.65 -169.15 -16

CM Weight (Ibm) ll,409 10,977 ll,094 10,901 10,873 ll

Distance To Target (n mi) 1.9 1.4 2.7 1.3 1.7 

Distance To Recovery Ship (n mi) 7 2.6 3 2.9 13 Distance Traveled (n mi) 3,953,842 504,006 3,664,820 721,250 828,743 82

Maximum Distance Traveled 

From Earth (n mi) 244.2 203,752.37 275.0 215,548 210,391 (not fo

57 Compiled from mission reports, USN Historical Office data, Apollo Program Summary Report (JSC-09423) and other sources. 


58 Some Apollo 17 entry phase data are preflight predictions because actual data were not obtained. 
59 Space Physiology & Medicine, SP-447. 

6 8 5 5 

3 4 3 3 

5 6 3 4 2 2 

Entry, Splashdown, and Recovery 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 1

Splashdown Weather 

lsi Level Cloud Type Light rain showers Scattered douds 30% 10% - - Brok

1st Level Cloud Cover (ft) 600 (overcast) 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,0

2nd Level Cloud Type Overcast Broken 20% 2nd Level Cloud Cover (ft) - 9,000 9,000 7,000 

Visibility (n mi) 2 10 10 10 - 10 

Wind Speed (ft/sec) 27 32 IS 8 27 Wind Speed (knots) 16 19 9 5 16 IS 

Wind Direction (deg from True N) 260 70 200 100 - 68 Air Temperature (F) 74 79 Water Temperature (F) 81 82 76 85 Wave Height (ft) 3 6 7 3 3 3, with 15 ft swells Wave Direction (deg from True N) 260 110 340 

Spacecraft R<alvery 

Aotation Attitude Inverted Inverted Upright Upright Inverted Inverted Upri

Minutes To Upright 12.0 6.0 0.0 0.0 7.6 4.5 Minutes To CM Pickup 111 148 132 96 188 108 

Launch Site Pickup lime 09:03a.m. 01:20p.m. 02:13p.m. 02:28p.m. 03:58p.m. 05:45p.m. 02:36p

lime Zone EST EST EST EDT EDT EST E

GMT Pickup Time 13:03 18:20 19:13 18:28 19:58 22:45 19

Crew Recovery 

Minutes To Crew Pickup 56 88 49 39 63 60 

Launch Site Pickup Time 08:08a.m. 12:20 p.m. 12:50 p.m. 01:31p.m. 01:53 p.m. 04:57p.m. 01:53p

lime Zone EST EST EST EDT EDT EST E

GMT Pickup Time 12:08 17:20 17:50 17:31 17:53 21:57 18

Recovery Ship Essex (CVS-9) Yorktown (CVS-10) Guadalcanal (LPH-7) Princeton (LPH-5) Hornet (CVS-12) Hornet (CVS-12) lwo jima (LPH

Commanding Officer (Captain) john A. Harkins john G. Fifield Roy M. Sudduth Carl M. Cruise Carl j. Seiberlich Carl j. Seiberlich Leland E. Kirke

Recovery Fon:es"' 

Navy Ships Deployed 9 12 

Atlantic Ocean 4 6 

Pacific Ocean 

Aircraft Deployed 31 43 29 30 31 26 

Navy 8 21 7 10 13 9 

Air Force 23 22 22 20 18 17 

60 )SC-09423, p. 7-18. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Selected Mission Weights (lbs

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 

CSM/LM at EO! 36,419 87,382 95,231 98,273 100,756.4 101,126.9 CSM/LM at Separation 94,063 96,566.6 CSM/LM at Transposition & Docking 91,055 94,243 96,767.5 97,119.8 CSM at Transposition & Docking 58,925 63,560 63,473.0 63,535.6 

LM at Transposition & Docking 32, 130 30,683 33,294.5 33,584.2 

CS M/LM at 1st MCC Ignition 63,307 93,889 96,418.2 96,870.6 

CSM/LM at 1st MCC Cutoff 93,413 96,204.2 96,401.2 CSM/LM Before Cryogenic Tank Anomaly 

CSM/LM After Cryogeni c Tank Anomaly CSM/LM at 2nd MCC Ignition 62,845 

CSM/LM at 2nd MCC Cutoff 

CSM at TEl Ignition 45,931 37,254 36,965.7 34,130.6 CSM at TEl Cutoff 26,172 26,792.7 25,724.5 CSM at 3rd MCC Ignition 32,008 CSM at 3rd MCC Cutoff CSM/LM at Lei Ignition 62,827 93,319 96,061.6 96,261.1 CSM/LM at LCI Cutoff 46,743 69,429 72,037.6 72,335.6 CSM/LM at Circu1arization Ignition 46,716 69,385 72,019.9 72,243.7 CSM/LM at Circularization Cutoff 68,455 70,905.9 71,028.4 CSM/LM at Descent Orbit In sertion CSM/LM at Separation for Lunar Landing 68,238 70,760.3 70,897.3 CSM at Separation for Lunar Landing 37,072 37,076.8 36,911.8 

LM at Separation for Lunar Landing 31,166 33,683.5 33,985.5 

LM at Powered Descent Initi at ion 

LM at Descent Orbit Insertion Ignition 31,137 33,669.6 33,971.8 LM at Descent Orbit Insertion Cutoff 30,903 33,401.6 33,719.3 

LM at Lunar Landing 16,153.2 16,564.2 

CSM at Plane Change CSMat Circularization Ignition 

LM at Phasing Ignition 30,824 

LM at Phasing Cutoff 30,283 LM at Fuel Depletion 5,616 5,243 

CSM/LM As<:ent Stage at Docking 36,828 44,930 42,585.4 41,071.8 

CSM at Docking 26,895 36,995 36,847.4 35,306.2 

LM Ascent Stage at Lunar Liftoff 10,776.6 10,749.6 LM Ascent Stage at Orbit Insertion for Docking 8,077 5,928.6 5,965.6 LM Ascent Stage at Terminal Phase Initiation LM Ascent Stage After Staging 8,273 

LM Ascent Stage at Coelliptic Seq uence Initiation 8,052 5,881.5 5,885.9 LM Ascent Stage at Docking 9,933 7,935 5,738.0 5,765.6 

CSM at After Post-Docking Jettison 27,139 37,100.5 35,622.9 

LM Ascent Stage After Post-Dodcing Jettison 7,663 5,462.5 5,436.5 

CSM (CSMJLM) at Subsatellite jettison 

CSM at 4th MCC Ignition 

CSM at 4th MCC Cutoff CSM at Pre-Entry Separation 23,435 31,768 24,183 25,095 26,656.5 25,444.2 CSM/LM Before CSM/LM Separation 

CM/LM After CSMJLM Separation 

SM After Pre-Entry Separation 11,071 19,589 11,924 12,957 14,549:1 13,160.7 

CM After Pre-Entry Separation 12,364 12,179 12,259 12,138 12,107.4 [2,283.5 CM at Entry 12,356 12,171 12,257 12,137 12,095.5 12,275.5 CM at Drogue Deploym<nt 11 ,936 11 ,712 11,839 11,639 11,603.7 11,785-.7 CM at Main Parachute Deployment 11,855 11 ,63 1 11 ,758 11 ,558 11,318.9 11,496.1 CM at Landing 11,409 10,977 11,094 10,901 10,873.0 11,050.2 61 Compiled from mission reports. Apollo 7 did not have a LM. Apollo 13 includes CSM and LM until separation before Earth entry. 
Command Module Cabin Temperature Histo

Mission Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 

Launch 70 65 65 75 70 70 

Average 70 72 70 73 63 67 

High 79 81 72 80 73 80 

Low 64 61 65 64 55 58 

Reentry 65 61 67 58 55 60 

62 Biomedical Results of Apollo, SP-368, p. 133. All temperatures are in Fahrenheit, measured at the inlet to the heat exchanger. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Accumulated Time in Space During Ap

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 13 

Mission Duration (hh:mm:ss) 260:09:03 147:00:42 241:00:54 192:03:23 195:18:35 244:36:25 142:54:4

Mission Duration (sec) 936,543 529,242 867,654 691,403 703,115 880,585 514,481 

David Randolph Scott 867,654 

Eugene Andrew Cernan 691,403 

john Watts Young 691,403 

Ronald Ellwin Evans Harrison Hagan Schmitt 

james Benson Irwin 

Alfred Merrill Worden 

james Arthur Lovell, jr. 529,242 514,481 

Charles Moss Duke, jr. 

Thomas Kenneth Mattingly, II 

Ronnie Walter Cunningham 936,543 Donn Fulton Eisele 936,543 

Walter Marty Schirra, jr. 936,543 

Alan LaVern Bean 880,585 

Charles Conrad, jr. 880,585 

Richard Francis Gordon, jr. 880,585 

james Alton McDivitt 867,654 

Russell Louis Schweickart 867,654 

Edgar Dean Mitchell 

Stuart Allen Roosa 

Alan Bartlett Shepard, jr. 

Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr. 703,115 

Neil Alden Armstrong 703,115 

Michael Collins 703,115 

Thomas Patten Stafford 691,403 

William Alison Anders 529,242 

Frank Frederick Borman, II 529,242 

Fred Wallace Haise, j r. 514,481 

john Leonard Swigert, Jr. 514,481 

Total Seconds From Liftoff 2,809,629 1,587,726 2,602,962 2,074,209 2,109,345 2,641,755 1,543,443 Total Time In Space (hh:mm:ss) 780:27:09 441:02:06 723:02:42 576:10:09 585:55:45 733:49:15 428:44:03 

63 Calculated. 
Apollo Medical Kits64 

Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 

Command Module Medical Kit 

Methylcellulose eye drops (0.25%) 2/1 212 2/0 2/0 2/0 2/0 

Tetrahydrowline HCl (Visine) - - - - - - 

Compress Bandage 210 210 2/0 210 2/0 110 

Band-Aids® 12/2 12/0 12/0 12/0 12/0 1210 

Antibiotic ointment lll l/0 l/0 110 l/0 2/0 

Skin cream 110 lll lll l/0 l/0 l/0 

Demerol injectors (90 mg) 3/0 3/0 3/0 3/0 3/0 3/0 

Marezine injectors 3/0 3/0 3/0 3/0 3/0 3/0 Marezine tablets (50 mg) 24/3 24/1 24/4 12/0 

Dexedrine tablets ( 5 mg) 12/l 12/0 12/0 12/0 12/0 12/0 Darvon compound capsules (60 mg) 12/2 18/0 18/0 18/0 18/0 18/0 

Actifed® tablets (60 mg) 24/24 60/0 60/12 60/2 6010 60/18 

Lomotil tablets 24/8 2413 2411 24/13 24/2 24/0 

Nasal emollient 110 211 211 110 1/0 l/0 

Aspirin tablets ( 5 gr) 72/48 72/8 72/2 72/16 72/Unk 7216 

Tetracycline (250 mg) 24/02 2410 24/0 15/0 - - 

Ampicillin - 6010 6010 4510 6010 60/0 

Seconal® capsules (100 mg) - 2!11 21/10 21/0 21/0 21/6 

Seconal® capsules (50 mg) - 12/7 

Nose drops (AfrinTM) - 3/0 3/1 3/0 3/0 3/1 

Benadryl®(50 mg) - 810 

Tylenol® (325 mg) 14/7 

Bacitracin eye ointment - - 110 

Scopolamine (0.3 mg)-Dexedrine (5 mg capsules) - - - 12/6 12/0 

Mylicon tablets - - - - 4010 4010 

Opthaine - - - - - 

Multi-Vitamins - - - - - - 

Auxiliary Medications 

Pronestyl - - - - Lidocaine - - - - 

Atropine - - - - 

Demerol - - - - 

64 SP-368, P. 33. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apol

Apollo Medical Accessories Kit 

Constant Wear Garment Harness Plug 

ECG Sponge Packages Electrode Bag 1 1 1 1 1 Electrode Attachment Assembly 12 12 12 12 20 

Micropore Disc 12 12 12 12 20 

Sternal Harness 1 1 1 1 3 

Axillary Harness 1 1 1 1 1 

Electrode Paste 1 1 1 1 1 

Oral Thermometer 1 1 1 1 1 

pH Paper I 1 I I I 

Urine Collection and Transfer Assembly Roll-On Cuffs 3 3 6 6 6 

Lunar Module Medical Kit66 

Rucksack 

Stimulant Pills (Dexedrine®) 

Pain Pills (Darvon®) 

Decongestant Pills (Actifed®) Diarrhea Pills (LomotiJ®) 

Aspirin 

Band-Aids 

Compress Bandages 

Eye Drops (Methylcellulose) 

Antibiotic Ointment (Neosporin®) 

Sleeping Pills (Seconal®) 

Anesthetic Eye Drops 

Nose Drops (Afrin®) 

Urine Collection and Transfer Assembly Roll-On Cuffs 

Pronestyl 

Injectable Drug Kit 

Injectable Drug Kit Rucksack 

Lidocaine (cardiac) 

Atropine (cardiac) 

Demerol (pain) 

Apollo Medical Kits6s 

65 SP-368, P. 33. 66 Typical quantities and items; there was no "standard" lunar module medical kit. The adequacy of the kits was reviewed after each mission and appropria
Crew Weight History (kg)67 

30 Days 

Before 

Mission Crew member Launch 

Apollo 7 	 Schirra 87.1 

Eisele 69.4 

Cunningham 69.4 

Apollo 8 	 Borman 76.2 

Lovell 76.4 

Anders 66.0 

Apollo 9 	 McDivitt 73.5 

Scott 82.8 

Schweickart 74.7 

Apollo 10 	 Stafford 80.1 

Young 76.6 

Cernan 79.4 

Apollo 11 	 Armstrong 78.0 

Collins 74.4 

Aldrin 77.6 

Apollo 12 	 Conrad 66.2 

Gordon 71.0 

Bean 69.4 

Apollo 13 	 Lovell 79.8 

Swigert 89.1 

Haise 71.0 

Apollo 14 	 Shepard 78.0 

Roosa 74.2 

Mitchell 83.5 

Apollo 15 	 Scott 80.5 

Worden 73.7 

Irwin 74.3 

Apollo 16 	 Young 80.8 

Mattingly 63.2 Duke 73.1 

Apollo 17 	 Cernan 81.0 

Evans 78.2 

Schmitt 76.0 

67 Biomedical Results of Apollo, SP-368, pps. 76-77. Note that on Apollo 14, Shepard and Mitchell each gained weight. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Syrnptonn!FindEng Etiology 

Barotitis Barotrauma 

Cardiac arrhythmia Undetermined, possibly linked with potassi

Dehydration Reduced water intake during emergency Dysbarism (bends)69 Undetermined 

Excoriation, urethral meatus Prolonged wearing of urine collection devic

Eye irritation Spacecraft atmosphere 

Fiberglass 

Flatulence Undetermined 

Genitourinary infection with prostatic congestion Pseudomonas aeruginosa 

Head cold Undetermined Headache Spacecraft environment 

Nasal stuffiness Zero gravity Nausea, vomiting Labyrinthine 

Undetermined (possibly virus-related) 

Pharyngitis Undetermined Rash, facial, recurrent inguinal Contact dermatitis 

Prolonged wearing of urine collection devic

Respiratory irrigation Fiberglass Rhinitis Oxygen, low relative humidity 

Seborrhea Activated by spacecraft environment Shoulder strain Lunar core drilling Skin irrigation Biosensor sites 

Fiberglass 

Undetermined 

Stomach awareness Labyrinthine 

Stomatitis Aphthous ulcers Subungual hemorrhages Glove fit 

Urinary tract infection Undetermined 

lnflight Medical Problems in Apollo 

68 Biomedical Results of Apollo, SP-368. 69 Also occurred during Gemini I 0; later incidences were reported by the same crew member five years after his Apollo mission. 
Diagnosis Etiology 

Barotitis media Eustachian tube blockage Folliculitis, right anterior chest Bacterial 

Gastroenteritis Bacterial 

Herpetic lesion, lip Herpes virus 

Influenza syndrome Influenza B virus 

Undetermined 

Influenza A virus 

Laceration of the forehead Trauma 

IUhinorrhea,mild Fiberglass particle 

Papular lesions, parasacral Bacteria Prostatitis Undetermined Pulpitis, tooth 7 Pustules, eyelids 

Rhinitis Viral 
 

Acute maxillary sinusitis Bacterial 
 

Ligamentous strain, right shoulder 

Urinary tract infection Pseudomonas 

Vestibular dysfunction, mild 

Rhinitis and pharyngitis Influenza B virus Rhinitis and secondary bronchitis Beta-streptococcus (not group A) 

Contact dermatitis Fiberglass 

Beta cloth Micropore tape 

Subungual hemorrhages, finger nails Trauma 

Postflight Medical Problems in Apollo Cr

70 Biomedical Results ofApollo, SP-368. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
NASA Photo Numbers for Crew Portraits and 

Event 

Apollo 1 Mission Emblem 

Portrait of Apollo 1 Prime Crew 

Apollo 7 Mission Emblem 

Portrait of Apollo 7 Prime Crew 

Apollo 8 Mission Emblem 

Portrait of Apollo 8 Prime Crew 

Apollo 9 Mission Emblem 

Portrait of Apollo 9 Prime Crew 

Apollo 10 Mission Emblem 

Portrait of Apollo 10 Prime Crew 

Apollo 11 Mission Emblem 

Portrait of Apollo 11 Prime Crew 

Apollo 12 Mission Emblem 

Portrait of Apollo 12 Prime Crew 

Apollo 13 Mission Emblem 

Portrait of Apollo 13 Original Prime Crew Portrait of Apollo 13 Flight Crew 

Apollo 14 Mission Emblem 

Portrait of Apollo 14 Prime Crew 

Apollo 15 Mission Emblem 

Portrait of Apollo 15 Prime Crew 

Apollo 16 Mission Emblem 

Portrait of Apollo 16 Prime Crew 

Apollo 17 Mission Emblem 

Portrait of Apollo 17 Prime Crew 

Apollo 7 Mission Commentary, Prepared by Public Affairs office, NASA Johnson Space Center, October, 1968 

Apollo 7 Mission Report, Prepared by Apollo 7 Mission Evaluation Team, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 

Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas, December 1968 (MSC-PA-R-68-15) 

Apollo 7 Press Kit, Release #68-168K, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, October 6, 1968 

Apollo 8 Mission Report, Prepared by Mission Evaluation Team, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Manned 

Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas, February 1969 (MSC-PA-R-69-1) 

Apollo 8 Press Kit, Release #68-208, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, December 15, 1968 

Apollo 9 Mission Report (MSC-PA-R-69-2 May 1969) (NTIS-34370) 

Apollo 9 Press Kit, Release #69-29, February 23, 1969 

Apollo 10 Mission Report (MSC-00126 November 1969) 

Apollo 10 Press Kit, Release #69-68, May 7, 1969 

Apollo 11 Mission Report (MSC-00171 November 1969/NASA-TM-X-62633) (NTIS N70-17401) 

Apollo 11 Preliminary Science Report, Scientific and Technical Information Division, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, Washington, DC, 1969 (NASA SP-214) 

Apollo 11 Press Kit, Release #69-83K, July 6, 1969 

Apollo 12 Mission Report (MSC-01855 March 1970) 

Apollo 12 Preliminary Science Report, Scientific and Technical Information Division, office of Technology Utilization, National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, 1970 (NASA SP-235) 

Apollo 12 Press Kit, Release #69-148, November 5, 1969 

Apollo 13 Mission Report (MSC-02680 September 1970/NASA-TM-X-66449) (NTIS N71 -13037) 

Apollo 13 Press Kit, Release #70-50K, April 2, 1970 

Apollo 14 Mission Report (MSC-04112 May 1971) 

Apollo 14 Preliminary Science Report, Scientific and Technical Information office, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, Washington, DC, 1971 (NASA SP-272) 

Apollo 14 Press Kit, Release #71-3K, January 21, 1971 

Bibliography ~ 
py pp

Administration, Washington, DC, 1972 (NASA SP-289) 

Apollo 15 Press Kit, Release #71-119K, July 15, 1971 

Apollo 16 Mission Report (MSC-07230 August 1972/NASA-TM-X-68635) (NTIS N72-33777) 

Apollo 16 Preliminary Science Report, Scientific and Technical Information office, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, Washington, DC, 1972 (NASA SP-315) 

Apollo 16 Press Kit, Release #72-64K, April 6, 1972 

Apollo 17 Mission Report (MSC-07904 March 1973) (NTIS N73-23844) 

Apollo 17 Preliminary Science Report, Scientific and Technical Information office, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, Washington, DC, 1973 (NASA SP-330) 

Apollo 17 Press Kit, Release #72-220K, November 26, 1972 

Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP): Five Years of Lunar Science and Still Going Strong, Bendix Aerospace 

Apollo Program Summary Report, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Hous

Texas, April 1975 (JSC-09423) (NTIS N75-21314) 

Apollo/Saturn Postflight Trajectory (AS-503), Boeing Corporation Space Division, February 19, 1969 (D-5-15794), (NASA-C

127240) (NTIS N92-70422) 

Apollo/Saturn Postflight Trajectory (AS-504), Boeing Corporation Space Division, May 2, 1969 (D-5-15560-4), (NASA-CR105771) (NTIS N69-77056) 

Apollo/Saturn Postflight Trajectory (AS-505), Boeing Corporation Space Division, July 17, 1969 (D-5-15560-5), (NASA-CR105770) (NTIS N69-77049) 

Apollo/Saturn Postflight Trajectory (AS-506), Boeing Corporation Space Division, October 6, 1969 (D-5-15560-6), (NASA-

102306) (NTIS N92-70425) 

Apollo/Saturn Postflight Trajectory (AS-507), Boeing Corporation Space Division, January 13, 1970 (D-5-15560-7), (NASA

102476) (NTIS N92-70420) 

Apollo/Saturn Postflight Trajectory (AS-508), Boeing Corporation Space Division, June 10, 1970 (D-5-15560-8), (NASA-CR

102792) (NTIS N92-70437) 

Apollo/Saturn Postflight Trajectory (AS-509), Boeing Corporation Space Division, June 30, 1971 (D-5-15560-9), (NASA-CR

119870) (NTIS N92-70433) 

Apollo/Saturn Postflight Trajectory (AS-510), Boeing Corporation Space Division, November 23, 1971 (D-5-15560-10), (NA

CR-120464) (NTIS N74-77459) . 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Apollo/Saturn Postflight Trajectory (AS-512), Boeing Corporation Space Division, April 11, 1973 (D-5-15560-12), (NASA-CR144080) (NTIS N76-19199) 

Apollo!Skylab, ASTP and Shuttle Orbiter Major End Items, Final Report (JSC-03600), March 1978 

Bilstein, Roger E., Stages To Saturn: A Technological History of the Apollo/Saturn Launch Vehicles, Scientific and Technical 

Information Branch, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, November, 1980 (NASA SP-4206) 

Boeing Company, Final Flight Evaluation Report Apollo 10 Mission, for the office of Manned Space Flight, National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration, (D-2-117017-7/NASA-TM-X-62548) (NTIS N70-34252) 

Boeing Company, Final Flight Evaluation Report: Apollo 7 Mission, for the office of Manned Space Flight, National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration, February 1969 (D-2-117017-4 Revision A) 

Boeing Company, Final Flight Evaluation Report: Apollo 8 Mission, for the office of Manned Space Flight, National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration, April1969 (D-2-117017-5) 

Boeing Company, Final Flight Evaluation Report Apollo 9 Mission, for the office of Manned Space Flight, National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration, (D-2-117017-6/NASA-TM-X-62316) 

Brooks, Courtney G., James M. Grimwood, and Loyd S. Swenson, Jr., Chariots For Apollo: A History of Manned Lunar 

Spacecraft, The NASA History Series, Scientific and Technical Information Branch, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, Washington, DC, 1979 (NASA SP-4205) (NTIS N79-28203) 

Cassutt, Michael, Who's Who in Space: The International Edition, MacMillan Publishing Company, New York, 1993. 

Compton, William David, Where No Man Has Gone Before: A History ofApollo Lunar Exploration Missions, The NASA History 

Series, Office of Management, Scientific and Technical Information Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 

Washington, DC, 1989 (NASA SP-4214) 

Cortright, Edgar, Chairman, Report of the Apollo 13 Review Board, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, June 15, 

1970 

Davies and Colvin, Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 105, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, September 2000 

Ertel, Ivan D., and Roland W. Newkirk, The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology, Volume IV, January 21, 1966 - July 14, 1974, 

Scientific and Technical Information office, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, 1978 (NASA SP4009) 

Ezell, Linda Neuman, NASA Historical Data Book, Volume II, Programs and Projects 1958-1968, The NASA Historical Series, 

Scientific and Technical Information Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, 1988 (NASA 

SP-4012) 

Ezell, Linda Neuman, NASA Historical Data Book, Volume III, Programs and Projects 1958-1968, The NASA Historical Series, 

Scientific and Technical Information Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, 1988 (NASA 

SP-4012) 

Bibliography ~ 
George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama, December 5, 1973 (NASA-TM-X-64796) (NTIS N74-13312) 

Johnston, Richard S., Lawrence F. Dietlein, M.D., and Charles A. Berry, M.D., Biomedical Results of Apollo, Scientific and 

Technical Information office, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, 1975 (NASA SP-368) 

Jones, Dr. Eric, Apollo Lunar Surface Journal, Internet: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/, National Aeronautics 

Space Administration, 1996. 

Kaplan, Judith and Robert Muniz, Space Patches From Mercury to the Space Shuttle, Sterling Publishing Co., New York, 1986 

King-Hele, D. G., D. M. C. Walker, J. A. Pilkington, A. N. Winterbottom, H. Hiller, and G. E. Perry, R. A. E. Table of Earth 

Satellites 1957-1986, Stockton Press, New York, NY, 1987 

Lattimer, Dick, Astronaut Mission Patches and Spacecraft Callsigns, unpublished draft, July 4, 1979, Lyndon B. Johnson Spac

Center History office 

McFarlan, Donald and Norris D. McWhirter et al, editors, 1990 Guinness Book of World Records, Sterling Publishing Co., Ne

York 

NASA Facts: Apollo 7 Mission (E-4814) 

NASA Facts: Apollo 8 Mission 

NASA Facts: Apollo 9 Mission 

NASA Facts: Apollo 10 Mission 

NASA Facts: Apollo 11 Mission 

NASA Facts: Apollo 12 Mission 

NASA Facts: Apollo 13 Mission 

NASA Facts: Apollo 14 Mission 

NASA Facts: Apollo 15 Mission 

NASA Facts: Apollo 16 Mission 

NASA Facts: Apollo 17 Mission 

NASA Information Summaries, Major NASA Launches, PMS 031 (KSC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 

November 1985 

Apollo by the Numbers 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mission Report: Apollo 10 (MR-4) 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mission Report: Apollo 11 (MR-5) 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mission Report: Apollo 12 (MR-8) 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mission Report: Apollo 13 (MR-7) 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mission Report: Apollo 14 (MR-9) 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mission Report: Apollo 15 (MR-10) 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mission Report: Apollo 16 (MR-11) 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mission Report: Apollo 17 (MR-12) 

Newkirk, Roland W., and Ivan D. Ertel with Courtney G. Brooks, Skylab: A Chronology, Scientific and Technical Information 

office, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC (NASA SP-4011) 

Nicogossian, Arnauld E., M.D., and James F. Parker, Jr., Ph.D., Space Physiology and Medicine, (SP-447), National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration, 1982 

Project Apollo: Manned Exploration of the Moon, Educational Data Sheet #306, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, 

California, Revised May, 1974 

Project Apollo: NASA Facts, National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Report ofApollo 13 Review Board, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, June 15, 1970 

Saturn AS-205/CSM-101 Postflight Trajectory, Chrysler Corporation Space Division (TN-AP-68-369) (NASA CR-98345) (NTIS 

N92-70426) 

Saturn IB Flight Evaluation Working Group, Results of the Fifth Saturn IB Launch Vehicle Test Flight AS-205 (Apollo 7 Mission), 

NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama, January 25, 1969 (MPR-SAT-FE-68-4) 

Saturn V Flight Evaluation Working Group, Saturn V Launch Vehicle Flight Evaluation Report AS-503: Apollo 8 Mission, NASA 

George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama, February 20, 1969 (MPR-SAT-FE-69-1) 

Saturn V Launch Vehicle Flight Evaluation Report AS-504: Apollo 9 Mission, NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, 

Alabama, (MPR-SAT-FE-69-4/NASA-TM-X-62545) (NTIS 69X-77591) 

Saturn V Launch Vehicle Flight Evaluation Report AS-505: Apollo 10 Mission, NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, 

Alabama, (MPR-SAT-FE-69-7/NASA-TM-X-62548) (NTIS 69X-77668) 

Bibliography ~ 
Saturn V Launch Vehicle Flight Evaluation Report AS-507: Apollo 12 Mission, NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

Alabama, (MPR-SAT-FE-70-1/NASA-TM-X-62644) (NTIS 70X-12182) 

Saturn V Launch Vehicle Flight Evaluation Report AS-508: Apollo 13 Mission, NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

Alabama, (MPR-SAT-FE-70-2/NASA-TM-X-64422) (NTIS 90N-70432/70X-16774) 

Saturn V Launch Vehicle Flight Evaluation Report AS-509: Apollo 14 Mission, NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

Alabama, (MPR-SAT-FE-71-1/NASA-TM-X-69536) (NTIS N73-33824) 

Saturn V Launch Vehicle Flight Evaluation Report AS-510: Apollo 15 Mission, NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

Alabama, (MPR-SAT-FE-71-2/NASA-TM-X-69539) (NTIS N73-33819) 

Saturn V Launch Vehicle Flight Evaluation Report AS-511: Apollo 16 Mission, NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

Alabama, (MPR-SAT-FE-72-1/NASA-TM-X-69535) (NTIS N73-33823) 

Saturn V Launch Vehicle Flight Evaluation Report AS-512: Apollo 17 Mission, NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

Alabama, (MPR-SAT-FE-73-1/NASA-TM-X -69534) (NTIS N73-33822) 

The Early Years: Mercury to Apollo-Soyuz, PM 001 (KSC), NASA Information Summaries, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, November 1985 

Thompson, Floyd, Chairman, Report of the Apollo 204 Review Board, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Apri

1967 

Toksoz, M.N., Dainty, A.M., Solomon, S.C., Anderson, K.R.; Structure of the Moon published in Reviews of Geophysics and 

Space Physics, Vol. 12, No. 4, American Geohpysical Union, Washington, DC, November 1974 

Trajectory Reconstruction Unit, Saturn AS/205/CSM-101 Postflight Trajectory, Aerospace Physics Branch, Chrysler Corporat

Space Division, December 1968 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Apollo Lunar Surface Journal Web site (http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/);1 or Kipp Teague's The Project Apollo Archive Web site 

(http://www.apolloarchive.com/apollo_gallery.html) 2 and are used with permission. Much of Teague's work also appears in the 

Apollo Lunar Surface Journal. The author has resized, or cropped some images to fit the needs of this work and he is solely 

responsible for the results. 

Except where noted, images for Apollo 1, Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo 9, Apollo 10 and Apollo 13 were downloaded from the 

Johnson Space Center Web site or scanned and edited by the author. Lunar surface images not listed below are from Apollo 

Lunar Surface Journal Web site. Other images not listed below (particularly launch, recovery and post-mission images) for 

Apollo 11, Apollo 12, Apollo 14, Apollo 15 and Apollo 17 are also from the Johnson Space Center Web site. The remaining 

images are noted below with appropriate credits and are listed in order of mission and by NASA image numbers. 

NASA photos reproduced from this work should include photo credit to "NASA'' or "National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration" and should include scanning credit to the appropriate individual as noted below, to whom the author extends 

special thanks. 

Apollo 1 

J. L. Pickering: 67HC21 from The Project Apollo Archive. 

Apollo 8 

Ed Hengeveld: S68-53187 from Apollo Lunar Surface Journal. 

Kipp Teague: S68-56050. 

Apollo 9 

Kipp Teague: AS09-19-2919; AS09-19-2994; and AS09-21-3236. 

Apollo 10 

Kipp Teague: S69-34385. 

Apollo 11 

Kipp Teague: AS11-36-5390; AS11-37-5528; AS11-40-5869; AS11-40-5877; AS11-40-5886; AS11-40-5899; AS11-40-5927; 

AS11-40-5942; AS11-40-5964; AS11-44-6574; AS11-44-6642; AS11-44-6667; S69-21365; S69-31740; S69-39526; S69-40308. 

Apollo 12 

Kipp Teague: AS12-46-6716; AS12-46-6728; AS12-46-6729; AS12-46-6790; AS12-47-6897; AS12-47-6988; AS12-48-7071; 

AS12-48-7110; AS12-48-7133; AS12-49-7278; AS12-49-7286; AS12-51-7507; S69-38852. 

Apollo 13 

Kipp Teague: 70-H-724; AS13-59-8500; AS13-59-8562; AS13-62-9004; KSC-70PC-0130; S69-62224; S70-15511; 570-34853; 

S70-35145; 570-35632. 

Apollo 14 

Kipp Teague: AS14-64-9089; AS14-64-9135; AS14-66-9344; AS14-68-9414; S70-55387; 571-18398; 571-18753. 

Apollo 15 

David Harland: AS15-82-11057; AS15-85-11471; AS15-85-11514; AS15-86-11603; AS15-87-11748; AS15-87-11847 from Apollo 

Lunar Surface Journal. 

Kipp Teague: AS15-88-11866; AS15-88-11894; AS15-88-11901; AS15-88-11972; AS15-88-11980; S71-37963; 571-41356. 

I Apollo Lunar Surface journal Web site, Copyright© 1995-2000, edited by Eric M. jones. All rights reserved. 

2 The Project Apollo Archive Web site, Copyright © 2000, Kipp Teague. 

Photo Credits ~ 
AS16-113-18340; AS16-113-18359; AS16-114-18423; AS16-114-18439; AS16-117-18826; AS16-117-18841; AS16-117-18841; 

AS16-118-18885; AS16-118-18894; AS16-122-19533; KSC-72PC-176; S72-16660. 

Ricardo Saleme: AS16-107-17442; AS16-116-18579 from The Project Apollo Archive. 

Apollo 17. 

Scott Cornish: AS17-134-20380 from The Project Apollo Archive. 

Kipp Teague: AS17-134-20384; AS17-134-20425; AS17-134-20435; AS17-134-20469; AS17-134-20482; AS17-137-20979; 

AS17-137-20990; AS17-140-21493; AS17-140-21496; AS17-145-22165; AS17-145-22257; AS17-147-22465; AS17-147-22526; 

AS17-147-22527; AS17-148-22695; AS17-148-22726; AS17-149-22857; AS17-162-24149; S72-50438; S72-55482; S72-55834. 

Apollo by the Numbers 
Grimwood, James M. Project Mercury: A Chronology. (NASA SP-4001, 1963). 

Grimwood, James M., and Hacker, Barton C., with Vorzimmer, Peter J. Project Gemini Technology and Operations: A Chronology. 

(NASA SP-4002, 1969). 

Link, Mae Mills. Space Medicine in Project Mercury. (NASA SP-4003, 1965). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1963: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4004, 1964). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1964: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4005, 1965). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1965: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4006, 1966). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1966: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4007, 1967). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4008, 1968). 

Ertel, Ivan D., and Morse, Mary Louise. The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology, Volume I, Through November 7, 1962. (NASA SP4009, 1969). 

Morse, Mary Louise, and Bays, Jean Kernahan. The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology, Volume II, November 8, 1962-September 30, 

1964. (NASA SP-4009, 1973). 

Brooks, Courtney G., and Ertel, Ivan D. The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology, Volume III, October 1, 1964-fanuary 20, 1966. 

(NASA SP-4009, 1973). 

Ertel, Ivan D., and Newkirk, Roland W., with Brooks, Courtney G. The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology, Volume IV, January 21, 

1966-July 13, 1974. (NASA SP-4009, 1978). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1968: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4010, 1969). 

Newkirk, Roland W., and Ertel, Ivan D., with Brooks, Courtney G. Skylab: A Chronology. (NASA SP-4011, 1977). 

Van Nimmen, Jane, and Bruno, Leonard C., with Rosholt, Robert L. NASA Historical Data Book, Volume I: NASA Resources, 

1958-1968. (NASA SP-4012, 1976, rep. ed. 1988). 

Ezell, Linda Neuman. NASA Historical Data Book, Volume II: Programs and Projects, 1958-1968. (NASA SP-4012, 1988). 

Ezell, Linda Neuman. NASA Historical Data Book, Volume III: Programs and Projects, 1969-1978. (NASA SP-4012, 1988). 

Gawdiak, Ihor Y., with Fedor, Helen. Compilers. NASA Historical Data Book, Volume W: NASA Resources, 1969-1978. (NASA SP4012, 1994). 

Rumerman, Judy A. Compiler. NASA Historical Data Book, 1979-1988: Volume V, NASA Launch Systems, Space Transportation, 

Human Spaceflight, and Space Science. (NASA SP-4012, 1999). 

Rumerman, Judy A. Compiler. NASA Historical Data Book, Volume VI: NASA Space Applications, Aeronautics and Space Research 

and Technology, Tracking and Data Acquisition/Space Operations, Commercial Programs, and Resources, 1979-1988 (NASA SP2000-4012, 2000). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1969: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4014, 1970). 

NASA History Series ~ 
gy f gyy

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1973: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4018, 1975). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1974: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4019, 1977). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1975: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4020, 1979). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1976: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4021, 1984). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1977: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4022, 1986). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1978: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4023, 1986). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1979-1984: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4024, 1988). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1985: Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy. (NASA SP-4025, 1990). 

Noordung, Hermann. The Problem of Space Travel: The Rocket Motor. Stuhlinger, Ernst, and Hunley, J.D., with Garland, Jen

Editor. (NASA SP-4026, 1995). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1986-1990: A Chronology. (NASA SP-4027, 1997). 

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1990-1995: A Chronology. (NASA SP-2000-4028, 2000). 

Management Histories, NASA SP-41 00: 

Rosholt, Robert L. An Administrative History of NASA, 1958-1963. (NASA SP-4101 , 1966). 

Levine, Arnold S. Managing NASA in the Apollo Era. (NASA SP-4102, 1982). 

Roland, Alex. Model Research: The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, 1915-1958. (NASA SP-4103, 1985). 

Fries, Sylvia D. NASA Engineers and the Age of Apollo. (NASA SP-4104, 1992). 

Glennan, T. Keith. The Birth of NASA: The Diary ofT. Keith Glennan. Hunley, J.D. Editor. (NASA SP-4105, 1993). 

Seamans, Robert C., Jr. Aiming at Targets: The Autobiography of Robert C. Seamans, Jr. (NASA SP-4106, 1996) 

Project Histories, NASA SP-4200: 

Swenson, Loyd S., Jr., Grimwood, James M., and Alexander, Charles C. This New Ocean: A History of Project Mercury. (NAS

SP-4201, 1966; rep. ed. 1998). 

Green, Constance MeL., and Lomask, Milton. Vanguard: A History. (NASA SP-4202, 1970; rep. ed. Smithsonian Institution 

1971). 

Hacker, Barton C., and Grimwood, James M. On Shoulders of Titans: A History of Project Gemini. (NASA SP-4203, 1977). 

Apollo By The Numbers 
Bilstein, Roger E. Stages to Saturn: A Technological History of the Apollo/Saturn Launch Vehicles. (NASA SP-4206, 1980, rep. ed. 

1997). 

SP-4207 not published. 

Compton, W. David, and Benson, Charles D. Living and Working in Space: A History of Skylab. (NASA SP-4208, 1983). 

Ezell, Edward Clinton, and Ezell, Linda Neuman. The Partnership: A History of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. (NASA SP-4209, 

1978). 

Hall, R. Cargill. Lunar Impact: A History of Project Ranger. (NASA SP-4210, 1977). 

Newell, Homer E. Beyond the Atmosphere: Early Years of Space Science. (NASA SP-4211, 1980). 

Ezell, Edward Clinton, and Ezell, Linda Neuman. On Mars: Exploration of the Red Planet, 1958-1978. (NASA SP-4212, 1984). 

Pitts, John A. The Human Factor: Biomedicine in the Manned Space Program to 1980. (NASA SP-4213, 1985). 

Compton, W. David. Where No Man Has Gone Before: A History of Apollo Lunar Exploration Missions. (NASA SP-4214, 1989). 

Naugle, John E. First Among Equals: The Selection of NASA Space Science Experiments. (NASA SP-4215, 1991). 

Wallace, Lane E. Airborne Trailblazer: Two Decades with NASA Langley's Boeing 737 Flying Laboratory. (NASA SP-4216, 1994). 

Butrica, Andrew J. Editor. Beyond the Ionosphere: Fifty Years of Satellite Communication. (NASA SP-4217, 1997). 

Butrica, Andrews J. To See the Unseen: A History of Planetary Radar Astronomy. (NASA SP-4218, 1996). 

Mack, Pamela E. Editor. From Engineering Science to Big Science: The NACA and NASA Collier Trophy Research Project Winners. 

(NASA SP-4219, 1998). 

Reed, R. Dale. With Lister, Darlene. Wingless Flight: The Lifting Body Story. (NASA SP-4220, 1997). 

Heppenheimer, T.A. The Space Shuttle Decision: NASA's Search for a Reusable Space Vehicle. (NASA SP-4221, 1999). 

Hunley, J.D. Editor. Toward Mach 2: The Douglas D-558 Program. (NASA SP-4222, 1999). 

Swanson, Glen E. Editor. "Before this Decade is Out...": Personal Reflections on the Apollo Program (NASA SP-4223, 1999). 

Tomayko, James E. Computers Take Flight: A History of NASA's Pioneering Digital Fly-by-Wire Project. (NASA SP-2000-4224, 

2000). 

Center Histories, NASA SP-4300: 

Rosenthal, Alfred. Venture into Space: Early Years of Goddard Space Flight Center. (NASA SP-4301, 1985). 


Hartman, Edwin, P. Adventures in Research: A History ofAmes Research Center, 1940-1965. (NASA SP-4302, 1970). 


Hallion, Richard P. On the Frontier: Flight Research at Dryden, 1946-1981. (NASA SP- 4303, 1984). 


NASA History Series ~ 
Dethloff, Henry C. "Suddenly Tomorrow Came ...": A History of the Johnson Space Center. (NASA SP-4307, 1993). 

Hansen, James R. Spaceflight Revolution: NASA Langley Research Center from Sputnik to Apollo. (NASA SP-4308, 1995). 

Wallace, Lane E. Flights of Discovery: 50 Years at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. (NASA SP-4309, 1996). 

Herring, Mack R. Way Station to Space: A History of the John C. Stennis Space Center. (NASA SP-4310, 1997). 

Wallace, Harold D., Jr. Wallops Station and the Creation of the American Space Program. (NASA SP-4311, 1997). 

Wallace, Lane E. Dreams, Hopes, Realities: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, The First Forty Years (NASA SP-4312, 1999

Dunar, Andrew J., and Stephen P. Waring. Power to Explore: A History of the Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA SP-4313, 

1999). 

Bugos, Glenn E. Atmosphere of Freedom: Sixty Years at the NASA Ames Research Center Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1986-

A Chronology. (NASA SP-2000-4314, 2000). 

General Histories, NASA SP-4400: 

Corliss, William R. NASA Sounding Rockets, 1958-1968: A Historical Summary. (NASA SP-4401, 1971). 

Wells, Helen T., Whiteley, Susan H., and Karegeannes, Carrie. Origins of NASA Names. (NASA SP-4402, 1976). 

Anderson, Frank W., Jr. Orders of Magnitude: A History of NACA and NASA, 1915-1980. (NASA SP-4403, 1981). 

Sloop, John L. Liquid Hydrogen as a Propulsion Fuel, 1945-1959. (NASA SP-4404, 1978). 

Roland, Alex. A Spacefaring People: Perspectives on Early Spaceflight. (NASA SP-4405, 1985). 

Bilstein, Roger E. Orders of Magnitude: A History of the NACA and NASA, 1915-1990. (NASA SP-4406, 1989). 

Logsdon, John M. Editor. With Lear, Linda J., Warren-Findley, Jannelle, Williamson, Ray A., and Day, Dwayne A. Exploring 

Unknown: Selected Documents in the History of the U.S. Civil Space Program, Volume I, Organizing for Exploration. (NA

SP-4407, 1995). 

Logsdon, John M. Editor. With Day, Dwayne A., and Launius, Roger D. Exploring the Unknown: Selected Documents in the 

History of the U.S. Civil Space Program, Volume II, Relations with Other Organizations. (NASA SP-4407, 1996). 

Logsdon, John M. Editor. With Launius, Roger D., Onkst, David H., and Garber, Stephen E. Exploring the Unknown: Selec

Documents in the History of the U.S. Civil Space Program, Volume III, Using Space. (NASA SP-4407, 1998). 

Logsdon, John M. General Editor. With Ray A. Williamson, Roger D. Launius, Russell J. Acker, Stephen J. Garber, and Jon

L. Friedman. Exploring the Unknown: Selected Documents in the History of the U.S. Civil Space Program, Volume N, 

Accessing Space. (NASA SP-4407, 1999). 

Siddiqi, Asif A. Challenge to Apollo: The Soviet Union and the Space Race, 1945-1974. (NASA SP-2000-4408, 2000). 

Apollo By The Numbers 
Air Force Institute of Technology, see U.S. Air Force 

Institute of Technology 

Aldrin, Edwin "Buzz", 33, 90, 267, 268, 270, 309, 312 


Allen, Joseph, 187, 240, 270-71 


Anders, William, 33, 90, 145, 267, 268, 270, 309, 312 


Apennine Mountains, 184, 188 


Apollo 1 (AS-204) 

Background, 2 


The Accident, 2 


Chronology of the Fire, 7 


The Investigation, 8 


Causes of the Apollo 1 Fire, 9 


Spacecraft History, 10 


Fire Tirneline, 11 


Apollo 5, 52 


Apollo 7 


Background, 14 


Launch Preparations, 14-15 


Ascent Phase, 15 


Inflight activities, 15-20 


Recovery, 20-21 


Conclusions, 21 


Objectives, 22-24 


Tables 


Spacecraft History, 25 


Ascent Phase, 25 


Earth Orbit Phase, 26 


Timeline, 27-30 


Apollo 8 


Background, 32 


Launch Preparations, 33 


Ascent Phase, 34 


Earth Orbit Phase, 34 


Translunar Phase, 35 


Lunar Orbit Phase, 37 


Transearth Phase, 39 


Recovery, 40 


Conclusions, 41 


Objectives, 41-43 


Tables 


Spacecraft History, 44-45 


Ascent Phase, 45 


Earth Orbit Phase, 45 


Translunar Phase, 46 


Lunar Orbit Phase, 46 


Transearth Phase, 46 


Timeline, 47-50 


Earth Orbit Phase, 54 


Recovery, 58 


Conclusions, 59 


Objectives, 59-62 


Tables 


Spacecraft History, 63 


Ascent Phase, 64 


Earth Orbit Phase, 65 


Timeline, 66-70 


Apollo 10 


Background, 72 


Launch Preparations, 73 


Ascent Phase, 73 


Earth Orbit Phase, 74 


Translunar Phase, 74 


Lunar Orbit Phase, 75 


Transearth Phase, 77 


Recovery, 78 


Conclusions, 79 


Objectives, 79-81 


Tables 


Spacecraft History, 82 


Ascent Phase, 83 


Earth Orbit Phase, 83 


Translunar Phase, 83 


Lunar Orbit Phase, 84 


Transearth Phase, 84 


Timeline, 85-88 


Apollo 11 


Background, 90 


Launch Preparations, 91 


Ascent Phase, 92 


Earth Orbit Phase, 92 


Translunar Phase, 92 


Lunar Orbit/Lunar Surface Phase, 93 


Transearth Phase, 98 


Recovery, 98 


Conclusions, 100 


Objectives, 100-101 


Tables 


Spacecraft History, 102 


Ascent Phase, 103 


Earth Orbit Phase, 103 


Translunar Phase, 103 


Lunar Orbit Phase, 104 


Transearth Phase, 104 


Timeline, 105-110 


Index~ 
Translunar Phase, 114 


Lunar Orbit/Lunar Surface Phase, 115 


Transearth Phase, 120 


Recovery, 120 


Conclusions, 121 


Objectives, 122-123 


Tables 


Spacecraft History, 124 


Ascent Phase, 125 


Earth Orbit Phase, 125 


Translunar Phase, 125 


Lunar Orbit Phase, 126 


Transearth Phase, 127 


Timeline, 128-134 


Apollo 13 


Background, 136 


Launch Preparations, 137 


Ascent Phase, 137 


Translunar Phase, 138 


Recovery, 143 


Conclusions, 145 


Report of the Apollo 13 Review Board, 145 


How the Problem Occurred, 146 


Objectives, 147-48 


Tables 


Spacecraft History, 149 


Ascent Phase, 150 


Earth Orbit Phase, 150 


Translunar Phase, 150 


Transearth Phase, 151-57 


Apollo 14 


Background, 160 


Launch Preparations, 161 


Ascent Phase, 162 


Translunar Phase, 162 


Lunar Orbit/Lunar Surface Phase, 163 


Transearth Phase, 168 


Recovery, 168 


Conclusions, 169 


Objectives, 170-172 


Tables 


Spacecraft History, 173 


Ascent Phase, 174 


Earth Orbit Phase, 174 


Translunar Phase, 174 


Lunar Orbit Phase, 175 


Transearth Phase, 175 


Timeline, 175-92 


Lunar Orbit/Lunar Surface Phases, 187 


Transearth Phase, 196 


Recovery, 197 


Conclusions, 197 


Objectives, 198-200 


Tables 


Spacecraft History, 201 


Ascent Phase, 202 


Earth Orbit Phase, 202 


Translunar Phase, 202 


Lunar Orbit Phase, 203 


Transearth Phase, 203 


Timeline, 204-09 


Apollo 16 


Background, 212 


Launch Preparations, 213 


Ascent Phase, 213 


Translunar Phase, 213 


Lunar Orbit/Lunar Surface Phase, 212 


Transearth Phase, 224 


Recovery, 224 


Conclusions, 225 


Objectives, 226-28 


Tables 


Spacecraft History, 229 


Ascent Phase, 230 


Earth Orbit Phase, 230 


Translnnar Phase, 230 


Lunar Orbit Phase, 231 


Transearth Phase, 231 


Timeline, 232-38 


Apollo 17 


Background, 240 


Launch Preparations, 240 


Ascent Phase, 241 


Translunar Phase, 241 


Lunar Orbit/Lunar Surface Phase, 243 


Transearth Phase, 250 


Recovery, 251 


Conclusions, 252 


Objectives, 252-54 


Tables 


Spacecraft History, 255 


Ascent Phase, 256 


Earth Orbit Phase, 256 


Translunar Phase, 256 


Lunar Orbit Phase, 256 


Transearth Phase, 256 


Timeline, 258-264 


Apollo by the Numbers 
B 

Bean,AJan, 52,112,267,268,270,309,312 

Beech Aircraft Corporation, 146 

Biloxi, Mississippi, 137 

Boost Protective Cover (BPC), 4, 5 

Borman, Frank, 33, 267, 270, 309, 312 

Brand, Vance, 33,137,187,268,270,271,309 

Budget Appropriations, 281 

c 

California Institute of Technology, 33, 240 

Call Signs, 282 

Command Module 

America, 240 

Casper, 213 

Charlie Brown, 72 

Columbia, 90 

Endeavour, 187 

Gumdrop, 53 

Kitty Hawk, 161 

Odyssey, 13 7 

Yankee Clipper, 112 

Lunar Module 

Antares, 161 

Aquarius, 137 

Challenger, 240 

Eagle, 90 

Falcon, 187 

Intrepid, 112 

Orion, 213 

Snoopy, 72 

Spider, 53 

Capsule Communicators {CAPCOMs), 14, 33, 52, 72 90 

112, 137, 167, 185, 212, 240 , , 

Carnarvon, Australia, 19 

Carnegie Institute of Technology, 161 

Carr, Gerald, 33, 112, 271 

Cernan, Eugene, 14, 72, 161, 240, 267, 268, 270, 309, 312 

Chaffee, Roger, 2, 270 

Chapel Bell, 199, 227, 253 

Chapman, Phillip, 161, 213, 270-71 

Charlesworth, Clifford, 33, 90, 112, 272 

Columbia, 90 

Columbus, Ohio, 14 

Conrad, Charles "Pete", 52, 112, 267, 268, 270, 309, 312 

Cooper, Leroy, 72, 267, 270 

Cortright, Edgar M., 145 

COSPAR (International Committee on Space Research), 15 

Creston, Iowa, 14 

Cunningham, R. "Walt", 2, 14, 267, 270, 309, 312 

D 

Denver, Colorado, 137 

Duke, Charles, 72, 90, 137, 212, 240 268 270 271 309 312 , , , , , 

Durango, Colorado, 161 

E 

East Derry, New Hampshire, 161 

Eisele, Donn, 2, 14, 72, 267, 270, 309, 312 

Eleuthera, Bahamas, 58, 70 

Ellington Air Force Base, 121, 134, 169, 225 

England, Anthony, 212, 270-71 

Engle, Joe, 72, 161, 268, 270-71 

Essex, U.S.S., 20-21, 306 

Evans, Ronald, 14, 52, 90, 161, 240, 268, 270-71, 309, 312 

Extravehicular Activity (EVA), 298 

F 

Flight Directors, 272 

Ford Island, 40, 50, 78, 90 

Frank, M.P. "Pete", 53, 72, 112, 161, 213, 240, 272 

Fullerton, Charles, 161, 187, 212, 240, 270, 271 

G 

Garriott, Owen, Jr., 90, 270 

Gary, Indiana, 33 

Index ~ 
U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, 33 


U.S. Military Academy, 2, 33, 52, 90, 187 


U.S. Naval Academy, 14, 33, 72, 136, 161, 187, 212 


U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, 72, 161, 240 


University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), 14 


University of Colorado, 137, 161 


University of Hartford, 137 


University of Kansas, 240 


University of Michigan, 52, 187 


University of Oklahoma, 137 


University of Southern California, 90 


University of Texas, 112 


University of Washington, 112 


w 

Wapakoneta, Ohio, 90 


Warren, Dickie, 112 


Wash, Michael, 112, 270 


Weatherford, Oklahoma, 72 


Weitz, Paul, 112, 270-71 


Wheeler, Texas, 112 


White, Edward, 2, 270 


White Sands Missile Range, NM, 17 


Windler, Milton, 33, 72, 112, 137, 161, 187, 272 


Worden, Alfred, 52, 112, 187, 196, 268, 270-71, 309, 312 


y 

Young, John, 14, 72, 137, 212, 240, 267-68, 270, 312 


Yorktown, U.S.S., 40, 306 


Apollo by the Numbers