Sep 11

Space Rocket History #316 – Apollo 14 – Solo Flight Over the Moon & Lunar Geology

With the Hycon camera down, Roosa would have to step in and use a Hasselblad with a 500 mm lens, to take detailed photos of the Apollo 16 potential landing site.  If Roosa did nothing else, he had to return to earth with pictures of Descartes that would be good enough to plan a lunar landing. 

Sep 04

Space Rocket History #315 – Apollo 14 – Moonwalk 1 – Part 3 – ALSEP Deployment

The mortar package contained a set of grenades which were planned to be fired to distances of 500, 1000, 3000, and 5000 feet to the north of the ALSEP site.

Aug 28

Space Rocket History #314 – Apollo 14 – Moonwalk 1 – Part 2 – Fueling the Nuke

A small plutonium source was used to power the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) that would provide electric power for the ALSEP experiments.  Ed Mitchell performed the delicate maneuver of inserting the fuel capsule into the RTG.

Aug 21

Space Rocket History #313 – Apollo 14 – Moonwalk 1 – Part 1 – Color TV From the Moon

“Al is on the surface. And it’s been a long way, but we’re here.” Alan Shepard