Sep 01

Space Rocket History #371 – Apollo 17 – Commander Eugene Cernan

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Mike Annis

Flight director Gene Kranz wrote that Cernan was his favorite because of his carefree and jovial attitude, unabashed patriotism, and his close personal relationship with the flight controllers.

Aug 18

Space Rocket History #370 – Apollo 17 – Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt

Posted on August 18, 2021 by Mike Annis

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS

Harrison Schmitt played a key role in training Apollo crews to be geologic observers when they were in lunar orbit and competent geologic field workers when they were on the lunar surface. After each of the landing missions, he participated in the examination and evaluation of the returned lunar samples and helped the crews with the scientific aspects of their mission reports.

Aug 04

Space Rocket History #369 – Apollo 17 – Mankind’s Last Giant Leap

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Mike Annis

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS

Apollo 17 would break several crewed spaceflight records: 1) longest moon mission duration: 12 days 13 hours 52 minutes (just a day and a third shorter than the 14 days set in 1965 by Gemini 7), 2) longest total lunar surface extravehicular activities (22 hours 4 minutes), 3) largest lunar sample return (110.52 kilograms or 243.7 pounds), – longest time in lunar orbit (6 days 4 hours), and 4) most lunar orbits (75).