Jan 17

An Encore Presentation of Space Rocket History #188 – Apollo 10 – Command Module Pilot John Young

Posted on January 17, 2018

John Young enjoyed the longest career of any astronaut thus far. Over the course of 42 years of active NASA service he made six space flights and is the only person to have piloted, and been commander of four different classes of spacecraft: Gemini, ...

Tagged:Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, John Young, Shuttle

Jan 21

Space Rocket History #145 – Surveyors 2 – 7 with a Little Apollo 12

Posted on January 21, 2016

The primary objectives of the Surveyor program, were to support the Apollo landings by: (1) developing and validating the technology for landing softly on the Moon; (2) providing data on the compatibility of the Apollo design with conditions encounte...

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1-Photograph of the Surveyor 3 spacecraft resting on the surface of the Moon, taken by Apollo 12 astronauts

Tagged:Alan Bean, Alpha Scattering, Apollo, Apollo 12, Atlas, Atlas Lv 3c, Atlas Centaur, Ats 1, Canopus, Cape Canaveral, Centaur D, Centuar, Cislunar Trajectory, Copernicus Crater, History, Huges Space And Communications Group, Hughes Aircraft Company, Hughes Space Systems Division, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Jpl, Lc 36a, Lc 36b, Lunar Night, Nasa, Pete Conrad, Radar Reflectivity, Rocket, Scintillating, Selenographic, Sinus Medii, Smithsonian National Air And Space Museum, Space, Surveyor 1, Surveyor 2, Surveyor 3, Surveyor 4, Surveyor 5, Surveyor 6, Surveyor 7, Syncom, Vernier, William Pickering

Sep 28

Space Rocket History #178 – Apollo 9 – The Crew – McDivitt, Scott, Schweickart

Posted on September 28, 2016

James Alton “Jim” McDivitt was born on June 10, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois. He is of Irish descent. Like many other astronauts, he was a Boy Scout and earned the rank of Tenderfoot Scout. He graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School, Kalamazoo,...

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Tagged:Alexey Leonov, Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, Astronaut Group 2, Astronaut Group 3, Boy Scouts, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, Dow Air Force Base, Ed White, Gemini 4, Gemini 8, James Mcdivitt, Jim Mcdivitt, Massesschutes Institute Technology, Mit, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Russell Schweickart, Rusty Schweickart, Skylab, Soesterberg Air Base, Texas Military Institute, University Of Michigan, Vostok 5, Webb Air Force Base, West Point, Williams Air Force Base

Oct 5

Space Rocket History #179 – Apollo 9 – The Launch

Posted on October 5, 2016

For the 19th flight of American astronauts into space, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, representing the new administration of Richard Nixon, sat in the firing control room viewing area on March 3rd, 1969. He and other guests listened to the countdown ...

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Tagged:Agnew, Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, Astronaut Group 3, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, Gemini 4, Gemini 8, James Mcdivitt, Jim Mcdivitt, Mit, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Nixon, Russell Schweickart, Rusty Schweickart, Walter Cronkite, West Point, Williams Air Force Base

Oct 12

Space Rocket History #180 – Apollo 9 – Lunar Module Maneuvers

Posted on October 12, 2016

As Dave Scott pulled in closer to the Lunar Module he noticed that the command module’s nose was out of line with the lander’s nose. Scott tried to use a service module thruster to turn left, but that jet was not operating. It turns out that someone ...

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, James Mcdivitt, Jim Mcdivitt, Nasa, Russell Schweickart, Rusty Schweickart, Thruster, Walter Cronkite, Williams Air Force Base

Oct 19

Space Rocket History #181 – Apollo 9 – Lunar Module Maneuvers Part 2

Posted on October 19, 2016

McDivitt later said that the engine had come on abruptly, but with the tremendous mass, acceleration was very slow – it took the whole 5 seconds to add 11 meters per second to the speed.

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, Chris Kraft, Cm, Command Module, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, James Mcdivitt, Jim Mcdivitt, Lem, Lm, Lunar Module, Nasa, Russell Schweickart, Rusty Schweickart, S Ivb, Sps, Thruster, Walter Cronkite

Oct 26

Space Rocket History #182 – Apollo 9 – Lunar Module Maneuvers Part 3

Posted on October 26, 2016

On the fourth day of the flight of Apollo 9, Schweickart felt better than expected as he worked his way into the lander to get it ready for the EVA. By the time he had put on the backpack, McDivitt was ready to let him do more – to stand on the lunar...

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, Chris Kraft, Cm, Command Module, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, James Mcdivitt, Jim Mcdivitt, Lem, Lm, Lunar Module, Nasa, Russell Schweickart, Rusty Schweickart, S Ivb, Sps, Thruster, Walter Cronkite

Nov 2

Space Rocket History #183 – Apollo 9 – Lunar Module Maneuvers Part 4

Posted on November 2, 2016

When Scott tried to release the lunar module, he did not hold the button long enough so the lander got hung on the capture latches.

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, Chris Kraft, Cm, Command Module, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, James Mcdivitt, Jim Mcdivitt, Lem, Lm, Lunar Module, Nasa, Russell Schweickart, Rusty Schweickart, S Ivb, Sps, Thruster, Walter Cronkite

Nov 9

Space Rocket History #184 – Apollo 9 – The Return

Posted on November 9, 2016

Even before crawling back into the command module, McDivitt said he was tired and ready for a three-day holiday. Another 140 hours would pass before touchdown in the Atlantic, but the crew had achieved more than 90 percent of the mission objectives.

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, Chris Kraft, Cm, Command Module, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, James Mcdivitt, Jim Mcdivitt, Lem, Lm, Lunar Module, Nasa, Russell Schweickart, Rusty Schweickart, S Ivb, Sps, Thruster, Walter Cronkite

Nov 16

Space Rocket History #185 – Apollo 10 – Preparations

Posted on November 16, 2016

Although the contractors had shipped excellent spacecrafts, preparations at Kennedy did not go quickly from the assembly building to the launch pad. Testing was delayed several days in order to stay out of the way of Apollo 9 pre-flight activities. A...

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, Chris Kraft, Cm, Command Module, Dave Scott, Deke Slayton, Donn Eisele, Edgar Mitchell, Eugene Cernan, George Low, George Mueller, Gordon Cooper, John Young, Lem, Lm, Lunar Module, Nasa, S Ivb, Sps, Thomas Stafford, Thruster, Walter Cronkite

Nov 23

Space Rocket History #186 – Apollo 10 – Commander Thomas P. Stafford

Posted on November 23, 2016

Thomas P. Stafford was the first member of his Naval Academy Class of 1952 to pin on the first, second, and third stars of a General Officer. He flew six rendezvous in space; logged 507 hours and 43 minutes in space flight and wore the Air Force comm...

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, Chris Kraft, Cm, Command Module, Dave Scott, Deke Slayton, Donn Eisele, Edgar Mitchell, Eugene Cernan, George Low, George Mueller, Gordon Cooper, Jim Lovell, John Glen, John Young, Lem, Lm, Lunar Module, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, S Ivb, Sps, Thomas Stafford, Thruster, Wally Schirra, Walter Cronkite

Dec 7

Space Rocket History #188 – Apollo 10 – Command Module Pilot John Young

Posted on December 7, 2016

John Young enjoyed the longest career of any astronaut thus far. Over the course of 42 years of active NASA service he made six space flights and is the only person to have piloted, and been commander of, four different classes of spacecraft: Gemini,...

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, Chris Kraft, Cm, Command Module, Dave Scott, Deke Slayton, Donn Eisele, Edgar Mitchell, Eugene Cernan, George Low, George Mueller, Gordon Cooper, Jim Lovell, John Glen, John Young, Lem, Lm, Lunar Module, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, S Ivb, Sps, Thomas Stafford, Thruster, Wally Schirra, Walter Cronkite

Dec 21

Space Rocket History #190 – Apollo 10 – The Launch

Posted on December 21, 2016

On May 18th 1969, a king, some congressmen, other distinguished guests, and a hundred thousand other watchers waited at scattered vantage points around the Cape area. At 49 minutes past noon, Rocco Petrone’s launch team sent Apollo 10 on its way to t...

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, Authur C Clarke, Chris Kraft, Cm, Command Module, Dave Scott, Deke Slayton, Donn Eisele, Edgar Mitchell, Eugene Cernan, George Low, George Mueller, Gordon Cooper, Jack King, Jim Lovell, John Glen, John Young, Lem, Lm, Lunar Module, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Paul Haney, S Ivb, Sps, Thomas Stafford, Thruster, Wally Schirra, Walter Cronkite

Dec 6

Space Rocket History #235 – Apollo 12 – Introduction

Posted on December 6, 2017

At NASA Headquarters, George Mueller and other planners created a far-reaching plan that Administrator Paine made even more ambitious in adapting it for Nixon’s Space Task Group. The task group’s timetable called for a twelve-man space station and a ...

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Bean, Conrad, Gordon, Intrepid, Yankee Clipper

Dec 13

Space Rocket History #236 – Apollo 12 – Command Module Pilot Richard “Dick” Gordon

Posted on December 13, 2017

After graduating from the University of Washington, Gordon joined the US Navy, and after his first exposure to planes decided to become a pilot. Gordon said “Once I found what the airplane could do for me, or I could do for it, it was love at first s...

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Dick Gordon, Richard Gordon

Dec 20

Space Rocket History #237 – Apollo 12 – Lunar Module Pilot Alan Bean – The Artist

Posted on December 20, 2017

After completing a four-year tour of duty, he attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. He trained under the direction of Pete Conrad, who would later become Commander of the Apollo 12 moon flight, and who would be in...

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Tagged:Alan Bean, Apollo 12, Pete Conrad, Skylab 2, Skylab 3

Jan 31

Space Rocket History #241 – Apollo 12 – The Launch Part 1

Posted on January 31, 2018

It was 68 degrees, overcast, and raining at Cape Kennedy on November 14, 1969. The ceiling was 2,100 feet and the winds were light. There was some discussion, while the astronauts were suiting-up, of scrubbing the launch, but that would mean ramping ...

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Bean, Conrad, Gordon

Feb 7

Space Rocket History #242 – Apollo 12 – The Launch Part 2

Posted on February 7, 2018

John Aaron’s (EECOM) next call made him a legend in Mission Control. He said quickly and conﬁdently, “Flight, try S-C-E to Aux.”

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Conrad, Gordon Bean, Instrument Unit, Iu, John Aaron

Feb 14

Space Rocket History #243 – Apollo 12 – TLI and the Coast

Posted on February 14, 2018

It was impossible to check out the entire spacecraft; that could only be done on the ground. In the short time available, Grifﬁn’s team ran a pre-maneuver check list, re-aligned the CSM platform, and discussed proceeding with the mission with the cre...

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Bean, Conrad, Gordon, Translunar

Feb 21

Space Rocket History #244 – Apollo 12 – Lunar Orbit

Posted on February 21, 2018

At 83 hours mission elapsed time, the long lunar coast was almost over. It was time for the lunar orbit insertion burn. This burn would put Yankee Clipper and Intrepid into lunar orbit.

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Bean, Conrad, Gordon, Snowman

Mar 7

Space Rocket History #246 – Apollo 12 – Pin Point Landing Part 2 – Right Down the Middle of the Road

Posted on March 7, 2018

“Hey, there it is! There it is! Son of a gun, right down the middle of the road! Look out there! I can’t believe it! Fantastic!” Pete Conrad when he saw his landing site.

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Bean, Conrad, Gordon, Intrepid, Landing

Mar 14

Space Rocket History #247 – Apollo 12 – Moonwalk 1 – Part 1

Posted on March 14, 2018

“The old Surveyor, yes sir. It can’t be any more than 600 feet from here. How about that?” (Pete Conrad.)

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Bean, Conrad, Ed Gibson, Jerry Carr

Mar 21

Space Rocket History #248 – Apollo 12 – Moonwalk 1 – Part 2 – ALSEP

Posted on March 21, 2018

According to the checklist, Bean was allowed 5 minutes to gain his balance and learn to walk on the Moon. Bean was amazed at his new buoyancy saying, “You can jump up in the air…” But Conrad wanted to press on saying, “Hustle, boy, hustle! We’ve got...

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Tagged:Alsep, Apollo 12, Bean, Conrad, Gordon, Intrepid

Mar 28

Space Rocket History #249 – Apollo 12 – Moonwalk 1 – Part 3

Posted on March 28, 2018

Most of the remaining moon walk time was spent collecting rock samples, making surface observations such as the small mounds or hills, and taking pictures.

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Bean, Conrad, Gordon, Intrepid

Apr 11

Space Rocket History #251 – Apollo 12 – Moonwalk 2 – Part 2 – Bench and Sharp Craters

Posted on April 11, 2018

While Conrad led the way, Bean watched the ground for something interesting. It wasn’t easy to do ﬁeld geology while running, and on the moon.

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Bean, Bench Crater, Conrad, Sharp Crater

Apr 18

Space Rocket History #252 – Apollo 12 – Moonwalk 2 – Part 3 – Rock ‘n’ Roll at Halo Crater

Posted on April 18, 2018

The problem with running into the sun was it was so bright that Conrad and Bean could not see the moon’s surface features until they were right on top of them.

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Bean, Conrad, Halo Crater, Intrepid

May 2

Space Rocket History #253 – Apollo 12 – Moonwalk 2 – Part 4 – Surveyor Crater & Surveyor 3

Posted on May 2, 2018

Surveyor 3 was now to their right, 300 feet away, gleaming in the morning sunlight. Antennas and sensors still reached upward from its tubular frame, just as they had on April 20, 1967, when the spacecraft thumped onto the moon amid blasts from its b...

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Tagged:Al Bean, Apollo 12, Intrepid, Pete Conrad, Surveyor

May 9

Space Rocket History #254 – Apollo 12 – Moonwalk 2 – Part 5 – Blocky Crater & Closeout

Posted on May 9, 2018

Conrad and Bean now walked north, up Surveyor Crater’s 14 degree slope. Fatigue set in as Pete and Al walked up the crater wall. The hand tool carrier was nearly full of rocks now and Bean felt the full weight of it.

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Bean, Block Crater, Conrad, Hand Tool Carrier

May 23

Space Rocket History #255 – Apollo 12 – Lunar Liftoff

Posted on May 23, 2018

After a total of 31.6 hours on the moon, the Lunar Module ascent stage fired for about 7 minutes placing Intrepid into an orbit of 10 miles by 54 miles.

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Bean, Conrad, Gordon, Liftoff

May 30

Space Rocket History #256 – Apollo 12 – Leaving the Moon

Posted on May 30, 2018

Dick Gordon opened the tunnel to Intrepid, saw his companions floating in a dirty cloud of moon dust, and slammed the hatch closed. He called out, “You guys ain’t gonna mess up my nice clean spacecraft!”

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Ascent Stage, Bean, Conrad, Gordon

Jun 6

Space Rocket History #257 – Apollo 12 – Return, Re-entry and Splashdown

Posted on June 6, 2018

Ten days ago, their Saturn V rocket had blasted Bean and his crew mates out of earth’s gravitational pull. Now their home planet was pulling them back at more than 24,000 miles per hour, twelve times faster than a high-speed rifle bullet. “Boy,” said...

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Tagged:Apollo 12, Bean, Conrad, Gordon, Splashdown

Episodes Tagged with "Apollo 12"