Tracing the Apollo 12 Astronauts Through Time
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51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2020) 1578.pdf TREMORS AND TRACKS: TRACING THE APOLLO 12 ASTRONAUTS THROUGH TIME. N.R. Gonzales, J.A. Schulte, M.R. Henriksen, R.V. Wagner, M.S. Robinson, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287 ([email protected], [email protected]). Introduction: Fifty years after Apollo 12 landed the astronauts were along the traverse. Then we refined on the Moon, we are still learning from mankind’s photo locations using local geology and the Sun angle excursion to the Ocean of Storms. A complete in the Hasselblad photos [1]. We matched equipment understanding of the formation history of the landing and sampling stations in the Hasselblad pictures to the site requires precise knowledge of where samples were descriptions in the transcripts [10-11] and audio [2]. collected, photos were taken, and equipment was We also converted PSE data [5] into real-time videos deployed. We documented astronaut activities from in MATLAB, then synchronized them with audio [2] Apollo data and subsequent studies [1-13] in a and video [3-4], producing one synchronized video per spatiotemporal map, drawing on methods devised for a EVA. Filling in gaps in the DAC and TV footage with similar effort on the Apollo 11 site [14]. For both the the real-time PSE data [5] refined the timing of each Apollo 11 and 12 sites we used images, audio, and performed task (Fig. 1). Apollo 12 had the first true video [1-4] to spatially locate points, then used geologic traverse on the Moon, making the precise transcripts [10-11] to temporally locate points, location of sample collection vital. However, during mapping the extravehicular activities (EVAs) with the EVAs, many samples were not put in numbered greater accuracy than has been accomplished to date. sample bags, and thus were not marked with a station A key goal of the Apollo 12 mission was to make a identifier. Sample collection sites found in prior precision landing, enabling the precise preplanning of studies [6-9, 12-13] were double checked and a geologic traverse. EVA-1 focused on deploying the expanded upon using Hasselblad photos and the LSC, Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP), leaving 6 samples from EVA-1, and 3 from EVA-2 photography, and sampling. EVA-2, considered the with several possible collection sites. We gave station first true geologic traverse on another celestial body, names to areas astronauts took photos and/or collected included photographic documentation [1], sample samples, following the format seen in [10]; our final collection [7-10], and a visit to a Copernican ray and map includes 71 named stations (Fig. 1). the Surveyor 3 spacecraft. Surveyor 3 (which landed in Error Analysis. We calculated the DAC framerate 1967 to perform robotic reconnaissance), offered at 17 frames/s by matching the timing of events in the Apollo 12 a precision landing target and equipment video footage to the same events in the real-time PSE retrieval opportunity - the first and only off-world visit videos, and determined DAC footage was digitized at a to a man-made, space explorer. faster rate than it was recorded. Comparing the length Data Sources: We used three categories of data: of time between the first and last comments in the 1) the Apollo 12 mission data generated between 1969- audio tracks and the transcripts [11] showed that the 1979 (Hasselblad and stereoscopic photos, audio audio was also digitized at a faster rate, with EVA-1 recordings, TV footage, Data Acquisition Camera audio 20 s short, and EVA-2 audio 2 min short, [DAC] footage, Passive Seismic Experiment [PSE] relative to times listed in the transcripts. We used the data, Mission Report [MR], Preliminary Science audio and DAC footage only for reconciliation of Report [PSR], Lunar Sample Compendium [LSC], timing issues of a few minutes, not over long periods Sutton and Schaber sample study) [1-9]; 2) transcripts of time. of astronaut communications [10-11]; and 3) recent Using transcripts [11] and PSE data, we established studies using Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera Ground Elapsed Times (GETs) for each mapped point. Narrow Angle Camera (LROC NAC) imagery [12-13]. When complete task timing was not well-constrained All new data is mapped on DTM-controlled NAC in the transcripts, we estimated GET from the times of images [15] (Fig. 1). task mentions in the transcripts, estimates of a While our spatiotemporal map of Apollo 11 relied reasonable task length, and astronaut movements heavily on synchronized audio and video [14], Apollo recorded by the PSE (when available). Without video, 12’s TV camera was pointed at the Sun ~40 min into the timing error averages at ±15 s, with a max of ±60 s. EVA-1, leaving Houston with only audio transmissions Transcripts used for GET calculations do not account for the remainder of their time on the Moon, presenting for the 1.25 s delay time for transmissions to reach us with a challenge. Our primary solution was to use Earth and do not include ground delay time [11]. the Hasselblad photos and transcripts in combination Spatially, all points are mapped relative to tracks with a new method for interpreting PSE data to seen in the NACs, and do not include activities that are temporally trace astronaut movements [5]. not seen in footprints in Hasselblad images, nor tasks Methodology: We followed the transcripts [10- that astronauts do not mention. Mapped astronaut 11] and tracks seen in the NACs to determine where movements have a max spatial error of ±2.5 m, 51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2020) 1578.pdf decreasing to ±0.33 m for points with many data tasks, and who performed each task. This sources. The NAC basemap has average offsets 0.5 m spatiotemporal map includes separate shapefile layers W by 1.3 m S from points in [16] (excluding the per EVA for: astronaut traverses, sampling, equipment, ALSEP, with an offset of >4 m, suggesting a stereoscopic photos, Hasselblad photos, EVA stations, difference in identification), within the confidence video camera fields-of-view, and notable landforms. A interval in [16]. simplified moment-by-moment reconstruction of the Conclusions: We determined the location of each two Apollo 12 EVAs is on the LROC website astronaut as a function of time, the order and timing of (http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/featured_sites/view_site/61). References: [1] (http://tothemoon.ser.asu.edu/gallery/apollo). [2] NASA JSC (2010) (https://archive.org/details/ Apollo12Audio). [3] Gray (2005) (http://spacehistory.tv/blog/?page_id=66). [4] NASA JSC, Apollo Film Archives, Vol. 1. [5] JAXA DARTS (2019) Moon Seismic Monitor. [6] Apollo 12 MR (1970) MSC-01855. [7] Apollo 12 PSR (1970) NASA-SP-235. [8] Meyer (2012) (https://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/lunar/lsc/index.cfm). [9] Sutton & Schaber (1971) LSC II, 1, 17-2. [10] Bailey & Ulrich (1975) NASA-CR-145520. [11] Jones (2016) ALSJ, (https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a12/a12.html). [12] McInall (2018) (https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a12/A12_Grand_Traverse_Planimetric_Map-LROC_M175428601R_Mar_2018.jpg). [13] Schwagmeier & Jones (2011) (https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a12/a12TraversesOnM168353795R.jpg). [14] Gonzales et al. (2019) LPSC L, Abs. #3089. [15] Henriksen et al. (2015) PDW II, Abs. #7033. [16] Wagner et al. (2017) Icarus, 283, 90-103. Fig. 1. EVA station names, with samples and photos, overlaid on M175428601R. There are 30 stations in EVA-1, and 46 stations in EVA-2, 5 of which are seen in both. Stations without colored dots focused on equipment. .