Apollo 15 Mission
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David Scott Jim Irwin Al Worden Mosaic from NASA’s LRO spacecraft 15 17 11 12 14 16 Apollo 15 mission Liftoff: July 26, 1971 (13:34:00.6 UTC) Lunar Orbit Arrival: July 29, 1971 (20:05:46 UTC) 101.5 kilometers (54.8 nmi) x 120.8 kilometers (65.2 nmi) Moon Landing: July 30, 1971 (22:16:29 UTC) Liftoff from the Moon: August 2, 1971 (17:11:23 UTC) Lunar Orbit Departure: August 4, 1971 (21:22:45 UTC) Splashdown: August 7, 1971 (20:45:53 UTC) Duration of Mission: 12 days, 7 hours, 11 minutes, 53 seconds EVA duration: 19 hours, 7 minutes, 53 seconds Mass of lunar samples: 77 kilograms (170 lb) Distance traveled: 27.9 kilometers (17.3 mi) Landing site: 26.13222° N, 3.63386° E Apollo 15 was the first of three ‘J missions’ that allowed the astronauts to use an electric rover to travel across the lunar surface. Also, there were three Moon walks (EVA), instead of two that occurred on Apollo 12 and 14. Apollo 15 was the first of three ‘J missions’ that allowed the astronauts to use an electric rover to travel across the lunar surface. Also, there were three Moon walks (EVA), instead of two that occurred on Apollo 12 and 14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVlPGzk5lNc Service Module Command Module, Lunar Endeavour Module, Falcon Video of Apollo 15’s powered descent to the Moon’s surface on July 30, 1971 300 miles (~13 minutes) P 63 Pitch over 9 miles P 64 6 miles 1 mile P 66 Control panel in Apollo 15 Lunar Module, Falcon Landing Point Designator (LPD) in Lunar Module http://nassp.sourceforge.net/w/images/5/59/LM_LPD_window.jpg Hadley-Apennine region from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Apollo 15 landing site Apennine Mountains ~15,000 feet high Apollo 15 powered descent to the lunar surface https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxqKlDsgMzc Apollo 15 Lunar Module, Falcon Damaged descent engine bell on Apollo 15 lunar module, Falcon Apollo LM tilts "If a lunar module came to rest at an angle beyond 12 tilt, the Apollo 11 ~4° astronauts might not be able to launch themselves off the surface. Apollo 12 ~4° So if a crew landed on a hill or with Apollo 14 ~8° a footpad or two on a large rock or in a crater, that could make Apollo 15 ~11° for a bad day.” Apollo 16 ~3° https://www.nasa.gov/topics/moonmars/features/alhat20081223.html While FIDO discussed this shortly Apollo 17 ~4° after Apollo 15’s landing, it was not considered a problem. Apollo 15 landing site Image from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Apollo 15 15016 15016 Vesicular olivine mare basalt ‘Seat belt rock’ Apollo 15 basalt, 15016 “seatbelt rock” Station 3 (Rhysling) 15016 Vesicular olivine mare basalt 15425 – 15427 Volcanic glass-rich breccias 15426 Volcanic green glasses 3.38 ± 0.06 by (40Ar/39Ar) View from Station 6 of LM (2.5 miles away) Collection of 15415 ‘Genesis Rock’ on rim of Spur Crater (station 7) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6MEh7qVsbM 15415 Ferroan anorthosite ‘Genesis Rock’ 4.38 ± 0.06 by (87Rb/87Sr) 15415 Ferroan anorthosite ‘Genesis Rock’ Hammer and Feather https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03SPBXALJZI Flight path during LM during ascent from the lunar surface View from inside Apollo 15 LM during ascent from the lunar surface https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLLP6bzNJwo Image from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Apollo 17 backup crew Initial (Apollo 15) (Apollo 15) (Apollo 15) Replacement (Apollo 16) (Apollo 14) (Apollo 16) 15475 Porphyritic pigeonite mare basalt 3.37 ± 0.05 by (147Sm/143Nd) 15555 Olivine mare basalt 3.32 ± 0.06 by (40Ar/39Ar; 87Rb/87Sr) 15455 Impact melt breccia 15426 Volcanic glass-rich breccia 15255 Regolith breccia.