Many folks would like to see us back on the Moon and developing its resources.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Apollo 17 returned to Earth yesterday, 19 December 1972

Apollo 17 returned to Earth yesterday, 19 December 1972 UT 19:24:59
(02:24:59 p.m. EST), forget those 35 years of ho, hum.

-----------------------------------------------
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo17info.html
Apollo 17

Launched: 7 December 1972 UT 05:33:00 (12:33:00 a.m. EST)
Landed on Moon: 11 December 1972 UT 19:54:57 (02:54:57 p.m. EST)
Landing Site: Taurus-Littrow (20.19 N, 30.77 E)
Returned to Earth: 19 December 1972 UT 19:24:59 (02:24:59 p.m. EST)

Eugene A. Cernan, commander
Ronald E. Evans, command module pilot
Harrison H. Schmitt, lunar module pilot
-----------------------------------------------

You can read the whole story at the Apollo 17 Lunar Surface Journal.

-----------------------------------------------
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/pao/History/alsj/a17/a17.html
Corrected Transcript and Commentary Copyright © 1995 by Eric M. Jones.
All rights reserved.
Last revised 18 September 2006.

Return to Earth
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/pao/History/alsj/a17/a17.homeward.html
Corrected Transcript and Commentary Copyright © 1995 by Eric M. Jones.
All rights reserved.
Last revised 21 August 2007.
-----------------------------------------------

And a reminder that a lot of NASA History is available on-line in the
many books that have been scanned for your enjoyment.
- LRK -

-----------------------------------------------
http://history.nasa.gov/apollo.html
The Apollo Program
Snip

On-line Books Concerning Project Apollo:

* /Apollo Expeditions to the Moon /
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/cover.html>(NASA
SP-350, 1975)
* /Apollo Over the Moon: A View From Orbit
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-362/cover.htm>/
(NASA SP-362, 1978).
* /The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4009/cover.htm>/
(NASA SP-4009, 4 volumes, 1969-1978).
* /Managing NASA in the Apollo Era
/ (NASA SP-4102, 1982)
* /NASA Engineers and the Age of Apollo
<http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4104/sp4104.htm>. /(NASA SP-4104,1992).
* /Moonport: A History of Apollo Launch Facilities and Operations
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4204/cover.html>/
(NASA SP-4204, 1978).
* /Chariots for Apollo: A History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4205/cover.html>/
(NASA SP-4205, 1979).
* /Where No Man Has Gone Before: A History of Apollo Lunar
Exploration Missions
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4214/cover.html>/
(NASA SP-4214, 1989).
* /Unmanned Space Project Management: Surveyor and Lunar Orbiter
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4901/table.htm>/
(NASA SP-4901, 1972).
* /Destination Moon: A History of the Lunar Orbiter Program
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/TM-3487/top.htm>/ (NASA
TM-3487, 1977).
* /An Annotated Bibliography of the Apollo Program
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/Apollobib/cover.html>/
(Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 2, 1994).
* /Apollo: A Retrospective Analysis
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/Apollomon/cover.html>/
(Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 3, 1994).
* /Enchanted Rendezvous: John C. Houbolt and the Genesis of the
Lunar-Orbit Rendezvous Concept
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/monograph4/splash2.htm>/
(Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 4, 1995).
* /Apollo by the Numbers: A Statistical Reference
<http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4029/SP-4029.htm>/(NASA SP-4029, 2001).
* /Biomedical Results of Apollo
<http://history.nasa.gov/SP-368/sp368.htm>/ (NASA SP-368, 1975).
* /What Made Apollo A Success?
<http://history.nasa.gov/SP-287/sp287.htm>/ (NASA SP-287, 1971).
* /"Before This Decade is Out..." Personal Reflections on the Apollo
Program <http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4223/sp4223.htm>/ (NASA
SP-4223, 1999).
* /Project Apollo: The Tough Decisions
<http://history.nasa.gov/monograph37.pdf>/ (Monographs in
Aerospace History, No. 37, 2005).

Snip
-----------------------------------------------

Pleasant holidays and a happy New Year.
Will turn 70 New Years eve. My how time flies when you are having fun. :-)
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
Apollo 17 lunar module "Challenger" liftoff from Taurus-Littrow landing
site
<http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=897322&id=6&qs=No%3D30%26Ne%3D41%26N%3D222%2B4294964632>

Abstract: The Apollo 17 lunar module (LM) "Challenger" ascent stage
makes its liftoff from the lunar surface,
as seen in this reproduction taken from a color television transmission
made by the color RCA TV camera mounted on the lunar ...
NASA Center: Johnson Space Center
Publication Year: 1972
Added to NTRS: 2006-08-02
Accession Number: S72-55423

http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/lores/S72-55423.jpg
Snip
==============================================================
http://www.apolloarchive.com/apollo_gallery.html
Apollo Image Gallery
Click on a subject below for an index of photographs

Apollo 17 Images Index
(787 entries found in Apollo 17 gallery)
left-click on an Image ID to view a thumbnail image

The World-Wide Web's most extensive collection of high-quality Apollo
images, featuring images scanned for Eric Jones' Apollo Lunar Surface
Journal.
Many photographs on this website are courtesy of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, specifically the NASA History
Office, Kennedy Space Center and Johnson Space Center, with special
thanks to Steve Garber, Margaret Persinger and Mike Gentry for their
invaluable assistance. All scans by Kipp Teague except where noted.
Appreciation is also extended to J.L. Pickering and Ed Hengeveld for
their extensive contributions to the Gallery.
Snip

http://www.apolloarchive.com/apollo_archive.html
For Multimedia, select "Apollo Multimedia" from the Table of Contents
navigation column on the left. - LRK -

You can watch many clips including the liftoff from the Moon for the
return to lunar orbit. - LRK -
==============================================================
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/cover.html
Apollo
Expeditions to the Moon
Edited By EDGAR M. CORTRIGHT


Table of Contents
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/toc.html>

snip
14 The Great Voyages of Exploration
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/ch-14-1.html>
Scientific expeditions return a rich harvest
HARRISON H. SCHMITT

* Introduction
www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/ch-14-1.html>
* A New View Of The Moon
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/ch-14-2.html>
* Inconceivable Violence
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/ch-14-3.html>
* The Missions Of Understanding
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/ch-14-4.html>
* A Major Thermal Event?
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/ch-14-5.html>
* Beads Of Orange Glass
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/ch-14-6.html>
* Appendix I: A New Way Of Exploration
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/ch-14-7.html>
* Appendix II: Touring The Moon
<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/ch-14-8.html>


snip

Scientific and Technical Information Office
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Washington, DC
SP-350, Published 1975
Snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Maelstrom II Update: Clarke Turns 90, Dec 16

Jeroen Lapre' sent some of us an e-mail reminding us that Arthur C.
Clarke completes 90 Orbits around our Sun.
(See copy below. - LRK -)

You can view the Arthur's reflections on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qLdeEjdbWE

Looking forward to Jeroen's short movie based on Arthur C. Clarke's
short story 'MAELSTROM II'.
http://www.distant-galaxy.com/maelstrom2/MaelstromII.html

Maybe you would like to learn more about Arthur C. Clarke.
http://www.clarkefoundation.org/
http://www.clarkefoundation.org/acc/biography.php
http://www.clarkefoundation.org/acc/bibliography.php
http://www.clarkefoundation.org/acc/vita.php


Who of you will thrill us with your writings about the adventures of
moving to space?
- LRK -


Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
Copy of e-mail from Jeroen Lapre' - LRK -
-----------------------------------------------------------
Dear Maelstrom II Cast, Crew, Consultants, and Friends,

it is with some emotion I share this Maelstrom II update.

Sir Arthur C. Clarke will be turning 90, 16th December, 2007, Sri Lanka
time.

Which will be tomorrow, 15th December, San Francisco time.

I have updated the Maelstrom II website, with a news link at the top,
and the Clarke Side Bar Link with same.

It features a 9 minute YouTube video retrospective, of Sir Arthur's 90
orbits around our Sun.

You may need to refresh your browsers to see the updates:

http://www.distant-galaxy.com/maelstrom2/MaelstromII.html

If you do not see the update on the Maelstrom II page, you can view the
video directly here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qLdeEjdbWE

Best wishes,

Jeroen Lapre'
technical director
www.ilm.com <http://www.ilm.com>

producer/director
www.distant-galaxy.com <http://www.distant-galaxy.com>
Snip
==============================================================
http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001133/
The Planetary Society Weblog
By Emily Lakdawalla
Video greeting from Sir Arthur C. Clarke

Snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Space shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission to ISS new target date January 02, 2008

Well the shuttle was scheduled to lift off at 4:31 p.m. EST on Thursday
to begin mission STS-122.
That didn't happen because of a failure of two Engine Cutoff (ECO) low
level sensors for the liquid Hydrogen in the external tank during filling.

Rescheduled for today, December 9, 2007, which is now a no go as well as
one of the ECO sensors gave a false reading.
Launch now put off until no earlier than January 2, 2008.

The liftoff date depends on the resolution of a problem in a fuel sensor
system.
See NASA press release below.
- LRK -

More Shuttle info:
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/shuttle_station/index.html

Closer to home, what do you do when your engine warning sensor light
comes on?
Something not up to specs, maybe a problem, can you get home before you
start making smog or it stalls?
What can you do until it is more convenient to take it to the garage?
Decisions, what is safe?

When you go to the Moon, what warning sensors will you need?
Do you have enough water?
Do you have enough Oxygen for breathing?
Do you have enough atmospheric pressure to do your breathing?
Is the temperature within limits?
How much radiation exposure?

Then what do you do if any are outside of norms?
Do you adjust the norms?
Decisions, what is safe, what can you get by with?

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================


NASA Targets Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch on Jan. 2
<http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/dec/HQ_07273_January_launch.html>

*12.09.07* - Space shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission to the ISS now is
targeted to launch no earlier than Jan. 2 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/dec/HQ_07273_January_launch.html

Dec. 9, 2007

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3749
katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov

Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 07-273

NASA TARGETS SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS LAUNCH ON JAN. 2

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission to the
International Space Station now is targeted to launch no earlier than
Jan. 2 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The liftoff date depends on
the resolution of a problem in a fuel sensor system.

Early Sunday, one of the four engine cutoff, or ECO, sensors inside
the liquid hydrogen section of Atlantis' external fuel tank gave a
false reading while the tank was being filled. NASA's current Launch
Commit Criteria require that all four sensors function properly.

The sensor system is one of several that protect the shuttle's main
engines by triggering their shut down if fuel runs unexpectedly low.
Atlantis' scheduled launch on Thursday, Dec. 6, was delayed after two
liquid hydrogen ECO sensors gave false readings.

The main objective of Atlantis' 11-day mission is to install and
activate the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory, which will
provide scientists around the world the ability to conduct a variety
of life, physical and materials science experiments.

For the latest information about the STS-122 mission and the ECO
sensor system, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

-end-


Snip
==============================================================
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
snip
*Media Resources*
� STS-122 Press Kit
<http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/203212main_sts122_presskit3.pdf> (15 Mb PDF)
� STS-122 Fact Sheet
<http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/203203main_STS122Fact%20Sheet.pdf> (7.6 Mb PDF)
� STS-122 TV Schedule
<http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/mission_schedule.html>
� ECO Sensor's Morning Press Briefing
<http://mfile.akamai.com/18565/rm/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/real.nas
a-global/ksc/ksc_120607_sts122_scrub.ram
>
(Real Player Video)

*Engine Cutoff (ECO) sensors graphics:*
� LH_2 ECO Sensor Locations
<http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/122488main_ECO_sensors.jpg>
� Overall Schematic of ECO and Liquid Level (Point) Sensors
<http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/122586main_ECO_charts1.JPG>
� Orbiter Avionics Bays
<http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/122587main_ECO_charts2.JPG>
� Orbiter Aft Avionics Bays
<http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/122588main_ECO_charts3.JPG>
� Functional Block Diagram of Point Sensor Box
<http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/122589main_ECO_charts4.JPG>
� Exploded View of Point Sensor Box
<http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/122590main_ECO_charts5.JPG>

Snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================