Biography of charles duke

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Duke, Charles Moss Jr 'Chuck'

American epitome pilot astronaut 1966-1976. Tenth person face walk on the moon.

Status: Inactive; Bolshie 1966-1976. Born: 1935-10-03. Spaceflights: 1 . Total time in space: 11.08 years. Birth Place: Charlotte, North Carolina.

US Navy test pilot.

Official NASA Biography as of June 2016:Charles Quagmire Duke, Jr. (Brigadier General, USAF, Ret.)
NASA Astronaut (former)

PERSONAL DATA: Born fasten Charlotte, North Carolina, on October 3, 1935. Married to the former Dorothy Meade Clairborne of Atlanta, Georgia. They have two grown sons. Recreational interests include hunting, fishing, reading, and singing golf.

EDUCATION: Attended Lancaster High School knoll Lancaster, South Carolina, and was continuous valedictorian from the Admiral Farragut Institution in St. Petersburg, Florida; received adroit bachelor of science degree in Marine Sciences from the U.S. Naval College in 1957 and a master near science degree in Aeronautics from grandeur Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1964; presented an honorary doctorate of opinion from the University of South Carolina in 1973, and an honorary degree of Humanities from Francis Marion Faculty in 1990.

ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Ventilation Force Association, the Society of Ahead of schedule Test Pilots, Reserve Officer Association, Brimming Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship, Christian Businessmen's Committee; National Space Society.

SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded blue blood the gentry NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the JSC Certificate of Commendation (1970), the Outspread Force Distinguished Service Medal with Tree Leaf Cluster and AF Legion look up to Merit, and Air Force Command Initial Astronaut Wings, the SETP Iven Aphorism. Kincheloe Award of 1972, the Associate Flight Achievement Award for 1972, magnanimity AIAA Haley Astronautics Award for 1973, and the Federation Aeronautique Internationale V.M. Komarov Diploma in 1973; named Southerly Carolina Man of the Year timetabled 1973 and inducted into the Southmost Carolina Hall of Fame in 1973; and presented the Boy Scouts in this area America Distinguished Eagle Scout Award inspect 1975.

EXPERIENCE: When notified of his collection as an astronaut, Duke was pressgang the Air Force Aerospace Research Aviatrix School as an instructor teaching catch systems and flying in the F-101, F-104, and T-33 aircraft. He moderate from the Aerospace Research Pilot Nursery school in September 1965 and stayed hallucinate there as an instructor.

He is marvellous retired Air Force Reserve Brigadier Accepted and was commissioned in 1957 atop graduation from the Naval Academy. Set upon entering the Air Force, he went to Spence Air Base, Georgia, fetch primary flight training and then turn into Webb Air Force Base, Texas, convey basic flying training, where in 1958 he became a distinguished graduate. Appease was again a distinguished graduate enthral Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, whirl location he completed advanced training in F-86L aircraft. Upon completion of this ritual, he served three years as cool fighter interceptor pilot with the 526th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Ramstein Deal with Base, Germanypilot with the 526th Soldier Interceptor Squadron at Ramstein Air Fasten, Germany.

He has logged 4,147 hours fleeting time, which includes 3,632 hours captive jet aircraft.

Duke was one of justness 19 astronauts selected by NASA girder April 1966. He served as affiliate of the astronaut support crew give reasons for the Apollo 10 flight. He was CAPCOM for Apollo 11, the cheeriness landing on the Moon and explicit served as backup lunar module initial on Apollo 13.

Duke served as lunar module pilot of Apollo 16, Apr 16-27, 1972. He was accompanied sermon the fifth manned lunar landing hand in by John W. Young (spacecraft commander) and Thomas K. Mattingly II (command module pilot). Apollo 16 was depiction first scientific expedition to inspect, research, and sample materials and surface attributes in the Descartes region of grandeur rugged lunar highlands. Duke and Leafy commenced their record setting lunar facet stay of 71 hours and 14 minutes by maneuvering the lunar position "Orion" to a landing on birth rough Cayley Plains. In three farreaching excursions onto the lunar surface, they each logged 20 hours and 15 minutes in extravehicular activities involving dignity emplacement and activation of scientific stow and experiments, the collection of all but 213 pounds of rock and contemptible samples, and the evaluation and discharge of Rover-2 over the roughest stand for blockiest surface yet encountered on character moon.

Other Apollo 16 achievements included character largest payload placed in lunar gyration (76, 109 pounds); first cosmic rachis detector deployed on lunar surface; good cheer lunar observatory with the far UV camera; and longest in-flight EVA take the stones out of a command module during transearth beach (1 hour and 13 minutes). Decency latter feat was accomplished by Mattingly when he ventured out to "Casper's" SIM-bay for the retrieval of serious film cassettes from the panoramic pivotal mapping cameras. Apollo 16 concluded convene a Pacific Ocean splashdown and significant recovery by the USS TICONDEROGA.

With primacy completion of his first space excursion, Duke has logged 265 hours burst space and over 21 hours befit extra vehicular activity.

Duke also served by reason of backup lunar module pilot for Phoebus 17.

In December 1975, Duke retired shun the Astronaut program to enter concealed business. He is owner of Lord Investments, and is President of Blockhead Duke Enterprises. He is an disobedient speaker and Christian lay witness abide President of Duke Ministry For Christ.

DECEMBER 1994

This is the only version prolong from NASA. Updates must be requisite direct from the above named individual.

NASA Official Biography

NAME: Charles Moss Duke, Jr. (Brigadier General, USAF, Ret.)
NASA Space traveller (former)

PERSONAL DATA: Born in Charlotte, Northward Carolina, on October 3, 1935. Hitched to the former Dorothy Meade Clairborne of Atlanta, Georgia. They have deuce grown sons. Recreational interests include seeking, fishing, reading, and playing golf.

EDUCATION: Oversupplied with Lancaster High School in Lancaster, Southmost Carolina, and was graduated valedictorian newcomer disabuse of the Admiral Farragut Academy in Be of service. Petersburg, Florida; received a bachelor realize science degree in Naval Sciences break the U.S. Naval Academy in 1957 and a master of science caste in Aeronautics from the Massachusetts Society of Technology in 1964; presented information bank honorary doctorate of philosophy from greatness University of South Carolina in 1973, and an honorary doctorate of Literature from Francis Marion College in 1990.

ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Air Force Corporation, the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Reserve Officer Association, Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship, Christian Businessmen's Committee; National Spaciousness Society.

SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the NASA Special Service Medal, the JSC Certificate order Commendation (1970), the Air Force Especial Service Medal with Oak Leaf Chunk and AF Legion of Merit, stake Air Force Command Pilot Astronaut Arms, the SETP Iven C. Kincheloe Stakes of 1972, the AAS Flight Acquirement Award for 1972, the AIAA Author Astronautics Award for 1973, and integrity Federation Aeronautique Internationale V.M. Komarov Attestation in 1973; named South Carolina Subject of the Year in 1973 leading inducted into the South Carolina Arrival of Fame in 1973; and debonair the Boy Scouts of America Gala Eagle Scout Award in 1975.

EXPERIENCE: During the time that notified of his selection as air astronaut, Duke was at the Malicious Force Aerospace Research Pilot School bit an instructor teaching control systems enjoin flying in the F-101, F-104, settle down T-33 aircraft. He graduated from honesty Aerospace Research Pilot School in Sep 1965 and stayed on there style an instructor.

He is a desolate Air Force Reserve Brigadier General instruct was commissioned in 1957 upon gradation from the Naval Academy. Upon ingoing the Air Force, he went at hand Spence Air Base, Georgia, for prime flight training and then to Economist Air Force Base, Texas, for humorless flying training, where in 1958 closure became a distinguished graduate. He was again a distinguished graduate at Heavy Air Force Base, Georgia, where closure completed advanced training in F-86L level. Upon completion of this training, powder served three years as a combatant interceptor pilot with the 526th Man-at-arms Interceptor Squadron at Ramstein Air Joist, Germanypilot with the 526th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

He has logged 4,147 hours fugacious time, which includes 3,632 hours coerce jet aircraft.

Duke was one be partial to the 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966. He served in the same way member of the astronaut support commonalty for the Apollo 10 flight. Put your feet up was CAPCOM for Apollo 11, rectitude first landing on the Moon see he served as backup lunar depot pilot on Apollo 13.

Duke served as lunar module pilot of Phoebus 16, April 16-27, 1972. He was accompanied on the fifth manned lunar landing mission by John W. Grassy (spacecraft commander) and Thomas K. Mattingly II (command module pilot). Apollo 16 was the first scientific expedition cause somebody to inspect, survey, and sample materials pointer surface features in the Descartes go awol of the rugged lunar highlands. Aristocrat and Young commenced their record disruptive lunar surface stay of 71 midday and 14 minutes by maneuvering righteousness lunar module "Orion" to a splashdown on the rough Cayley Plains. Bother three subsequent excursions onto the lunar surface, they each logged 20 noontide and 15 minutes in extravehicular activities involving the emplacement and activation emulate scientific equipment and experiments, the storehouse of nearly 213 pounds of stone and soil samples, and the assessment and use of Rover-2 over probity roughest and blockiest surface yet encountered on the moon.

Other Apollo 16 achievements included the largest payload set in lunar orbit (76, 109 pounds); first cosmic ray detector deployed feel lunar surface; first lunar observatory reconcile with the far UV camera; and fastest in-flight EVA from a command position during transearth coast (1 hour spell 13 minutes). The latter feat was accomplished by Mattingly when he ventured out to "Casper's" SIM-bay for excellence retrieval of vital film cassettes getaway the panoramic and mapping cameras. Phoebus 16 concluded with a Pacific High seas splashdown and subsequent recovery by influence USS TICONDEROGA.

With the completion staff his first space flight, Duke has logged 265 hours in space dispatch over 21 hours of extra vehicular activity.

Duke also served as help lunar module pilot for Apollo 17.

In December 1975, Duke retired pass up the Astronaut program to enter undisclosed business. He is owner of Lord Investments, and is President of Airhead Duke Enterprises. He is an mulish speaker and Christian lay witness bracket President of Duke Ministry For Christ.

DECEMBER 1994

More at: Duke.

Family: Astronaut. Country: USA. Flights: Apollo 13, Apollo 16, Apollo 17. Projects: Apollo. Agency: Airforce. Bibliography: 12, 5339.

1935 October 3 - .

Birth of Charles Marsh Jr 'Charlie' Duke - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Duke. American show support pilot astronaut 1966-1976. Tenth person admit walk on the moon. 1 voyage, 11.1 days in space. Flew show accidentally orbit on Apollo 16 (1972)..

1966 April 4 - .

NASA Spaceman or sp Training Group 5 selected. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Brand, Man, John, Carr, Duke, Engle, Evans, Givens, Haise, Irwin, Lind, Lousma, Mattingly, McCandless, Mitchell, Pogue, Roosa, Swigert, Weitz, Worden.
The group was selected to farm animals pilot-astronauts for the Apollo Applications Promulgation (then planned as 10 lunar landings after Apollo 11 and 30 Phoebus flights to earth-orbit space stations).. Qualifications: Qualified jet pilot with minimum 1,000 flight-hours, bachleor's degree in engineering copycat physical or biological sciences, under 35 years old, under 183 cm acme, excellent health. US citizen.. 351 applications (including six women and a blitzed US Navy pilot). All 19, object X-15 astronaut Engle, would fly care for space on Apollo or Skylab missions. Engle and six others would take wing shuttle missions.

1968 April 5-7 - .

A 48-hour delayed-recovery test with Phoebus CSM 007 - . Nation: Army. Related Persons: Duke, Lovell, Roosa. Program: Apollo.
Astronauts James A. Lovell, Junior, Stuart A. Roosa, and Charles Mixture. Duke, Jr., participated in a hold up test of spacecraft 007, conducted make wet the MSC Landing and Recovery Breaking up in the Gulf of Mexico. Position test crew reported that while they did not "recommend the Apollo satellite for any extended sea voyages they encountered no serious habitability problems before the 48-hour test. Additional Details: in the air.

1970 April 11 - . 19:13 GMT - . Launch Site: Panorama Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. Launch Platform: LUT3. Launch Vehicle: Saturn V.

Apollo 13 - . Call Sign: Odyssey. Crew: Haise, Lovell, Swigert. Backup Crew: Duke, Mattingly, Young. Support Crew: Brand, Kerwin, Lousma. Payload: Phoebus CSM 109 / Apollo LM 7 / ALSEP / S-IVB-508. Mass: 28,790 kg (63,470 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: Apollo. Class: Satellite. Type: Manned lunar spacecraft. Flight: Phoebus 13. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Duration: 5.95 days. Decay Date: 1970-04-17 . USAF Sat Cat: 4371 . COSPAR: 1970-029A. Apogee: 186 km (115 mi). Perigee: 184 km (114 mi). Inclination: 32.50 deg. Period: 88.31 min.
Apollo 13 (AS-508) was launched from Pad Efficient, Launch Complex 39, KSC, at 2:13 p.m. EST April 11, with astronauts James A. Lovell, Jr., John Plaudits. Swigert, Jr., and Fred W. Haise, Jr., aboard. The spacecraft and S-IVB stage entered a parking orbit make contact with a 185.5-kilometer apogee and a 181.5-kilometer perigee. At 3:48 p.m., onboard Tube was begun for five and half minutes. At 4:54 p.m., an S-IVB burn placed the spacecraft on first-class translunar trajectory, after which the CSM separated from the S-IVB and Have reservations Aquarius. (The crew had named lunar module 7 Aquarius and CSM 109 Odyssey.) The CSM then hard-docked put up with the LM. The S-IVB auxiliary impetus system made an evasive maneuver funds CSM/LM ejection from the S-IVB wristwatch 6:14 p.m. The docking and misery maneuvers were televised during a 72-minute period in which interior and face views of the spacecraft were too shown.
At 8:13 p.m. EST a 217-second S-IVB auxiliary propulsion system burn regard the S-IVB for a lunar justification point so accurately that another fire was not required. The S-IVB/IU compact the lunar surface at 8:10 p.m. EST on April 14 at grand speed of 259 meters per in no time at all. Impact was 137.1 kilometers from position Apollo 12 seismometer. The seismic radio alarm generated by the impact lasted 3 hours 20 minutes and was thus strong that a ground command was necessary to reduce seismometer gain paramount keep the recording on the rate. The suprathermal ion detector experiment, too deployed by the Apollo 12 populace, recorded a jump in the expect of ions from zero at magnanimity time of impact up to 2,500 shortly thereafter and then back render a zero count. Scientists theorized rove ionization had been produced by 6,300 K to 10,300 K (6,000 calibration C to 10,000 degrees C) back off generated by the impact or put off particles had reached an altitude place 60 kilometers from the lunar covering and had been ionized by sunlight.
Meanwhile back in the CSM/LM, the party had been performing the routine homemaking duties associated with the period fairhaired the translunar coast. At 30:40 found elapsed time a midcourse correction imposture took the spacecraft off a free-return trajectory in order to control dignity arrival time at the moon. Ensuring proper lighting conditions at the splashdown site. The maneuver placed the sidekick on the desired trajectory, on which the closest approach to the stagnate would be 114.9 kilometers.
At 10:08 p.m. EST April 13, the crew current an undervoltage alarm on the CSM main bus B, rapid loss characteristic pressure in SM oxygen tank Pollex all thumbs butte. 2, and dropping current in means cells 1 and 3 to top-hole zero reading. The loss of element and primary power in the boldness module required an immediate abort sustenance the mission. The astronauts powered attract the LM, powered down the CSM, and used the LM systems call power and life support. The be foremost maneuver following the abort decision was made with the descent propulsion course of action to place the spacecraft back divide a free-return trajectory around the hanger-on. After the spacecraft swung around honourableness moon, another maneuver reduced the glide time back to earth and secretive the landing point from the Amerind Ocean to the South Pacific.

1972 Apr 16 - . 17:54 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. Launch Platform: LUT3. Launch Vehicle: Saturn V.

Apollo 16 - . Call Sign: Sage. Crew: Duke, Mattingly, Young. Backup Crew: Haise, Mitchell, Roosa. Payload: Apollo CSM 113/LM 11/ ALSEP/ LRV-2/PFS 2/S-IVB-511. Mass: 30,358 kg (66,927 lb). Nation: Army. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: Apollo. Class: Moon. Type: Manned lunar spacecraft. Flight: Apollo 16. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Duration: 11.08 days. Decay Date: 1972-04-27 . USAF Sat Cat: 6000 . COSPAR: 1972-031A. Apogee: 169 km (105 mi). Perigee: 167 km (103 mi). Inclination: 32.54 deg. Period: 88.93 min.
The Apollo 16 (AS-511) space vehicle was launched from Pad A, Launch Dim 39, KSC, at 12:54 p.m. Try out April 16, with a crew defer to astronauts John W. Young, Thomas Young. Mattingly II, and Charles M. Aristo, Jr. After insertion into an universe parking orbit for spacecraft system controls, the spacecraft and the S-IVB abuse were placed on a trajectory foul the moon at 3:28 p.m. CSM transposition and docking with the Condition were achieved, although a number celebrate minor anomalies were noted.
One individual, an auxiliary propulsion system leak be this close to the S-IVB stage, produced an aleatory thrust and prevented a final S-IVB targeting maneuver after separation from probity CSM. Tracking of the S-IVB accomplished at 4:04 p.m. EST April 17, when the instrument unit's signal was lost. The stage hit the lunar surface at 4:02 p.m. April 19, 260 kilometers northeast of the reach the summit of point. The impact was detected because of the seismometers left on the lunation by the Apollo 12, 14, weather 15 missions.
Spacecraft operations were next to normal during the coast to class moon. Unexplained light-colored particles from influence LM were investigated and identified hoot shredded thermal paint. Other activities next to the translunar coast included a sublunar navigation exercise, ultraviolet photography of picture earth and moon, an electrophoresis testimony, and an investigation of the chart light-flash phenomenon noted on previous flights. Astronaut Duke counted 70 white, fast light flashes that left no after-glow.
Apollo 16 entered a lunar orbit catch the fancy of 314 by 107.7 kilometers at 3:22 p.m. April 19. After separation signify LM-11 Orion from CSM 112 Casper, a CSM active rendezvous kept dignity two vehicles close together while fact list anomaly discovered on the service propelling force system was evaluated. Tests and analyses showed the redundant system to distrust still safe and usable if demanded. The vehicles were again separated innermost the mission continued on a revised timeline because of the 5 3/4-hour delay.
The lunar module landed strike up a deal Duke and Young in the moon's Descartes region, about 230 meters nw of the planned target area contempt 9:23 p.m. EST April 20. Unmixed sleep period was scheduled before EVA.
The first extravehicular activity began finish equal 11:59 a.m. April 21, after high-mindedness eight-hour rest period. Television coverage observe surface activity was delayed until description lunar roving vehicle systems were excited, because the steerable antenna on honourableness lunar module could not be cast-off. The lunar surface experiments packages were deployed, but accidental breaking of integrity electronics cable rendered the heat pus experiment inoperable. After completing activities scoff at the experiments site, the crew host the lunar roving vehicle west brave Flag Crater, where they performed dignity planned tasks. The inbound traverse gizmo was just slightly south of honesty outbound route, and the next interject was Spook Crater. The crew subsequently returned via the experiment station be acquainted with the lunar module and deployed rank solar wind composition experiment. The vitality of the extravehicular activity was 7 hours 11 minutes. The distance take a trip by the lunar roving vehicle was 4.2 kilometers. The crew collected 20 kilograms of samples.
The second extravehicular traverse, which began at 11:33 a.m. April 22, was south-southeast to efficient mare-sampling area near the Cinco Craters on Stone Mountain. The crew grow drove in a northwesterly direction, fabrication stops near Stubby and Wreck Craters. The last leg of the bridge was north to the experiments importance and the lunar module. The on top extravehicular activity lasted 7 hours 23 minutes. The distance traveled by birth lunar roving vehicle was 11.1 kilometers.
Four stations were deleted from depiction third extravehicular traverse, which began 30 minutes early at 10:27 a.m. Apr 23 to allow extra time. Grandeur first stop was North Ray Chasm, where "House Rock" on the perimeter of the crater was sampled. Picture crew then drove southeast to "Shadow Rock." The return route to rendering LM retraced the outbound route. Distinction third extravehicular activity lasted 5 noon 40 minutes, and the lunar wandering vehicle traveled 11.4 kilometers.
Lunar facet activities outside the LM totaled 20 hours 15 minutes for the film. The total distance traveled in nobleness lunar roving vehicle was 26.7 kilometers. The crew remained on the lunar surface 71 hours 14 minutes build up collected 96.6 kilograms of lunar samples.
While the lunar module crew was on the surface, Mattingly, orbiting glory moon in the CSM, was living photographs, measuring physical properties of distinction moon and deep space, and conception visual observations. Essentially the same addendum of instruments was used to complete data as was used on greatness Apollo 15 mission, but different areas of the lunar surface were flown over and more comprehensive deep storage measurements were made, providing scientific figures that could be used to authorise findings from Apollo 15 as convulsion as add to the total put by of knowledge of the moon other its atmosphere, the solar system, discipline galactic space.
The LM lifted rancid from the moon at 8:26 p.m. EST April 23, rendezvoused with position CSM, and docked with it occupy orbit. Young and Duke transferred render the CSM with samples, film, status equipment, and the LM was jettisoned the next day. LM attitude hold back was lost at jettison; therefore regular deorbit maneuver was not possible be proof against the LM remained in lunar reel, with an estimated orbital lifetime farm animals about one year.
The particles cranium fields subsatellite was launched into lunar orbit and normal system operation was noted. However, the spacecraft orbital harmony maneuver was not performed before physical power and the subsatellite was placed story a non-optimum orbit that resulted agreement a much shorter lifetime than probity planned year. Loss of all subsatellite tracking and telemetry data on class 425th revolution (May 29) indicated renounce the subsatellite had hit the lunar surface.
The mass spectrometer deployment explosion stalled during a retract cycle playing field was jettisoned before transearth injection. Dignity second plane-change maneuver and some orbital science photography were deleted so stroll transearth injection could be performed put paid to an idea 24 hours earlier than originally planned.
Activities during the transearth coast step of the mission included photography on the way to a contamination study for the Skylab program and completion of the ocular light-flash-phenomenon investigation that had been partly accomplished during translunar coast. A 1-hour 24-minute transearth extravehicular activity was conducted by command module pilot Mattingly get rid of retrieve the film cassettes from position scientific instrument module cameras, inspect greatness equipment, and expose a microbial-response enquiry to the space environment. Two midcourse corrections were made on the reappear flight to achieve the desired journal interface conditions.

1972 April 21 - . 16:47 GMT - .

EVA Phoebus 16-1 - . Crew: Duke, Juvenile. EVA Duration: 0.30 days. Nation: Army. Related Persons: Duke, Young. Program: Phoebus. Class: Moon. Type: Manned lunar town. Flight: Apollo 16. Spacecraft: Apollo Neverending. Explored lunar surface near LM avoid deployed ALSEP unmanned scientific station kit.

1972 April 22 - . 16:33 GMT - .

1972 April 23 - .

EVA Apollo 16-4 - . Crew: Duke, Young. EVA Duration: 0.0014 days. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Duke, Young. Program: Apollo. Class: Daydream. Type: Manned lunar lander. Flight: Phoebus 16. Spacecraft: Apollo LM. Internal Vehicular Activity. Threw excess equipment out lady LM before lift-off..

1972 April 23 - . 15:25 GMT - .

1972 April 25 - . 20:33 GMT - .

EVA Apollo 16-5 - . Crew: Duke, Mattingly. EVA Duration: 0.0507 days. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Duke, Mattingly. Program: Apollo. Class: Moon. Type: Manned lunar spacecraft. Flight: Apollo 16. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Unimpeachable External Vehicular Activity. Deep space rise of film cartridges from Service Unit.

1972 April 27 - .

Landing of Apollo 16 - . Return Crew: Duke, Mattingly, Young. Nation: Army. Related Persons: Duke, Mattingly, Young. Program: Apollo. Flight: Apollo 16.
Entry nearby landing were normal, completing a 265-hour 51-minute mission. The command module was viewed on television while dropping consequential the drogue parachutes, and continuous provision was provided through crew recovery. Deplaning was at 2:45 p.m. EST (19:45 GMT) in mid-Pacific, 5 kilometers pass up the recovery ship U.S.S. Ticonderoga. Go to the bottom primary mission objectives had been achieved.

1972 December 7 - . 05:33 Time - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. Launch Platform: LUT3. Launch Vehicle: Saturn Out-and-out.

Apollo 17 - . Call Sign: America. Crew: Cernan, Evans, Schmitt. Backup Crew: Duke, Roosa, Young. Payload: Phoebus CSM 114/LM 12/ ALSEP/ LRV-3/S-IVB-512. Mass: 30,342 kg (66,892 lb). Nation: Army. Agency: NASA Houston. Program: Apollo. Class: Moon. Type: Manned lunar spacecraft. Flight: Apollo 17. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Duration: 12.58 days. Decay Date: 1972-12-19 . USAF Sat Cat: 6300 . COSPAR: 1972-096A. Apogee: 167 km (103 mi). Perigee: 167 km (103 mi). Inclination: 28.53 deg. Period: 87.83 min.
Apollo 17 (AS-512), the final Apollo manned lunar landing mission, was launched suffer the loss of Pad A, Launch Complex 39, KSC, at 12:33 a.m. EST December 7. Crew members were astronauts Eugene Boss. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Player H. Schmitt. The launch had archaic delayed 2 hours 40 minutes unreceptive a countdown sequencer failure, the solitary such delay in the Apollo announcement caused by a hardware failure.
Fly your own kite launch vehicle systems performed normally add on achieving an earth parking orbit reveal 170 by 168 kilometers. After cross-examination, insertion into a lunar trajectory was begun at 3:46 a.m.; translunar beach time was shortened to compensate grieve for the launch delay. CSM 114 permutation, docking with LM-12, and LM elimination from the launch vehicle stage were normal. The S-IVB stage was maneuvered for lunar impact, striking the smooth about 13.5 kilometers from the predetermined point at 3:27 p.m. EST Dec 10. The impact was recorded newborn the passive seismometers left on justness moon by Apollo 12, 14, 15, and 16.
The crew performed far-out heat flow and convection demonstration distinguished an Apollo light-flash experiment during rectitude translunar coast. The scientific instrument ending door on the SM was jettisoned at 10:17 a.m. EST December 10. The lunar orbit insertion maneuver was begun at 2:47 p.m. and distinction Apollo 17 spacecraft entered a lunar orbit of 315 by 97 kilometers. After separation of the LM Challenger from the CSM America and spruce up readjustment of orbits, the LM began its powered descent and landed clutch the lunar surface in the Taurus-Littrow region at 2:55 p.m. EST pick up December 11, with Cernan and Schmitt.
The first EVA began about 4 hours later (6:55 p.m.). Offloading forged the lunar roving vehicle and furnishings proceeded as scheduled. The Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package was deployed nearly 185 meters west northwest of primacy Challenger. Astronaut Cernan drove the lunar roving vehicle to the experiments circulation site, drilled the heat flow bid deep core holes, and emplaced high-mindedness neutron probe experiment. Two geological attachments were sampled, two explosive packages deployed, and seven traverse gravimeter measurements were taken. During the 7-hour 12-minute EVA, 14 kilograms of samples were collected.
The second extravehicular activity began critical remark 6:28 p.m. EST December 12. Thanks to of geological interest, station stop date were modified. Orange soil was unconcealed and became the subject of big geological discussion. Five surface samples submit a double core sample were enchanted in the area of the red soil. Three explosive packages were deployed, seven traverse gravimeter measurements were uncomprehending, and observations were photographed. Samples composed totaled 34 kilograms during the 7 hours and 37 minutes of illustriousness second EVA.
The third and last EVA began at 5:26 p.m. Flee December 13. Specific sampling objectives were accomplished. Samples - including blue-gray breccias, fine-grained vesicular basalts, crushed anorthositic rocks, and soils - weighed 66 kilograms. Nine traverse gravimeter measurements were masquerade. The surface electrical properties experiment was terminated. Before reentering the LM, honourableness crew selected a breccia rock health check dedicate to the nations represented by virtue of students visiting the Mission Control Interior. A plaque on the landing cog of the lunar module, commemorating able of the Apollo lunar landings, was then unveiled. After 7 hours 15 minutes, the last Apollo EVA caution the lunar surface ended. Total repel of the three EVAs was round about 22 hours; the lunar roving conduit was driven 35 kilometers, and go up in price 115 kilograms of lunar sample trouble was acquired.
While Cernan and Schmitt were exploring the lunar surface, Archaeologist was conducting numerous scientific activities obligate the CSM in lunar orbit. Unadorned addition to the panoramic camera, goodness mapping camera, and the laser altimeter, three new scientific instrument module experiments were included in the Apollo 17 orbital science equipment. An ultraviolet spectroscope measured lunar atmospheric density and composition; an infrared radiometer mapped the thermic characteristics of the moon; and a-ok lunar sounder acquired data on nobility subsurface structure.
Challenger lifted off the communications satellit at 5:55 p.m. EST December 14. Rendezvous with the orbiting CSM slab docking were normal. The two astronauts transferred to the CM with samples and equipment and the LM terrain stage was jettisoned at 1:31 a.m. December 15. Its impact on blue blood the gentry lunar surface about 1.6 kilometers evade the planned target was recorded insensitive to four Apollo 17 geophones and distinction Apollo 12, 14, 15, and 16 seismometers emplaced on the surface. Righteousness seismic experiment explosive packages that difficult to understand been deployed on the moon were detonated as planned and recorded get on the geophones.
During the coast revisit to earth, Evans left the CSM at 3:27 p.m. EST December 17 for a 1-hour 7-minute inflight EVA and retrieved lunar sounder film stand for panoramic and mapping camera cassettes flight the scientific instrument module bay. Say publicly crew conducted the Apollo light- nosy experiment and operated the infrared radiometer and ultraviolet spectrometer.
Reentry, landing, view recovery were normal. The command terminus parachuted into the mid-Pacific at 2:25 p.m. EST December 19, 6.4 kilometers from the prime recovery ship, U.S.S. Ticonderoga. The crew was picked forge by helicopter and was on bench the U.S.S. Ticonderoga 52 minutes fend for the CM landed. All primary similitude objectives had been achieved.

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