1972-096A
Apollo 17 Crew
- CDR Commander Eugene Cernan, Capt. USN
- CMP Command Module Pilot Ronald Evans, Cdr USN
- LMP Lunar Module Pilot Harrison `Jack' Schmitt, Ph.D., NASA
Apollo CSM 114 was the CSM for the Apollo 17 mission. The crew named it America. Apollo 17 was launched at 0533 on 1972 Dec 7 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. The Saturn V SA-512 delivered Apollo 17 to a 169 x 178 km Earth orbit at 0544.
The S-IVB reignited for translunar injection at 0845. Half an hour later the CSM separated from the Spacecraft Lunar Adapter, the four SLA panels ejected into space. The crew rotated the CSM and came back in to dock with the exposed Lunar Module. The transposition and docking maneuver was complete at 0929, and at 1018 the assembled Apollo 17 spaceship separated from the S-IVB stage.
The crew made a single midcourse correction on the way to the Moon, and a few hours before arrival jettisoned the panel covering the instruments in the SIM (Scientific Instrument Module). The SIM carried the Lunar Sounder, a synthetic aperture radar system operating at 5, 15 and 150 MHz.
Apollo 17 entered lunar orbit with a firing of the CSM's SPS engine at 1947 on Dec 10. On Dec 11, Cernan and Schmitt transferred to the LM, leaving Ron Evans as the sole crewmember aboard America.
At 1721 on Dec 11 the LM Challenger undocked and began its descent to the Moon. Evans changed America's orbit to 100 x 130 km and concentrated on lunar orbit science operations. Two more orbit changes were made on Dec 14, and early on Dec 15 Challenger, back in space, approached the CSM. Challenger docked with America at 0110:15 and Cernan and Schmitt returned to the CM with their cargo of lunar rock. The LM was undocked at 0451 on Dec 15.
The voyage home began at 2335 on Dec 16 with the transearth injection burn. At 2027:40 on Dec 17 the cabin was depressurized. The CMP exited the hatch and translated along the Service Module to the SIM bay, retrieving the panoramic, mapping, and lunar sounder film and data cassettes in three trips. The LMP stood in the hatch and assisted. The hatch was open for 45 minutes, and the CM was depressurized for 1:05:44, until 2133:24. (Another source gives 1:07:18).
On Dec 19 the Service Module was jettisoned and the Command Module began its reentry, with the nominal start of reentry at 1911:38. America splashed down in the Pacific at 1925, and was recovered by the USS Ticonderoga.
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| CSM 114 Mission Log |
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| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|
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| 1972 Dec 7 | 0533:00 | Launch |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0535:19 | S-IC center engine cutoff |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0535:41 | Outboard engine cutoff |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0535:43 | S-IC stage separation, S-II ignition |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0535:45 | Interstage separation |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0536:19 | LES separation |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0540:41 | S-II center engine cutoff |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0542:19 | S-II outboard engine cutoff |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0542:19 | S-II stage separation |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0542:21 | S-IVB-512 ignition |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0544:42 | S-IVB-512 main engine cutoff |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0544:52 | Orbit insertion | 167 x 172 |
| | 0556 | Optics cover off |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0845:37 | S-IVB-512 reignites for a 5m51s TLI burn 3.157km/s |
| | | 139842 kg at TIG, 180 km alt |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0851:38 | Translunar injection (TLI) at 280 km 10.846km/s |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0915:29 | CSM separates from S-IVB/SLA |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 0929:45 | CSM 114 docks with LM 12 (attached to S-IVB) |
| | 0930 | Hard dock, partial latch problem |
| 1972 Dec 7 | 1018:00 | CSM 114/LM 12 separate from S-IVB-512 |
| | | Mass 30317 kg; CSM on impact trajectory prior to MCC2 |
| | | LM mass 16456 kg |
| | 2233 | CSM pass EL4:1 |
| | 2340 | S-IVB pass EL4:1 |
| 1972 Dec 8 | 1703:00 | MCC-2 midcourse correction 2s 3m/s, periline 96 km |
| 1972 Dec 10 | 0410:45 | Equigravisphere |
| 1972 Dec 10 | 1505:40 | SIMbay panel jettison 382000 km range |
| 1972 Dec 10 | 1947:23 | LOI-1 lunar orbit insertion burn (SPS) |
| | | 910 m/s 6:38 |
| 1972 Dec 10 | 1953:56 | Lunar orbit insertion | 97 x 315 km |
| 1972 Dec 11 | 0004:37 | LOI-2/DOI burn 60m/s 22s | 26 x 109 km |
| | 1430 | | 23 x 111 |
| 1972 Dec 11 | 1440? | CDR and LMP transfer to LM 12. |
| | 1600? | HC to LM |
| 1972 Dec 11 | 1720:56 | LM 12 undocking |
| 1972 Dec 11 | 1721 | RCS separation burn |
| 1972 Dec 11 | 1850:29 | Circularization burn, 100 x 130 km orbit |
| 1972 Dec 14 | 1627:05 | Trim burn to 115 x 124 km |
| 1972 Dec 14 | 1726:54 | LOPC-1 lunar orbit plane change burn, to 116 x 116 km |
| 1972 Dec 15 | 0110:15 | LM 12 docked with CSM 114 |
| 1972 Dec 15 | CDR and LMP return to CSM 114 |
| 1972 Dec 15 | 0451:31 | LM 12 undocked |
| | | CSM mass 16576 kg |
| 1972 Dec 15 | 0456:31 | Separation burn, to 113 x 118 km |
| 1972 Dec 16 | 2335:09 | SPS Transearth Injection (TEI) burn |
| 1972 Dec 16 | 2337:33 | CSM 114 leaves lunar orbit |
| 1972 Dec 17 | 1332? | Leave lunar sphere |
| 1972 Dec 17 | 2027:40 | EVA depress |
| | 2031 | HO |
| | 2032? | Jett bag? |
| | 2037 | CMP egress |
| | 2119 | CMP ingress |
| | 2120 | HC |
| | 2123 | Begin repress |
| | 2123 | Rep. 0.7psi |
| | 2134 | Rep. 3.5psi |
| 1972 Dec 19 | 1611:01 | MCC-7 midcourse correction |
| 1972 Dec 19 | 1856:49 | SM-114 separation |
| 1972 Dec 19 | 1911:38 | Entry interface |
| 1972 Dec 19 | 1924:59 | Splashdown in Pacific Ocean |
| 1972 Dec 19 | 2128 | Recovered by USS Ticonderoga |
