Apollo Artifacts

Apollo 17 Command Module Flown CSM Malfunction Procedures Book

From the Personal Collection Mission Commander Gene Cernan this 8.5" x 10.5" book of approximately 140 pages separated by tabs bound in stiff covers with three binder rings.

The tabs include (in order) G&C, SCS, G&N, SPS, RCS, CRYO, FUEL CELL, PW, T/C, ECS, EMS, DOCK & HATCH, EVA, CAMERA, and REAL TIME CHECKLIST.

The Part Number is "SKB32100123-341" and the Serial Number is "1001". This is essentially a troubleshooting guide for anything that might have gone wrong with the command module and thus was a critical and important reference on board the flight.

Apollo 13 flown launch abort cue card

This cue card was from the personal collection of Fred W. Haise, Apollo 13 Lunar Module Pilot.

The information that Haise supplied about the card reads:
"This cue card was carried around the moon on the flight of Apollo 13 during April 11 to 17, 1971. This card was positioned on the instrument panel with Velcro during the launch to be used in the event of a Mode III abort. This abort mode became available in the period of launch just before achieving the Abort-to-Orbit capability. On the cards are blanks to be filled in for a manually executed SPS retrograde maneuver such as Time Of Ignition (TIG), Burn Time (BT), Pitch attitude, Ground Elapsed Time (GET) to reach 300k feet altitude, Pitch attitude reaching .05G, and the time for Drogue parachute deployment. The burn was to change velocity by 6999.9 feet per second to assure an Atlantic splashdown short of the African continent. We did not have to use this card but did have to deal with a much more complicated abort case on Apollo 13."

Gene Cernan's Apollo 17 lunar surface flown APK

This beta cloth Astronaut Preference Kit belonged to Apollo 17 Commander Gene Cernan "the last man on the moon" and was flown to the lunar surface. The APK was carried to lunar orbit in December 1972 aboard the Command Module America and was then transferred to the Lunar Module Challenger for the descent to the moon.

This bag remained on the moon inside the LM for more than three days, the longest stay of any lunar mission. After docking with the command module in lunar orbit after lunar surface operations, the APK was transferred back into America for the return trip to Earth. In total, this APK spent more than twelve and a half days in space, and a record of more than six days in lunar orbit or on the surface. It traveled a remarkable 1.3 million miles during the mission.

The Apollo 17 lunar landing site was the Taurus-Littrow highlands and valley area. This site was picked as a location where rocks both older and younger than those previously returned from other Apollo missions. Apollo 17 was the final in a series of three J-type missions planned for the Apollo program. These J-type missions can be distinguished from previous G and H-series missions by extended hardware capability, larger scientific payload capacity and by the use of the battery powered Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV).

APKs were permitted by NASA to contain items for the astronauts' personal use, or for use by them as personal gifts. APKs carried on board the Lunar Module were limited to just one half pound per astronaut.

The APK, marked "SEC 12100087-301 S/N 1007 ASTRONAUT KIT," appears in the Apollo Storage List for mission J-3, CM 114, LM-12 dated 12-12-72. The bag is approximately 4" x 8" x 1.5" with a drawstring top and original red wax seal. It has been cut open around the back near the top.

Also included in the collection is the original NASA Astronaut Preference Kit Release Form for this APK. The form (click the photo to see a larger image), signed by Gene Cernan and Tom Stafford, acknowledges receipt of the Astronaut Preference Kit from Command Module 114. Dated December 21, 1972 (two days after the return of Apollo 17), this official form shows all of the steps necessary for the transfer of the APK from NASA to Captain Cernan after the flight. At the time, Tom Stafford was Deputy Director of Flight Crew Operations at the NASA Manned Spaceflight Center and was responsible for assisting the director in planning and implementation of programs for the astronaut group.

Apollo 17 was the first mission to be under scrutiny after the discovery of a stash of unauthorized postal covers that were flown on Apollo 15 and subsequently sold. Apollo 16 had already flown by the time of the Apollo 15 discovery. The Astronaut Preference Kit Policy permitted Apollo flight crew to carry certain items of a personal nature on each manned spacecraft flight and the items must have been carried in an approved Astronaut Preference Kit. The articles carried in the APK are for the astronauts' personal use, or for use by them as personal gifts.

When I asked him, Captain Cernan said that he didn't recall why he cut the bag open in the back. However he thought that he wanted to preserve the red wax seal. 

He told me that he recalled carrying his wedding ring, his mother’s rosary, and some photos of his family in the APK. He said that in total there were only about a dozen items flown to the lunar surface in his APK.

Apollo Lunar Module MESA locking and deployment mechanism

This fascinating artifact is a locking and deployment mechanism for the Modular Equipment Storage Assembly (MESA) located in quad 4 of the Lunar Module decent stage. The MESA lowered like a drawbridge once the astronauts activated this mechanism upon exiting the LM.

In the G-Series mission (Apollo 11) and H-Series missions (Apollos 12, 13, & 14) the MESA was packed with equipment needed to explore and study the lunar surface (cameras, film magazines, geology equipment, sample return containers, and tools).  Later on the J-Series missions (Apollos 15-17) it also carried some parts of the Lunar Roving Vehicle, as well as spare supplies for extended lunar stay time by the LM crew (LiOH cans, PLSS batteries, etc.).

The MESA was deployed via the astronaut pulling the MESA deployment actuating handle "D handle" located on the egress platform "porch" of the lunar module.  As the cable pulled the cam, it disengaged a lock pin from a pivot arm. A "key" prevented the lock pin from interfering with its on disengagement from a locking post on the MESA as it slid into a slot.  Once this was done, lunar gravity took over and deployed the MESA downward into position. Once deployed, the MESA served as a work station for the astronauts.   

I acquired this artifact from someone who was affiliated with Grumman (manufacturer of the Lunar Module).  It is approx 10 inches long and 6 inches wide, made (almost) from one solid piece (titanium?) with an amazing assortment of angles and undercuts, a channel for the sliding part, and "ear" extensions that are almost paper thin.

The markings are a bit difficult to read but appear to be:
LDW 280M17816  ZOA6  MRR106498  LOT 3

Brass Flashlight Designed for NASA Apollo Missions

This flashlight was made by ACR for NASA. ACR contracted out the flashlights to Fulton Industries in Wauseon Ohio. It is stamped ACR FA- 5 Serial No. 3016 Date of Mfg. 8-72. This flashlight has no known history of being on an Apollo mission. It still works brilliantly.

Apollo spacecraft accessories bag

Bags of this type were used by astronauts to store items in the Command Module and Lunar Module. While  bags of this type flew on most Apollo missions, unfortunately the Apollo Stowage Lists did not record the serial numbers of the bags that flew to the moon.

This accessories bag was manufactured by Welson & Co. on February 5, 1971. It is part number SEB 13100114-701, serial number 1257

Weekend with Apollo astronauts and a shuttle launch at Kennedy Space Center

This past weekend I attended the Sims & Hankow event at the Kennedy Space Center and also had a chance to see the launch of STS-117 (Space Shuttle Atlantis). What a cool weekend to meet and chat with Apollo astronauts, mission control specialists, and others from the original American space programs.

I saw the launch (7:38PM) from the causeway. This photo is with a cheap digital camera with very little zoom applied. It is basically how I saw the launch.

About an hour later, the contrails mixing with the sunset created a terrific image behind the KSC rocket garden. I’ve never seen anything quite like those white swirling contrails against a blue black sky.

The dinner on Saturday night was terrific. The Saturn V center at KSC was an ideal venue. Ran into real and virtual friends including Larry, Noah, Jason, Mike & Miranda, Robert, Steve, Mark, and others.

I was lucky to sit at Gene Cernan’s table and enjoyed his stories of landing on the moon and his thoughts at being “the Last Man on the Moon.”

Alan Bean sketch

Here is a fun little sketch of the CSM by artist and moonwalker Alan Bean (Apollo 12). I'll probably frame it, but I can't decide if I should include something else in the frame such as a mission photo.

Apollo CSM "Cobra Head" communications control assembly

This beautifully crafted communications control assembly was used for routing communications, biomedical signals, and warning tones. The control head, often referred to as a "Cobra Head" by the astronauts, allowed the astronaut to speak to crewmates over the intercom (I'COM) or to Houston (XMIT).  This example contains NASA stamps identification part numbers V56-715100-21 0632 and the serial number AAJ9360.

The photo of Apollo 17 astronauts Gene Cernan (left) and Ron Evans provide a fine example of what this artifact would have looked like in flight.

Thanks to John Fongheiser of Historic Space Systems the technical description of this artifact.

Apollo 13 flown couch material Lucite intended for Apollo 13 movie VIPs

The bottom of this fascinating artifact reads: "This is a segment of the actual backing restraint material removed from mission commander James A Lovell's spacecraft couch aboard the Apollo 13 command module 'Odyssey'. This artifact symbolizes one of the greatest human dramas to ever unfold in space during the near catastrophic mission of Apollo 13, April 11-17, 1970. Presented by the Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center as a tribute to your participation in the development of Universal Studio's movie production of 'Apollo 13'."

The Apollo 13 command module is displayed at the Kansas Cosmophere. A small number of these lucite artifacts were sold to the public to raise money and even fewer were given away to the VIPs who worked on the Apollo 13 movie.