New Orleans (LPH 11) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 15 text:

ia N N . 0:0 Q O 0 Legend 1 Apollo 14 traverse Preplanned traverse Sharp crater rim Subdued crater rim Blocks larger than 1 meier - . iv I r 4-NM o Wrou- Boulder Field X . TV ANTARES 1 Boulder Fieid x, ,, ' - f'Thumper area. Numbers indicate locations of r geophanersansors. r Mggp , rrrr r Laser Ranging Retroflecior 200 Meters r. E gli, I 4 r Ml 0 :U A 11

Page 14 text:

There were five scientific experiments left ony the Moon by the Apollo 14 astronauts. They were: Passive Seismic Experiment QPSE1, Active Seismic Experiment CASE1, Suprathermal lon Detector CSIDE1, Cold Cathod lon Gage ICCIG1, and Charged Particle Lunar Environ- mental Experiment lCPLEE1. One additional experiment was deployed near the other experiments, the Laser Ranging Retro-Reflector ILRRR of LR31. The ASE, SIDE, CCIG and CPLEE experiments were all part of the robot laboratory called ALSEP, meaning Apollo Lunar Scientific Experiment Package. Nearly the entire first Moon walk period of Apollo was taken up to establish it. The seismometer and most of the other experiments in that package were designed to continue operation for at least one year after the astronauts' departure from the Moon. A small nuclear power gener- ator in ALSEP is providing the necessary electricity for operating the instruments, the heaters that keep them warm during the cold two-week-long lunar night and the automated radio transmitter than relays information to Earth. PASSIVE SEISMIC EXPERIMENT The PSE will measure seismic activity of the Moon and gather and relay information to Earth on the physical properties of the lunar crust and interior. The PSE will report seismic data on the man-made impacts fLM ascent stage1, natural impacts of meteorites, and Moonquakes. Dr. Gary Latham of the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory is responsible for the PSE design and sub- sequent experiment analysis. A similiar PSE, deployed as part of the Apollo 12 experiments near Surveyor Crater in November 1969, has transmitted to Earth data on lunar surface seismic events since that time. However, another seismometer left at Tranquillity Base in july 1969 by Apollo 11 was powered by solar cells and could transmit data only during the lunar day. It is no longer functioning. When Apollo 14 made its translunar injection, they sent the spent S-IVB stage and the instrument unit to the Moon. This stimulated the passive seismometer near Sur- veyor Crater. A The S-IVB unit weighed 30,836 pounds and when it hit the Moon, it was traveling about 4,942 nautical miles per hour. It provided an energy source at impact equiva- lent to about 11 tons of TNT. After Shepard and Mitchell had made their rendezvous with the command module, the lunar module ascent stage was jettisoned and later ground-commanded :to impact on the lunar surface about 32 statute miles from the Apollo 14 landing site at Fra Mauro. ACTIVE SEISMIC EXPERIMENT The Active Seismic .experiment QASE1 produced data on the physical structure and bearing strength of the lunar surface by measuring seismic waves. There were two types of man-made seismic sources used with the ASE: a crew-actuated pyrotechnic thumper and a mortar-like device from which four rocket propelled projectiles could be launched by command from Earth. Naturally produced seismic events will be detected passively by the ASE. The seismic waves are tested by geophones deployed by the crew. Data on wave penetration, fre- quency spectra and velocity to lunar depths' of 500 feet will be obtained and passed to the Apollo Lunar Scientific Experimental Package central station for trans- mittal to Earth. Dr. Robert Kovach of Stanford Uni- versity is the Principal Investigator. The mortar like device was deployed, aligned and acti- vated about 10 feet northwest of the ALSEP central station. The four grenade-like projectiles were to be launched sometime after the crew returned. The crew fired 21 thumper charges at 15 foot inter- vals along a geophone line that they set up at 10, 160 and 310 feet from the ALSEP central station. The thumper serves as a storage and transport rack for the geophones and their connecting cable. SUPRATHERMAL ION DETECTOR EXPERIMENT AND COLD CATHODE ION GAUGE EXPERIMENT The Suprathermal lon Detector Experiment CSIDE1 will measure flux, composition, energy and velocity of low energy positive ions and the high energy solar wind flux of positive ions. Combined with the SIDE is the Cold Cathode lon Gage Experiment CCCIG1. It analyzes gases which are escaping from the rocks and the Moon's interior in minute quantities or gases arriving on the Moon from the Sun. Data gathered by the SIDE will yield the following information: Q11 interaction between ions reaching the Moon from outer space and captured by lunar gravity and those ions that escape, 121 whether or not secondary ions are generated by ions impacting the lunar surface, Q31 whether volcanic processes exist on the Moong C41 effects of the ambient electric field, Q51 loss rate of contaminants left in the landing area by the LEM and the crew, and 161 ambient lunar atmosphere pressure. Dr. john Freeman of Rice University is the SIDE Principal Investigator and Dr. Francis S. johnson of the University of Texas is the CCIG Principal Investigator. CHARGED PARTICLE LUNAR ENVIRONMENT EXPERIMENT The Charged Particle Lunar Environment Experiment QCPLEE1 is designed to measure electrons and protons and other atomic particles that bombard the Moon from space. In this way, the CPLEE is a step toward answering the perplexing questions about the workings of the Earth's magnetic environment. Dr. Brian j. O'Brian of the University of Sidney is the Principal Investigator. LASER RANGING RETRO-REFLECTOR EXPERIMENT The Laser Ranging Retro-Reflector ,Experiment QLRRR1 consists of 100 reflective quartz cubes which the astronauts adjusted so they face toward the Earth. Con- centrated light beams from lasers can be directed from Earth to the instrument which reflects them back to Earth. By measuring the time consumed for the roundtrip, scientists can determine Earth-Moon distances, and also distances between points on Earth, with unprecedented precision. By timing the roundtrip time for the laser pulse to reach the LRRR and return, observatories on Earth can calculate the exactdistance from the observatory to the LRRR location on the Moon within a tolerance of 15 cm. A similiar LRRR was deployed at Tranquility Scientific Experiments Package QEASEP1. The goal is to set up LRRR's at three lunar locations to establish abso- lute control points in the study of Moon motion. The LRRR will additionally be used in the study of fluctuations in the Earth's rotation rate, wobbling motions of the Earth on its axis, the Moon's size and orbital shape, and the possibility of a slow decrease in the gravitational constant G , Dr. james Faller of Wesleyan University is the LRRR Principal Investigator. .-111' 3. lj ll l . I I I 1 gl 4 1 i I I I I l

Page 16 text:

Captain Edgar 1. Boudinot lr., USN The USS New Orleans was desig- nated as the primary recovery ship for Apollo 14 in early September 1970. The ship immediately commenced preparing for the mission. ln October, New Orleans went to sea for prelimi- nary tests with a boilerplate mock-up of the command module and a special aircraft crane that might be used as a backup for recovering the command module. The first conference between the New Orleans, Commander Task Force 130, and NASA personnel was held on board the USS New Orleans in November. During this period of preparation until December 15th, Captain Edgar j. Boudinot lr. was Commanding Officer of the ship. Captain Boudinot was born in Turlock, California and entered the Navy in 1942. He ,received his com- mission as an Ensign in the United States Navy and was designated a Naval Aviator in November 1943. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals for combat action during World War ll. In addition, he earned his second Distin- guished Flying Cross and two Air Medals, while flying combat missions in Korea. Captain Boudinot received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Maryland in September 1960 and received his Master of Science Degree in 1965 at George Washington University. ln September 1965, Captain Boudinot became Commanding Officer of the USS Bexar KAPA-2371 where he served until ordered to the aviation department of the Fleet Training Group in San Diego, CA. Captain Boudinot assumed com- mand of the USS New Orleans CLPH-111 on December 18,1969. The change of command of New Orleans was just one short year later in December 1970. New orders for Captain Boudinot read: Staff of Commander-in-Chief United States Naval Forces, Europe, located in London. USS New Orleans' new Com- manding Officer was Captain Robert E. Moore, iopposite pagel who had just finished serving as Commanding Officer of the USS Duluth QLPD-6l. Captain Moore assumed command of New Orleans on December 15, 1970. Captain Robert E. Moore was com- missioned Ensign on April 1, 1945 in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was then assigned to Fighter Squadron NINETY-EIGHT, followed next- by Night Development Squadron Pacific. Subsequent tours in squadron in- cluded Fighter Squadrons 151, 94 and 111 as Executive Officer and later as Commanding Officer. Captain Moore served as Com- mander, Attack Carrier Air Wingl l, from November 1964 to December 1965 and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal and Purple Heart. He attended the University of Southern California in 1947, General Line School in 1950, Naval Post- graduate School in 1952-53, Empire Test Pilot School in 1955 and the Naval War College in 1964. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Aeronautical Engineering and a Masters Degree in International Relations. Captain Robert E. Moore