Apollo 14 Objectives

Apollo 14 Objectives

 

 

Spacecraft Primary Objectives

 

1.      To perform selenological inspection, survey, and sampling of materials in a preselected region of the Fra Mauro formation. Achieved.

 

2.      To deploy and activate the Apollo lunar surface experiments package. Achieved.

 

3.      To develop man's capability to work in the lunar environment. Achieved.

 

4.      To obtain photographs of candidate exploration sites. Achieved.

 

 

Detailed Objectives

 

1.      Contingency sample collection. Achieved.

 

2.      Photography of a candidate exploration site. Partially achieved. On the low‑altitude pass (fourth revolution), the camera malfunctioned and no usable photography was obtained of Descartes. During the stereo strip photographic pass, the S‑band high‑gain antenna malfunctioned and consequently no camera shutter‑open data were obtained.

 

3.      Visibility at high sun angles. Partially achieved. The last of four sets of observations was deleted to provide another opportunity to photograph the Descartes area; however sufficient data were collected to verify that the visibility analytical model could be used for Apollo planning purposes.

 

4.      Modular equipment transporter evaluation. Achieved.

 

5.      Selenodetic reference point update. Achieved.

 

6.      Command and service module orbital science photography. Partially achieved. The lunar topographic camera malfunctioned, and the Hasselblad 70 mm camera with the 500 mm lens was substituted. The photography was excellent, but the resolution was considerably lower than possible with the lunar topographic camera.

 

7.      Assessment of extravehicular activity operation limits. Achieved.

 

8.      Command and service module oxygen flow rate. Achieved.

 

9.      Transearth lunar photography. Partially achieved. Excellent photography of the lunar surface was obtained, but no lunar topographic photography was obtained because of a camera malfunction.

 

10.  Thermal coating degradation. Achieved.

 

11.  Dim light photography. Achieved.

 

 

Detailed Objectives Added During Mission

 

1.      S‑IVB photography. Not Achieved. The S‑IVB could not be identified on the film during post‑mission analysis.

 

2.      Command and service module water‑dump photography. Partially achieved. Although some water particles were seen on photographs of the water dump, there was no indication of the "snow storm" described by the crew.

 

 

Experiments

 

1.      ALSEP IV: Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package.

 

a.       S-031: Lunar passive seismology. Achieved.

 

b.      S-033:Lunar active seismology. Achieved.

 

c.       S-036: Suprathermal ion detector. Achieved.

 

d.      S-038: Charged particle lunar environment. Achieved.

 

e.       S-058: Cold cathode ion gauge. Achieved.

 

f.        M-515: Lunar dust detector. Achieved.

 

2.      S-059: Lunar geology investigation. Achieved.

 

3.      S-078: Laser ranging retro‑reflector. Achieved.

 

4.      S-080: Solar wind composition. Achieved.

 

5.      S-164: S‑band transponder. Achieved.

 

6.      S-170: Downlink bistatic radar observation of the Moon. Achieved.

 

7.      S-176: Apollo window meteoroid experiment. Achieved.

 

8.      S-178: Gegenschein from lunar orbit. Achieved.

 

9.      S-198: Portable magnetometer. Achieved.

 

10.  S-200: Soil mechanics. Achieved.

 

11.  M-078: Bone mineral measurement. Achieved.

 

 

Inflight Demonstrations

 

1.      Electrophoretic separation (Marshall Space Flight Center). Achieved.

 

2.      Heat flow and convection (Marshall Space Flight Center). Achieved.

 

3.      Liquid transfer (Lewis Research Center). Achieved.

 

4.      Composite casting (Marshall Space Flight Center). Achieved.

 

 

Operational Tests

 

1.      For Manned Spacecraft Center.

 

a.       Lunar gravity measurement (using the lunar module primary guidance system). Achieved.

 

b.      Hydrogen maser test (a Network and unified S‑band investigation sponsored by the Goddard Space Flight Center). Achieved.

 

2.      For Department of Defense

 

a.       Chapel Bell (classified Department of Defense test). Results classified.

 

b.      Radar skin tracking. Results classified

 

c.       Ionospheric disturbance from missiles. Results classified

 

d.      Acoustic measurement of missile exhaust noise. Results classified

 

e.       Army acoustic test. Results classified

 

f.        Long‑focal‑length optical system. Results classified

 

 

Launch Vehicle Objectives

 

1.      To launch on a flight azimuth between 72° and 96° and insert the S‑IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft into the planned circular Earth parking orbit. Achieved.

 

2.      To restart the S‑IVB during either the second or third revolution and inject the S‑IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft into the planned translunar trajectory. Achieved.

 

3.      To provide the required attitude control for the S‑IVB/instrument unit/spacecraft during transposition, docking, and ejection. Achieved.

 

4.      To perform an evasive maneuver after ejection of the command and service module/lunar module from the S‑IVB/instrument unit. Achieved.

 

5.      To attempt to impact the S‑IVB/instrument unit on the lunar surface within 350 kilometers (189 nautical miles) of latitude 01° 35' 06" south, longitude 33° 15' west. Achieved.

 

6.      To determine actual impact point within 5.0 kilometers (2.7 nautical miles) and time of impact within one second. Achieved.

 

7.      To vent and dump the remaining gases and propellants to safe the S‑IVB/instrument unit after final launch vehicle/spacecraft separation. Achieved.

 

8.      To verify the operation of the liquid oxygen feedline accumulator systems installed on the S‑II stage center engine. Achieved.

 

 

BACKNEXT