Here is my Apollo 17 'Lunar Surface Checklist' Page 1-9 used on the moons' surface by Cernan and Schmitt! Now it is in my home! God bless America! Sometimes at night when I look at the moon, I feel a sense of wonderment and awe knowing that those men took this to the surface of the moon in LM Challenger, brought it back to earth, and now, by the grace of God (and quite a few Benjamin Franklin's!!!), I am its' caretaker. As a bonus, there may be a light sprinkling of lunar dust on this Page which was part of the 'Lunar Surface Checklist' used by Cernan and Schmitt before, and after, their EVA's on the surface of the moon!
APOLLO 17
LUNAR SURFACE CHECKLIST
PAGE 1-9
As can be seen, the notations 'C17037' and 'L24117' were written next to 'Report PRD readings to Hou'. Each astronaut possessed a PRD (Personal Radiation Dosimeter) to monitor the cumulative radiation dose received during the mission. There is also the notation 'Note LM Shadows Length (-100')'. I was able to verify these notations were written on the Page while Cernan and Schmitt were on the moon in LM Challenger by searching through the 'Apollo 17 Technical Air-To-Ground Voice Transcription', and the 'Apollo 17 Lunar Module Onboard Voice Transcription', the covers of which are seen below. I think it's interesting that these transcripts document the exact notations made by Schmitt while he and Cernan were on the moon!
Apollo 17 Technical Air-To-Ground Voice Transcription
Apollo 17 Lunar Module Onboard Voice Transcription
As can be seen in the below transcript page from the 'Apollo 17 Technical Air-To-Ground Voice Transcription', identified as Tape 75A/7, at 04 14 30 14 the CDR-LM (Cernan) tells Schmitt 'We're about what- about 100 meters from Trident?' The LMP-LM (Schmitt) tells Cernan ''Yes- yes, less than that, I think Trident's right here. Our shadow's about 100 feet, Geno, I think.' CDR-LM (Cernan) then tells Schmitt 'Yes, we're only about- yes, less than 100 meters then.'
As can be seen in the below transcript page from the 'Apollo 17 Technical Air-To-Ground Voice Transcription', identified as 'Tape 76A/1', at 04 15 58 37 the LMP-LM (Schmitt) tells Houston 'Okay, Houston, we're just starting our eat period. Sorry to be a little behind. PRD readings are 17037 and LMP is 24117', which would indicate that Schmitt made the PRD reading notations on this checklist page. Then at 04 16 01 11 CDR-LM (Cernan) tells Houston 'I don't know if it will mean anything to you, but the shadow of the LM, the rendezvous radar antenna is pointing about one-third of the way down from the peak of Family. And that, I know, is pretty gross. And, Gordo, I - I must be right here abeam of Trident 1. The only reason I hesitate is that I'm so close - but it's probably, well I guess it's close to 100 meters - 80 meters anyway to where the - where the rim of Trident 1 falls off.'
As can be seen in the below transcript page from the 'Apollo 17 Lunar Module Onboard Voice Transcription', identified as '2-18 Day 5', at 04 14 30 14 the CDR (Cernan) says 'We're about what-about 100 meters from Trident?' The LMP (Schmitt) then tells CDR (Cernan) 'Yes-Yes, about that.'. CDR (Cernan) then says 'I think Trident's right here.'. To which the LMP (Schmitt) tells the CDR (Cernan) 'Our shadows about 100 feet, Geno, I think.'. CDR (Cernan) then says 'Yes, we're only about-yes, less than 100 meters then. *** look that long, but it's supposed to be.'.
At Spacefest IV, I showed the below photo of Checklist Page 1-9 (not the actual Page) to Cernan and asked him about the handwritten notations. He verified that the notations 'C17037' and 'L24117' were written on the Page by Schmitt while on the moon inside LM Challenger which he notated on the below photo of Page 1-9 as 'Written on the Moon by Jack Schmitt'. Cernan said that the other notation, 'BU EV GLOVES (ISA) BEHIND ENG COVER SPARE LCGS (LHMS) TO ISA BIG PKT', was probably written on the Page by Schmitt on the way to the moon. He wasn't too clear about who wrote 'Note LM Shadow Length (-100')' or when it was written. However, based upon the transcripts it is clear that this was written by one of them while on the moon inside LM Challenger.
Below is a picture of Cernan at Spacefest IV
at the time he signed/notated the above picture.
Note the picture is on the table in front of him along with
two of his books he signed/notated for my wife's grandkids.
Below is a picture of my 'Apollo 17 Flight Plan Change A' dated November 29, 1972, belonging to Apollo 17 Flight Controller John H. Copper which is directly related to Page 1-9. Cooper used this Flight Plan during the Apollo 17 mission while sitting in the Mission Operations Control Room, Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston Texas in support of his responsibilities as an Apollo 17 Flight Controller. I was able to obtain it from one of his relatives at a hefty price!
Although Cooper made some very interesting notations on a number of pages in this item, there was one page in particular that I want to share here since it directly relates to my Apollo 17 'Lunar Surface Checklist' Page 1-9. Below is a picture of Page 3-124 from the 'Apollo 17 Flight Plan' with Cooper's numerous handwritten notations.
One of Cooper's notations is as follows:
'100m from Triton (Shadow 100 ft.)' which directly relates to the notation made on Page 1-9,
'Note LM Shadow Length (-100')'.
In addition, it can be seen in the transcript page from the 'Apollo 17 Technical Air-To-Ground Voice Transcription', as shown above, identified as Tape 75A/7, at 04 14 30 14 that the CDR-LM (Cernan) tells Schmitt 'We're about what- about 100 meters from Trident?' The LMP-LM (Schmitt) tells Cernan ''Yes- yes, less than that, I think Trident's right here. Our shadow's about 100 feet, Geno, I think.'
On this same transcript page, Cernan and Schmitt also talk about being '100 meters from Trident' and 'boulder tracks' which Cooper has also notated on Page 3-124. However, Cooper refers to 'Trident' as 'Triton'.
Sooo, think about it. Just after Cernan and Schmitt land on the moon and begin looking out the Lunar Module's windows, they are at the same time handling, and making notations on, page 1-9, one of which describes the shadow length of the Lunar Module, while concurrently, back in the Mission Operations Control Room at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, Cooper is sitting at his console listening intently to the communications from the moon and notates the same information on Page 3-124 as the Astronauts provide it in real time!!
Amazing that these two artifacts of intimately related Apollo history have been reunited in my custody!!
Reunions can be expensive!!
In the below picture, Cernan is holding the complete 'Lunar Surface Checklist', which is the source of Checklist Page 1-9. You can see black markings across the top of the Checklists' pages in this picture (circled, with an arrow pointing to the black markings).
In the below picture, as Cernan, Evans, and Schmitt are preparing for the Apollo 17 mission, it appears that the 'Lunar Surface Checklist' (circled, with arrows pointing to the black markings) is open on the table in front of them.
Comments