Exploring the Unknown: Selected Documents in ... - The Black Vault

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Project Apollo: Americans to the Moon
100”) is scheduled for late 1973. This may be a test of a large mirror leading to
development of the National Astronomical Observatories.
Space physics experiments are planned generally for flight on astronomy
missions. During 1968-69, instrumentation flown on the 1966-67 short duration
Apollo earth orbital missions will be reflown to acquire more extensive data in
such fields as X-ray astronomy, ultra-violet spectroscopy, ion wake physics and
investigations of particles and fields. Beginning in 1971, advanced space physics
experiments are planned.
[9] The extended lunar exploration missions planned for Saturn Apollo
Applications include both orbital mapping missions and extended lunar surface
explorations. The objective is to extend knowledge of the moon beyond that
achievable in the earlier Ranger, Surveyor, unmanned Lunar Orbiter and early
Apollo missions, and to provide the basis for possible establishment in the mid
or late 1970’s of semi-permanent or permanent manned stations on the moon.
The lunar orbital missions are planned to acquire high quality mapping and
survey photography from polar or near-polar lunar orbits for study of geological
features over wide areas of the lunar surface exploration missions. The lunar
surface missions surface, and to aid in selection of sites for extended duration
are planned to provide up to two weeks stay at selected exploration. Equipments
planned for these missions include lunar sites for extensive geological,
geophysical and biological small, wheeled vehicles to permit traverses within
line-of sight of the landed spacecraft; drills for sub-surface sampling and vertical
profile measurements; and instrumentation for acquiring geophysical data to
be transmitted back to earth by RF link for up to a year after departure of the
astronauts. One such lunar surface mission per year is planned, beginning in
1970. For the 1973 mission, an objective is to provide optical and radio telescopes
to evaluate the lunar surface environment for astronomical experiments.
[10] Applications experiments are planned to develop techniques and
to measure the effectiveness of man’s participation in such fields as orbital
meteorology (see Attachment 4), communications, and remote sensing of
earth resources. Low altitude orbits at medium and high inclinations have
been studied for meteorology and natural resources missions during 1969-70.
An initial synchronous orbit mission is planned to test man’s ability to operate
effectively in that environment and to test operational techniques for linking
low altitude manned spacecraft to central ground control stations. The later
synchronous orbit missions are planned for continued operational use as well as
for possible experiments in astronomy, space physics, meteorology and advanced
communications techniques.
Technology experiments planned for Saturn Apollo Applica tions missions
are focused generally toward the development of equipment and techniques
which appear fundamental to the accomplishment of the next generation of
post-Apollo space flight missions. During 1968-69, emphasis will be placed on
the use as an orbital laboratory of the spent S-IVB stage, which injects an Apollo
spacecraft into orbit. Advanced EVA experiments are planned, for example, to
retrieve micrometeorite panels from a Pegasus spacecraft orbited in 1965 by a
Saturn I vehicle. Resupply and crew transfer techniques are planned, both to