Men Work on the Moon

Obtaining the core tube sample presented some difficulty. It was impossible to force the tube more than 4 or 5 inches into the surface material.

Continuing First Men on Moon,
our selection from Apollo 11 Mission Report by NASA Mission Evaluation Team and by The Astronauts: Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins published in 1971. The selection is presented in eight easy 5-minute installments. For works benefiting from the latest research see the “More information” section at the bottom of these pages.

Previously in First Men on Moon

Time: July 21, 1969
Place: Sea of Tranquility

Photography with the Hasselblad cameras on the remote control unit mounts produced no problems. The first panorama was taken while the camera was hand-held; however, the camera was much easier to operate while on the mount. The handle on the camera was adequate, and few pictures were triggered inadvertently.

The solar wind experiment was easily deployed. As with the other operations involving lunar surface penetration, it was possible to penetrate the lunar surface material only approximately 4 or 5 inches. The experiment mount was not quite as stable as desired, but it stayed erect.

The television system presented no difficulty except that the cord was continually in the way. At first, the white cord showed up well, but it soon became covered with dust and was therefore more difficult to see. The cable had a “set” from being coiled around the reel, and it would not lie completely flat on the surface. Even when it was flat, however, a foot could still slide under it, and the Commander became entangled several times. (See “Television Cable Retained Coiled Shape” in section 16.)

Collecting the bulk sample required more time than anticipated because the modular equipment-stowage-assembly table was in deep shadow and collecting samples in that area was far less desirable than taking those in the sunlight. It was also desirable to take samples as far as possible from the exhaust plume and propellant contamination. An attempt was made to include a hard rock in each sample, and approximately 20 trips were required to fill the box. As in simulations, the difficulty of scooping up the material without throwing it out as the scoop became free created some problem. It was almost impossible to collect a full scoop of material, and the task required approximately double the planned time.

Several of the operations would have been easier in sunlight. Although it was possible to see in the shadows, time had to be allowed for dark adaptation when walking from the sunlight into the shadow. On future missions, a yaw maneuver just prior to landing would be advantageous so that the descent stage work area would be in sunlight.

The scientific experiment package was easily deployed manually, and some time was saved as a result. The package was easy to manage, but finding a level area was difficult. A good horizon reference was not available, and in the l/6-g environment, physical cues were not as effective as in a one-g environment. Therefore, the selection of a deployment site for the experiments caused some problems. The experiments were placed in an area between shallow craters in surface material which had the same consistency as the surrounding area and which was expected to be stable. Considerable effort was required to change the slope of one of the experiments. It was not possible to lower the equipment by merely forcing it down, and it was necessary to move the experiment back and forth to scrape away the excess surface material.

No abnormal conditions were noted during the lunar module inspection. The insulation on the secondary struts had been damaged from the heat, but the primary struts were only singed or covered with soot. There was much less damage than on the examples that had been seen before flight.

Obtaining the core tube sample presented some difficulty. It was impossible to force the tube more than 4 or 5 inches into the surface material, yet the material provided insufficient resistance to hold the extension handle in the upright position. Since the handle had to be held upright, both hands could not be used on the hammer. In addition, the resistance of the suit made it difficult to steady the core tube and swing the hammer with any great force. The hammer actually missed several times. The amount of force used was sufficient to make dents in the handle, but the core tube could be driven only to a depth of approximately 6 inches. Extraction offered little or virtually no resistance. Two samples were taken. Insufficient time remained to take the documented sample, although as wide a variety of rocks as possible was selected in the remaining time.

The performance of the extravehicular mobility unit was excellent. Neither crewman felt any thermal discomfort. The Commander used the minimum cooling mode for most of the surface operation. The Lunar Module Pilot switched to the maximum diverter valve position immediately after sublimator startup and operated at maximum position for 42 minutes before switching to the intermediate position. The Lunar Module Pilot’s switch remained in the intermediate position for the duration of the extravehicular activity. The thermal effect of shadowed areas in comparison to sunlit areas was not detectable inside the suit.

The crewmen were kept physically cool and comfortable, and the ease of performing in the l/6-g environment indicated that tasks requiring greater physical exertion may be undertaken on future flights. The Commander experienced some physical exertion while transporting the sample return container to the lunar module, but his physical limit had not been approached.

Lunar Module Ingress

Ingress to the lunar module produced no problems. The capability to do a vertical jump was used to an advantage in making the first step up the ladder. By doing a deep knee bend, then springing up the ladder, the Commander was able to guide his feet to the third step. Movements in the l/6-g environment were slow enough to allow deliberate foot placement after the jump. The ladder was somewhat slippery from the powdery surface material, but not dangerously so.

As previously stated, mobility on the platform was adequate for developing alternate methods of transferring equipment from the surface. The hatch opened easily, and the ingress technique developed before flight was satisfactory. At a point about halfway through the hatch, a concerted effort to arch the back was required in order to keep the forward end of the portable life support system low enough to clear the hatch. Little exertion was associated with transition to a standing position.

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