420 a
Pete Conrad just finished to set up the Central Station at the lunar-science station. Its antenna in the foreground is pointed at Earth to transmit scientific data. The deployed magnetometer is in the background.
“We had rough pointing angles in here. This is probably a good example of something designed by somebody that wasn’t ever going to see the lunar surface. Apparently it is aligned all right, because you are receiving good signals”, said later Pete Conrad (from the ALSJ mission transcript at 117:42:57 GET).
117:42:52 Conrad: Does the antenna look like it’s pointed at Earth?
117:42:57 Bean: It looks close.
420 b
A great photograph showing the loneliness of the astronaut on the lunar surface with an unexpected blue halo around him.
“Conrad was next to the RTG (Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator), which can be seen at the lower left, when he took this picture to the southwest of Bean deploying the SIDE/CCIG (Superheated Ion Detector Experiment/Cold Cathode Ion Gauge)” (ALSJ caption for AS12-46- 6818).
117:49:19 Conrad: You’re a big area litter bug. (Laughing) You know that?
117:49:23 Bean: I know it. (Pause)
117:49:30 Gibson (Mission Control): Pete, we’d like you to go ahead and get the full deployment done first before you depress the shorting amps.
117:49:38 Conrad: Okay. (To Al) Boy, you’re dirty all the way to your knees. Can I give you any help?
117:49:42 Bean: Sure could.
117:49:44 Conrad: All right; here I come.
117:49:50 Gibson: And, Pete and Al, a comment on picture taking. If you would, try to document some of the dirt which has gotten all over the equipment. If you would, try to get close-ups which will show the dirt we might have on thermally-sensitive areas. And, also, when you get done, if you would, take one or two extra pictures showing the ALSEP with the mounds that you described previously in the background. That’ll give us a good geometric reference.
“We had rough pointing angles in here. This is probably a good example of something designed by somebody that wasn’t ever going to see the lunar surface.”
Pete Conrad
420 c
“The CCIG (Cold Cathode Ion Gauge) experiment - which was also called the “Lunar Atmosphere Detector” - was designed to be deployed with its aperture pointed horizontally, away from the LM, in order to minimize the influence of outgassing from the spent descent stage. Although, in the final orientation, the CCIG aperture was pointed mostly upward, it was looking away from the LM and, consequently, the experiment returned useful data. The CCIG essentially measures the density (or, equivalently, the pressure) of the extremely tenuous lunar atmosphere. Unfortunately, the Apollo 12 instrument suffered a terminal power failure after 14 hours of operation” (from the ALSJ mission transcript at 117:55:32 GET).
420 d
As the astronauts had just deployed the SIDE (Suprathermal Ion Detector Experiment), Conrad took a picture of Bean photographing the experiment which measured positive ions, plasma interaction between the solar wind and the Moon and the electrical potential of the lunar surface.
117:56:42 Bean: Okay. I think that’s going to do it for the SIDE. That’s the tough one. (Looking at his checklist to see what photos he needs to take). (f/)11, one (picture taken) cross-Sun.
117:56:47 Conrad: Back off; I got the picture.
117:56:50 Bean: You already got a cross-Sun? Can you see the bubble and everything in it?
117:56:52 Conrad: No....
117:56:53 Bean: Let me get it.
117:56:56 Conrad: ...I’m just getting one from a distance, here. That a boy. (Pause) (I’ll) get (the focus set to) 74 feet.
117:57:00 Gibson (Mission Control): Al, copy you have the SIDE deployed?
117:57:05 Conrad: Yeah. Everything’s deployed.
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