517 a
James Irwin

David Scott adjusting the TV antenna of the Lunar Rover towards Earth at station 6

Apollo 15, July 26 - August 7, 1971, EVA 2, 143:55:26 GET

Unreleased photograph, vintage gelatin silver print on fiber-based paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), numbered “NASA AS15-85-11493” (NASA MSC) in black in top margin

517 b
David Scott

The Lunar Rover parked at station 6 with the landing site in the far background

Apollo 15, July 26 - August 7, 1971, EVA 2, 144:02:55 GET

Unreleased photograph, vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, 20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in), with “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso, numbered “NASA AS15-86-11618” (NASA MSC) in red in top margin
20.3 x 25.4cm (8 x 10in)

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Lot Essay

517 a
A frame of the first panoramic sequence taken at station 6. The rover is parked on a steep slope, making it difficult for Scott to aim the high-gain antenna towards Earth so that Mission Control can receive the TV transmission. The TV camera is still pointed down and toward the right front wheel.

The television feed only worked when the rover was parked and its antenna aimed at the Earth.
“And, Joe, when the TV comes on, you’re going to get a super picture.”
David Scott

143:55:29 Scott: And, Joe, when the TV comes on, you’re going to get a super picture.
143:55:34 Allen (Mission Control): Yes, sir. We’re standing by.
143:55:39 Scott: Okay. Going FM/TV, now.
143:55:47 Allen: Okay, Dave. And we may ask you to dust our TV lens off. We’ll ask you to stand by for a reading on that. [...]
143:56:15 Allen: And we’re standing by for the picture.
143:56:21 Scott: Yeah. I have to get the antenna aligned. It’s going to take a little bit here.
143:56:27 Allen: Roger. And just proceed with caution.
143:56:29 Scott: Sure. (Laughing) I don’t know why... (Responding to Allen) Yeah. I don’t know why we always end up on slopes.

517 b
In this splendid photograph of the desolate landscape of the Hadley-Apennine Valley, the LM Falcon is visible as a tiny white dot in a slightly lighter area in front of Pluton Crater in the North Complex in the far background (just left of center).

“The Rover really seemed to be another spacecraft, even though we were operating on the surface of the Moon. Every time we’d hit a rock or a bump, we’d just fly into space. So I estimate we were floating through space a good bit of the time,” said James Irwin (Chaikin, Voices, p.78).