Astronomy Picture of the Day - Apollo 17's Moonship

By Free Republic | Created at 2024-12-14 21:11:58 | Updated at 2024-12-14 23:53:23 2 hours ago

Astronomy Picture of the Day - Apollo 17's Moonship
NASA ^ | 14 Dec, 2024 | Image Credit: Apollo 17, NASA, (Image Reprocessing: Andy Saunders)

Posted on 12/14/2024 1:01:29 PM PST by MtnClimber

Explanation: Awkward and angular looking, Apollo 17's lunar module Challenger was designed for flight in the near vacuum of space. Digitally enhanced and reprocessed, this picture taken from Apollo 17's command module America shows Challenger's ascent stage in lunar orbit. Small reaction control thrusters are at the sides of the moonship with the bell of the ascent rocket engine underneath. The hatch allowing access to the lunar surface is seen at the front, with a round radar antenna at the top. Mission commander Gene Cernan is clearly visible through the triangular window. This spaceship performed gracefully, landing on the Moon and returning the Apollo astronauts to the orbiting command module in December of 1972. So where is Challenger now? Its descent stage remains at the Apollo 17 landing site in the Taurus-Littrow valley. The ascent stage pictured was intentionally crashed nearby after being jettisoned from the command module prior to the astronauts' return to planet Earth.

Tomorrow's picture: fast sand

(Excerpt) Read more at apod.nasa.gov ...

TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa

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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 12/14/2024 1:01:29 PM PST by MtnClimber

To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 12/14/2024 1:01:54 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)

To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...

Pinging the APOD list

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3 posted on 12/14/2024 1:04:29 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)

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