To A Rocky Moon: A Geologist's History Of Lunar Exploration

To a Rocky Moon Photomosaic of lunar near side, probably the most frequently used lunar chart, published by the U.S. Air Force (xc rc) in November 1962 (LEM I-A, jd ed.) . Mare Imbrium, Mare Serenitatis, Mare Nectaris, and other nearl y circular volcanic maria are bordered by arcuate mountain ranges belonging to impact basins. To a Rocky Moon A Geologist's History ofLunar Exploration Don E. Wilhelms The University of Arizona Press Tucson & London The University of Arizona Press Copyright © 1993 The Arizona Board of Regents All rights reserved e This book is printed on acid-fr ee, archival quality paper. Manufactured in the Unit ed States of America. 98 97 96 95 94 93 Library of Congr ess Cata loging-in -Public ation D ata Wilhelms, Don E. To a rocky moon: a geologist's history ofl unar exploration / D on E. Wilhelms. p. ern. Includ es bibliographical references (p. ) and index. tSBN 0-8165 -1065-2 (acid-free paper) I. Lunar geology-History. 2. Moon -Exploration -History. I. Title. Q B59 2.W 54 1993 559·9'I-dc20 9 2-33 228 C IP British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Dat a A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Dedicated to the amazingRalph Baldwin, who got so much so right so early Contents Preface lX Acknowledgments xv Technicalities List of Acronyms XVll XiX Introduction A Quiet Prelude • 1892-1957 2 The Quickening Pace • 1957-1961 3 The Earthbound View • 1961-1963 4 Preparing to Explore • 1963 - I 965 5 6 The Ranger Transition • 1964-1965 Back at the Main Event • 1965 II I 7 8 The Glory Days • 1966 124 Surveyor and the Regolith • 1966- I 968 137 9 10 The View from Lunar Orbiter • 1966- I 967 15° Apollo Lifts Off • 1967-1969 I I Tranquillity Base • 1969 12 A Western Mare? • 1969 17 2 198 21 3 The Best-Laid Plans • 1970 Golden Apennine- Hadley • 197 I 23° 24 6 260 Mysterious Descartes • 1972 28 4 Promising Fra Mauro • 1971 Contents V11l Beautiful Taurus-Littrow • 1972 Debri efin g • 197 3- 1984 Refer en ce Mate rial Appe ndix Lu nar S pace flights 360 Appe ndix 2 . S cien tific Experi me nts Carried by Apollo Missions 364 Append ix 3. Pr ogress Toward Sc ientific Obj ectives at Time of Apollo 17 S ite Selection 366 G eologic Per iod s an d _ orable Events in Lunar H istor y 36 7 1. Appe nd ix 4. No tes 369 Sel ected Bibliography 43 I Ind ex 447 Illustration s jOl1011Jingpage 2 I 2 Preface The Moon, which has always ruled Earth's nights, was first viewed by telescope in 16°9, first touched by machines in 1959, and first visited by human beings in July 1969. It was the object of intense scrutiny for the quarter of a century centered on that incredible visit and its five successors. It may become so again. In the meantime it has receded into its ancient roles as raiser of the tides and keeper of the months. Those of us who played a role in exploring it should now write down what we remember and what we can reconstruct from the record as a guide for the next generation of lunar explorers. That magnificent if momentary reach toward another world has already been viewed from the viewpoint of the brilliant engineering, mission operations, and administrative organization that helped land men safely on the Moon