Author Description

This official NASA document provides the complete transcription of the historic Apollo 12 post-flight debriefing given by astronauts Pete Conrad, Al Bean, and Dick Gordon. Every aspect of the incredible adventure of the second moon landing, which landed next to the Surveyor 3 spacecraft, is discussed - from moonwalking to personal hygiene issues, launch through landing. This is an invaluable addition to the ebook library of anyone interested in the Apollo moon landings. Surprising facts, comments, and anecdotes are included in this debriefing. Did you know, for example, that Conrad was so hungry on the moon, he ate some of Al Bean's food? Or that Conrad briefly feared that Bean was critically injured during the splashdown: "We really hit flatter than a pancake, and it was a tremendous impact, much greater than anything I'd experienced in Gemini. The 16-mm camera, which was on the bracket - and we may have been remiss in this and I'm not sure, but it wasn't in the checklist - whistled off and clanked Al on the head to the tune of six stitches. It cold-cocked him, which is why we were in stable II. Although he doesn't realize it, he was out to lunch for about 5 seconds. Dick was hollering for him to punch in the breakers, and in the meantime, I'd seen this thing whistle off out of the corner of my eye and he was blankly staring at the instrument panel. I was convinced he was dead over there in the right seat, but he wasn't, and finally got the breakers in." Contents: Suiting and Ingress * Status Checks and Countdown * Powered Flight * Earth Orbit and Systems Checkout * TLI Through S-IVB Closeout * Translunar Coast * LOI Through Lunar Module Activation * Lunar Module Checkout Through Separation * DPI Through Touchdown * Lunar Surface * CSM Circumlunar Operations * Liftoff, Rendezvous, And Docking * Lunar Module Jettison Through TEI * Transearth Coast * Entry * Landing and Recovery * Geology and Experiments * Command Module Systems Operations * Lunar Module Systems Oper