50 years ago, NASA launched a rover on the moon

In September 1970, Nasa announce the end Apollo program the 17th^NOT. Mission for budgetary reasons. A real setback for space exploration, which will benefit the researchers of the American agency. Less than a year later, on July 26, 1971, the mission began Apollo 15 launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. On-board control and service module (CSM), Alfred M Worden, Jacobus B. Irwin and David R. Scott are on a mission which should mark another milestone in the lunar exploration program.

New equipment, new goals

American astronauts are sent to earthly Thanks to an improved version of Saturn V.. The latter is able to withstand a higher load, with Pulp 48 tons, NASA engineers want to improve the few Apollo missions to be carried out. Scott and Irwin spend a lot more time on the moon than he does Apollo 11 at 12. In 1969, Aldrin and Armstrong He spent over 21 hours on lunar soil, and around 31 hours Pete Conrad and Alan Bean After a few months. In this third effective reconnaissance mission, the crew’s stay on the Moon is… 67 hours.

The CSM is equipped with new instruments, but only one will attract media attention: the First Lunar Spacecraft (LRV). This small car is three meters long, folded under the LEM for crossroads In the direction of the terrestrial satellite, astronauts can extend their exploration zone by several kilometers. The all-terrain rover can reach a beach Speed At a speed of about 14 km / h and a payload of 490 kg.

After four days of travel, the lunar module separated fromtreasure hunt Its descent begins. The landing went off without incident near Mount Hadley and an error of the same name.

From the early hours of their lunar adventure, Irwin and Scott deployed the LRV, along with many of the tools needed for the scientific work the two astronauts will be doing. Scott will split the prepared sentence, for example Neil armstrong two years ago: ” As I stand here in Hadley before the wonders of the unknown, I realize that there is a fundamental truth that characterizes our nature. You have to explore. This is exploration at its peak. “

During three explorations carried out with the rover, the two astronauts covered nearly 28 kilometers of the road. Various drilling operations are carried out at various locations around Mount Hadley and the Hadley Delta. From the first day of the expedition, they installed Alsep (by Apollo Lunar Experimentation Pack). This set of tools consists of: spectrometer, camera or altimeter, which will be used until 1977. Until now, the Alsep has enabled the world to testify to the existence of magnetic fields Low on the moon’s surface to study surface thermal fluctuations or to perform seismic surveys. Many experiments will be carried out, including the famous hammer – falling feathersCommander Scott will test lunar gravity by pulling a hammer and a spring at the same level, and both objects will hit Earth at the same time.

After spending nearly three days on towards the moonThe astronauts aboard the LEM returned to the console, where Alfred Worden made several observations of the lunar surface with cameras and spectrometers. The return of the astronauts to Earth went smoothly and they landed on August 7, 1971 in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii. They brought nearly 77 kilograms of moon rocks, the oldest of which have been found, Genesis Rock Or the “Stone Generation”, 4 billion years old.

Although the end Apollo program In 1972 it was 15^NOT. The mission determines the dominance of NASA and the United States in the space race. The technological prowess and the value of the scientific research carried out during the expedition continue, 50 years later, to be a resounding success.