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At least 1,009 records · Page 56
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1971

Lunar surface navigation analysis

The accuracy of the crew position obtained by using a line-of-sight device such as a sun compass or the rover television camera and the prominent mountains such as Hadley and Hadley delta was investigated. It was determined that with errors of 1 deg (noise only), the crew position can be obtained to sigma sub phi = 850 feet and sigma sub lambda = 400 feet using Hadley and Hadley delta. The addition of West Mountain reduced the errors to 600 and 400 feet, respectively.

Savely, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Fixation of virgin lunar surface soil

Two systems are shown to be suitable for fixing loose particulate soils with a polymer film, without visually detectable disturbance of the soil particle spatial relationships. A two-component system is described, which uses a gas monomer condensible at the soil temperature and a gas phase catalyst acting to polymerize the monomer. A one-component system using a monomer which polymerizes spontaneously on and within the top few millimeters of the soil is also considered. The two-component system employs a simpler apparatus, but it operates over a narrower temperature range (approximately -40 to -10 C). Other two-component systems were identified which may operate at soil temperatures as high as +100 C, at relatively narrow temperature ranges of approximately 30 C. The one-component system was demonstrated to operate successfully with initial soil temperatures from -70 C or lower to +150 C.

Conley, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Remote control and navigation tests for application to long-range lunar surface exploration.

A vehicle system has been built and tested to investigate some of the unknown factors with regard to the operation of a remotely controlled vehicle on the surface of the moon. A general vehicle system description is presented, giving attention to the wheel drive subsystem, the steering subsystem, the power system, the control console, the command subsystem, the television subsystem, the telemetry subsystem, and the navigation subsystem. The remote control driving station consists of the antenna system, the video display system, the instrument and control panel, the data panel, and the steering and throttle controls. Initial tests with the vehicle and the remote driving station were conducted in March and April 1971.

Mastin, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Lunar surface cosmic ray experiment S-152, Apollo 16

This investigation was directed at determining the energy spectra and abundances of low energy heavy cosmic rays (0.03 E or = 150 MeV/nucleon). The cosmic rays were detected using plastic and glass particle track detectors. Particles emitted during the 17 April 1972 solar flare dominated the spectra for energies below about 70 MeV/nucleon. Two conclusions emerge from the low energy data: (1) The differential energy spectra for solar particles vary rapidly for energies as low as 0.05 MeV/nucleon for iron-group nuclei. (2) The abundance ratio of heavy elements changes with energy at low energies; heavy elements are enhanced relative to higher elements increasingly as the energy decreases. Galactic particle fluxes recorded within the spacecraft are in agreement with those predicted taking into account solar modulation and spacecraft shielding. The composition of the nuclei at energies above 70 MeV/nucleon imply that these particles originate outside the solar system and hence are galactic cosmic rays.

Fleischer, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Lunar surface radioactivity - Preliminary results of the Apollo 15 and Apollo 16 gamma-ray spectrometer experiments.

Gamma-ray spectrometers on the Apollo 15 and Apollo 16 missions have been used to map the moon's radioactivity over 20 percent of its surface. The highest levels of natural radioactivity are found in Mare Imbrium and Oceanus Procellarum with contrastingly lower enhancements in the eastern maria. The ratio of potassium to uranium is higher on the far side than on the near side, although it is everywhere lower than commonly found on the earth.

Metzger, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Lunar surface cosmic ray experiment

The galactic cosmic ray and solar flare experiment on Apollo 16 is reported. The published papers presented describe the experiment, equipment, data processing techniques, and operational history. The principle findings include: (1) The composition of heavy ions in interplanetary space at energies between approximately 30 and 130 MeV/nucleon is the same, within experimental errors. (2) The ability of a Lexan stack to determine simultaneously the energy spectra of major elements from He up to Fe in the energy interval 0.2 to 30 MeV/nucleon revealed systematic changes in the composition of solar flare particles as a function of energy. (3) Heavy ions emitted in a solar flare appear to be completely stripped of electrons, and are not in charge equilibrium at the time of acceleration and releases from the sun.

Price, P. B.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Lunar surface dynamics: Some general conclusions and new results from Apollo 16 and 17

Exposure ages of Apollo 17 rocks as measured by tracks and the Kr-Kr rare gas method are reported. Concordant ages of 22 - or + 1 million year (my) are obtained for the station 6 boulder sample 76315. This value is interpreted as the time when the station 6 boulder was emplaced in its present position. Reasonable agreement is also obtained by the two methods for another station 6 boulder, sample 76015. Discordant ages (respectively 5 and 28 my by the track and rare gas methods) are obtained for the station 7 boulder sample, 77135, indicating that the boulder was emplaced at least 5 my ago. The 72 my exposure age of 75035, in general agreement with previous measurements of approximately 85 my for another Camelot boulder, may well date the formation of Camelot. Rock 76015 was split and one surface exposed to the sky through a very small solid angle.

Crozaz, G.↗