Space Exploration: Apollo 17 Mission Report Analysis

This report delves into the Apollo 17 mission, providing a comprehensive overview of its objectives, execution, and technological innovations. It examines the mission's aims, including geological sampling, photographic documentation, and in-flight experiments, while also detailing the challenges fa...Read More

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Physics
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Manned Apollo 17 Mission
Space exploration begun after the development of ballistic missiles that were first put into
application by Germans towards the end of World War II. The ballistic missiles led to
introduction of spacecraft that would be used for space exploration. After the mid of 20th century,
rockets that brought space exploration into reality were developed. The rockets were able to
overcome gravitational force to reach orbital velocities.
Spaceflight can happen with manned or unmanned spacecraft. The first spaceflight was
conducted by Yuri Gagarin a member of Soviet Union. Manned spaceflights include Space
Shuttle programs, Russian Soyuz program and the U.S Apollo Moon landing. The total cost of
Apollo program by 1973 was $25.4 billion. Most of the budget money was used to purchase and
maintain spacecrafts namely Lunar Modules, Saturn launch vehicles and Command Modules.
(John, 2019).
The last manned mission of NASA to travel and walk on the moon as of 2019 was the
Apollo 17 which was launched on 7th December, 1972. The crew was made up of the commander
Eugene Cernan, Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt and Command Module Pilot Ronald
Evans. Apollo 17 was the most successful and last manned lunar landing mission in the Apollo
Program. Some of the aims of the mission were deploying and activating surface experiments,
geological sampling and surveying of materials and surface features in the area of the Taurus-
Littrow region, conducting inflight experiments and taking pictures during lunar orbit and trans-
Earth coast.
The launching process was smooth until the last half an hour prior to lift-off when
automatic countdown sequencer malfunctioned causing a delay of about 160 minutes. Apollo 17
was the first lift-off to occur during the night by Saturn V launch vehicle. The night-time scene
was illuminated by the five F-1 engines flames of the Saturn V vehicle. Several spacecraft
modifications were carried out for Apollo 17 because of the challenges that were faced during
the Apollo 16 mission. Some of the changes made include modification of Scientific Instrument
Module to harbour three new orbital tests and redesigning of the lower edge of the thermal
shields on the aft tool holder on the lunar module to block waste gases from getting into opening
behind the shields. Experiment pallet was also extensively modified to allow performance of
experiments that were unique to Apollo 17.

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The Apollo 17 mission was designed to obtain very wide and variety of photographs from
the mission, therefore astronauts were provided with several different varieties of photographic
equipment for both the surface and orbit activities. The cameras included a 16 mm Data
Acquisition Camera, three 70 mm Hasselblad Data Cameras and lunar Surface Tv camera.
Mapping Camera System and Panoramic Camera were mainly used in the orbit. The primary
means of communication that the astronauts used for both Lunar module and Command Module
was through Unified S band system which was based on a coherent Doppler and the pseudo-
random range system which applied the phase modulation of subcarriers and FM.
Exploration of the moon posed a lot of risks to astronauts due to solar radiations on its
surface and its lumpy gravity which could not hold astronauts properly as they walk on it.
Another hazard was the trouble with moon dust stems that are associated with strange lunar soil
properties. The pulverized local rocks in form of fine particles damage space wear and other
exploration tools. During Apollo 17 mission, the astronauts had difficulties as they move their
arms while walking on the moon due to abrasive dust which had stuck on their joints.
Fortunately, lunar dust is susceptible to magnets therefore a magnetic filter was designed to
pull dust from the air. Very tiny particles of iron are embedded in every dust particle’s glassy
shell. A device that melts soil over lunar modules was designed so as to provide insulation
against space radiation. The particles of iron that would have made moon dust manageable are
also unsuitable in that they pose threats to human health when they are released from the outside
edges of the particle in to the lungs and may enter the bloodstream thus affecting the respiratory
system (Mark, 2011).
Space exploration is an arena where the participants showcase their high level of
technological development to people around the globe. Governments have invested in the space
programs which benefits the community. These benefits have continued to increase in the
scientific and socio-economic sectors either directly or indirectly. One of the direct significance
of space exploration is the increase of knowledge about space and discovery of galaxies and
distant planets.
Since the introduction of satellites, telescoping satellites have captured millions of the
universe. Other missions such as the Viking project have acquired information about climate,
flood, rock samples and plains on mars. The Hubble Space Telescope has contributed too many

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discoveries of the universe that have had a big impact on explaining theories about the universe
since its release into the orbit.
International collaboration in space exploration activities have brought together different
cultures leading to interaction of people who then exchange cultures thus facilitating cultural
advancements. The International Space Station enhances significant partnerships between
countries to develop and continually protect the station. ISS functions as a research facility
which leads to new scientific and technological innovations for space exploration. The scientific
and technological development act as a motivation to scientific body of students, teachers and
global researchers. The collaboration through International Space Station has benefited all
nations that have engaged space technology especially in managing disasters and monitoring
climate using satellites.
NASA reports show that through there spin-off programs in collaboration with various
companies have led to developments in sectors of transportation, energy and environment, health
and medicine, public safety, information technology, consumer goods and industrial
productivity. Many products such as solar panels, space attire materials in clothing, water
purification systems, global search and rescue structures are examples of products of spinoffs.
The first passive communication satellite was Echo 1 inflated orbit but it was later replaced
by actual Telstar which had modern standards. Its functionality proved that long distance
communication by satellite was possible leading to more sophisticated communication satellites
which are applicable in rural areas such as satellite phones, provision of internet in airline flights
and supplying internet services to remote areas. Weather satellites have helped the
meteorologists to provide accurate data about weather forecasts throughout since they are in
geostationary orbit and their rotational speeds are the same with that of the Earth. They are also
used to monitor weather patterns and cloud cover at given sites. The acquired information is
useful in predicting the amount of power that solar panels can produce in a specific area.
Human survival studies in space have increased the knowledge about consequences of
switching to a space habitat, such as changes in body fluids and effects on the body immunity
system. The recent space biology investigates the effects of space on tiny organisms like cells.
Space Biology, space Physiology and Space Medicine aim at discovering the relationships

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between human body and space such as their effects in development of bones and processes of
gene transcription (Dan, 2015).

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Manned Mission to Mars
As part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, It is organizing a manned mission to mars to
happen in 2020. The Mar’s 2020 mission deals with technological goals for long-term effort of
robotic exploration which include main questions about the possibility of Mars being favourable
for human survival. The mission goes an extra mile to not only finding the signs of habitation
and states on Mars in the past, but also establishing indicators of passed microbial life itself.
Mars 2020 is a Rover type which brings in a drill that is able to gather core samples of most soils
and rocks, and place time aside on the surface of the Mars. Coming Mission could possibly bring
those specimens to Earth thus helping the scientists to study the specimens in laboratories using
special large or heavy equipment that would have been impossible to be taken to Mars.
Mars 2020 mission gives a chance for accumulating apprehension and demonstrating
technological advancements that solve the difficulties of the coming human exploration to mars.
The challenges include upgrading landing techniques and discovering other features like
subsurface water, testing oxygen production method from Martian atmosphere and featuring dust
that could challenge future astronauts working and living on Mars. The timing of the mission has
been done for it to happen between July and August 2020 when Mars and Earth are in suitable
positions for efficient mars landing. At this time, less power will be required to travel to Mars
unlike other period when Mars and Earth are not in relative points in their orbits. NASA’s
laboratory research and mission architecture shows that the cost and risks for Mars 2020 Mission
will be very minimal.
Development of technology facilitates Mars exploration. Each of the Mars mission is a
segment of the continuing trend of innovation whereby each development depends on the former
missions for recent technologies and add its own innovations to upcoming missions. This
continuity pushes NASA to keep going for what is currently possible.
Some technologies that are widely beneficial are;
 Propulsion which provides power to get to Mars and carry out investigations for long
 Power which provides more efficient and larger amount of power to the spacecraft and its
other parts.
 Telecommunications for fast dispatching and collecting data in large amounts.

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 Software engineering which provide evaluations and orders that are required to control
the spacecraft and it parts.
In-situ Exploration and Sample Return
 Entry, Descent and Landing which ensures safe and precise landing.
 Autonomous Planetary Mobility which enables airplane, rovers, and balloons to make
resolutions and avoid risks
 Technologies for extreme surroundings to make systems strong enough to overcome
severe conditions while in the mission.
 Sample Return Technologies to collect and return soil, rock and atmospheric specimens
back to the Earth for more laboratory study.
 Planetary protection technologies to clean and sterilize spacecraft and handle rock,
atmospheric and soil specimens.
Scientific machine for remote data collection from the orbit of Mars.
Before making a manned mission to Mars, NASA need to address some key issue that may
adversely affect psychological health of astronauts as they travel to Mars. Some of the challenges
that should be put into consideration by NASA are discussed below.
Exposure to deep space radiation
There are solar and cosmic radiations in the space that are ten times higher than the solar
radiations on the surface of the Earth. There are also large amounts of magnetic fields which if
not protected then it can pose dangerous problems to the Astronauts. Too much radiations affect
the central nervous system and it can increase a risk of developing fatal cancer later in lives of
astronauts. NASA is currently working on how to incorporate better radiation shielding which
will reduce the risk of astronauts from developing cancer later in life by 5%.

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Extreme distance from earth
The long distance between the Earth and Mars depending on the orbital alignment’s delays
communication between astronauts and NASA. Astronauts will have to wait for over 40 minutes
to receive any response after sending a message to NASA. Therefore, astronauts should be
prepared to makes decisions independently and autonomously especially when the decisions
require immediate and decisive solutions. As the missions to Mars last two to three years,
inability to communicate with the co-workers and family on Earth may make the astronauts to
think of themselves and their mission as a different entity from the Earth.
Sense of isolation and cramped living space
During the mission the astronauts will spend most of the time in Martian habitat or in an
isolated spacecraft. The astronauts will not be exposed to fresh air as will be living and spending
most of the time working in a laboratory environment. The astronauts will also be wearing the
same pair of underwear and putting on the same diaper for several months whenever they walk
on their space suit. Living in an enclosed ecosystem for years with contaminated air can cause
severe psychological effects and it compromises the immune system of astronauts.
The effects of microgravity
Micro-gravity environment subjects humans to numerous physiological degradation as the
weightlessness time goes on. Astronauts would experience a continuous muscle strength loss and
cardiovascular conditioning with time. Human body is adapted to effects of gravity that pull
fluids downwards the effect that would be counteracted on Mars where the effect will push fluids
upwards causing the fluid to flow into astronaut’s head. With the fluid build-up, the astronauts
develop loss of muscle mass, visual problems and may become more susceptible to developing
motion sickness.

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References
Retrieved from https://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/programmissions/missions/future/mars2020/
Retrieved from https://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/topics/apollo/apollo-program/
landing-missions/apollo17.cfm
Dan, L. (2015). FIve problems with sending humans to Mars. Retrieved from Death by Cosmos:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/deathbycosmos.com/problems-sending-humans-to-mars/
amp/
John, M. (2019). Space Exploration. Retrieved from Britannica:
https://www.britannica.com/science/space-exploration
Mark, W. (2011). Space Daily: Apollo 17. Retrieved from Astronautix:
http://www.astronautix.com/a/apollo17.html