NASA APOLLO LUNAR SURFACE EXPERIMENT PACKAGE

Year Published: 1969

Creator: NASA

Format: 16mm

Description: This short informational film, made prior to the Apollo 11 Moon Landing in 1969, features a NASA technician demonstrating the components of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP). ALSEP was a collection of scientific instruments deployed by astronauts on the moon to conduct experiments. These experiments provided valuable information about the moon, and the data was transmitted back to Earth through the central station, one of the package's components. ALSEP could be operated remotely from Earth, and the data and measurements it collected offered important insights into the moon's seismic activity, magnetic field, and ionosphere. (00:08) An astronaut wearing an Apollo spacesuit walks in a simulated lunar environment. (00:18) A mock lunar lander, similar to the Lunar Module Eagle from the Apollo 11 mission, is shown. (00:22) The Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) is located in the scientific equipment bay of the lander. (00:41) The central station is displayed. (00:50) The Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG), the power source for ALSEP, is seen. (01:12) The fuel cask on the lunar module is shown. (01:21) The fuel capsule can be removed by tilting it down. (01:29) The tool for removing the power cell is displayed. (01:38) The fuel capsule provides fuel for one year. (01:58) The technician carefully removes the isotopic cylinder. (02:05) This tool creates a distance between the fuel and the astronaut. (02:10) The fuel capsule is placed in the generating system. (02:16) The cell is locked into the RTG. (02:26) A barbell-type device is used to carry both the Central Station and the RTG. (02:31) The technician carries the device. (02:47) The passive seismometer, which assesses seismic activity on the moon, is shown. (03:05) It is set up 300 feet away from the lunar module. (03:14) The technician sets up the solar wind experiment (SWS). (03:26) The SWS analyzes solar plasma on the moon and its electromagnetic properties. (03:44) The Suprathermal Ion Detector Experiment (SIDE), used to investigate the ions on the moon, is shown. (04:07) The technician uncovers the antenna assembly, which will transmit the data back to Earth. (04:24) The antenna pedestal is visible. (04:31) A leveling bubble is shown. (04:41) The antenna is attached to the gimbal. (04:55) The antenna points towards the center of Earth's rotation. (05:03) The magnetometer, used to measure the moon's magnetic fields, is displayed. (05:30) The technician carries the experiment. (05:45) He extends the folded sensor arms. (06:10) He aligns the sensors. (06:21) The technician returns to the central station. (06:28) He raises the sun shield to protect the central station. (06:44) He checks the equipment. (06:58) The central station can receive commands from Earth. (07:05) A close-up of the central station is shown.

Complete Record: This short informational film, made prior to the Apollo 11 Moon Landing in 1969, features a NASA technician demonstrating the components of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP). ALSEP was a collection of scientific instruments deployed by astronauts on the moon to conduct experiments. These experiments provided valuable information about the moon, and the data was transmitted back to Earth through the central station, one of the package's components. ALSEP could be operated remotely from Earth, and the data and measurements it collected offered important insights into the moon's seismic activity, magnetic field, and ionosphere. (00:08) An astronaut wearing an Apollo spacesuit walks in a simulated lunar environment. (00:18) A mock lunar lander, similar to the Lunar Module Eagle from the Apollo 11 mission, is shown. (00:22) The Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) is located in the scientific equipment bay of the lander. (00:41) The central station is displayed. (00:50) The Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG), the power source for ALSEP, is seen. (01:12) The fuel cask on the lunar module is shown. (01:21) The fuel capsule can be removed by tilting it down. (01:29) The tool for removing the power cell is displayed. (01:38) The fuel capsule provides fuel for one year. (01:58) The technician carefully removes the isotopic cylinder. (02:05) This tool creates a distance between the fuel and the astronaut. (02:10) The fuel capsule is placed in the generating system. (02:16) The cell is locked into the RTG. (02:26) A barbell-type device is used to carry both the Central Station and the RTG. (02:31) The technician carries the device. (02:47) The passive seismometer, which assesses seismic activity on the moon, is shown. (03:05) It is set up 300 feet away from the lunar module. (03:14) The technician sets up the solar wind experiment (SWS). (03:26) The SWS analyzes solar plasma on the moon and its electromagnetic properties. (03:44) The Suprathermal Ion Detector Experiment (SIDE), used to investigate the ions on the moon, is shown. (04:07) The technician uncovers the antenna assembly, which will transmit the data back to Earth. (04:24) The antenna pedestal is visible. (04:31) A leveling bubble is shown. (04:41) The antenna is attached to the gimbal. (04:55) The antenna points towards the center of Earth's rotation. (05:03) The magnetometer, used to measure the moon's magnetic fields, is displayed. (05:30) The technician carries the experiment. (05:45) He extends the folded sensor arms. (06:10) He aligns the sensors. (06:21) The technician returns to the central station. (06:28) He raises the sun shield to protect the central station. (06:44) He checks the equipment. (06:58) The central station can receive commands from Earth. (07:05) A close-up of the central station is shown.

Transcription

foreign first investigation of the lunar surface will be short yet the placement of a scientific package called alsap for Apollo lunar surface experiments package will supply the long-term measurements necessary to achieve the scientific objectives of the Apollo program located in the scientific equipment Bay the entire allsup is divided into two separate packages first the Central Station and experiments second the power station called the radio isotopic thermoelectric generator or the RTG when deployed in operational the allsup will provide Advanced Data of the lunar environment as the all set packages are unstowed the astronaut will go to the base of the lunar module where the fuel Cask is located The Cask can be rotated or Tilted down to provide a proper or convenient position for removing the fuel capsule regardless of the attitude of the lunar module a tool designed for transferring the power cell is removed and functionally checked by the astronaut the fuel capsule which will provide power to the experiments for better than a year is an isotopic cylinder since it generates its own heat with temperatures ranging as high as 1000 degrees Extreme Caution is used when transferring it to the RTG using this fuel transfer tool the astronaut reaches Into The Cask and withdraws the isotopic cylinder the tool is designed to provide a maximum separation between the fuel and the astronaut as the fuel capsule is placed in the generating system the transfer tool is disengaged and locks the cell into the RTG in a barbell carrying position the astronaut can carry the Central Station and the RTG the entire package weighs 219 Earth pounds on the lunar surface however an astronaut can easily carry the package which has been reduced to approximately 36 and one half moon pounds as all the experiments are stowed in the Central Station for transportation purposes the astronaut will first deploy the passive seismometer the seismometer is attached to Copper strips that carry the signal lines back to the Central Station the purpose of this experiment is to determine the seismic activity on the moon this and the other experiments are set up over 300 feet away from the lunar module to provide a safety margin against such disturbances as blast and heating as the ascent stage departs from the Moon the solar wind experiment is deployed next this instrument will be used to investigate the temporal spectral and directional characteristics of the solar wind at the lunar surface the primary purpose of the experiment is to analyze the solar plasma as it exists on the moon the solar plasma measurements will Aid in determining the electromagnetic properties of the Moon the third experiment to be deployed is the Supra thermal ion detector the primary objective of this experiment is to measure the flow energy and velocity of the positive ions in the lunar ionosphere the information will be used to investigate the ion density composition and temperature of the cold lunar ionosphere when three experiments are placed in position the astronaut will uncover the antenna assembly this helical antenna will transmit the scientific data back to Earth where it will be picked up by the manned space Flight Network tracking stations after placing the antenna support Post in its socket he will attach the antenna pedestal and fasten it securely a leveling bubble and Sun Compass are provided so that the astronaut can level and align the antenna pedestal in azimuth the astronaut will then attach the antenna to its gimbal which is mounted on the pedestal a final adjustment will be made to obtain a proper offset so that the antenna will be pointed to the center of the Earth's rotation the last experiment to be set up is the magnetometer the purpose of the magnetometer is to measure the lunar magnetic fields and temporal variations it will also measure the magnetic field gradient at the magnetometer site this experiment will be carried 50 feet away from the Central Station an interconnecting cable not shown here will be deployed as the astronaut goes to the experiment location as he reaches the designated spot he will extend the folded sensor arms at the end of each three foot arm or boom is an axis sensor the motor for each of the sensors is mounted at the base of the sensor boom this motor will allow each sensor to be rotated in 90 and 180 degree steps about an axis normal to its sensing Direction after the arms have been extended the astronaut will align the sensors to a designated spot on the lunar module after placing the last experiment the astronaut will go back to the Central Station and raise the sun shield this Shield locks into place about five inches above the thermal radiator and affords protection to the Central Station from solar radiation and the lunar environment the astronaut will also make last-minute checks of the equipment this Central Station has the capability of receiving and transmitting data from each experiment it can also receive more than 100 commands from Earth and transmit the commands to each of the experiments all set Apollo lunar surface experiments package part of the National Aeronautics and Space administration's Apollo program that will gain invaluable scientific information from the lunar surface long after the astronauts have made their first landing

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