Page 88 - Apollo Moonships

86 On bOard apOllO mOOnships
PAYLOAD MANAGEMENT
The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) not only was used to transport astronauts over the lunar terrain. One of its primary tasks was to function as a “truck” during the lunar traverses. The vehicle, in fact, could carry several pounds of lunar samples, but also tools, experimental equipment and other materials required for lunar exploration. The low lunar gravity, however, represented a serious problem to stow the equipment on the rover, because its reduced weight (an object weighs six times less on the moon than on Earth) allowed that they were expelled easily from the vehicle while it was moving over the rugged lunar terrain. As a result, the Lunar Rover mounted especial systems to secure and restraint the different types of loads, stowing all of them in
a dedicated place. For example, the samples collection bags were secured to the cargo pallet located in the rear section of the Lunar Rover, known as Removable Aft Chassis Deck. To prevent the samples to bounce out from the vehicle, the bags were assured by clips, which restricted their movement in three directions. The Lunar Rover had six zones dedicated to carry payload, including areas under the seats, near the main panel console and in the rear and forward sections of the vehicle.
LUNAR ROVER STOWAGE ZONES
AREAS DESCRIPTIONS
A = Stowage areas located behind of seats
B = Stowage areas located under left seat
C = Stowage areas located under right seat
D = Stowage areas on the right side of the console
E = Stowage areas on the right side of the console
F = Stowage areas placed in the front of the vehicle
A1 Sample collection bags
A2 LRV aft chassis pallet
A3 Lunar hand tool carrier
A4 Penetrometer recording
A5 Lunar dust brush
A6 Extension tool
A7 Tongs
A8 Bulk sample scoop
A9 Trenching tool
A10 Hammer
A11 Gnomon
A12 Adjustable sampling scoop
B1 Camera magazines 16
mm and 70 mm A6 C1 Laser Ranging 3
Retroreflector(LR )
D1 Camera/power pack Assembly
E1 Low–gain antenna Assembly
F1 Hi–gain antenna assembly
F2 Ground Controlled TV Assembly (GCTA)
F3 Communication Relay System (LCRU)
ADJUSTABLE SAMPLING SCOOP
This adjustable-angle device was used to pick up small samples or rocks from the lunar surface. The scoop could be attached to an extension handle.
STOWING SAMPLES
The Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt, a lunar lander pilot, moves one of the seats of the LRV to gain access to the payload stowage located below. On the right, several geological tools can be seen in the aft chassis deck pallet. Astronaut Eugene Cernan, mission commander, took the picture on December 13, 1972.