Jan 11 1971
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Apollo 14 Astronauts Alan B. Shepard, Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell, and Stuart A. Roosa began preflight semiquarantine at KSC to minimize their exposure to disease or illness that could delay Jan. 31 liftoff toward moon. Astronauts would be restricted to three buildings and contacts would be limited to 160 persons, all of whom had undergone comprehensive medical examinations. (UPI, W Star, 1/11/71, A9)
Nike-Cajun sounding rocket launched by NASA from Point Barrow, Alaska, carried GSFC payload to 115.9-km (72-mi) altitude to obtain temperature, pressure, density, and wind data in upper atmosphere by detonating grenades and recording their sound arrivals on ground. Rocket and instruments functioned satisfactorily, with all 19 grenades exploded and recorded as planned. Launch was part of series of similar experiments at three sites [see Jan. 7]. (NASA Rpt SRL)
January 11-14: Second annual Lunar Science Conference in Houston attracted 750 scientists who had been studying 55.8 kg (123 lbs) of lunar material gathered by Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 missions. ARC team of scientists headed by Dr. Charles P.Sonett announced that first measurements of moon's interior indicated moon had basalt-like mantle 338 km (210 mi) deep surrounding "cool core of primordial olivine-like rock." Measurements suggested moon's outer layer was melted during first billion years of its 4.5- billion-yr history. Measurements had been made with ARC magnetometer placed on moon by Apollo 12 astronauts and also made by Explorer 35 moon-orbiting satellite launched July 19, 1967. (ARC Release 71-2)
Cornell Univ. astrophysicist Dr. Thomas Gold said stratifications found in Apollo 12 lunar surface samples were caused by earth in same process that made near side of moon different from far side. Moon passed behind earth with face turned earthward for four days during regular monthly cycle and was bombarded by high-energy electrons in earth's magnetic field. Dr. Gold said he and coworkers had reproduced lunar surface markings inside vacuum chamber by bombarding finely ground earth material and small amounts of lunar soil with high-energy electrons up to 800 ev. Dr. Gold's theory of "electrostatic motion" was disputed at meeting by Univ. of California physicist Dr. Harold C. Urey. (Lannan, W Star, 1/12/71, Al)
NASA announced plan to continue lunar exploration with unmanned robots after last Apollo manned lunar landing in 1972. Plan would cost minimum $1 billion. Robot vehicles would travel 965 km (600 mi) across lunar surface and return to earth with samples or would rendezvous with other robot spacecraft that could return samples to earth. NASA spokesman said, "We sincerely hope that collaboration with the Russians takes place in space. A common program to explore the moon with instrumented spacecraft remotely controlled from earth might be the best way to help that collaboration take place." (O'Toole, W Post, 1/14/71, Al)
Dr. Gerald R. Taylor, MSC scientist, described laboratory experiment in which three highly resistant strains of bacteria were killed within 10 hrs of contact with one core sample from a number of centimeters below surface of moon's Sea of Tranquility. Micro-organisms in protein soup had been exposed to lunar soil. Dr. Narenda Bhandari of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Bombay, India, reported that analysis of cosmic ray tracks on moon had provided "conclusive proof" of existence in lunar soil of fossils from chemical elements far heavier than any previously discovered in nature or in laboratory. If verified, discovery would greatly extend periodic table of elements. (Wilford, NYT, 1/14/71, 9)
Dr. P. Buford Price of Univ. of California at Berkeley, said during interview that Apollo 12 lunar samples might contain first real evidence of "magnetic monopoles," basic force units that were to magnetism what electrons were to electricity. If their existence could be confirmed, it would mean rewriting books on magnetism and electrodynamics. Dr. Price's group of scientists appeared to have found two fossil tracks of nuclear type of particles which, theoretically, could have been made by monopoles in two lunar cysts. (Lannan, W Star, 1/14/71, A3)
Dr. Aleksander P. Vinogradov, Soviet academician and Director of Vernadsky Institute for Analytical Chemistry in Moscow, told conference U.S.S.R. would continue to explore moon with unmanned space-craft and would attempt bolder missions in future. He believed U.S.S.R. would exchange lunar samples with U.S. beginning with samples of Sea of Fertility returned by Soviet Luna 16. He said main task for Lunokhod 1, Soviet moonwalker still on moon, was to determine how eight-wheeled vehicle could best move about moon and how it could best be used in future. "We discovered that the moonwalker can move in very large angles and can go down into craters at angles of 20 degrees. The mechanical qualities of this car are very good." Dr. Vinogradov said Lunokhod 1 carried instrument to analyze soil, but device had not done so thus far. He described Luna 16 samples as bearing no evidence of water or life on moon. Drill used to dig samples had been stopped at 330 mm (13 in) below lunar surface because it hit rock. "We were afraid to send it any deeper." Dr. Vinogradov described Sea of Fertility as "blackish powder" sprinkled with "cosmic beads." Luna 16 sample was similar to soil brought back by Apollo 12 from Ocean of Storms and not very different from samples returned by Apollo 11 from Sea of Tranquility. Age of Sea of Fertility had been calculated at 4.6 billion yrs, older than some rocks returned by Apollo missions. (O'Toole, IV Post, 1/15/71, Al)
Dr. Paul W. Gast, chief of MSC Earth and Lunar Sciences Div., reported discovery by MSC scientists of "exotic components" in lunar soil believed to be fragments from primitive crust that covered moon 4.5 billion yrs ago. Fragments differed from other Apollo lunar samples and were thought to be pieces of crustal bedrock scattered by impact of meteorites pounding more ancient lunar highlands. Discovery, through chemical analysis, supported theory that moon once had hot, molten surface and that crust had hardened as it began cooling off. Discovery also helped explain why lunar soil was mostly one billion years older than lunar rocks. Dr. John A. Wood of Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory described norite found in chemical analysis of five soil samples. Norite was lighter in color than most Apollo samples and did not appear to be chemically native to landing sites, Most norite represented "near-surface material in an ancient lunar crust." Coarser grained relative of norite might have come from "somewhat deeper in the moon-perhaps several miles," If discovery proved true, samples would go back in age to beginnings of solar system. Dr. Gerald J. Wasserburg-Cal Tech physicist who had dated Apollo 12 Sample 13, oldest rock yet found, at 4.5 billion yrs (other Apollo 12 rocks were about 3.4 billion yrs old)-said Sample 13's oldest parts were granite that crystallized early in lunar history and could be some of original crustal material and some of "magic component" that accounted for difference in ages of lunar rocks and soil. Dr. Wasserburg believed that fact there was always some missing ingredients in lunar soil meant soil contained debris from granites and other materials originating elsewhere on moon. Dr. Gary V. Latham, Apollo program chief seismic investigator, reported Apollo 12 seismometer was recording weak but frequent moon-quakes along rules near landing site. He suggested rilles might be "fault zones," where slight movements in lunar surface were occurring. (Wilford, NYT, 1/17/71, 4:7; Gast, MSC)
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