|
NASA's Apollo Astronauts Use Test Site Craters to
Prepare for Moon Surf
Because the "Schooner" and "Sedan" craters at the Nevada Test Site
had features similar to the topography of Moon craters, astronauts used
them to train for their missions.
Astronauts for Apollo 14 exercised at Schooner crater, and visited
Sedan crater in November 1970. Apollo 16 astronauts visited the Schooner
crater in November 1970, and exercised there in October 1971. Apollo 17
astronauts conducted exercises at Schooner and on Buckboard Mesa in
August 1972.
Although the exercises at the NTS were only a small part of their
training, voice transcripts of the Apollo missions show that their work
at NTS craters contributed to astronaut performance on the Moon.
Astronaut H.H. Schmitt referred to "Little Dan" crater (named by
astronauts) on Buckboard Mesa while describing a 600-meter lunar crater
in the Haemus Mountains west of Sulpicius Gallus.
^ TOP ^
|
