#csm-114

[lonestarflight]

Apollo 17 vs Artemis II

[lonestarflight]

Night Launch of Apollo 17 (AS-512)

"The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 17 (Spacecraft 114/Lunar Module 12/Saturn 512) space vehicle is launched from Pad A., Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, at 12:33 a.m. (EST), Dec. 7, 1972. Apollo 17, the final lunar landing mission in NASA's Apollo program, was the first nighttime liftoff of the Saturn V launch vehicle. Aboard the Apollo 17 spacecraft were astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, commander; astronaut Ronald E. Evans, command module pilot; and scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt, lunar module pilot. Flame from the five F-1 engines of the Apollo/Saturn first (S-1C) stage illuminates the nighttime scene. A two-hour and 40-minute hold delayed the Apollo 17 launching."

"This is the official emblem of the Apollo 17 lunar landing mission which was flown by astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans and Harrison H. Schmitt.

The insignia is dominated by the image of Apollo, the Greek sun god. Suspended in space behind the head of Apollo is an American eagle of contemporary design, the red bars of the eagle's wing represent the bars in the United States flag; the three white stars symbolize the three astronaut crewmen. The background is deep blue space and within it are the moon, the planet Saturn and a spiral galaxy or nebula. The moon is partially overlaid by the eagle's wing suggesting that this is a celestial body that man has visited and in that sense conquered. The thrust of the eagle and the gaze of Apollo to the right and toward Saturn and the galaxy is meant to imply that man's goals in space will someday include the planets and perhaps the stars. The colors of the emblem are red, white and blue, the colors of our flag; with the addition of gold, to symbolize the golden age of space flight that will begin with this Apollo 17 lunar landing. The Apollo image used in this emblem was the famous Apollo of Belvedere sculpture now in the Vatican Gallery in Rome. This emblem was designed by artist Robert T. McCall in collaboration with the astronauts."

Date: December 7, 1972

NASA ID: link, 72-HC-886, S72-55482, S72-55070, S72-49079

[lonestarflight]

"A water-level view of the Apollo 17 Command Module (CM-114) floating in the Pacific Ocean following splashdown and prior to recovery. The prime recovery ship, the USS TICONDEROGA, is in the background. When this picture was taken, the three-man crew of astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans and Harrison H. Schmitt, had already been picked up by helicopter and flown to the deck of the recovery ship. The spacecraft was later hoisted aboard TICONDEROGA. A United States Navy UDT swimmer stands on the flotation collar. Apollo 17 splashdown occurred at 1:24:59 p.m. (CST), about 350 nautical miles southeast of Samoa."

Recovery patches

Date: December 19, 1972

NASA ID: S72-56147

[lonestarflight]

The Apollo 17 Lunar Module Challenger undergoes testing prior to being enclosed in the Spacecraft-Lunar Module Adapter (SLA-21) at the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building in Kennedy Space Center, Florida. In the background is the Apollo 17 Command and Service Module (CSM-114) America on the stand, waiting to be stacked on the SLA-21.

Date: August 16, 1972

NASA ID: KSC-72P-441

[lonestarflight]

View of the Apollo 17 Saturn V (CSM-114/LM-12/SA-512) launch from press site view at Kennedy Space Center.

Date: Decembre 7, 1972

Dan Beaumont Space Museum: link

[lonestarflight]

PRELAUNCH - APOLLO 17 (ROLLOUT) - KSC

"Searchlights illuminate this nighttime scene at Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, showing the Apollo 17 (Spacecraft 114/Lunar Module 12/Saturn 512) space vehicle during prelaunch preparations. Apollo 17, the final lunar landing mission in NASA's Apollo program, will be the first nighttime liftoff of the huge Saturn V launch vehicle. Apollo 17 is scheduled for launching on the night of Dec. 6, 1972. Aboard the Apollo 17 spacecraft will be astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, commander; astronaut Ronald E. Evans, command module pilot; and scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt, lunar module pilot."

Date: November 1972

NASA ID: S72-54814

[lonestarflight]

The Apollo 17 Spacecraft (CSM-114/LM-12/SLA-21) (right) crosses paths with the S-IB and S-IVB stage for Saturn IB (SA-206), intended for the first manned Skylab mission (SL-2).

Date: August 23, 1972

NASA ID: KSC-72P-454

[lonestarflight]

"Searchlights illuminate this nighttime scene at Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, showing the Apollo 17 (Spacecraft 114/Lunar Module 12/Saturn 512) space vehicle during prelaunch preparations. Apollo 17, the final lunar landing mission in NASA's Apollo program, will be the first nighttime liftoff of the huge Saturn V launch vehicle. Apollo 17 is scheduled for launching on the night of Dec. 6, 1972. Aboard the Apollo 17 spacecraft will be astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, commander; astronaut Ronald E. Evans, command module pilot; and scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt, lunar module pilot. Note the full moon in the background."

Date: November 1972

NASA ID: S72-54813, 7004739, 72-H-1455, 72-HC-847, 72-H-1454