The Press THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1972. To the Moon once more

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33093, 7 December 1972, Page 16

The Press THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1972. To the Moon once more

The flight of Apollo 17 will be the end of the beginning of lunar exploration. The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration hopes to resume journeys to the Moon in, perhaps, 10 years, and it has other exciting proposals for the intervening period. Because of the nature of the terrain that has been chosen, Apollo 17’s Moon landing might be even more hazardous than any of its five predecessors. Nevertheless, complete success is confidently hoped for; the expedition should add considerably to the knowledge of the geology of the lunar surface, and it might produce new evidence on the Moon’s relationship to our own planet.

The main purpose of the landing is to add another automated research station to the five already on the Moon. The sixth will be set up in a precipitous mountain region in the north-eastern part of the surface as seen from Earth. The five established stations are still functioning and sending back information to N-A.S.A. headquarters. One of them has been working continuously since November, 1969. The three stages of the operation—outward bound, exploration, and return—will take 13 days; and television will again permit much of the exploration to be seen by viewers on Earth. One feature of this mission will be the spectacular exhaust plume resulting from a night rocket launching. If conditions are favourable N_A.S.A.’s fireworks should be visible over a large part of the United States and as far south as Cuba. The crash of the upper section of the Moon landing craft—the ascent stage—is expected to be televised from a camera on the lunar surface eight days after the astronauts have left the Moon. Plans for future space missions include two features of special interest. One would realise, at least in part, the late President Kennedy’s hope for co-operation in space between the United States and the Soviet Union. Two separate spacecraft, Russian and American, would be put into orbit at the same time in an attempt to dock in space, and allow the two crews to conduct experiments together. This venture is planned, tentatively, for July, 1975. Another N.A.S.A. undertaking, possibly in 1976, will be the attempted landing on Mars of research equipment from two unmanned Viking spacecraft. The Vikings will travel separately to Mars, and will launch instrument capsules, designed for soft landings, on selected targets. If all goes well they will operate for three months on the surface of the planet It is 10 years since President Kennedy, in his Inaugural address, urged the Russians: “Together “let us explore the stars”. President Nixon’s visit to Moscow may have at last made possible mutual acceptance of the ideal of co-operation.