Apollo 17 Second Extravehicular Activity
The Second Extravehicular Activity
The second extravehicular activity (EVA) began at 6:28 p.m. EST on December 12. This EVA concentrated on sampling, with a large number of sampling stops, including eight intermediate stops to the major stops. The major objective was to sample landslide deposits in the vicinity of South Massif. In all, the crew traveled about 20.4 kilometers in the lunar rover. The second EVA was 7 hours and 37 minutes, ending at 2:05 a.m. EST on December 13.
Repair of the Lunar Rover Fender
A close-up view of the makeshift repair arrangement on the right rear fender of the lunar rover. During the first EVA, a hammer got underneath the fender and a part of the fender was knocked off. The broken fender allowed the rover to kick up a dust plume while moving, which caused difficulty for the crew. Following a suggestion from astronaut John Young at Mission Control, the crew repaired the fender using lunar maps and clamps from the optical alignment telescope lamp. This repair was made at the beginning of EVA 2.
The Geologic Traverse
Traverse Map
Surface Electrical Properties Site
This traverse started out with a stop to activate the Surface Electrical Properties Experiment. The crew also collected additional samples and performed additional panoramic photography while at this site.Station 2 - Nansen Crater
Station 2 was located at the foot of South Massif near the southeast rim of Nansen Crater. South Massif is part of the rim of the Serenitatis impact basin and the massif was uplifted at the time of the basin-forming impact, so the rocks that form the massif must be older than this impact. A landslide in this region put boulders from high on the massif into reach of the astronauts. The primary purpose of this stop was to sample these boulders, which represent material formed very early in the Moon's history that possibly came from deep within the Moon's crust. In addition to collecting samples, the astronauts performed panoramic and documentary photography and made traverse gravimeter and electrical properties measurements.Station 2A
Station 2A was located about 600 meters northeast of Nansen Crater. Originally planned as sample stop number LRV-4, it was decided to take an additional traverse gravimeter measurement to check the gravity gradient between the South Massif and the valley. While off the rover, the crew collected four samples.Station 3 - Lara Crater
This station was located about 50 meters east of the rim of Lara Crater. Although time was limited, the crew took a traverse gravimeter measurement, gathered samples including a double-length core tube sample and a rake sample, and performed panoramic and 500-millimeter photography. This station is along the Lincoln-Lee Scarp, which is an example of a mare wrinkle ridge. Wrinkle ridges are common in the lunar maria, but this is the only such ridge studied at close range during the Apollo program.Station 4 - Shorty Crater
At Station 4, on the south rim crest of Shorty Crater, the astronauts made traverse gravimeter and electrical properties measurements; gathered samples, including a trench sample and a double-length core tube sample; and performed documentary and panoramic photography. This stop was made to investigate the possibility that this crater was actually a volcanic structure. The famous "orange soil" was discovered at this site. Shorty is actually an impact crater and the orange soil is an older volcanic deposit.Station 5 - Camelot Crater
Station 5 was located within a block field on the southwest rim of Camelot Crater. Activities at this site included a traverse gravimeter measurement, sample gathering, and documentary and panoramic photography.The LRV Samples
During EVA 2 and EVA 3, samples were scooped from the surface between traverse stations by the use of a long-handled sample bag holder, as shown in the photograph. The samples were taken without dismounting the rover at locations chosen by astronaut Jack Schmitt. Documentation photographs were taken as the rover approached the selected site and while the rover was stopped at the site. A total of eight such stops were made during EVA 2; these are designated as LRV stops on the traverse map. Three of the LRV stops were between the Surface Electrical Properties experiment site and Station 2, one was at Station 2A, two were between Stations 3 and 4, and two more were between Stations 4 and 5.
Other EVA Activities
In addition to the activities noted, the crew deployed three explosive packages for the Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment, one at station LRV-7 and two at unnumbered sites west of the lunar module. Two additional traverse gravimeter measurements were made near the lunar module. At the end of the EVA, the astronauts also releveled the Lunar Surface Gravimeter.
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Apollo 17 Table of Contents
Extravehicular Activity 1
Extravehicular Activity 3
Back to Surface Operations Overview
The Second Extravehicular Activity
Repair of the Lunar Rover Fender
The LRV Samples