• Education Resources
  • Computational Tools
  • CLSE
  •  

Apollo-Era Documents

Technical documents that describe exploration strategies, equipment, and geological tools used to explore the lunar surface, plus Apollo landing site descriptions and Apollo mission summaries.

White House Documents

President Kennedy, Rice University, Houston TX, September 12, 1962
Transcript of speech (“We choose to go to the Moon.”)
NASA film of speech

Apollo landing

Lunar Landers

Apollo

Luna

Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV)

Lunar Rovers

Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV)

Lunokhod 1

Lunokhod 2

Lunar Mobility Review (2006)
Briefing that summarizes features of several lunar vehicles, 14 pages.

Lunar Terrain and Traverse Data for Lunar Roving Vehicle Design Study (1969)
USGS Report, H.J. Moore et al., 209 pages.

LRV Navigation and Guidance System Phase A Study Report (1969)
NASA-CR-126450, JPL760-42, G. K. Hornbrook, 234 pages.

Science Ground Data System & Science Operations Organization for Remotely Controlled Lunar Traverses Phase "A" Study Report (1969)
NASA-CR-15720, JPL760-39, 149 pages.

Modular Equipment Transporter (MET): Operator’s Familiarization Manual (1970)
General Electric, Apollo Systems, Houston Programs, TIR #729-S-0014(S), 22 pages.

Vehicle Mobility Tests: Soft Soil Slopes (1970)
NASA-CR-109799, JPL760-51, 57 pages.

A Study and Analysis of the MSFC Lunar Roving Vehicle Dust Profile Test Program (1971)
NASA-CR-121075, 33 pages.

LRV Operations Handbook, Appendix A (Performance Data) (1971)
NASA-TM-X-66816, 114 pages.

Mobility Performance of the Lunar Roving Vehicle:  Terrestrial Studies – Apollo 15 Results (1972)
NASA-TR-R-401, N.C. Costes et al., 87 pages.

Orbiting Command Modules

Apollo 10 Command and Service Module (CSM) “Charlie Brown”

Apollo 11 Command and Service Module (CSM) “Columbia”

Apollo 12 Command and Service Module (CSM) “Yankee Clipper”

Apollo 13 Command and Service Module (CSM) “Odyssey”

Apollo 14 Command and Service Module (CSM) “Kitty Hawk”

Apollo 15 Command and Service Module (CSM) “Endeavor”

Apollo 16 Command and Service Module (CSM) “Casper”

Apollo 17 Command and Service Module (CSM) “America”

Apollo Experience Report – Crew Provisions and Equipment Subsystem (1972)
NASA-TN-D-6737, 58 pages.

Spacesuits

Apollo Operations Handbook Extravehicular Mobility Unit, v. 1, System Description (1971)
NASA-TM-X-69516 and MSC-01372-1, 144 pages.

Apollo Operations Handbook Extravehicular Mobility Unit, v. 2, Operational Procedures (1971)
NASA-TM-X-69515 and MSC-01372-2, 134 pages.

Science Instruments

Objective Priorities for Lunar Science Orbital Instruments (1969)
NASA Contract No. NASW 1861, Report No. P-28, W. Adams et al., 46 pages.

Photodocumentation of Long-Term Lunar Surface Exposure Experiment (1974)
NASA TM X-58125, Friedrich Hörz, 61 pages.

Data Collection by Robotic Precursors in Support of Project Apollo (1992)
Data requirements, program review, and evaluation of results; by D. Eppler

Catalog of Apollo Experiment Operations (1994)
NASA Reference Publication 1317, T. A. Sullivan, 182 pages.

Catalog of Lunar and Mars Science Payloads (1994)
NASA Reference Publication 1345, N. A. Budden (ed.), 260 pages.

Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP)* Reports

Status reports on the operation of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package.

ALSEP Daily Science Reports 1969–1970
November 20, 1969–February 13, 1970, 88 pages

ALSEP 1 Science Reports 1970–1971
February 16, 1970–January 29, 1971, 114 pages

Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package Status Reports 1971
February 6 1971–December 23, 1971, 321 pages

Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package Status Reports 1972
January 7, 1972–December 31, 1972, 397 pages

Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package Status Reports 1973
January 2, 1973– April 5, 1973, 153 pages

ALSEP Performance Summary Reports 1973
April 13, 1973–December 21, 1973, 287 pages

ALSEP Performance Summary Reports 1974
January 4, 1974–December 20, 1974, 362 pages

ALSEP Performance Summary Reports 1975
January 3, 1975–December 19, 1975, 381 pages

ALSEP Performance Summary Reports 1976
January 9, 1976–December 22, 1976, 459 pages

ALSEP Performance Summary Reports 1977
January 5, 1977–September 30, 1977, 199 pages

*See our ALSEP Documents page for additional material.

Geological Tools

Catalog of Apollo Lunar Surface Geologic Sampling Tools and Containers (1989)
NASA-JSC document number JSC-23454, J. H. Allton, 97 pages.

Preliminary Science Reports

Summer Conference on Lunar Exploration and Science (1965)
NASA SP-88

Summer Study of Lunar Science and Exploration (1967)
NASA SP-157

Surveyor V: A Preliminary Report (1967)
NASA SP-163, 169 pages.

Apollo 11 Preliminary Science Report (1969)
NASA SP-214

Apollo 12 Preliminary Science Report (1970)
NASA SP-235

Apollo 14 Preliminary Science Report (1971)
NASA SP-272

Post-Apollo Lunar Science; Report of a Study by the Lunar Science Institute (1972)
Recommendations for post-Apollo lunar science activities by many of the participants that planned and executed the Apollo lunar surface science investigations.

Apollo 15 Preliminary Science Report (1972)
NASA SP-289

Apollo 16 Preliminary Science Report (1972)
NASA SP-315

Apollo 17 Preliminary Science Report (1973)
NASA SP-330

Data Analysis to Separate Particles of Different Speed Regimes and Charges (1977)
NASA-CR-159916, 11 pages.  [Preliminary assessment of the LEAM dust experiment.]

Landing Site Studies and Lunar Surface Operations

A Study of Lunar Landing Sites and Associated Stay Times (1965)
NASA-TN-D-2795, L. W. Enderson Jr., 37 pages.

Lunar Landing and Site Selection Study (1965)
NASA-TN-D-2999, J.L. Lewis and C. D. Wheelwright, 23 pages.

Study of Deployment Procedures for Lunar Exploration Systems for Apollo (LESA) (1965)
LMSC-665606, 31 pages.

Apollo Site Selection Board Meeting Minutes (1966-1972)

Apollo Site Selection Board Briefing, December 15 (1967)
Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, TX

An Analysis of Astronaut Performance Capability in the Lunar Environment (1969)
NASA-CR-106806, T. B. Malone, H. E. Bender, and M. H. Kahn, 245 pages.

Lunar Surface Data Book 5 (00N/20E) (1969)
Mapping Sciences Laboratory, Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, TX, First Edition, January 1969.

Lunar Surface Exploration Map Data Package, Apollo Landing Site 2 (1969)
U.S. Army Topographic Command, Edition 1, June 1969.

Lunar Terrain and Traverse Data for Lunar Roving Vehicle Design Study (1969)
Preliminary USGS Report for NASA, H.J. Moore et al., 209 pages.

Criteria for Lunar Site Selection (1970)
NASA Contract No. 1861, Report No. P-30, A.B. Binder & D.L. Roberts, 50 pages.

On the Moon with Apollo 15:  A Guidebook to Hadley Rille and the Apennine Mountains (1971)
NASA-TM-X-68638, 62 pages.

Apollo 16 Preliminary Lunar Surface Procedures (1971)
NASA-TM-X-70010, 356 pages.

Lunar Mission Safety and Rescue Technical Summary (1971)
MSC-03976, 182 pages.

Traverse Briefings for Apollo 16 Crew (1972)
Traverse Planning Team, 209 pages, including crew cuff-check lists.

Apollo 14 Visibility Tests:  Visibility of Lunar Surface Features and Lunar Landing (1972)
NASA-CR-141651, 218 pages.

Apollo Soil Mechanics Experiment S-200 (1974)
NASA-CR-134306, 135 pages.

Apollo 11 Voice Transcript Pertaining to the Geology of the Landing Site (1974)
NASA-CR-14226, 45 pages.

Apollo 12 Voice Transcript Pertaining to the Geology of the Landing Site (1975)
NASA-CR-145520, 179 pages.

Apollo 14 Voice Transcript Pertaining to the Geology of the Landing Site (1975)
NASA-TMX-72962, 151 pages.

Apollo 15 Voice Transcript Pertaining to the Geology of the Landing Site (1975)
NASA-CR-145820, 235 pages

Apollo 16 Voice Transcript Pertaining to the Geology of the Landing Site (1975)
NASA CR-146220, 325 pages.

Apollo 17 Voice Transcript Pertaining to the Geology of the Landing Site (1975)
NASA CR-146107, 364 pages.

The Geologic Investigation of the Taurus-Littrow Valley: Apollo 17 Landing Site (1981)
E. W. Wolfe and others, U. S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1080, 280 pages.

Additional landing studies, including studies of future landing sites, are listed here.

Miscellaneous

Report of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Apollo Experiments and Training on the Scientific Aspects of the Apollo Program (1963)
The Sonett Report (final edition), 101 pages.

Objectives of Apollo Geological Field Investigations & Proposal for Development of an Apollo Field Exploration Program (1965)
Goddard et al., 61 pages.

Geological Field Investigation in Early Apollo Manned Lunar Landing Missions (1965)
Shoemaker et al., 60 pages.

The Micrometeoroid Environment of Project Apollo (1965)
NASA-CR-152853, J. S. Dohnanyi, 32 pages.

Ranger VIII and IX:  Part II.  Experimenters’ Analyses and Interpretations (1966)
JPL Technical Report 32-800, 382 pages.

Summary Report on Lunar Survey Probe Utilization Study (1967)
NASA-CR-89537, JPL760-12, 15 pages.

Interagency Reports by the Branch of Astrogeology, U. S. Geological Survey (1967-1977)

Radiation Protection for Apollo Missions (1969)
NASA-CR-106949, 8 pages.

A Study of Lunar Traverse Missions (1968)
NASA-CR-152714, JPL760-26, JPL Advanced Lunar Studies Team, 355 pages.

Apollo 12 Photography Index:  70 mm and 16 mm (1969)
NASA-CR-197662, 144 pages.

The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology, Volume I (1969)
NASA-SP-4009-1, I. D. Ertel and M. L. Morse, 288 pages.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Apollo 11 Fifty-State Tour 1970-1971 (1971)
D. L. Zylstra, 42 pages.

The Utilization of Halo Orbits in Advanced Lunar Operations (1971)
NASA TN-D-6365, R. Farquhar, 109 pages.

Lunar Surface Resolution Coverage of Lunar Orbiter Photography (1971)
NASA-CR-152719, JPL760-63, C. R. Heinzen and W. F. Peer, 13 pages (with maps).

Physical Properties of the Apollo 12 Fines (1971)
NASA-CR-114844, T. Gold et al., 21 pages.

Complex Permittivity Measurements of Lunar Samples at Microwave and Millimeter Wavelengths (1972)
NASA-CR-115571, H. L. Bassett and R. G. Shackelford, 10 pages.

Apollo Experience Report – Spacecraft Structural Windows (1973)
NASA-TN-D-7439, O.E. Pigg and S. P. Weiss, 24 pages.

The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology, Volume II (1973)
NASA-SP-4009-2, M. L. Morse and J. K. Bays, 298 pages.

Biomedical Results of Apollo (1975)
NASA-SP-368, R. S. Johnston, L. F. Dietlein, and C. A. Berry (eds.), 579 pages.

The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology, Volume III (1976)
NASA-SP-4009-3, C. G. Brooks and I. D. Ertel, 304 pages.

The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology, Volume IV (1978)
NASA-SP-4009-1, I. D. Ertel and R. W. Newkirk, 482 pages.

Where No Man Has Gone Before:  A History of Apollo Lunar Exploration Missions (1989)
NASA-SP-4214, W. D. Compton, 430 pages.

The Soviet Reach for the Moon (1995)
Nicholas L. Johnson, second edition, 56 pages.

Apollo by the Numbers: A Statistical Reference (2000)
NASA SP-2000-4029, Richard W. Orloff, 344 pages.

Lunar Receiving Laboratory Project History (2004)
NASA-CR-2004-208938, S. Mangus and W. Larsen, 76 pages.

Apollo Traverses and Summary of Science Discoveries (2006)
Brief summary of the Apollo traverses, science objectives, and science results, 39 pages.

Apollo Guidance Navigation and Control Systems diagram

Lunar Landers
Lunar Rovers
Orbiting Command Modules
Spacesuits
Science Instruments
Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP)
Geological Tools
Preliminary Science Reports
Landing Site Studies and Lunar Surface Operations
Miscellaneous

Get the solar system in your inbox.

Sign up for LPI's email newsletters