In November 1969, NASA's Apollo 12 mission was launched to the moon with the goal of conducting scientific experiments and exploring the lunar surface. The mission was successful, but what many people don't know is that the third stage of the Saturn V rocket, known as the S IVB, had its own strange and unexpected journey.
The S IVB was originally supposed to follow a predetermined trajectory after it had delivered the Apollo 12 spacecraft to the moon's orbit. However, due to a technical glitch in the guidance system, the third stage ended up in a highly elliptical orbit around the sun.
Over the next few years, the S IVB was repeatedly observed by both amateur and professional astronomers on Earth as it completed multiple orbits of the sun. In fact, the third stage was observed more than any other man-made object in space at the time.
Despite its unexpected journey, the S IVB was ultimately used for an important scientific experiment. In 1972, the third stage was intentionally crashed into the moon's surface in order to create seismic waves that would provide data on the moon's interior structure.
The Strange Journey of Apollo 12's S IVB Third Stage
One of the interesting things about the S IVB's journey is that it was actually seen by several amateur astronomers who were able to track its progress and report it to NASA. For example, Ron Baalke, who was just 16 years old at the time, observed the S IVB through his telescope and sent a report to NASA that helped them verify its trajectory.
Another interesting aspect of the S IVB's journey is that it became a sort of "comet" as it orbited the sun, with a tail of gas and dust that was visible to some observers. This is thought to have been caused by the remaining fuel in the third stage's propulsion system and residual gases from the insulation.
Despite the fact that the third stage ended up in an orbit that was not originally intended, it was ultimately used for an important scientific experiment on the moon.
This is a testament to the interest and curiosity of amateur and professional astronomers alike, and how they can help contribute to our understanding of the universe.
Despite our best efforts to plan and prepare for space missions, there are still many unknown variables that can impact the trajectory and outcomes of these missions, making space exploration a thrilling and unpredictable adventure.
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Curated by Team Akash.Mittal.Blog
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