Apollo 17 0.1 Prelaunch part 5

[edit] Launch Operations

Launch operations during the next three months followed the routine established in earlier missions.

This page is still under development. Similar to Apollo 16 launch preparation

The few changes in hardware went smoothly. There was one scare in late-September, again involving the command module's reaction control system. While conducting a leak check, a technician overpressurized one of the oxidizer tanks. KSC officials feared the worst - the rupture of the bladder and the spacecraft's return to the operations and checkout building. At a press conference a few hours after the accident, NASA Administrator James Fletcher announced the possibility of a month's delay in the launch. Further tests, however, indicated that the teflon bladder was all right, and Apollo 17 stayed on schedule.

In the outside world, there was an ill omen. A NASA request for 21 hours of Public Broadcasting Service network time to cover Apollo 17 stirred little excitement among the stations. Of some 70 replies, ten were favorable, ten opposed, and 50 expressed serious reservations. While this was blamed on a fear of governmental interference in programming, the commercial networks were no more enthusiastic. The prelaunch word was that they planned to cover only highlights of the flight.

The morale at the spaceport remained generally high. For most companies, KSC contracts continued through Skylab and the Apollo-Soyuz flight.

Apollo 17, however, marked the end of the road for the 600 members of the Grumman team. During its years at Merritt Island, Charles Kroupa's group had earned an excellent reputation with NASA counterparts and fellow contractors. The men working for test supervisor Ray Erickson wanted to assure the astronaut crew of their continued support. The result was a large poster at the lunar module working level of the mobile service structure. Signed by Grumman's employees, it read: THIS MAY BE OUR LAST BUT IT WILL BE OUR BEST. Fletcher said the slogan "should be the watchword for the entire Apollo team."

[edit] CDDT (CountDown Demonstration Test): November 21, 1972

The mighty Apollo 17 Saturn V stack is bathed in spotlight during final preparation for launching the three man crew beyond the Earth's gravity and on to the Moon.	A suit tech gets Ron Evans into his bubble helmet during suit-up for the Countdown Demonstration Test.
Gene Crenan suits up in the Astronaut Quarters in the Mann Spacecraft Operation Building in preparation for the Countdown Demonstration Test	Image:72-H-852.jpg Image:72-H-852.jpg
The Apollo 17 Prime Crew suits up in the Astronaut Quarters in the Mann Spacecraft Operation Building in preparation for the Countdown Demonstration Test. Gene Cernan is seen on the couch in the foreground with Ron Evans standing in the middle and Jack Schmitt at the far end.	Image:72-H-851.jpg Image:72-H-851.jpg
Gene Cernan during suit-up for the Countdown Demonstration Test.	Jack Schmitt during suit-up for the Countdown Demonstration Test.
Image:KSC-72P-508.jpg Jack Schmitt suits up in the Astronaut Quarters in the Mann Spacecraft Operation Building in preparation for the Countdown Demonstration Test which was successfully completed on November 21. Completion of the Week-long CDDT cleared the way for the launch of Apollo 17 on December 6th.	Apollo 17 Lunar Module Pilot Harrison H. Schmitt is shown suited in preparation for the final portion of the week-long countdown Demonstration Test.
Apollo 17 Commander Gene Cernan is shown suited in preparation for the final portion of the week-long countdown Demonstration Test.	Apollo 17 Command Module Pilot Ronald E. Evans is shown suited in preparation for the final portion of the week-long countdown Demonstration Test.
Image:KSC-72P-512.jpg Apollo 17 crew walk to the transfer van for the Countdown Demonstration Test.	Gene Cernan in the White Room on the launch tower for the Countdown Demonstration Test. Pad leader Guenter Wendt is immediately to Gene's left.
Launch Control Center during CDDT. The countdown clock is at -1:05:37; the center display says, "Apollo 17 CDDT 11-22-73 GMT 01 47 20". The monitor at the right shows the white room and the closed hatch of the Command Module.	Apollo 17 Prelaunch Tests in Launch Control Center.