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Handwritten draft report by Apollo 12 Commander Charles Conrad, unsigned, totaling eight pages, 8 x 10.5, no date but circa December 1969. Partial draft of Conrad's official report on the second moon landing mission, documenting touchdown on the lunar surface and later ascent, rendezvous, and docking for the journey back to Earth; both sections appear, revised, in the official Apollo 12 Mission Report (MSC-01855), published by the Manned Spacecraft Center in March 1970 (see: Section 9.9 'Powered Descent' and Section 9.11 'Ascent, Rendezvous, and Docking').
The first section, written in black felt tip, in part: "P-63 was selected twice in the timeline. First to allow the ground and crew a quick look as is alone with P-40 in the CSM. The second time was eight minutes prior to PDI after receiving the latest updating from the MSFN. PDI and throttle-up were on time. Throughout P-63 there was RCE thruster activity which has been attributed to fuel slosh…Right after pitch over the CDR did not immediately recognize the area. The field of view is much greater and detail is greater than the L and A of the LMS. Photographs do not alert you to this either. However, as soon as the CDR looked through the LPD at the nominal 40° angle, all the preflight planned landmarks became very obvious. The LMP's call outs of LPD angle indicated that the down range error was very small to non-existent…The first redesignation was 2° right to get out of the center of the Surveyor crater…The preselected landing site at the 4 o'clock position on the Surveyor crater did not appear to be suitable at an altitude of 800 feet. A more suitable landing site appeared at the one-thirty position on the Surveyor crater and P-66 was entered at approximately 400 feet to prevent an apparent over-fly and to maneuver left into the new landing side.
A steeper than normal descent was made into the site and dust was noted at approximately 175 feet. The approach path was approximately 40°. A life translation was easily initiated and subsequently stopped to maneuver over to the landing site. The last hundred feet were made at a descent rate of 2 FPS and prior to that time in P-66 the maximum descent rate was 6 FPS. The dust continued to build up until the ground was completely observed during approximately the last 40 feet of descent. The CDR had not verified the cross-pointed velocity indicator prior to 50 feet altitude and when the ground was lost the indicator read zero…The CDR continued to operate 1/2 visual & 1/2 instruments. The CDR was scanning the instruments when the lunar contact light illuminated and shut the engine down in flight. Touchdown followed and was very gentle. Post flight EVA examination of the gear struts and pads indicated zero translation and very low sink rates of touchdown…Two lunar surface alignments were performed and the LM was powered down to the EVA prep configuration."
The second section, written in blue ballpoint, headed "Ascent, Rendezvous & Docking," in part: "The pre-ascent check list was picked up at L/O -2 hrs & 50 mins with a power up and lunar surface alignment. There were no noted deviation from the check list and the only anomalies were those previously noted software alarms associated with computer power-up. Lift-off occurred on time. Much silver and gold insulation was noted at lift-off traveling radially out-ward parallel of the lunar surface. Pitch-over was smooth and the yaw maneuver was performed manually at one minute…The post-insertion check list and inflight alignment were completed on time…The midcourse corrections were small and both MCC's were burned. It was not necessary to make any LDS correcvtion until approximately 1000 ft from the CSM and these were very small…The CSM performed the docking. The CSM went to free while the LM remained in attitude hold narrow deadband at capture latch engagement. There were no transients or LM RCS firings. The CSM made a slight attitude adjustment and then retracted the probe for a hand dock."
In overall very good condition, with the pages torn into quarters and neatly reassembled with tape on the reverse. Accompanied by a provenance letter from Sgt. James W. Stout of the Fort Worth Police Department, who served as chief of security during 'Alan Bean Day' on December 22, 1969; he obtained these pages of Conrad's torn-up flight report draft and meticulously reassembled them. Also includes two documents related to Sgt. Stout's security detail on the 17th floor of the Worth Hotel, and several photographs of the event annotated and signed by him. Further includes a letter of authenticity from Peachstate Historical Consulting, speculating that Conrad may have penned this draft while in quarantine as the mission was fresh in his mind. It was certainly penned prior to December 22, 1969, and indeed conforms with much of what appears in the official Apollo 12 Mission Report; photocopies of the related sections of the report are included.
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