Flown map of the lunar surface carried on the Apollo 12 mission, 10.5 x 27.75, signed and flight-certified in blue felt tip, “Flown on Apollo XII, Used to track landmarks on the Descartes plateau, the landing site for Apollo XVI. Richard Gordon, CMP.” The map consists of four photographic panels taped together on the reverse and has filing holes at the top. Adhesive remnants to two panels of the map, otherwise fine condition. Accompanied by a signed letter of provenance from Gordon, in part: “These maps helped us to locate our position around the moon and to locate and track with the Command Module (CM) sextant preferred sightings. This lunar map was used during Apollo XII to facilitate tracking the Lunar landmark designated DE1 on the Descartes Plateau. It shows the ground track of Apollo XII on revolution 42. The IP (initial point) starts at crater Kant C which is 2 minutes, 19 second from DE1." Gordon piloted the Command Module during Apollo 12, remaining in lunar orbit while crewmates Charles Conrad and Alan Bean journeyed to the surface. He completed 45 orbits of the moon in the Yankee Clipper, taking important mapping photographs of proposed landing sites for future missions and conducting a lunar multispectral photography experiment. This map was used toward the end of the ten-day mission to identify areas of the Descartes Highlands, which later became the Apollo 16 landing site. A superb flown map of one of the most well-known areas of the lunar surface. The Leon Ford Collection. Pre-certified Zarelli Space Authentication.
This item is Pre-Certified by STEVE ZARELLI
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