2025年12月27日
Apollo 17’s Moonship
Image Credit: Apollo 17, NASA, (Image Reprocessing: Andy Saunders)
Explanation: Awkward and angular looking, Apollo 17’s lunar module Challenger was designed for flight in the near vacuum of space. Digitally enhanced and reprocessed, this picture taken from Apollo 17’s command module America shows Challenger’s ascent stage in lunar orbit. Small reaction control thrusters are at the sides of the moonship with the bell of the ascent rocket engine underneath. The hatch that allowed access to the lunar surface is seen at the front, with a round radar antenna at the top. Mission commander Gene Cernan is clearly visible through the triangular window. This spaceship performed gracefully, landing on the Moon and returning the Apollo astronauts to the orbiting command module in December of 1972. So where is Challenger now? While its descent stage remains at the Apollo 17 landing site in the Taurus-Littrow valley, the ascent stage pictured was intentionally crashed nearby after being jettisoned from the command module prior to the astronauts’ return to planet Earth.
Tomorrow’s picture: It’s full of stars!
阿波罗17号的月球飞船
影像提供: Apollo 17, NASA, (Image Reprocessing: Andy Saunders)
说明: 阿波罗17号的登月舱「挑战者号」外型笨拙而棱角分明，专为在太空近乎真空的环境中飞行而设计。这张经过数位增强和重新处理的照片是从阿波罗17号的指令舱「美国号」所拍摄，显示了挑战者号的上升段在月球轨道上的运行状态。小型反作用控制推进器位于登月舱两侧，下方是上升火箭引擎的钟形罩。通往月球表面的舱口位于前方，顶部装有圆形雷达天线。透过三角形窗口，可以清楚地看到任务指挥官尤金·塞尔南。这艘飞船表现出色，于1972年12月成功登陆月球，并将阿波罗宇航员送回轨道上的指令舱。那么挑战者号现在在哪里呢？它的下降段仍留在金牛座-利特罗谷的阿波罗17号着陆点。图中所示的上升段是在宇航员返回地球前从指令舱抛弃后，故意坠毁在附近。
明日的图片: It’s full of stars!
