Apollo: NASA fired mortars on the moon - didnt know that

I don't believe I knew this - but it was a long time ago.

Apollo 14 and 16, carried a mortar-style grenade launcher on the LEM but deployed on the ground. Used to fire grenades of varying explosive charge at varying distances (up to 900m) and then they timed the seismic echoes to determine some characteristics of the lunar crust. Firing was by remote control (not sure if from command module or from Earth) after astronauts had left the moon.

Picture of the one used on A-16 in this first link - brief description of experiments in second link.

ares.jsc.nasa.gov/HumanExplore/Explorati...lloCat/Part1/ASE.htm
www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/missions/apollo/a...ments/as/index.shtml

I have to say it - because I think its funny:
"can the Americans go anywhere without blowing things up?"

I read that the seismometers detected some moon quakes and evidence of meteorite impacts over a few years.

They were magic times.

Mark C.

Interesting.
Didn't know that.

Probably looking for Bin-Laden.

The scientists connected to the seismic project had their own t-shirt:

Nice find Mark, never knew that! Considering Earth already had the Vietnam and Middle East conflicts at that time in history, it probably wasn't a great PR idea to show a grenade launcher on the Moon, it might have been misconstrued that America was laying claim to the Moon in some way. We all know better now.

Now, to have got the video of such a grenade launch would be cool. Just how would a projectile operate in an environment with no air, 1/6th gravity and plenty of static electricity?

Seanie.

Interesting article Mark i guess it wouldn't have taken much explosive to lunch the mortar in 1/6 gravity would be good to find the video footage.