Artifact: Two Apollo 12 chart sections of Data from the Moon.
Dimensions: 16.5 x 10.5 cm and 10.4 x 9.9 cm

Description:
Two sections from a strip of live data from the Moon transmitted back to Earth by the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP).

CHANNELS 1, 2, & 3 - Suprathermal lon Detector Experiment (SIDE]
SIDE analyzes the "ions" found near the Moon's surface. Ions, which are fragments of atoms that have been broken apart by ultra-violet light energy and collisions with other ions, make up nearly all of the Moon's tenuous "atmosphere." Not being "whole" atoms, ions are very unstable, acting like pieces of electricity that can reach speeds ranging from 25 to 250 miles per second! Most lunar ions come all the way from the Sun (in the "solar wind" of ions), while some originate from gases that have escaped from beneath the Moon's surface.

lons are distinguished from one another by their 1) MASS (or weight), 2) VELOCITY (speed at which they travel), 3) ENERGY (work done in accelerating the ions), and 4) CHARGE (number of missing electrons). SIDE performs its operation by counting ions of various energies and masses. Each of the three SIDE experiments on the Moon return eight channels of data. The three channels displayed on your sample include:

Channel I - Energy Step Sequencer
Displays SIDE's repeating 20-step "search pattern." Each of the experiment's 20 voltage settings allows it to check a different energy level at which ions are found.

Channels 2 & 3 - Total Ion Detector (TID)
Counts the total number of ions detected at each of the 20 "energy" settings of Channel 1. As the type of ion detected changes with each "voltage step" of Channel 1, the TID counts the number of ions at each new setting. Channel 2 counts the ions by thousands, and anything left over under 1,000 is shown on Channel 3. Consequently, Channel 2 lists the TID's "Most Significant Data" and Channel 3 indicates "Least Significant Data."

CHANNELS 4, 5, & 6 - Passive Seismic Experiment (PSE)
PSE registers seismic vibrations of the Moon's surface caused by "moonquakes" and meteoroid impacts. The Moon does not experience quakes the size of those on Earth. In fact, the Moon is so "quiet" that the PSE was designed to be one million times more sensitive than instruments used to detect earthquakes. Even the footsteps of astronauts could be measured during their moonwalks.

Channels 4, 5, & 6 display PSE data in a three dimensional (x, y, z axis) pattern:

Channel 4-Shows seismic vibrations in the north-south direction (x axis). Channel 5. Shows seismic vibrations in the east-west direction (y axis).
Channel 6 - Shows seismic vibrations in the vertical (up-down) direction (z axis).

A seismic event (quake or impact) causes vibrations that can last for hours, and is shown on a strip chart by a bulge in the thickness of the ink track. On one occasion, as the result of a huge meteoroid impact near the experiment, the bulge covered an entire channel. The ink track will remain straight during an authentic seismic event. If your sample shows a "wavy" PSE track, it is not indicating a seismic event, but rather an effect of a temperature change or a "leveling calibration" command sent by radio frequency from the ALSEP Control Network on Earth.

These sheets were given to visitors and prominent people of the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC), called Johnson Space Center (JSC) since 1973.

Artifact: Apollo 12 mission patch.
Manufacturer: AB Emblem.
Dimensions: 4" / 101mm.
Program: Apollo.
Flown Status: unflown.

Description:

Apollo 12 mission AB Emblen patch. This version is very close to the design worn by the crew. The most obvious diference is the pattern of the four stars.

Apollo 12:

Apollo 12 was the sixth manned mission of NASA's Apollo program and the second mission to land astronauts on the Moon. Launched on November 14, 1969, it carried astronauts Charles "Pete" Conrad, Richard F. Gordon Jr., and Alan L. Bean.

The mission's primary objective was to explore the lunar surface in the Ocean of Storms region, specifically the target area of the Surveyor 3 robotic probe that landed two and a half years earlier.

The Apollo 12 Lunar Module, named "Intrepid," successfully landed within walking distance of the Surveyor 3 spacecraft. Conrad and Bean conducted two moonwalks, collecting lunar samples and deploying scientific instruments. They also retrieved parts of the Surveyor 3 for analysis back on Earth.

During the mission, the crew faced a significant event known as the "lightning strike." A lightning bolt struck the Saturn V rocket during launch, causing temporary power outages and malfunctions in the Command Module systems. However, the crew and ground control quickly resolved the issues, allowing the mission to continue.

Apollo 12 returned to Earth on November 24, 1969, splashing down safely in the Pacific Ocean. The mission achieved its scientific goals and contributed valuable data on lunar geology and surface exploration techniques.

More information:

Crew Patch Reference Guide: Apollo 12

Artifact: Richard Gordon signed spacesuit glossy photo
Artifact Category: photograh, autograph.
Dimensions: 20.1 x 25.4 cm

Description: Richard Francis Gordon Jr. was an American astronaut, born on October 5, 1929, in Seattle, Washington.

In 1960, he was selected as one of the third group of astronauts by NASA.

Gordon's first spaceflight was on Gemini 11 in 1966. He served as the pilot alongside commander Charles "Pete" Conrad Jr. During the mission, Gordon and Conrad set a new altitude record of 850 miles and performed two spacewalks. They also tested a new spacecraft maneuvering system and conducted scientific experiments.

Gordon's second and final spaceflight was on Apollo 12 in 1969, the second mission to land humans on the moon. He served as the command module pilot, while Conrad and Alan Bean landed on the moon's surface. While orbiting the moon, Gordon conducted experiments and took photographs of the lunar surface.

Gordon retired from NASA in 1972, having accumulated a total of 315 hours in space. After leaving NASA, he worked in private industry and served on the board of several companies. He also served as executive vice president of the New Orleans Saints football team.

Size: 14.9x21.6 cm

Description: "Helping Hands" print signed by Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean (4th man to walk on the Moon) in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Apollo 11.