Apollo Artifacts

Apollo 13 Lunar Module Malfunction Procedures checklist used in training

David Meerman Scott — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:53:26 +0000

An original 8½”x 11″ Apollo 13 Lunar Module Malfunction Procedures checklist dated April 1, 1970 (10 days before the launch of Apollo 13).

The checklist contains 14 sections with about 40 total page sides of LM malfunction procedures from the AOH. Sections include G&C; Displays, AGS, RCS, Comm, Heaters, Camera, and more.

This particular copy was kept in the crew quarters at Kennedy Space Center for Apollo 13 Commander James Lovell and LM pilot Fred Haise reference during the critical final days leading up to launch on April 11, 1970.

An identical copy flew to the moon on Apollo 13 and would have travelled to the lunar surface had the mission not encountered its famous problems.

Apollo 7 flown “Paul Haney: Are you a Turtle Cue?” card

David Meerman Scott — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 10:33:18 +0000

Apollo 7 flown "Paul Haney: Are you a Turtle Cue?" card

This is the cue card that Walt Cunningham held up during the Apollo 7 mission as a question for Paul Haney, NASA Public Affairs Officer and “Voice of Mission Control”.

The question refers to the Ancient and Honorable Order of Turtles. Once inducted, a member must reply to the question, “Are you a turtle?” with “You bet your sweet ass I am”. Otherwise, the member must buy the questioner a drink.

By showing the card, Haney was required to answer over an open microphone during the first Apollo telecast. Failure to answer obligated a Turtle Club member to buy drinks for all within hearing, presumably every Turtle club member watching the telecast.

The live exchange as captured by the in-flight recorder reads as follows:

CAPCOM radioed, “Just a minute, Wally. Let’s see. Oh, it’s a little message to Deke Slayton. A little bit closer Wally. Kind of looks like something about – ‘Are you a, are you a–” Schirra acknowledged, “That’s right.” CAPCOM continued, “Looks like it says, ‘Are you a turtle, Deke Slayton?”

Schirra confirmed, “That’s right.” Eisele added, “You get an A for reading today Jack.” Swigert continued, “Here comes another one. Walt, oh, that-a-way, that’s the way to turn it. It says, ‘Paul Haney, are you a turtle” Cunningham radioed, “You’ll get a gold star. Perfect score!” Swigert reported, “And there is no reply from Paul Haney there.” Cunningham asked, “You mean he’s speechless?”

A short while later, CAPCOM Cernan informed Schirra, “Wally, this is Gene. Deke just called in, and we’ve got your answer, and we’ve got it recorded for your return.” Schirra acknowledged, “Roger. Real fine.”

Shortly thereafter, Schirra asked CAPCOM Swigert, “Have you got Haney’s answer yet?” Swigert replied, “No, Haney’s isn’t talking, Wally.” Swigert then added, “Somebody tells me he isn’t talking, but just buying.” A pleased Schirra responded, “He is buying. Thank you very much. Very good.”

The card hung for many years in the National Air and Space Museum and later at Paul Haney’s home.

Flown Apollo 17 T&D cue card

David Meerman Scott — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 04:53:40 +0000

This Apollo 17 T&D cue card was an important tool during the outbound journey from the earth to the moon.

It was used to ensure the correct sequence of maneuvers to execute the transposition and docking of the Command /Service Module (CSM) with the Lunar Module (LM) which for liftoff had been located in the Apollo Saturn V third stage (S-IVB).

The steps included separating the CSM from the S-IVB, pitching the CSM 180° and proceeding to dock with the LM by inserting a probe at the top the CSM into a drogue at the top of the LM.

Unlike many cue cards which were carried in the case of contingencies and never used, this cue card detailed a critical part of the mission.

Apollo 9 flown Command Module Star Chart Panel

David Meerman Scott — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 12:07:33 +0000

Apollo 9 flown Command Module Star Chart Panel

This star chart panel was one of the metal guidance and control panels used at the navigation station in the lower equipment bay of the Command Module. This particular example was flown on Apollo 9 and comes from the Jim McDivitt collection.

These panels were a quick reference to information required for spacecraft maneuvers made during flight. Each of several panels was designed to fit into a backlit compartment in the G&N control panel on the navigation station. The removable panels allowed the backlight to shine through allowing astronauts to read program information or maps in low light conditions.

This panel is a map of the major stars and constellations in the southern hemisphere. It helped astronauts take star sightings to establish the spacecraft’s position (or “state vector”) in space.

ASTP flown DP boost cue card

David Meerman Scott — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 10:00:07 +0000

This Apollo–Soyuz Test Project DP Boost cue card measuring 2.25 x 4″ is directly from the Deke Slayton collection.

On the reverse of the card is a museum inventory control number from the time that the card was on display at the Astronaut Hall of Fame in Titusville, FL and the
Air and Space Museum in Huntsville, AL.

Cue cards were important items in the Command Module and Lunar Module. The quick reference data was displayed directly on the spacecraft control panels for easy viewing as can be seen in the photo.

Apollo 16 LM Rendezvous Charts used in simulator training

David Meerman Scott — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:24:34 +0000

An original 8½”x 10½” Apollo 16 LM Rendezvous Charts book dated in pencil March 21, 1971.

It contains 20 pages of fascinating Lunar Module Ascent tables. Sections include Nominal Ascent sections, Direct Ascent sections and First and Second Midcourse corrections sections.

A copy just like it would have flown to the moon on Apollo 16.

This set of charts was the simulator copy and used in training by Apollo 16 astronauts John Young and Charlie Duke in the Lunar Module Simulator. Notes made by Young and Duke in pencil are visible on several pages. Used extensively at the time, but still good shape.

Flown Apollo 17 lunar surface checklist page

David Meerman Scott — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Flown Apollo 17 lunar surface checklist page

This is page 7-8 of the Apollo 17 lunar surface checklist, used on the lunar surface during the last lunar landing mission. The other side of this is page 7-7.

I find this particular checklist page fascinating because it details the last sleep period that humans enjoyed on the lunar surface. Scheduled to begin at 174:39 hours into the mission, the crew status report notations (made on the surface inside Lunar Module America) indicate that Commander Gene Cernan slept 5 hours and Lunar Module Pilot Jack Schmidt slept 6 hours.

Click the image and note the smudges of lunar dust on the checklist page.

In this photo of the Apollo 17 crew taken prior to the mission, you can see the many cue cards and checklists that will be taken aboard the spacecraft. Interesting, the lunar surface checklist (with black writing on the edge) is opened to this very page.

Flown Apollo 9 Command Module flown cue card

David Meerman Scott — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:13:02 +0000

This oddly shaped cue card fit snugly into a particular spot on the command module control panel. The cue card provides quick instructions for problems faced by the crew.

I really like this cue card because some of the issues it deals with – such as Oxygen, CO2, Glycol, and Cyro – uses instrument readouts found on Apollo Command Module Main Control Panel 2F, and an unflown example of a block 1 version of this panel is in my collection. The CM Panel 2F controls the Cryogenics and Environmental System controls and is positioned in front of the CM pilot and LM pilot.

In the photo below, taken prior to launch, you can see the Apollo 9 crew with their checklists and cue cards as they prepare for the mission.

Apollo 13 Lunar Module TD+2 Star Chart used in training

David Meerman Scott — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:08:06 +0000

This 8-3/4″ diameter star chart consists of a black star disc below and a semitransparent rotating disc. The rings on the outer disc signify what stars would be seen through the LM Optical Telescope at certain times during the stay on the moon.

Star charts like this were used on every lunar landing mission to orient the LM just prior to liftoff. The star chart is dated for a launch date of 11 April 1970 (Apollo 13), and was to be used in case the Lunar Module had to leave the moon’s surface within 2 hours after landing (TD+2 means Touchdown + 2 Hours).

Each Lunar Module carried two similar star charts – this one for an immediate liftoff, and another for liftoff after the stars had precessed across the sky during their stay on the moon. This star chart was used in the Lunar Module Simulator during the training for Apollo 13.

My friend Larry McGlynn has written an excellent two-part overview of the star charts of Apollo. Links here: Part one and part two.

Apollo 13 CSM Launch Checklist used in training

David Meerman Scott — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:03:57 +0000

This checklist containing more than 100 pages on 8 by 6 inch card stock was the personal training copy of Apollo 13 lunar module pilot Fred Haise.

This manual lists the events that occurred during the Saturn V launch and has specific steps to be carried out by the flight crew. Sections cover boost preps, launch trajectory, launch aborts, boost, orbit insertion and orbital check-outs, TLI preps, and booster (S-IV-B) separation. An emergency section printed on pink paper covers the MODE I to IV aborts. The last sections cover Earth re-entry procedures in the event that that the flight remained in Earth orbit and did not travel to the moon.

For space geeks like me, this checklist makes fascinating reading.