Brief
Apollo 17
The claims the writer was given for Apollo 17, in the order they were given.
1
James Rigney briefly met Edgar Mitchell in 2012 at the 40th anniversary celebrations of Apollo 17, the final Apollo mission.
“Rigney briefly met Mitchell in 2012 at the 40th anniversary celebrations of the final Apollo mission, Apollo 17.”
In Plain Sight 2023-11-17 ch25:1743-1852 observation
2
Harrison Schmitt considers the Apollo 17 Flight Data File for both the Command and Service Module (CSM) and the Lunar Module (LM) to have been excellent, with very few possible improvements.
“Okay, flight data file, the CSM. Generally, I have nothing but praise for the flight data file of both vehicles. There was very, very few things that one could have asked for to improve that data file for Apollo 17 at any rate.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:00:16.3-00:00:33.3 opinion first hand
3
Harrison Schmitt had an extra cue card built for panel 229 in the Lunar Module during Apollo 17.
“I had an extra cue card built for panel 229.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:01:32.7-00:01:36.6 observation first hand
4
The extra circuit breaker cue card built for panels 229 and 8 during Apollo 17 was not used in flight because there were no systems anomalies of significance relating to it.
“Because we had no systems anomalies of any significance that would relate to that card, it was not used.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:01:48.0-00:01:54.3 observation first hand
5
During Apollo 17, alignment data and comparable items were logged in the checklist at the point of collection rather than in the data book, without raising any difficulty.
“We logged most of our specific items such as alignment data and comparable kinds of things in the checklist at the point where they were collected rather than in the data book and had no this did not seem to raise any difficulty at any time.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:04:36.3-00:05:00.9 observation first hand
6
Harrison Schmitt does not recall any procedural errors in any of the checklist books used during Apollo 17.
“There were just no procedural errors that I recall in any of the books that we used.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:07:14.4-00:07:19.4 observation first hand
7
During Apollo 17 the crew did not have to use a malfunction book.
“Fortunately, we didn't have to use a malfunction book.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:07:21.6-00:07:25.8 observation first hand
8
Harrison Schmitt pulled out the Apollo 17 Systems Data Book only once during the mission to check on a systems problem, and could not recall what that problem was.
“Only once did I pull out the systems data book to check to check on a systems problem, and I right now can't remember what that was. I can't remember what it was. Well, I did use it once.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:07:27.3-00:07:46.3 observation first hand
9
Harrison Schmitt had an extra orbit monitor chart put on board the Command and Service Module during Apollo 17 so that it would not interfere with the Command Module Pilot's planned activities.
“I thought in the CSM that I would use the orbit monitor charts. I guess that's what they're called. And I had an extra one put on so it wouldn't interfere with the planned activities of the CMP.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:07:51.4-00:08:08.9 observation first hand
10
Harrison Schmitt did not use the extra orbit monitor chart on Apollo 17 very much.
“I did not use that very much.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:08:10.1-00:08:14.0 observation first hand
11
Harrison Schmitt did not put the orbit monitor chart to as much use as he expected during Apollo 17.
“But in general, I did not put that to as much use as I expected.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:08:37.4-00:08:40.7 observation first hand
12
The Command and Service Module landmark maps added to the rear of a book by the Lunar Module Pilot were not used during Apollo 17.
“The CSM landmark maps that the LNP had added in the rear of that book, again, were not used.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:09:01.4-00:09:14.2 observation first hand
13
During Apollo 17, Harrison Schmitt observed a specific point or area target such as Gagarin on the Moon but became reluctant to take time to sketch on a photo while observing it.
“I really thought I would use those, but you became reluctant as you were observing a specific point or area target, say, such as Gagarin or something like that, to take time out to sketch on the photo.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:09:18.0-00:09:34.0 observation first hand
14
Harrison Schmitt would still want that kind of landmark map data available in the spacecraft on a future mission even though it was not used on Apollo 17.
“I think I still, if I had to do it again, I still would want to have that kind of data available in the spacecraft, even though on this particular mission it was not used.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:10:34.2-00:10:43.0 opinion first hand
15
Harrison Schmitt observed that the Command Module Pilot used his visual target maps considerably during Apollo 17.
“I do think, though, that the CMP used his visual target maps considerably,”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:10:45.1-00:10:49.9 observation first hand
16
Harrison Schmitt was not very closely involved in the general flight planning for Apollo 17.
“I was not very closely involved in the flight planning.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:11:41.0-00:11:43.7 observation first hand
17
Ronald Evans carried the burden of general flight planning for Apollo 17 on behalf of Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt.
“Ron sort of carried the burden of that for both Gene and myself.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:11:44.6-00:11:49.0 observation first hand
18
Harrison Schmitt was disappointed that some people eventually intimately involved in the Apollo 17 mission were not at the flight plan review, due to conflicts with other programmes at their centre.
“I was a little bit disappointed in that briefing in that some of the people who would be eventually intimately involved in the mission were not at the flight plan review, and I think this was because of conflicts with other programs which were the center it was carrying out at the time.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:15:26.1-00:15:46.5 opinion first hand
19
Harrison Schmitt experienced light flashes almost continuously throughout the Apollo 17 flight when dark-adapted.
“I don't know whether I recorded yet that although we had light flashes just about continuously during the whole flight when you were dark-adapted.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:17:01.8-00:17:12.9 observation first hand
20
Harrison Schmitt may have seen a light flash on the lunar surface during the first revolution of Apollo 17.
“And I may have even had one which I thought was a flash on the lunar surface during the first rev.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:17:14.9-00:17:21.1 observation first hand
21
During the period when the crew wore blindfolds for the ALPMET experiment on Apollo 17, there were no visible light flashes.
“That one period of time when we had the blindfolds on for the ALPMET experiment, there just were no visible flashes.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:17:25.6-00:17:31.7 observation first hand
22
Harrison Schmitt noticed the light flashes returning that evening before he went to sleep, after the ALPMET blindfold period on Apollo 17.
“Although that evening, that night, before I went to sleep, I noticed I was seeing the light flashes again.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:17:32.9-00:17:38.9 observation first hand
23
Harrison Schmitt observed that the light flash phenomena was not visible to himself or the other two crewmen during only that one interval around the ALPMET blindfold experiment.
“So it just seemed to be that one interval on either side of it where the light flash phenomena was not visible to myself or to the other two crewmen.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:17:39.7-00:17:50.3 observation first hand
24
There were periods of some difficulty pre-flight for Apollo 17, particularly regarding medical requirements and some last-minute scientific requirements on sample collection.
“although there were periods of some difficulty pre-flight, particularly in the area of medical requirements, and in some last-minute possible scientific requirements, particularly on the samples, everything seemed to get resolved, satisfactory, near as I could tell.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:18:59.5-00:19:23.3 observation first hand
25
During Apollo 17 pre-flight training, crew-related requirement issues were handled almost entirely by the support crew: Bob Parker in the science area, Gordon Fullerton, and Bob Obermeyer in the operational areas.
“And occasionally, when the crew had to be involved, that was handled almost entirely by the support crew, Bob Parker in the science area and Cordy Fullerton and Bob Obermeyer in the operational areas.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:19:38.9-00:19:53.5 observation first hand
26
There were no significant spacecraft changes during the Apollo 17 crew's training period.
“There were no significant spacecraft changes in the course of our training period.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:19:57.6-00:20:03.9 observation first hand
27
Ronald Evans dealt with the Lunar Sounder, which took the most training time of any single area for the Apollo 17 crew.
“Ron, I guess the biggest single area that took time was one that Ron had to deal with, and that was Lunar Sounder.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:20:05.7-00:20:12.1 observation first hand
28
Most changes to the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) for Apollo 17 were taken care of prior to crew training, with a few minor suggestions addressed early in the training cycle, resulting in an up-to-date ALSEP for training.
“Most of our ALSEP changes were all taken care of prior to our training, and we had a few minor suggestions that were taken care of early in the training cycle and we essentially had an up-to-date ALSEP to train with”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:20:14.5-00:20:35.6 observation first hand
29
All other Apollo 17 lunar surface gear was up-to-date for most of the final twelve months of the training period.
“and all other lunar surface gear was up-to-date for most of the 12-month training period, or the final 12 months of the training period.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:20:37.7-00:20:47.6 observation first hand
30
Mission rules and techniques for Apollo 17 were fairly well defined early on by Phil Schafer and his group in the techniques area, and by Jerry Griffin and others in mission rules.
“Mission rules and techniques, were fairly well defined very early by Phil Schafer and his crowd in the techniques area and the mission rules, certainly Jerry Griffin and people working on that.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:20:51.5-00:21:05.0 observation first hand
31
Harrison Schmitt considers that the only changes made to Apollo 17 mission rules were in the right direction, enhancing the probability of a successful landing and mission.
“No major changes, and the only changes were all, I felt, in the right direction in that they enhanced the probability of making a landing in a successful mission.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:21:06.2-00:21:16.5 opinion first hand
32
During Apollo 17, the crew never had to exercise the mission rules in an abnormal way.
“We really never had to exercise any significant—any of the mission rules in an abnormal way.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:21:29.6-00:21:38.0 observation first hand
33
A mission rule was a clearly controlling factor limiting the work at Station 4, Shorty Crater, where the crew were up against walkback constraints and terminated the work after only 35 minutes.
“A mission rule tended to be fairly clearly a controlling factor was in the limitation on the work at Station 4, Shorty Crater, where we were up against the walkback constraints and terminated that work after only 35 minutes,”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:21:45.0-00:22:04.3 observation first hand
34
Harrison Schmitt considers the support from mission control during Apollo 17 to have been typically outstanding.
“Typically outstanding support for mission control.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:22:34.2-00:22:36.5 opinion first hand
35
Mission control personnel designed the emergency cue cards used for the Apollo 17 Lunar Module, which Harrison Schmitt considers a major contribution.
“In fact, as they essentially did it, they did the design of the emergency cue cards that we did for Apollo 17 for the LEM was a major contribution.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:23:22.3-00:23:33.4 opinion first hand
36
The Apollo 17 crew did not end up using the emergency cue cards for the Lunar Module, but they still helped the crew understand systems problems quickly and solve them in simulations.
“Although, fortunately, we did not use them, they still made it possible to understand very quickly systems problems and to solve those problems in the simulations.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:23:34.7-00:23:47.8 observation first hand
37
Dick Thorson helped organise most of the Lunar Module sessions and some of the joint Command and Service Module/Lunar Module sessions for Apollo 17.
“I particularly want to point out the help that Dick Thorson gave in organizing most of the limb sessions and even some of the joint CSM limb sessions that we had.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:23:55.1-00:24:12.9 observation first hand
38
Dick Thorson was a major organiser of the creation and updating of the Apollo 17 Lunar Module emergency cue cards.
“and he also, Thorson also was a major organizer of the creation of and the updating of those emergency cue cards.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:24:21.1-00:24:32.9 observation first hand
39
Harrison Schmitt had hoped to receive a real-time summary of the ground science team's thinking during the Apollo 17 flight, based on data transmitted verbally and via television camera, but this was not possible due to real-time discussions in mission control.
“Post-flight, it's my understanding that some of the things I had hoped could be done during the flight were not possible because of real-time discussions in the mission control. Specifically, one of those things was to have some summary of the thinking of the science background given to me while in flight, and that would be the thinking based on the data that we had transmitted to them verbally and to, in a sense, visually through the television camera. I had hoped that I would have the benefit of their thinking, but apparently this was not possible to do.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:24:56.6-00:25:55.9 observation first hand
40
During Apollo 17, discussion and organisation of the Pre-Flight Health Stabilization Control Program from the crew's point of view was borne mainly by the commander, with the Lunar Module Pilot going along with whatever was decided.
“The brunt of the discussions and organization from the crew point of view of the Pre-Flight Health Stabilization Control Program was borne by the commander, and the LMP just sort of went along with whatever was decided.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:26:49.1-00:27:07.6 observation first hand
41
Harrison Schmitt experienced a couple of sinus infections before Apollo 17 that reacted as they always had, and were cleared up over 10 days to two weeks.
“A couple sinus infections I had reacted just like they always had, and we were able over a period of 10 days or two weeks to get those cleared up.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:27:35.1-00:27:45.6 observation first hand
42
Harrison Schmitt was able to get a good workout about every other day during Apollo 17 pre-flight training, in addition to EVA training workouts.
“Time for exercise probably was less than it should have been, although I was able to get a good workout just about every other day, in addition to the workouts we got as a normal course of our EVA training.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:27:49.4-00:28:04.7 observation first hand
43
During Apollo 17 pre-flight training, technicians eventually scheduled exercise time in the late afternoon, which helped as a reminder and buffer to ensure exercise was obtained.
“Eventually, Techs started putting on the schedule time in the late afternoon for exercise, and that helped as a reminder. and buffer to see that that exercise was obtained.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:28:06.5-00:28:22.4 observation first hand
44
Harrison Schmitt did not eat everything available to him in his food packages during Apollo 17 in-flight eating, and believes he needed to in order to avoid losing weight.
“Although I did not eat everything that was available to me in my food packages, I apparently needed to if I had wanted to avoid losing weight.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:30:39.5-00:30:50.3 observation first hand
45
Harrison Schmitt lost weight during Apollo 17 despite a low appetite, and at the time of this recording his weight had not returned to pre-flight levels.
“My appetite was down, but also apparently, for some reason, I had a loss of weight. And at the time of this recording, my weight is still down. It has not gone up to pre-flight levels, which may have been a little high, by the way.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:30:51.6-00:31:16.3 observation first hand
46
Harrison Schmitt's appetite was lower in-flight compared to two weeks pre-flight, except during pre-flight food testing when he also had a low appetite.
“the appetite in-flight versus two-weeks pre-flight was less, again, except for when we were testing the pre-flight food, when I also had a low appetite.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:31:25.6-00:31:34.6 observation first hand
47
Harrison Schmitt noticed no notable differences in the taste of food between pre-flight and in-flight; foods he liked pre-flight he liked in space, and foods he disliked pre-flight he also disliked in space.
“No notable differences in the taste of food. I think the things I liked pre-flight I liked in space and the things I didn't like I also didn't like. I didn't notice any differences.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:31:38.4-00:31:49.9 observation first hand
48
As the Apollo 17 flight progressed, Harrison Schmitt began to prefer eating wet-pack foods over other solid foods.
“Change in food preferences of flight progressed. I tended to start to prefer to eat the wet packs and would eat those in preference to any of the other solid foods.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:31:56.9-00:32:12.3 observation first hand
49
Harrison Schmitt considered the juices provided during Apollo 17 to be good.
“The juices were good.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:32:35.8-00:32:36.6 opinion first hand
50
After one period of loose bowel movements during Apollo 17, Harrison Schmitt cut out potassium-indicated foods, and had no further loose bowel movements before the end of the flight.
“After the first period of one and only period of difficulty with loose bowel movements, I did cut out the potassium-indicated foods. Although I can't say whether that had any effect or not, but I did not have any other bowel movements and certainly no more loose ones before the end of the flight.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:32:38.2-00:33:03.2 observation first hand
51
Harrison Schmitt's first bowel movement after the Apollo 17 flight, aboard the USS Ticonderoga, was normal, the second was very loose, the third was normal, and the fourth and fifth were very loose.
“The first bow moment after flight on the Ticonderoga was normal. The second was very loose. The third was normal. And the fourth and fifth very loose.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:33:07.7-00:33:25.7 observation first hand
52
Harrison Schmitt's appetite was very low on the first day after the Apollo 17 flight and gradually increased over the next two or three days, remaining essentially constant after about the third day.
“my appetite was very low the first day and gradually increased over the next two or three days and remained essentially the same after about the third day.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:33:49.3-00:34:04.7 observation first hand
53
Harrison Schmitt considers the fruitcake provided during Apollo 17 to have been good, although it was possible to eat too much of it.
“The fruitcake I thought was good, although it was possible to eat too much or to get to a point wher”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:34:14.5-00:34:20.3 opinion first hand
54
Food rehydration during Apollo 17 went nominally, with nominal gas present.
“Rehydration went, I think, nominally, and the nominal gas was present.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:35:10.6-00:35:18.4 observation first hand
55
During Apollo 17, germicidal tablets were used in all the juice bags, food spoon bowl bags, and wet packs, but not in the tea and coffee.
“We used the germicidal tablets. I did, at any rate, in all the juice bags and the food spoon bowl bags and the wet packs. I did not use them in the tea and coffee.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:39:12.0-00:39:22.9 observation first hand
56
Undesirable odours in the spacecraft cabin during Apollo 17 were at a minimum, occurring occasionally from passing gas by crewmen including Harrison Schmitt.
“Undesirable odors, really, except for the passing of gas occasionally, By the other crewmen and some occasionally by myself, undesirable odors were at a minimum.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:39:25.9-00:39:42.3 observation first hand
57
Harrison Schmitt did not find the cabin atmosphere unpleasant as a general rule during Apollo 17.
“I did not find that the atmosphere was unpleasant as a general rule.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:39:42.7-00:39:47.6 observation first hand
58
During Apollo 17, the quantity of food eaten on the lunar surface was high, though probably no more than half of the food that was available.
“The quantity of food eaten on the lunar surface I think was high, although probably no more than half of that food that was available.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:41:07.9-00:41:14.8 observation first hand
59
During Apollo 17, a blue bag was used for defecation, which Harrison Schmitt described as not a bad method unless the stool was loose.
“We used a blue bag. The blue bag is not a bad way to to defecate unless the stool is loose.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:41:57.1-00:42:07.9 observation first hand
60
On Apollo 17, the onset of a loose-stool problem was delayed until about the 11th or 12th day, unlike on Apollo 16.
“I think it's important to try to understand why Apollo 17 was different than 16, and at least in the delay of a problem with loose stools until about the 11th or 12th day.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:43:16.2-00:43:32.0 observation first hand
61
Eugene Cernan, as commander of Apollo 17, had no problem with loose stools during the mission.
“And in the case of the commander, no problem with loose tools.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:43:33.5-00:43:35.9 observation first hand
62
Harrison Schmitt's personal opinion, based on limited in-flight observation and consideration of electrolyte intake levels, was that the reduced electrolyte quantity compared to Apollo 16 meant electrolyte saturation was not reached until the 11th or 12th day for the Command Module Pilot and Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 17.
“And my personal opinion at this point, based on very little information other than observation in flight and thinking about levels of electrolyte intake, is that with the electrolyte quantity down from that imposed on Apollo 16 that we did not reach an electrolyte saturation level until the 11th or 12th day, in terms of the CMP and the LMP”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:43:36.8-00:44:07.6 opinion first hand
63
Harrison Schmitt reduced his own electrolyte intake on his own initiative during Apollo 17.
“This is what I did on my own.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:45:19.2-00:45:20.4 observation first hand
64
Whether reducing electrolyte intake worked to prevent further loose stools was hard to say because the Apollo 17 flight ended before any other stool problems occurred.
“whether or not it worked or not is hard to say because the flight was terminated before any other stools occurred.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:45:22.2-00:45:29.3 observation first hand
65
The gas-water separator did not work very effectively during Apollo 17.
“Gas water separator didn't work very effectively, and I'm sure that's been discussed elsewhere.”
NASA-UAP-D029, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing (Continued), 1972 2026-07-11 00:46:24.4-00:46:28.8 observation first hand
66
The war.gov/UFOs release included one of the Apollo 17 images showing a triangular arrangement of blue lights, scanned from the US National Archives.
“one of the Apollo images they showed from Apollo 17 of this triangular arrangement of blue lights, They showed the scanned version from, I believe, the US National Archives.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:03:30.4-00:03:47.1 observation first hand
67
The March to the Moon Archive offers a 1.3 gigabyte TIF file of the Apollo 17 triangular blue-lights image at much higher resolution, showing more detailed structure in the lights than the version released by the Department of War.
“there you can download a 1.3 gigabyte TIF file of that particular image, and you can get a much higher resolution version of the trio of blue lights in the black lunar sky. And you can see more visibly the detailed structure in the lights.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:04:03.2-00:04:22.8 observation first hand
68
In its commentary on the Apollo 17 image of three blue lights, the United States Department of War did not describe them as three objects but used the term "potentially a physical object" in the singular.
“They didn't say it was three objects. They actually used the term potentially a physical object singular.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:04:44.5-00:04:50.6 administrative second hand
69
The individual blue lights in the Apollo 17 image are approximately the same size and roughly equally separated from one another, occupying an extremely small area of the black lunar sky.
“the individual blue lights are about the same size, virtually the same size, virtually equally separated from one another in distance, and they occupy an extremely small area of the black lunar sky”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:05:13.0-00:05:28.6 observation first hand
70
Maaneli "Max" Derakhshani considers a cosmic-ray-bombardment explanation for the blue lights in the Apollo 17 image to be highly implausible, given their size, spacing, and small area occupied.
“prosaic explanations along the lines of maybe cosmic rays bombarding the film become highly implausible or much less plausible”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:05:31.8-00:05:43.7 opinion first hand
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Multiple scans of the Apollo 17 triangular blue-lights frame exist in different NASA, US military, and US government archives, each showing the trio of blue lights in exactly the same configuration and place, ruling out scanning artifacts as the cause.
“there are multiple scans of that particular frame in different NASA and US military and US government archives. which show this trio of blue lights in exactly the same configuration in exactly the same place, which rules out scanning artifacts.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:05:49.6-00:06:05.1 observation first hand
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Maaneli "Max" Derakhshani considers it possible that the blue lights in the Apollo 17 image are part of some sort of physical object in the lunar sky.
“one has to consider the possibility that these are part of some sort of physical object in the lunar sky.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:06:16.9-00:06:22.0 opinion first hand
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NASA and the United States Department of War said they acquired the original Apollo 17 film of the blue-lights image and would conduct further analyses and report their findings.
“they said that they acquired the original film and they're going to do further analyses, both NASA and, I guess, the Department of War, and then they'll let us know what they find.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:06:23.9-00:06:32.0 administrative second hand
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Avi Loeb of the Galileo Project speculated that the blue lights seen in imagery from the Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 missions were camera artifacts, possibly caused by diffraction of dust inside the camera lens.
“Professor Avi Loeb from the Galileo Project suggested, he speculated that the blue lights that were seen in the imagery from the Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 missions... He tried to suggest that those lights were camera artifacts or perhaps caused by diffraction of dust inside the lens somehow.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:10:00.5-00:10:20.6 opinion second hand
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Maaneli "Max" Derakhshani considers Avi Loeb's prosaic explanation of the Apollo 17 blue-lights anomaly to be very contrived.
“I think that that is a very contrived prosaic explanation of the UAP anomaly in the Apollo 17 image.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:11:14.9-00:11:28.2 opinion first hand
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Multiple scans of the Apollo 17 blue-lights frame from different scanners across different decades show the same exact anomaly, ruling out a scanning-artifact explanation.
“in terms of scanning artifacts, well, that is not really plausible because we have multiple scans showing the very same exact same anomaly. So it can't be a scanning artifact if different scanners from different decades show the same thing.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:13:32.0-00:13:48.0 observation first hand
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NASA's documented examples of Hasselblad electrical-spark artifacts look nothing like the blue-light phenomena seen in the Apollo 17 image.
“All the examples they give of that look absolutely nothing whatsoever like any of these blue light phenomena.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:14:09.8-00:14:15.1 observation first hand
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The United States Department of War made its "potentially a physical object" declaration about only the one Apollo 17 triangular blue-lights image, not about other lunar anomalies.
“It's only made that declaration with that one Apollo 17 three dotted image.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:15:29.3-00:15:34.4 administrative second hand
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The United States Department of War has itself raised the Apollo 17 dots as anomalous phenomena and as a physical object, according to Ross Coulthart.
“we have quite clearly anomalous phenomena that have been raised as such by the Department of War, not by us, the Apollo 17 dots in particular, as a physical object.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 01:01:29.5-01:01:40.7 administrative second hand