Students of space history will remember that Apollo 12’s most memorable claim to fame was being struck by lightning during the launch phase. Yet the mission carried on was considered a success. Less successful was NASA’s trajectory of the S-IVB third stage. It was supposed to be sent into a distant solar orbit but because of an instrument error, it spun off on a 40-year odyssey that continues yet today. For a time, it was a mystery object that astronomers couldn’t identity until some strategic spectroscopy returned spectra for white titanium paint. Primal Space’s video explains the details.
Best Of The Web: The Strange Journey Of Apollo 12’s S-IVB Third Stage
Key Takeaways:
- Apollo 12 successfully continued its mission despite being struck by lightning during launch.
- The S-IVB third stage from Apollo 12, due to an instrument error, veered off its intended distant solar orbit and embarked on a 40-year odyssey.
- This wayward S-IVB stage was initially a mystery object that astronomers later identified using spectroscopy, revealing its white titanium paint.
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