This blog has a tendency to delve into the realm of overly serious, so I felt it time to lighten the mood with some lunar surface fun – courtesy of Apollo 17 astronauts Gene Cernan and Harrison “Jack” Schmitt.
1. Jack Schmitt falls over, fails to pick up a sample bag and gets called “Twinkletoes” by Mission Control for his efforts.
And hoax believers insist that the suits should have been more difficult to wear? Jeesh, try telling that to poor Schmitt…
2. Newflash: Lunar Gravity Effects Astronaut So Severely He Forgets Lyrics To Song
3. New Olympic Sport… Lunar Hammer Throwing?
Note how Cernan begins with a lighthearted indulgence of his lunar module pilot, pauses, then barks: “don’t hit the LEM!”
Sage advice, Gene.
The crew of Apollo 17: (L-R) Jack Schmitt, Gene Cernan (seated) and Ron Evans.
There are many lighthearted videos from Apollo 17. One I really like is from the EVA-2 closeout. Gene Cernan says how the battery covers on the rover are really clean, and the TV camera man (Ed Fendell) tilts the camera down to look at them, and Cernan accuses Fendell of not believing him. A minute later, he sees that the camera is still tilted down and says, “And now you’re stuck down there, aren’t you?” so Fendell tilts the camera up to show he is not stuck and Cernan wonders out loud if people think he’s nuts for talking to the TV camera. It’s from this page (http://history.nasa.gov/alsj/a17/a17.clsout2.html) and the video starts at 147:18:50.