Decades-old photos emerge of astronauts training in Hawaii for Apollo missions to the moon
theweathernetwork.com
Saturday, May 31, 2014, 5:40 PM -
Before Apollo astronauts went to the moon, they went to Hawaii to train on the Big Island's lunar landscapes.
Now, decades-old photos are surfacing of astronauts scooping up Hawaii's soil and riding across volcanic fields in a "moon buggy'' vehicle.
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This 1970 image provided by NASA shows Apollo 14 astronauts Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell and Stuart Roost and an unidentified man training with a Modularized Equipment Transporter on the Big Island of Hawaii. Before many Apollo astronauts went to the moon, they came to Hawaii to train on the Big Island’s lunar landscapes. Now, decades-old photos are surfacing of astronauts scooping up Hawaii’s soil and riding across volcanic fields in a "moon buggy” vehicle. (AP Photo/NASA)
The Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems is displaying the photos at its Hilo headquarters.
The Hawaii state agency's executive director Rob Kelso found the images at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
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This 1971 image provided by NASA shows Apollo 17 astronauts, Harrison "Jack" Schmitt, left, and an unidentified man, training with the lunar roving vehicle on the Big Island of Hawaii. Before many Apollo astronauts went to the moon, they came to Hawaii to train on the Big Island’s lunar landscapes. Now, decades-old photos are surfacing of astronauts scooping up Hawaii’s soil and riding across volcanic fields in a “moon buggy” vehicle. (AP Photo/NASA)
Kelso says astronauts from Apollo missions 13 through 17 trained in Hawaii as did some back up crews.
This Dec. 1970 image provided by NASA shows Apollo 15 astronauts training on the Big Island of Hawaii. Before many Apollo astronauts went to the moon, they came to Hawaii to train on the Big Island’s lunar landscapes. Now, decades-old photos are surfacing of astronauts scooping up Hawaii’s soil and riding across volcanic fields in a “moon buggy” vehicle. (AP Photo/NASA)
Some training was on Mauna Kea volcano, where glacial runoff crushed and refined rock into power.
Astronauts also trained on recent lava flows.
Today, robots are tested on the Big Island for moon and Mars missions.
With files from The Associated Press and NASA
This Dec. 1970 image provided by NASA shows Apollo 15 commander,Dave Scott and lunar module pilot Jim Irwin training on the Big Island, Hawaii. Before many Apollo astronauts went to the moon, they came to Hawaii to train on the Big Island’s lunar landscapes. Now, decades-old photos are surfacing of astronauts scooping up Hawaii’s soil and riding across volcanic fields in a “moon buggy” vehicle.(AP Photo/NASA)
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