It is reported that this experiment measures the lunar gravitational field, which in turn provides information on the distribution of lunar mass and its correlation with surface features such as craters, mountains, and maria. The lunar gravitational field is measured by observing the dynamical motion of spacecraft in free-fall orbits. Effective detection of mass variations is greatly enhanced by low-altitude trajectories, such as the eccentric orbits during revolutions 3 to 16 of the Apollo 16 spacecraft and the 11 km periapsis of the Apollo 16 subsatellite during May 1972. The observational data are the precise earth-based radio tracking measurements initially used for real-time navigation.


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    Title :

    S band transponder experiment


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    1972-01-01


    Type of media :

    Miscellaneous


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    S-band transponder experiment

    Sjogren, W. L. / Gottlieb, P. / Muller, P. M. et al. | NTRS | 1972


    S-band transponder experiment

    Gottlieb, P. / Muller, P. M. / Sjogren, W. L. et al. | NTRS | 1971


    S-band transponder experiment

    Sjogren, W. L. / Wollenhaupt, W. R. / Wimberly, R. N. | NTRS | 1973


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    Annese, J. F. / Hicks, G. R., Jr. / Klein, L. et al. | NTRS | 1967


    Apollo 15 gravity analysis from the S-band transponder experiment.

    Sjogren, W. L. / Muller, P. M. / Wollenhaupt, W. R. | NTRS | 1972