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                           Astronomy Picture of the Day   
      
       Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our   
         fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation   
                       written by a professional astronomer.   
      
                                 2024 December 14   
      
                               Apollo 17's Moonship   
        Image Credit: Apollo 17, NASA, (Image Reprocessing: Andy Saunders)   
      
      Explanation: Awkward and angular looking, Apollo 17's lunar module   
      Challenger was designed for flight in the near vacuum of space.   
      Digitally enhanced and reprocessed, this picture taken from Apollo 17's   
      command module America shows Challenger's ascent stage in lunar orbit.   
      Small reaction control thrusters are at the sides of the moonship with   
      the bell of the ascent rocket engine underneath. The hatch allowing   
      access to the lunar surface is seen at the front, with a round radar   
      antenna at the top. Mission commander Gene Cernan is clearly visible   
      through the triangular window. This spaceship performed gracefully,   
      landing on the Moon and returning the Apollo astronauts to the orbiting   
      command module in December of 1972. So where is Challenger now? Its   
      descent stage remains at the Apollo 17 landing site in the   
      Taurus-Littrow valley. The ascent stage pictured was intentionally   
      crashed nearby after being jettisoned from the command module prior to   
      the astronauts' return to planet Earth.   
      
                       Tomorrow's picture: cliffs on a comet   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.   
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                         A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,   
                              NASA Science Activation   
                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
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