AS 14-66-9338 - Flag and tracks (HR)

Ed Mitchell took this splendid picture after he and Shepard jettisoned the PLSSs in preparation for launch. Of particular interest are the tracks made by the crew and the MET during the traverse to the ALSEP deployment site and during the return to the LM. The ALSEP Central Station is about 180mt from the LM. Note the excursions the crew made around the rimless crater in the foreground and the large depression in the middle distance that they traversed in both directions. Without the visual clues provided by the tracks, the depression is not easy to pick out in this down-Sun photo. Note that the flag is now pointing on an azimuth of about 335 and undoubtedly moved from it prior pointing of about 120 as a result of the cabin depressurization done for the jettison. Journal Contributor Jim Scotti notes that we "can see the impact 'crater' and roll marks made by the PLSS farthest from the LM. It rolled on it's side and you can see a fair bit of detail in the hoses and straps on the righthand side of it".