Mission Activity or Topic Time, Image, or Source Notes

Apollo 12

Flag deployment

116:16:17 and 116:17:45 The mechanism that holds the flag out straight was broken, causing the flag to droop. During the mission, Pete wished he had a piece of tape to make a repair. In 1991, he explained, "We didn't have any rolls of tape (outside the LM cabin). The tape that I'm referring to, I think, is things like (a piece of tape that) held the lid on the canister of the S-Band antenna. And I'm sure that stuff was either trampled on or gone. I don't really remember this, but I was trying to fix the flag."



Apollo 12

Scratches on the hatch, EVA-1 Closout Ingress

118:51:38 While on the porch preparing to crawl into the cabin, Al wonders if they should put some tape over some scratches they made in the hatch at the start of the EVA. He then decides that it won't be necessary and Houston concurs.























Apollo 15

Tape used to secure rock box in cabin for liftoff

148:39:34

During the EVA-2 close-out, Jim mentions that, at the end of EVA-1, he had trouble getting the rock box to shut and had to bang it closed with his fist. During the Technical Debrief, he said "we couldn't get the rod and pins engaged in the side of the bulkhead in the LM to stow that box. So we eventually lifted off with that box sort of loose, although I put a piece of tape across the thing. But we never could get that box stowed." In hindsight, the problem was that part of a sample bag was caught in the rear hinge.













Apollo 15

Decision to take some tape outside, EVA-2 wake-up and preps 138:51:57,

141:44:46, and

142:21:32



While Dave and Jim pack the Equipment Transfer Bag (ETB) pack for EVA-2, CapCom Gordon Fullerton requests that they wrap a 1-foot (0.3) meter piece of tape around the CDR's camera so they can use the tape outside to secure the TV cable to the high-gain mast to keep it from interfering with the camera. Later, CapCom Joe Allen suggests that Dave "put some (tape) in your pocket for later", in case they need to make any repairs outside. About a half hour later, Dave decides to put a couple of pieces of tape on his cuff checklist, the only reasonably clean surface he has. The Apollo 16 and 17 crews will keep a roll of tape in the Equipment Transfer Bag so they will always have tape available.



Apollo 15

TV cable taped, EVA-2 142:32:52

Joe asks Dave to tape the TV cable to the high-gain mast. As per Fullerton's earlier request, Dave has already done that with one of the pieces he brought out on his checklist.



Apollo 15

TV cable taped, EVA-2

Before and after of cable taping to the high-gain mast

( large or small )

A detail from AS15-86-11602 (left) shows the configuration at the end of EVA-1 of the cables connecting the TV camera to the Television Control Unit (TCU) and the High-Gain antenna to the Lunar Communications RElay Unit (LCRU). A detail from AS15-88-11866 shows the configuration of those two cable early in EVA-3. A cable connecting the Low-Gain antenna to the LCRU is also labelled. Finally, a detail from AS15-87-11780, taken from Dave's seat late in EVA-2, shows where Dave taped the cable to the mast.



Apollo 15

Rock box closure,

EVA-2 close-out 148:41:33

and

149:05:10 Jim has trouble closing the EVA-2 rockbox and comments "Well, I think we probably have a seal, if we keep these handles in this position, because the seal is already made. If we could tape those handles down, we'd probably have a vacuum in there." After CapCom Joe Allen, asks Dave to handcarry the rockbox up the ladder because of the problematic seal, Jim repeats the suggestion at 149:05:39.













Apollo 16

Sample bag holder,

EVA-1 traverse preps

122:50:55 After the sample-bag dispenser mechanism on John's camera failed, they tried taping the bags in place. "I had them taped on both cameras, but the tape came up. The gray tape doesn't hold too good on that (dust-coated) metal surface." The tape comes loose at 148:11:25 and John has more trouble with his bags at 148:26:20.













Apollo 17

Fender torn off and taped back on, EVA-1 at the LM

118:51:20

While working around the Rover before joing Jack out at the ALSEP site, Gene accidentally catches his hammer under the right-rear fender extension and tore it off. If they are to avoid getting covered with dust while riding on the Rover, Gene will have to replace the fender. At 118:52:35, he asks Jack if their roll of duct tape in under the CDR seat. At 118:54:51, Gene mentions using tape during training and then starts to tape the fender back into place. His main problem is that the tape doesn't stick well to dust-coated surfaces. He uses one piece of tape to clean the dust off before securing the fender at that particular spot. Good television coverage. He has surprisingly little difficulty tearing pieces of tape off the roll with his gloves. He finishes the taping job at 119:02:59.



Apollo 17

Loss of repaired fender, EVA-1 traverse, return to the LM

122:47:48

Jack tells Gene, "I think you have lost a fender. I keep getting rained on here (with lunar dust)." At 122:55:39

they confirm to Houston that it was the fender Gene had taped back in place that came off. At 123:12:04, Gene says, "My tape didn't hold; it was too dusty."



Apollo 17

SEP transmitter deployment, EVA-1 123:07:44

The SEP transmitter is powered by three solar panels. The center panel is fixed to the body of the transmitter and the two side panels are connected to the center panel by hinges. The side panels won't deploy fully and Jack has to use duct tape to get them to lie in the same plane as the central panel. Gene tears strips off the roll and gives them to Jack who applies them to the back of the panels.













Apollo 17

SEP transmitter

126:39:31

In response to a question, Jack tells CapCom that he taped the back of the SEP transmitter solar panels to keep them open and, therefore, didn't cover any of the solar cells.



Apollo 17

SEP transmitter 141:20:03

CapCom requests that, when Jack runs out to the SEP transmitter, he check to see how the tape he put on the solar panels have survived 18 hours out in the Sun. At 141:21:05, Jack reports that the tape has "survived". Photo AS17-141-21510 shows the transmitter from the back early in EVA-3. A magnified detail (above) shows the two pieces of tape Jack used on the back of the solar panels to keep them open. Jack put a piece of tape where each of the side panels joined the center panel. Note that the ends of each piece haven't stuck to the panels because of the dust they picked up from Gene's and Jack's gloves. The center of each piece has stuck because they were able to keep it sufficiently dust free.



Apollo 17

Replacement fender at start of EVA-2 traverse

AS17-135-20542

Down-Sun photo to document LRV location - forthe SEP experimenters - at the start of the traverse. The replacment fender is on the right rear.



Apollo 17

Photo documenting replacement fender, EVA-2 Station 2 AS17-137-20979 Just before leaving Station 2, Gene takes a picture of the replacement fender. It has survived a 9.1-km drive out from the LM. When they arrive at Station 9, late in EVA-3, Gene says "(The) fender's almost worn out." Becaue of persistent abrasion by material thrown up by the wheel, the aft end of the replacement fender had lost enough stiffness that the back end was folding under and allowing some dust to be thrown up and forward onto the Rover and the crew. Gene brought the replacement fender back to Earth and, as of the mid-1990s, it was on public display at the National Air and Space Museum. See a discussion of the replacement fender, including a photo of the underside taken at Air and Space.



Apollo 17 SEP receiver thermal bag, EVA-2 at the LM 140:47:54 Jack reports that the Velcro tabs on the SEP receiver bag have unbonded and suggests taping the cover shut. The covers won't actually be taped shut until 164:00:57, just before they start the EVA-3 drive to Station 6. Handling the tape, Gene says, "I feel like a kid stuck in taffy". Jack checks the seal after turing the receiver on at 164:19:32.

