Word: intrepidly
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...approached the moon early this week, Apollo 12 was scheduled to insert itself into a nearly circular orbit about 69 miles above the lunar surface. Conrad and Bean would then crawl through the tunnel leading from Yankee Clipper into Intrepid and cast off in the landing craft, leaving Gordon to guide the command ship through 19 solo orbits of the moon. Early Wednesday the two men would begin the gentle, arcing descent to the lunar surface...
...short time later, the command ship Yankee Clipper separated faultlessly from the S-4B, turned to dock with the lunar module Intrepid and extract it from the rocket's nose. Locked together, the two craft proceeded on a long coast to the moon. Before they bedded down for their first night in space, Conrad and Bean made an unscheduled inspection of Intrepid while Astronaut Gordon remained at the controls of the command module. To their relief, the LM's electronic gear had also withstood the sudden pulse of current. By now the astronauts were in such high spirits...
...Apollo 12's target, Intrepid must set down just east of the Surveyor Crater's edge. Conrad will probably not be able to see the Surveyor as he swoops down, for the craft will be in the deep shadow of early lunar morning. But he should have little difficulty spotting the Surveyor Crater. It forms the torso of what astronauts call the "Snowman," a distinctive cluster of five adjacent craters...
Exquisite Precision. More than pride is involved in the accomplishment of a pinpoint landing. If Intrepid touches down too far from its target crater, Conrad and Bean may not have enough oxygen in their back-up life-support packs for the planned walk to the Surveyor spacecraft. An inaccurate landing would also affect plans for next spring's scheduled Apollo 13 visit to a highlands area near Crater Fra Mauro. Before as tronauts risk landing in such a rugged area, NASA officials must be convinced that a lunar module can be set down on a selected segment...
Four hours after Wednesday's early-morning touchdown, Conrad will swing open Intrepid's small hatch. Backing out on his hands and knees, he will tug a small ring to open an equipment bay on the LM and expose a 12-lb. color-TV camera aimed at the spacecraft ladder. While a TV audience of millions watches. Conrad will descend to become the third mortal to step onto another world...