Editing Apollo 17 (section)

=== Training ===
[[File:Apollo 17 - Gene Cernan training in Sudbury.jpg|thumb|upright|Gene Cernan participates in geology training in [[Greater Sudbury|Sudbury, Ontario]], in May 1972|alt=A photo of Gene Cernan standing on a rock with holding a stick while participating in geology training.]]

As with previous lunar landings, the Apollo 17 astronauts undertook an extensive training program that included learning to collect samples on the surface, usage of the [[Apollo/Skylab A7L|spacesuits]], navigation in the Lunar Roving Vehicle, field geology training, survival training, [[splashdown]] and recovery training, and equipment training.<ref name=training>{{cite news|last=Mason|first=Betsy|title=The Incredible Things NASA Did to Train Apollo Astronauts|url=https://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/07/moon-landing-gallery/?pid=1688&viewall=true|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired Science]]|publisher=[[Condé Nast Publications]]|access-date=August 23, 2011|date=July 20, 2011|archive-date=September 13, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110913083741/http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/07/moon-landing-gallery?pid=1688&viewall=true|url-status=live}}</ref> The geology field trips were conducted as much as possible as if the astronauts were on the Moon: they would be provided with aerial images and maps, and briefed on features of the site and a suggested routing. The following day, they would follow the route, and have tasks and observations to be done at each of the stops.{{sfn|Phinney 2015|p=95}}

The geology field trips began with one to [[Big Bend National Park]] in Texas in October 1971. The early ones were not specifically tailored to prepare the astronauts for Taurus–Littrow, which was not selected until February 1972, but by June, the astronauts were going on field trips to sites specifically selected to prepare for Apollo 17's landing site.{{sfn|Wilhelms 1993|pp=316–317}} Both Cernan and Schmitt had served on backup crews for Apollo landing missions, and were familiar with many of the procedures. Their trainers, such as [[Gordon Swann]], feared that Cernan would defer to Schmitt as a professional geologist on matters within his field. Cernan also had to adjust for the loss of Engle, with whom he had trained for Apollo 14. In spite of these issues, Cernan and Schmitt worked well together as a team, and Cernan became adept at describing what he was seeing on geology field trips, and working independently of Schmitt when necessary.{{sfn|Phinney 2015|pp=129–139}}

The landing crew aimed for a division of labor so that, when they arrived in a new area, Cernan would perform tasks such as adjusting the antenna on the Lunar Roving Vehicle so as to transmit to Earth while Schmitt gave a report on the geological aspects of the site. The scientists in the geology "backroom" relied on Schmitt's reports to adjust the tasks planned for that site, which would be transmitted to the CapCom and then to Cernan and Schmitt. According to [[William R. Muehlberger]], one of the scientists who trained the astronauts, "In effect [Schmitt] was running the mission from the Moon. But we set it up this way. All of those within the geological world certainly knew it, and I had a sneaking hunch that the top brass knew it too, but this is a practical way out, and they didn't object."{{sfn|Phinney 2015|p=131}}

Also participating in some of the geology field trips were the commander and lunar module pilot of the backup crew. The initial field trips took place before the Apollo 15 astronauts were assigned as the backup crew for Apollo 17 in February 1972. Either one or both of Scott and Irwin of Apollo 15 took part in four field trips, though both were present together for only two of them. After they were removed from the backup crew, the new backup commander and LMP, Young and Duke, took part in the final four field trips.{{sfn|Phinney 2015|p=130}} On field trips, the backup crew would follow half an hour after the prime crew, performing identical tasks, and have their own simulated CapCom and Mission Control guiding them.{{sfn|Phinney 2015|p=95}} The Apollo 17 astronauts had fourteen field trips—the [[Apollo 11]] crew had only one.{{sfn|Phinney 2015|p=102}}

Evans did not go on the geology field trips, having his own set of trainers—by this time, geology training for the CMP was well-established. He would fly with a NASA geologist/pilot, Dick Laidley, over geologic features, with part of the exercise conducted at {{convert|40000|ft}}, and part at {{convert|1000|ft}} to {{convert|5000|ft}}. The higher altitude was equivalent to what could be seen from the planned lunar orbit of about 60 nmi with binoculars. Evans would be briefed for several hours before each exercise, and given study guides; afterwards, there would be debriefing and evaluation. Evans was trained in lunar geology by [[Farouk El-Baz]] late in the training cycle; this continued until close to launch. The CMP was given information regarding the lunar features he would overfly in the CSM and which he was expected to photograph.{{sfn|Phinney 2015|pp=147–149}}