Page "Apollo 16" Paragraph 24

The Apollo 16 mission successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12: 54 PM EST on 16 April 1972.

The launch itself was nominal, with the crew experiencing vibration similar to that of previous crews.

The first and second stages of the Saturn V rocket performed nominally ; the spacecraft, along with the mission's three crew members aboard, successfully entered orbit around Earth just under twelve minutes after lift-off.

After reaching orbit, the crew spent time adapting themselves to the zero-gravity environment and preparing the spacecraft for Trans Lunar Injection, the burn of the third stage rocket that would propel them to the Moon.

In Earth orbit, the crew faced multiple minor technical issues, including a potential problem with the environmental control system and the S-IVB third stage's attitude control system, that were eventually resolved or compensated for in preparation for departure towards the Moon.

After two orbits, the rocket's third stage reignited for just over five minutes, propelling the craft towards the Moon at approximately.

Six minutes after the successful burn of the S-IVB, the Command / Service Module, containing the crew, separated from the rocket and traveled for before turning around and retrieving the Lunar Module from inside the expended rocket stage.

The maneuver, known as transposition, went smoothly and the LM was extracted from the S-IVB.

Following transposition and docking, the crew noticed the exterior surface of the Lunar Module was giving off particles from a spot where the LM's skin appeared torn or shredded ; at one point, Charlie Duke estimated they were seeing about five to ten particles per second.

The crew entered the Lunar Module through the docking tunnel connecting it with the Command Module to inspect its systems, at which time they did not spot any major issues.

Once on course towards the Moon, the crew put the spacecraft into a rotisserie " barbecue " mode in which the craft rotated along its long axis three times per hour to ensure even heat distribution about the spacecraft from the Sun.

After further preparing the craft for the trans-lunar voyage, the crew began the first sleep period of the mission just under fifteen hours after launch.