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From: karn@allegra.UUCP (Phil Karn)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Moon bullets
Message-ID: <2398@allegra.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 11-Apr-84 15:47:16 EST
Article-I.D.: allegra.2398
Posted: Wed Apr 11 15:47:16 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Apr-84 07:12:50 EST
References: <12070@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Inc
Lines: 18

There are also numerous perturbations to a lunar satellite due to the
moon's triaxial ellipticity. These perturbations are much larger
in relation to the two-body forces than they are for earth satellites,
and many have the effect of changing perilune altitudes. The Apollo
flights had to be very careful of these effects when in lunar
orbits with perilunes of 10 km or so. Another interesting item
is that the Apollo 11 landing overshot its intended target by
some number of kilometers (5-7 comes to mind) because the precise
nature of the moon's gravitational field was still unknown, even
with all the experience from the Lunar Orbiter series.
A primary goal of Apollo 12 was to achieve demonstratable accuracy
in landing (based on Apollo 11 tracking results) by landing next
to a defunct Surveyor.

All this makes a story about rifle bullets fired from the surface
of the moon going into lunar orbit pretty far fetched.

Phil