Question

Apollo 14 launched in the late afternoon of January 31, 1971, on what was to be our third trip to the lunar surface. Five days later Alan Shepard

and Edgar Mitchell walked on the Moon while Stuart Roosa, a former U.S. Forest Service smoke jumper orbited above in the command module.

What is the meaning of the phrase command module as it is used in the excerpt?

O A.
the detachable part of a spacecraft
О B.
the part of a spacecraft that contains support systems
O c.
a satellite designed to hold a human astronaut
O D.
a satellite designed to orbit the Moon

Answer 1

The 'command module' refers to the detachable part of a spacecraft that contains the flight control systems and crew accommodations, and remains in orbit while the lunar module lands on the Moon.

Step-by-step explanation:

The phrase command module as used in the excerpt refers to the part of the Apollo spacecraft that contains the flight control systems and crew accommodations. Specifically, it is the detachable part of a spacecraft that remains in space while the lunar module descends to the Moon's surface. The command module is crucial for the astronauts' return journey to Earth. In the case of Apollo 14, Stuart Roosa stayed in the command module, which orbited the Moon while his crewmates, Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell, walked on the lunar surface.