Puff of gas/dust during deployment of rover on Apollo 15

[JMartJr]

So here's (yet another) one I can't figure out.

During the deployment of the lunar rover on Apollo 15, right after the first set of wheels unfold, there is what appears to be a puff of gas or possibly a spray of dust that appears above where the rover bay is. I have no good guess at all as to what it might be. I have it cued up here to a few seconds before it happens:


Source: https://youtu.be/_TDwdYPOppM?t=130


People who know more than me about the rovers, or who are better at finding stuff than I am, can anybody explain what happened? I can't think of anything that would trap a lot of gas in the folded rover for the days it was traveling through space to the moon, and if there is a "sudden puff of gas helps unfold the rover" mechanism I have not been able to find it.

(AI was extraordinarily unhelpful, explaining the the puff of gas was vented from the LM, unrelated to the rover, caused by the Sun setting. Which the Sun never did during any of the Apollo missions. I cannot find any source that the AI might have used for that, so I don't know how it got it wrong. But I suppose a coincidental venting from the LM is possible...)

I am not sure if this is the correct place to post this. I have not seen any Apollo deniers cite this as proof it was all faked because it is something that they don't understand (nor, yet, do I!)so it is not yet part of that conspiracy theory. But it seems wise to try and pre-bunk this in order to be ready if they ever glom onto it. Plus I am just curious!

 

[Matt33]

Interesting. The folding mechanics of the rover were all spring loaded. Pins were being pulled out by wires and the corresponding part would fall into place. Springs, pins and wires had to go somewhere and maybe they kind of whipped up some dust.

Edit: that question was answered in the comments:

Okay, according to the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal, when the wheels popped out, Jim Irwin tripped and fell backwards. In the process he kicked up a spray of dirt. Where he was standing was in the LM's shadow, but the dirt sprayed high enough to clear the shadow and be lit by the Sun.

Link to comment:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TDwdYPOppM&lc=UgyVe666NvAll2xNE7Z4AaABAg.AD8sWIS_SI8ADW03oeMXVk

Here's the Apollo Journal, read from timecode 120:16:03

https://apollojournals.org/alsj/a15/a15.lrvdep.html

 

[deirdre]

Here's the Apollo Journal, read from timecode 120:16:03

https://apollojournals.org/alsj/a15/a15.lrvdep.html

Article:

[As a final note to this little incident, Journal Contributors John Pfannerstill and Karsten Rinkema have noted a brightening of the TV image at the right side of the frame, immediately after Dave finishes saying "Easy, Jim! Easy! Oop.". This is undoubtedly dust that Jim kicked aloft as he fell. He had been backing away from the LM with the TV on his left and his fall must have lofted some dust into the field-of-view. At 120:08:50, Joe suggested that Dave put the TV in the LM shadow. Dave did so, as can be seen in the TV record at that time. Consequently, the flying dust we see after Jim falls must have been lofted high enough and far enough to the right to be in sunlight.]

Source: https://apollojournals.org/alsj/a15/a15.lrvdep.html

here's video with the cc on ts 2:17

Source: https://youtu.be/hliHiQNn8_g?t=137

 

[Matt33]

This touches one of my favorite non-Moon-Hoax arguments. Even the tiniest particle (and moon dust is extremely fine) not only falls down relatively fast despite low gravity and due to no air-resistance; it always travels along perfect ballistic curves. That can be seen here and in every lunar rover video. No dust clouds whatsoever because every dust particle simply falls back down. Such behavior can only occur on the moon or in a film studio with near perfect vacuum.

 

[JMartJr]

@Matt33 Thanks, I didn't read the comments because normally on Apollo related videos the comments are just so depressing, and I wind up spending all day trying to explain to people (again, and again) why there are no stars or how they got past the Van ALlen belts!. I guess I should have, this time! I appreciate your spotting and sharing that.