The Apollo 12 flight started with a bang on Nov. 14, 1969, when lightning struck the spacecraft during liftoff, temporarily knocking out the primary electrical systems. Once power was restored, the expedition's major challenge was making a pinpoint landing next to the old Surveyor 3 spacecraft. Pete Conrad and Al Bean succeeded, dropping down about 600 feet from the robot probe after last-minute maneuvering to find a safe landing zone.
The five-foot, six-inch tall Conrad's first words from the surface echoed those of Neil Armstrong: "Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small step for Neil, but that's a long one for me."
The crew carried a small plutonium-powered nuclear generator to the surface to power their experiments through the lunar night after they left. The pair were the first to try sleeping on the Moon, but slept fitfully because of noises from hydraulic pumps, ill-fitting suits and irritating medical sensors glued to their bodies.
The next day they collected more rocks and brought back parts of the Surveyor 3 for analysis. Technicians found that bacteria from Earth had managed to survive for two and a half years inside the probe.
Richard Gordon remained aboard the Command Module.
