[4] The Apollo 12 Solar Wind Spectrometer was deployed by astronaut Pete Conrad on the surface of the Moon on November 19, 1969.

During the early phase of the experiment's activation with the dust covers in place, background baseline data was collected.

During the early phase of the experiment's activation with the dust covers in place, background baseline data was collected.

[2][6] Solar Wind Spectrometer data that was analysed after the landing of Apollo 14, confirmed the presence of a photoelectric layer and similar in nature to that found by the Charged Particle Lunar Environment Experiment.

[5] The instrument detected a neutral gas-ion shockwave produced by the impact of the Apollo 13 S-IVB stage on the lunar surface.

It was suggested that the source of this gas shockwave may be a result of the vaporisation of 1100 kg of plastic materials contained with the rocket stage.