Episodes Tagged with "Marshall Space Flight Center"

Feb 12

Space Rocket History #100 – Apollo: Preliminary Design

Posted on February 12, 2015

In January 1960, President Eisenhower directed NASA Administrator Glennan to accelerate the Super Booster Program that had recently been assigned to NASA. This order ensured the transfer of the von Braun group from the Army Ballistic Missile Agency t...

Using a model at upper left, William Rector of General Dynamics Corp. describes the design his company proposed for the Apollo lunar mission

Spacecraft modules in this drawing were identified in the Space Task Group’s request for proposals from contractors for developing and producing the command module

Saturn 1 test

Saturn 1 test 2

mySuperLamePic_c1194b7fa9498eb5af694d8530d3ebf8

At lower left, E. E. Clark and Carlos de Moraes of the Martin Company display three of a dozen command module configurations considered before the choice of the one to the right

ASA’s second Administrator, James E. Webb (at center above), and George M. Low (right above) of NASA Headquarters receive a model of General Electric’s proposed vehicle

Tagged:A Plan For Manned Lunar Landing, Abbott, Alan Shepard, Apollo, Avco, C 2 Saturn, Cape Kennedy, Charles Houbolt, Circumlunar, Congress, Convair, Docking, Dolan, Donlan, Eisenhower, Eldon Hall, Exploration, Faget, Feasibility Studies, Gagarin, Gemini Project, General Electric, George Low, Gilruth, Glennan, Goett, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, J R Clark, James Killian, James Webb, Jerome Wiesner, Jfk, John Disher, John Lee, Jpl, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Langley, Lbj, Lovelace Foundation, Low, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lyndon Johnson, Manned Lunar Landing Task Group, Manned Spacecraft Center, Markley, Marshall Space Flight Center, Martin, Mercury, Moon, Nasa, Nova, Oran Nicks, Ostrandersiepert, Pickering, Piland, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Richard S Johnston, Robert Chilton, Rocket, Saturn, Seamans, Silverstein, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Sputnik, Stanley White, Strass, Von Braun, Vought Astronautics, Webb, William Petynia

Feb 19

Space Rocket History #101 – Apollo: Preliminary Design Part 2 – Mode, Command Module, and Astronavigation.

Posted on February 19, 2015

In May 1961, NASA was not really prepared to direct an enormous Apollo program designed to fly its spacecraft to the moon. New and special facilities would be needed and the aerospace industry would have to be marshaled to develop vehicles not easily...

David G. Hoag, technical design director at the laboratory, examines the inertial measuring unit that would measure changes in Apollo spacecraft velocity when propulsion systems were fired

MIT Instrumentation Laboratory Director C. Stark Draper inspects a mockup of the Apollo guidance and control system in the September 1963

astronaut positions

Tagged:Apollo, Avco, C 2 Saturn, Cape Kennedy, Charles Houbolt, Circumlunar, Congress, Convair, Docking, Dolan, Donlan, Eisenhower, Eldon Hall, Exploration, Faget, Feasibility Studies, General Electric, George Low, Gilruth, Glennan, Goett, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, J R Clark, James Killian, James Webb, Jerome Wiesner, Jfk, John Disher, John Lee, Jpl, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Langley, Lbj, Lovelace Foundation, Low, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lyndon Johnson, Manned Lunar Landing Task Group, Manned Spacecraft Center, Markley, Marshall Space Flight Center, Martin, Mercury, Moon, Nasa, Nova, Oran Nicks, Ostrandersiepert, Pickering, Piland, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Richard S Johnston, Robert Chilton, Rocket, Saturn, Seamans, Silverstein, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Sputnik, Stanley White, Strass, Von Braun, Webb

Feb 26

Space Rocket History #102 – Apollo: Preliminary Design Part 3 – Command Module Contract, Mode, and Launch Vehicles

Posted on February 26, 2015

Max Faget thought the first stage of the moon rocket should use four solid-fueled engines, 6.6 meters in diameter. He reasoned these could certainly accomplish whatever mission was required of either the Saturn or Nova, and it would be more cost eff...

John_Houbolt_and_LOR2

Earth Orbit Rendezvous

Apollo_Direct_Ascent

Tagged:Albert Clagett, Apollo, C 2 Saturn, C 4, Cape Kennedy, Charles Houbolt, Charles Mattews, Circumlunar, Congress, Dave Lang, Docking, Eor, Exploration, F 100, F 86, Faget, Feasibility Studies, Fleming, General Electric, George Low, Gilruth, Glennan, Goett, Golovin, Heinrich Weigand, History, Hjornevik, Hound Dog, Hugh Dryden, James Chamberlin, James Webb, Jerome Wiesner, Jfk, John Rubel, Jpl, Kavanau, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Kleinknecht, Koppenhaver, Langley, Lbj, Lor, Lovelace Foundation, Low, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lundin, Lyndon Johnson, Marshall Space Flight Center, Martin, Martin Company, Matthew Collins, Mcdonnell, Moon, Nasa, Navajo, North American Aviation, Nova, Oswald Lange, Piland, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Robert Mcnamara, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn, Saturn C 3, Seamans, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Sputnik, Von Braun, X 15

Mar 5

Space Rocket History #103 – Saturn Development 1957 – 1960

Posted on March 5, 2015

Many historians agree, the U.S. took its first step toward the moon in the spring of 1957, four years before President Kennedy declared the national goal of landing a man on the Moon, and returning him safely to the Earth. While still preparing for t...

12-Second stage (S-IV)

11-Booster stage (S-I)

10-Proposed C-2

9-C-1 and earlier vehicles

8-Model of blockhouse at Launch Complex 34

7-Vehicles using Titan and Atlas stages

6-Saturn C

5-Saturn B

4-Preliminary concept of Launch Complex 34, Cape Canaveral

3-Early H-1 Engine

2-Thor-Jupiter engine

1-Proposed configuration of a clustered booster

Tagged:Abma, Air Force, Alabama, Apollo, Army Ballistic Missile Agency, Army Ordnance Missile Command, Arpa, Atlantic Missile Range, C 2 Saturn, C 4, Cape Kennedy, Centaur, Charles Wilson, Circumlunar, Congress, Dx, Eisenhower, Exploration, Explorer 1, F 1, F 86, Gilruth, Glennan, Golovin, H 1, Herbert York, History, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, James Webb, Jfk, Jpl, Jupiter, Kennedy, Kerosene, Kieth Glennan, Kurt Debus, Launch Complex 34, Lox, Lr 119, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lyndon Johnson, Marshall Space Flight Center, Medaris, Missile Firing Laboratory, Moon, Nasa, North American Aviation, Nova, Prat Whitney, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Rocket, Rocketdyne, Roy Johnson, Rp 1, S 3d, S I, S Iv, S V, Saturn, Saturn C 3, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Soviet, Space, Sputnik, Tennessee River, Thor, Titan C, Von Braun

Mar 12

Space Rocket History #104 – Saturn’s First Flight – SA-1 – Part 1

Posted on March 12, 2015

Just as launch complex 34 dwarfed its predecessors, Saturn’s checkout represented a new magnitude in launch operations. The Saturn C-1 stood three times higher, required six times more fuel, and produced ten times more thrust than the Jupiter. Its si...

Lifting the first stage from the transporter

Hoisting the stage in vertical attitude

Erecting the upper stages

Early design concepts of C-1 and C-5 versions of the Saturn launch vehicles

16-Unloading Compromise in Florida

15-S-I and S-IV stages aboard the Compromise

14-Booster movement around Wheeler Dam

11-Launch Complex 34

10-Configurations of Saturn flight vehicles

9-Saturn Barge route

7-Six-engine configuration of the S-IV stage

6-Redesigned tail of the Saturn booster

5- The barge Palaemon

3-First horizontal mating of the Saturn vehicle

2-Movement of dummy S-IV stage to checkout

Tagged:Alabama, Albert Zeiler, Apollo, Arpa, Atlantic Missile Range, Block I, Block Ii, Braunschweig, C 2 Saturn, C 4, Cape Kennedy, Centaur, Circumlunar, Compromise, Corps Of Engineers, Crunk, Dyna Soar, Exploration, Explorer 1, F 1, Fort Bliss, Grady Williams, Green Cove Springs, H 1, Hans Gruene, History, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, Intracoastal Waterway, J 2, Jupiter, Karl Sendler, Kennedy, Kerosene, Kurt Debus, Launch Complex 34, Lox, Lr 119, Lunar, Lunar Module, M 26, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury Redstone, Milton Rosen, Missile Firing Laboratory, Missle Firing Labatory, Moon, Nasa, Nova, Palaemon, Peenemunde, Pershing, Project Apollo, Ranger, Rendezvous, Robert Gorman, Robert Moser, Rocket, Rp 1, S I, S Iv, S V, Sa 1, Saturn, Saturn C 3, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Sendler, Soviet, Space, Tennessee River, Titan C, Von Braun, Wheeler Dam, White Sands

Mar 18

Space Rocket History #105 – Saturn’s First Flight – SA-1 – Part 2

Posted on March 18, 2015

No previous maiden launch had gone flawlessly, and the Saturn C-1 was considerably more complicated than any rocket launched thus far. Launch Operations Directorate officials gave the rocket a 75% chance of getting off the ground, and a 30% chance of...

To assemble the large Saturns, NASA needed a plant, preferably one already built. The Michoud facility (above), close to New Orleans, suited the requirements

Saturn_SA1_on_launch_pad

Modules of the Apollo spacecraft were tested in Florida in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building. Above, NASA officials Walt Williams, Merritt Preston, Kurt Debus, Brainerd Holmes, and Wernher von Braun

Maiden launch of the Apollo program- Saturn SA-1 from Cape Canaveral, 27 October 1961

First Saturn Launch

Liftoff of Saturn I. Note the long cable mast falling away on the right

mySuperLamePic_c001b3d7f61bec278243523bf2e79253

Abe Silverstein, NASA’s Director of Space Flight Development, is shown touring a rocket engine facility

1-Launch Complex 34, blockhouse interior

Tagged:Alabama, Albert Zeiler, Ames Research Center, Andrew Pickett, Apollo, Atlantic Missile Range, Block I, Block Ii, C 2 Saturn, C 4, Cape Kennedy, Centaur, Circumlunar, Compromise, Congressman Albert W Thomas, Corps Of Engineers, Crunk, Daniel Mcmath, Dyna Soar, Exploration, Explorer 1, F 1, Fort Bliss, Gainsville, General W K Wilson, H 1, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, Intracoastal Waterway, J 2, Jim White, John Parsons, Jupiter, Karl Sendler, Kennedy, Kerosene, Kurt Debus, Launch Complex 34, Launch Operations Directorate, Lc 37, Lox, Lr 119, Lunar, Lunar Module, M 26, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury Redstone, Merritt Island, Michoud, Milton Rosen, Missile Firing Laboratory, Missile Systems Group, Missle Firing Labatory, Moon, Multiplexer, Nasa, Nova, Palaemon, Paul Dembling, Pearl River, Peenemunde, Pershing, Project Apollo, Ralph Ulmer, Ranger, Redstone Arsenal, Rendezvous, Robert Gorman, Robert Moser, Rocket, Rp 1, S 1, S I, S Iv, S V, Sa 1, Saturn, Saturn C 3, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Sendler, Soviet, Space, Tennessee River, Titan C, Vice President Johnson, Von Braun, Xo 4b, Xo 6b

Mar 26

Space Rocket History #106 – Apollo: The Mode Decision – Part 1

Posted on March 26, 2015

The mode that Apollo would use to land on the moon was the most studied, analyzed, and debated decision made for the lunar landing program. There were four main choices Direct-ascent, Earth-Orbit Rendezvous, Lunar-Orbit Rendezvous, and Lunar Surface...

two landing techniques proposed for the direct ascent mode

SA-1

RendezvousMethods

proposed lunar-surface-rendezvous procedure, a propellant-transfer vehicle takes fuel from the tanker to a manned space vehicle. After loading the fuel, the two astronauts would fire the engine of their spacecraft to return to the earth

Major configuration changes in the Apollo spacecraft from May 1960 to July 1962

Early design concepts of C-1 and C-5 versions of the Saturn launch vehicles

A ferry that would leave a command ship in orbit around the moon, visit the lunar surface, and then return to the command ship for the voyage back to the earth

Tagged:Abe Silverstein, Abma, Apollo, Arthur Bogeley, Astraco, Bell Aerosystems, C 2 Saturn, Cape Kennedy, Charles Houbolt, Charles Mattews, Clinton Brown, Congress, Direct Ascent, Docking, Dolan, Donald Heaton, E J Daniels, Earth0orbit, Eldon Hall, Eor, Exploration, Faget, Fleming, Gilruth, Glennan, Golovin, History, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, Institute Of Aerospace Sciences, J R Clark, James Webb, Jfk, John Bird, John Cord, John Rubel, Jpl, Juno V, Kavanau, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Koppenhaver, Kurbjun, Kurt Strass, Langley, Leonard Seale, Lor, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit, Lundin, Lunex, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mode, Moon, Nasa, Nova, Owen Maynard, Paul Purser, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Robert Oneal, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn, Saturn C 3, Seamans, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Von Braun, William Fleming, William Michael, William Pickering

Apr 2

Space Rocket History #107 – Apollo: The Mode Decision – Part 2

Posted on April 2, 2015

Langley’s brochure for the Golovin Committee described Lunar landers of varied sizes and payload capabilities. There were illustrations and data on a very small lander that was able to carry one man for 2 to 4 hours on the moon. There was an “econo...

Early design concepts of C-1 and C-5 versions of the Saturn launch vehicles

NASA announced selection of the lunar-orbit-rendezvous landing technique at an 11 July 1962 press conference. left to right James E. Webb, Robert C. Seamans, Jr., D. Brainerd Holmes, and Joseph F. Shea

Harry C. Shoaf (Space Task Group Engineering Division 15 November 1961 of a proposed lunar lander to be used with an advanced version of the Mercury spacecraft

concept of a small lunar lander during descent to the surface of the moon, as proposed by Langley Research Center employees in October 1961

Tagged:Abe Silverstein, Abma, Alfred Eggers, Ames Research Center, Apollo, Brainerd Holmes, Caldwell Johnson, Charles Frick, Charles Houbolt, Charles Mattews, Charlie Fricks Road Show, Clinton Brown, Congress, Direct Ascent, Docking, Dolan, Eldon Hall, Eor, Exploration, Faget, Fleming, General Dynamics Convair, George Low, Gilruth, Golovin, Harold Hornby, History, Holmes, Houbolt, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, James Chamberlin, James Webb, Jfk, John Eggleston, Joseph Shea, Jpl, Kennedy, Kurt Strass, Langley, Lewis Research Center, Lina, Lindsay, Lor, Lunar, Lunar Crasher, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Lunar Orbit, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mode, Moon, Nasa, Nova, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn, Saturn C 5, Seamans, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Spacecraft Research Division, Vogeley, Von Braun, Vought, William Rector

Apr 9

Space Rocket History #108 – Apollo: The Mode Decision – Part 3

Posted on April 9, 2015

“I would like to reiterate once more that it is absolutely mandatory that we arrive at a definite mode decision within the next few weeks. . . . If we do not make a clear-cut decision on the mode very soon, our chances of accomplishing the first luna...

Shea uses models to demonstrate how the lunar module would dock with the command module

Rocket Comparison

Lunar orbit insertion

Tagged:Abe Silverstein, Abma, Alfred Eggers, Ames Research Center, Apollo, Brainerd Holmes, Caldwell Johnson, Charles Frick, Charles Houbolt, Charles Mattews, Charlie Fricks Road Show, Clinton Brown, Congress, Csm, Direct Ascent, Docking, Dolan, Douglas, Dryden, Eldon Hall, Eor, Exploration, Faget, Fleming, General Dynamics Convair, George Low, Gilruth, Golovin, Grumman, Harold Hornby, History, Holmes, Houbolt, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, James Chamberlin, James Webb, Jerome Wiesner, Jfk, John Eggleston, Joseph Shea, Jpl, Kennedy, Kurt Strass, Langley, Lem, Lewis Research Center, Lina, Lindsay, Lor, Lunar, Lunar Crasher, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Lunar Orbit, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, Nicholas Golovin, Nova, Presidents Science Advisory Committee, Project Apollo, Psac, Rca, Rendezvous, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn, Saturn C 5, Saturn C 8, Saturn C Ib, Seamans, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Spacecraft Research Division, Vogeley, Von Braun, Vought, William Rector

Apr 16

Space Rocket History #109 – Apollo: The PSAC Strikes Back and Saturn SA-2

Posted on April 16, 2015

After viewing the Apollo spaceport being built in Florida, President Kennedy flew on to Huntsville, Alabama. There, during a tour of Marshall and a briefing on the Saturn V and the lunar-rendezvous mission by von Braun, Jerome Wiesner interrupted Von...

REF: 2-903-6 SA-2 LAUNCH AT CAPE. IGNITION OF ROCKET (SATURN 1 VEHICLE)

SA-2 erected on launch pedestal

Wernher_von_Braun_confers_with_Brainerd_Holmes_and_Nicholas_Golovin

Tagged:Apollo, Brainerd Holmes, Bruce Lundin, Csm, Direct Ascent, Docking, Downey, Dryden, Eor, Exploration, Fleming, Franklin A Long, General Dynamics Convair, George Low, Gilruth, Golovin, Grumman, High Water, Highwater, History, Holmes, Houbolt, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, James Webb, Jerome Wiesner, Jfk, Joseph Shea, Jpl, Kennedy, Kurt Debus, Langley, Lc34, Lem, Lester Lees, Lewis Research Center, Lina, Lor, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Lunar Orbit, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, Nicholas Golovin, Nova, Presidents Science Advisory Committee, Project Apollo, Psac, Rendezvous, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn, Saturn C 5, Seamans, Soviet, Space, Space Vehicle Panel, Von Braun

Apr 23

Space Rocket History #110 – Early Apollo Command Module Design

Posted on April 23, 2015

The Apollo contract specified a shirt-sleeve environment. For this reason, North American was told not to include in its design a hatch that opened by explosives, like Mercury’s. An accidentally blown hatch in space would cause an instant vacuum and ...

The impact facility at North American was used to drop-test the CM

Selection of Little Joe II completed the Apollo family of launch vehicles.

Scott Carpenter, John Glenn, and Walter Schirra in 1963 inspect a full-scale mock up of the Apollo CM

North American Aviation Stormy,

Interior of a partial full-scale mockup of the Apollo command module

major parts of the command module structure

Tagged:Ablator, Ac Spark Plug, Aerojet General, Airesearch Manufacturing, Ames, Apollo, Apollo Spacecraft Project Office, Avco, B 25, B 45, Block I, Brainerd Holmes, California, California Institute Of Technology, Cambridge, Carpenter, Charles Frick, Charles H Feltz, Collins Radio Company, Direct Ascent, Downey, Dryden, Exploration, F 86, F100, Gemini, George Low, Gilruth, Glenn, Harrison Storms, History, Holmes, Honeycomb, Honeywell Regulator Company, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Impact Facility, John Paup, Langley, Lewis Research Center, Little Joe Ii, Lockheed, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Man In Space Soonest, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marquardt Corporation, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mit, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, Norman J Ryker, North American Aviation, Northrop, P 51, Phase A, Project Apollo, Radioplane, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rocketdyne, S Ii, Saturn, Schirra, Seamans, Service Module, Shirt Sleve Environment, Smedal, Space, Stormy, Thiokol, White Sands, X 15, Xb 70

Apr 30

Space Rocket History #111 – Apollo: Early Lunar Module Design and Saturn SA-3”

Posted on April 30, 2015

During 1962, NASA faced three major tasks: first the mode selection and its defense (covered in episodes 106-109), second keeping North American moving on the command and service modules (covered in episode 110) and third finding a contractor to deve...

Tagged:Ames, Apollo, Apollo Spacecraft Project Office, Bell Aerosystems, Bethpage, Block I, Block Ii, Brainerd Holmes, C William Rathke, Charles Frick, Charles H Feltz, Clean Room, Cuban Missile Crisis, Dryden, E Clinton Towl, Ellington Air Force Base, Exploration, Gemini, George Low, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, H 1, Highwater, History, Holmes, Houston, Hugh Dryden, James Webb, John Snedeker, Joseph G Gavin, Joseph Shea, Kurt Debus, Langley, Lc 34, Lem, Leroy R Grumman, Little Joe Ii, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, M 31 Heat Shield, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Project Apollo, Promise, Ranger, Robert S Mullaney, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Sa 2, Sa 3, Saturn, Saturn 103, Saturn C Ib, Saturn Apollo 3, Seamans, Service Module, Space, Surveyor 1, Thomas J Kelly, Thomas Markley, Von Braun, White Sands, William Rector

May 7

Space Rocket History #112 – Apollo: Headquarters

Posted on May 7, 2015

“The contractor role in Houston was not very firm. Frankly, they didn’t want us. There were two things against us down there. Number one, it was a Headquarters contract, and it was decreed that the Space Centers shall use GE for certain things; and n...

General Electric employees monitor activities of a spacecraft test in the automatic-checkout-equipment spacecraft control room in 1965

comparison of spacecraft and launch vehicle configuration

Apollo tracking network in 1966. Radar stations with large antennas for continuous tracking and communications were at Goldstone, California; Madrid, Spain; and Canberra, Australia

Tagged:Ames, Apollo, Apollo Spacecraft Project Office, Bellcomm, Block I, Block Ii, Brainerd Holmes, Charles Frick, Edward S Miller, Ellington Air Force Base, Exploration, F 1, Frederick R Kappel, Gemini, General Electric, George Low, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, H 1, Highwater, History, Holmes, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, J 2, James Webb, John P Mayer, Joseph Shea, Kurt Debus, Langley, Lewis Research Center, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Project Apollo, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rocketdyne, Saturn, Seamans, Service Module, Space, William Rector

May 14

Space Rocket History #113 – Apollo: Command Module Design and Development 1963-1964

Posted on May 14, 2015

…From the information they gathered on the existing technical problems, Disher and Tischler concluded that prospects were only one in ten that Apollo would land on the moon before the end of the decade….

Full-scale model of the command module, above- the strake aerodynamic devices may be seen at either side of the spacecraft just above the aft heatshield

Removing LM from S=IVB stage

On 16 November 1963 in Cape Canaveral’s Blockhouse 37, NASA’s new manned space flight chief George Mueller

Communications with the moon as the earth turned. Astronauts on the moon’s surface also could talk to one another

Tagged:Apollo, Apollo Spacecraft Project Office, Apollo Soyuz, Bellcomm, Block I, Block Ii, Boilerplate, Brainerd Holmes, Canards, Charles Frick, Disher, Downey, Exploration, F 1, Gemini, General Electric, George Low, George Mueller, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Harrison Storms, History, Holmes, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, J 2, James Webb, John P Mayer, John Paup, Joseph Shea, Kurt Debus, Langley, Lewis Research Center, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mockup, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Project Apollo, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rocketdyne, Ruben Mettler, Samuel C Phillips, Saturn, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Seamans, Service Module, Skylab, Space, Space Technology Laboratories, Strakes, Thomas Markley, Tischler, Tower Flaps, Tulsa, William Rector

May 21

Space Rocket History #114 – Apollo: Command Module Design and Development 1963-1964 Part 2

Posted on May 21, 2015

Max Faget’s position was that considering the difficulty of the job, if each mission was successful half the time, it would be well worth the effort. But Gilruth thought that was too low. He want a 90% mission success ratio and a 99% ratio for Ast...

download

The cabin section (or primary structure) of the CM is assembled at North American in 1965

The CM probe would slip into the LM’s dish-shaped drogue, and 12 latches on the docking ring would engage, to lock the spacecraft together, airtight

Full-scale model of the service module, resting on a mockup of a spacecraft-lunar module adapter, with panels off to reveal part of the internal arrangement

Jettison of the launch escape system (right) after successful launch, also pulls away the boost protective cover that protects the windows from flame and soot

On the drawing of the launch escape system at upper right, the canard aerodynamic devices are near the top of the escape tower

May 28

Space Rocket History #115 – Saturn I: SA-4, SA-5, SA-6, and SA-7

Posted on May 28, 2015

Saturn 1, SA-6 was the first orbital launch of an Apollo Spacecraft by a Saturn Launch Vehicle and also the first flight utilizing an active ST-124 Stabilized Platform.

VonBraunMuellerReesSA6

SA5_launch

sa-6-spacecraft

sa-6-dem

SA-6 spacecraft and launch vehicle ready to go

SA-6 on pad

SA-5Section cuts

SA-5

SA-5 S-IV stage

SA-5 on pad

SA-5 Demensions

apollo_sa7_launch

apollo_sa4

Tagged:Apollo, As 101, As 102, Block I, Block Ii, Exploration, H 1, History, Holmes, Houston, Langley, Lc 34, Little Joe Ii, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Msc, Msfc, Mueller, Nasa, Project Apollo, Rees, Rocket, S Iv, Sa 2, Sa 3, Sa 4, Sa 5, Sa 6, Sa 7, Sa 8, Saturn, Saturn 103, Saturn I, Saturn Apollo 3, Seamans, Service Module, Space, Von Braun

Jun 11

Space Rocket History #117 – Apollo: Lunar Module Design

Posted on June 11, 2015

Since the lunar module would fly only in space (earth orbit and lunar vicinity), the designers could ignore the aerodynamic streamlining demanded by earth’s atmosphere and build the first true manned spacecraft, designed solely for operating in the s...

6-NASA engineers in 1964 decided that astronauts could stand in the lunar module cabin during the trip to the lunar surface. Note triangular windows

7-Proposed sleeping positions for astronauts on the moon

5-Mockup of lunar module cabin with seats

4-The drawing of the stage indicates positions of components

3-underside of the lunar module descent stage shows fuel tank installation

2-Administrator James Webb examines models of the lunar and command modules in docked position

1-Lunar module generations from 1962 (above left; the vehicle originally proposed by Grumman) to 1969

Tagged:8 Ball, Ac Electronics, Apollo, Ascent Stage, Bethpage, Block I, Block Ii, Cline W Frasier, Cruciform, Decent Stage, Donn Eislee, Downey, Electroluminescence, Exploration, Father Of The Lem, George Low, George Mueller, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Hamilton Standard, History, Holmes, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, J 2, J T Markley, James Webb, John P Mayer, John Paup, Joseph Shea, Langley, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mit, Mockup, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Owen Maynard, Pete Conrad, Project Apollo, Rca, Rendezvous Radar, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn V, Scott Carpenter, Seamans, Service Module, Space, Space Technology Laboratories, Spacecraft Technology Division, Thomas J Kelly, William Rector

Jun 17

Space Rocket History #118 – Apollo: Lunar Module Design – Part 2

Posted on June 17, 2015

The Lunar Lander originally had two docking hatches, one at the top center of the cabin and another in the forward position, or nose, of the vehicle, with a tunnel in each location to permit astronauts to crawl from one pressurized vehicle to the oth...

3-improved lunar module features – ladder, porch, hatch, and rendezvous window

2-he addition of a ladder on a landing gear leg made the task much easier

1- Astronauts found a knotted rope from the lunar module difficult to climb down (or up)

Tagged:Apollo, Ascent Stage, Bethpage, Block I, Block Ii, Cruciform, Decent Stage, Exploration, Father Of The Lem, George Mueller, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Hamilton Standard, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, James Webb, Joseph Shea, Langley, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mit, Mockup, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Project Apollo, Rca, Rendezvous Radar, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Saturn V, Seamans, Space, Space Technology Laboratories, Spacecraft Technology Division, Thomas J Kelly, William Rector

Jul 2

Space Rocket History #119 – Apollo: Lunar Module Design – Part 3

Posted on July 2, 2015

At various stages of lunar module design, mockup reviews were conducted to demonstrate progress and identify weaknesses. These inspections were formal occasions, with a board composed of NASA and contractor officials and presided over by a chairman f...

5-Removing the LEM

4-ApolloSpacecraftLMAdapterDiagram

3-Apollo_Spacecraft_diagram

2-Tm-1 mockup of the Lunar Module

1-lm-6-rendezvous-radar-antenna-assy-sm

Jul 9

Space Rocket History #120 – Apollo: Stages S-IV and S-IVB

Posted on July 9, 2015

The key to high-energy stages was to use liquid hydrogen as the fuel. Liquid hydrogen fuel appealed to rocket designers because of its high specific impulse, which is a basic measure of rocket performance. Specific Impulse is the impulse delivered p...

4-SIV-SIVB

3-Saturn 1b-V

2-Cutaways

1- SIV_rocket_stage

Tagged:Apollo, Block I, Block Ii, Convair, Cryogenic, Csm, Earth Orbit Rendezvouz, Exploration, Gemini, George Mueller, Gilruth, Hamilton Standard, Harold Felix, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, J 2, J B Gayle, James Webb, Joseph Shea, Kerosene, Liquid Hydrogen, Lm, Lox, Lunar, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury, Mockup, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Project Apollo, Retro Rocket, Rl 10, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rp 1, S Iv, S Ivb, Sa 5, Sacramento Test Operations, Sacto, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Seamans, Space, Thor, Translunar, Transposition Maneuver, Ullage, W R Lucas

Jul 16

Space Rocket History #121 – Pegasus Wings inside SA-8 (AS-104), SA-9 (AS-103), & SA-10 (AS-105) and a Command Module update for 1965

Posted on July 16, 2015

The Pegasus satellite was named for the winged horse of Greek mythology. Like its namesake, the Pegasus was notable for its “wings”, a pair of 29 meter long, 4.3 meter wide arrays of 104 panels fitted with sensors to detect punctures by micrometeoro...

4- Saturn_SA10_launch

Saturn_SA8_launch

2- The SA-9

8- Pegasus_Deployment_sequence

7- Cutaway views show the interior of the command module (for clarity, the center couch is not shown)

6- Pegasus Deployed

5- Pegasus Stowed

4- Saturn_SA10_launch

Tagged:Apollo, As 101, As 102, As 103, As 104, As 105, Block I, Block Ii, Exploration, H 1, History, Holmes, Houston, Langley, Lc 34, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Msc, Msfc, Mueller, Nasa, Project Apollo, Rees, Rocket, S Iv, Sa 10, Sa 2, Sa 3, Sa 4, Sa 5, Sa 6, Sa 7, Sa 8, Sa 9, Saturn, Saturn 103, Saturn I, Saturn Apollo 3, Seamans, Service Module, Space, Von Braun

Jul 23

Space Rocket History #122 – Apollo: Serious Problems with the Lunar Module and Grumman

Posted on July 23, 2015

Toward the end of January 1967, it was revealed that Lunar Module 1 would not reach the Cape in February, as expected. This meant, the moon landing might be delayed because the lander was not ready. But the mission planners could not wait for the Apo...

3- 1230_Lunar_module_LTA-2_R

2-Disher_John_

1-Lunar_Module_diagram

Tagged:Apollo, Ascent Stage, Bell, Bethpage, Block I, Block Ii, Decent Stage, Deke Slayton, Donald Sullivan, Exploration, Gemini, George Mueller, George Titterton, Gerorge Skurla, Gilruth, Ground Support Equipment, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Gse, Hamilton Standard, History, Hjornevik, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Hughes Aircraft, Huntsville, James Webb, John Rubel, Joseph Shea, Langley, Llewellyn Evans, Lm 1, Lm 2, Lm 3, Lm 4, Lm 5, Lm 6, Lm7, Lta, Lunar, Lunar Module, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mockup, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Optical Tracker, Pintle, Project Apollo, R Wayne Young, Rca, Rendezvous Radar, Richard E Mayo, Robert Brader, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Russell Schwickart, Saturn V, Seamans, Space, Space Technology Laboratories, Spacecraft Technology Division, Thomas J Kelly, Trw, William Lee, William Rector

Aug 20

Space Rocket History #126 – Apollo-Saturn IB: AS-201, AS-202, and AS-203

Posted on August 20, 2015

Apollo Saturn 201 employed the Saturn IB launch vehicle, which was the up-rated version of the Saturn I rocket flown in ten earlier Saturn-Apollo missions. It featured an upgrade of the first stage engines to increase thrust from 1,500,000 lb-ft of ...

AS-203_launch

AS-202_launch

AS-201_launch

Apollo-Saturn 201 mission – launch, recovery

Tagged:Aerojet General, Apollo, As 201, As 202, As 203, Block I, Block Ii, Cape Canaveral, Chrysler, Csm 009, Csm 011, Dan David, Exploration, H 1, History, Holmes, Houston, Ibm Federal Systems Division, Instrument Unit, J 2, Langley, Launch Complex 34, Little Joe Ii, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Msc, Msfc, Mueller, Nasa, North American, Pad 34, Pad 37b, Pad 39a, Project Apollo, Promise, Rca 110a, Robert E Field, Rocket, Rocketdyne, S Ivb, Saturn, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Saturn Apollo 3, Service Module, Space, Trinidad Tracking Station, Uss Boxer, Von Braun

Feb 4

Space Rocket History #147 – Saturn: S-II Stage Part 2: Trials and Tribulations

Posted on February 4, 2016

“The S-II stage was a nightmare the minute it was conceived, and it only got worse from there. During the course of its creation, it would grind up people and careers the way the transcontinental railway devoured laborers. Though the methods and mat...

5-Test firing of a Saturn V second stage rocket S-II

6-s-ii-subassemblies

4-S-II_Inboard_1963

3-The S-II stage during stacking operations of Apollo 6 in the VAB

2-S-2 assembly building in Seal Beach, CA

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1-Saturn_V_second_stage

Tagged:2014 T6, 1929, 1930, 1931, Apollo 1, Apollo 4, Arthur Rudolph, As 501, Bill Bergen, Black Saturdays, California, Cape Kennedy, Colonel Sam Yarchin, Common Bulkhead, Cryogenic, Debus, Eberhard Rees, General Edmund F L Oconnor, General Oconnor, General Samuel C Phillips, George Loss, George Mueller, Gores, Harrison Storms, History, Honeycomb, Huntsville, J 2, Jerome Weisner, Joe Shea, Lee Atwood, Lh2, Liquid Hydrogen, Liquid Oxygen, Lox, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mississippi Test Facility, Msfc, Mtf, Naa, Nasa, Navy, North American Avaiation, Oxider, Paul Vogt, Phillips Report, Presidents Scientific Advisory Committee, Psac, Ralph H Ruud, Robert Gilruth, Robert Greer, Rocket, S Ic, S Ii, S Ii 1, S Ii D, S Ii F, S Ii S, S Ii T, S Ivb, Saturn, Saturn V, Seal Beach, Space, Stormy, Tiger Team, Weld, Wernher Von Braun

Feb 11

Space Rocket History #148 – Apollo 4: Operation Big Shot

Posted on February 11, 2016

“…our building’s shaking here. Our building’s shaking! Oh it’s terrific, the building’s shaking! This big blast window is shaking! We’re holding it with our hands! Look at that rocket go into the clouds at 3000 feet!…you can see it…you can see it…oh ...

6-A crescent Earth, as photographed from Apollo 4

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4-Apollo 4 unmanned mission lifts off from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center

3-Apollo_4_on_the_night_before_launch,_Kennedy_Space_Center,_Florida,_1967

2-Apollo 4 on launch pad 39

1-apollo 4 mating

Tagged:Aero Spacelines, All Up, Apollo 1, Apollo 11, Apollo 4, Apollo 6, As 501, Atlas Centaur, Banana River, Block I, Block Ii, Boeing, Cm 012, Commandservice Module, Csm, Deputy Administrator Seamans, Douglas Aircraft, Downey, Florida, Gene Kranz, Houston, Huntsville, Inc, Jeff Gralnick, Joesph Shea, John F Kennedy Space Center, Langley Research Center, Lc 39, Lh2, Lox, Lta 10r, Lunar Module, Lunar Module Test Article, Marshall Space Flight Center, Merritt Island, Michoud, Midway Island, Mississippi Test, Mueller, Naca, North American Rockwell, Pregnant Guppy, Rocco Petrone, Rp 1, S 1c, S Ic, S Ii, S Ivb, Samuel C Phillips, Saturn V, Scimitar, Uss Bennington, Vab, Walter Cronkite, Wernher Von Braun

Feb 18

Space Rocket History #149 – Apollo 5: Lunar Module’s First Flight

Posted on February 18, 2016

“The fire-in-the-hole abort was the most critical test of the mission and one we had to accomplish successfully prior to a manned mission.” Gene Kranz – Flight Director Apollo 5

6-Apollo5 Launch

5-Apollo_5_on_pad with Saturn 1B

4-Lem inside adapter hoisted

3-Lunar Module 1 being mated to the Spacecraft Lunar Module Adapter in preparation for launch as Apollo 5

2-LM1Delivered to the Cape

1-Apollo 5 Mission Patch

Tagged:Aero Spacelines, All Up, Apollo 1, Apollo 11, Apollo 4, Apollo 5, Apollo 6, Apollo 9, Ascent Propulsion System, Commandservice Module, Csm, Decent Propulsion System, Deputy Administrator Seamans, Downey, Eugene F Kranz, Fire In The Hole, Florida, Gene Kranz, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Houston, Huntsville, James Webb, John F Kennedy Space Center, John Hodge, John J Williams, Launch Complex 34, Lm 1, Lm 2, Lm 3, Lm 5, Lox, Lunar Module, Marshall Space Flight Center, Merritt Island, Michoud, Mississippi Test, Mueller, Naca, North American Rockwell, Pregnant Guppy, Rocco Petrone, Rp 1, S Ii, S Ivb, Saturn 1b, Saturn Ib 204, Saturn V, Scimitar, Supper Guppy, Vab, Walter Cronkite, Wernher Von Braun, William C Schneider

Feb 25

Space Rocket History #150 – Apollo 6: Pogo and the Tang Ceremony

Posted on February 25, 2016

The success of Apollo 4 gave good reason to believe that the Saturn V could be trusted to propel men into space. But NASA pushed on with its plans for a second unmanned booster flight, primarily to give the Pad 39 launch team another rehearsal before...

5-Apollo-6-1968-04-04

4-Apollo 6’s interstage falling away

3-Apollo6fireyExhaustPlume

2-Apollo_6_launch

1-The Lunar Module Test Article (LTA-2R) is being moved for mating with the spacecraft Lunar Module Adapter

0-apollo-6-final_0

Tagged:Aerospace Corporation, All Up, Apollo 1, Apollo 11, Apollo 4, Apollo 5, Apollo 6, Apollo Stack, Arnold Engineering Development Center, Arthur Rudolph, Baja, Clifford E Charlesworth, Commandservice Module, Csm, Direct Return Abort, Donald Slayton, Downey, Eberhard Rees, Edwards Air Force Base, F 1, Florida, Gemini, George H Hage, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Houston, Huntsville, Instrument Unit, J 2, John F Kennedy Space Center, John Hodge, John J Williams, John Mayer, Kleinknecht, Launch Complex 34, Lee B James, Lm 2, Lm 3, Lox, Lta 2r, Lunar Module, Marshall Space Flight Center, Martin Luther King, Memphis, Merritt Island, Michoud, Mississippi Test, Mueller, Naca, North American Rockwell, Phillips, Pogo, President Johnson, Resonance, Rocco Petrone, Rocketdyne, Rp 1, S 1c, S Ii, S Ivb, Saturn 1b, Saturn Ib 204, Saturn V, Schneider, Scimitar, Sheldon Rubin, Spacecraft 012, Supper Guppy, Tennessee, Translunar, Tullahoma, U S S Okinawa, Vab, Wernher Von Braun

Mar 23

Space Rocket History #154 – Apollo 7 – The Crew

Posted on March 23, 2016

Had it not been for the fact that Eisele damaged his shoulder during a zero-G training flight aboard a KC-135 aircraft just before Christmas 1965, he might have been in the senior pilot’s seat aboard Apollo 1, instead of Ed White.

3-Cunningham during the Apollo 7 mission

2-Donn_F._Eisele prior to launch of ap17

1- Schirra as the Commander of Apollo 7 crew

Tagged:Alan Shepard, Apollo 1, Apollo 10, Apollo 13, Apollo 4, Apollo 5, Apollo 6, Apollo 7, Apollo Stack, Commandservice Module, Csm, Deke Slayton, Donald Slayton, Donn Eisele, Downey, Duane Graveline, Eagle Scout, Edward H White, F 4h, F7u 3, Fj 3, Florida, Gemini, Goodfellow, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Guenter Wendt, Gus Grissom, Houston, Huntsville, Jim Webb, Langley Research Center, Lm 3, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury, Michoud, Mike Collins, Mississippi Test, Mueller, Naca, Nasa Distinguished Service Medals, North American Rockwell, Peace Corps, President Johnson, Roger Chaffee, S Ii, Satuen Ib, Saturn V, Skylab, Tyndall, Wally Schirra, Walter Cunningham, Wernher Von Braun, Wheelus, Wright Patterson

Mar 30

Space Rocket History #155 – Apollo 7 – Assembly, Testing, Training, and Launch

Posted on March 30, 2016

Command Service Module-101 started through the manufacturing cycle early in 1966. By July, it had been formed, wired, fitted with subsystems, and made ready for testing. After the Apollo 1 fire in January 1967, changes had to be made, mainly in the w...

3-Apollo 7 Launch

2-Schirra, Eisele, and Cunningham (left to right) practice climbing out of the spacecraft into a life raft, to perfect recovery procedures

1-Saturn 205’s first stage rests on the pedestal at Launch Complex 34 before mating with other stages for launch

Tagged:Apollo 1, Apollo 4, Apollo 5, Apollo 6, Apollo 7, Apollo Stack, Chysler, Commandservice Module, Csm, Csm 101, Donn Eisele, Douglas, Douglas Aircraft, Downey, Florida, Gemini, Gene Kranz, Gerald Griffin, Glynn Lunney, Griffith Planetarium, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Houston, Huntsville, J 2, Jim Webb, John Hodge, John Young, Lm, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury, Michoud, Mississippi Test, Morehead Planetarium, North American Rockwell, S Ib, S Ii, S Ivb, Satuen Ib, Saturn V, T 38, Wally Schirra, Walter Cunningham, Wernher Von Braun

Apr 6

Space Rocket History #156 – Apollo 7-The Flight Part 1

Posted on April 6, 2016

SCHIRRA: You’ve added two burns to this flight schedule, and you’ve added a urine water dump; and we have a new vehicle up here, and I can tell you at this point TV will be delayed without any further discussion until after the rendezvous. CAPCOM (J...

Untitled

2u-Distant view of the S-IVB stage

1u-Apollo 7 S-IVB rocket stage in orbit

Tagged:Apollo 1, Apollo 7, Chysler, Commandservice Module, Csm, Csm 101, Donn Eisele, Douglas Aircraft, Downey, Florida, Gemini, Gene Kranz, Gerald Griffin, Glynn Lunney, Grumman, Houston, Huntsville, Iva, John Hodge, John Young, Lm, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury, Mississippi Test, North American Rockwell, S Ib, S Ii, S Ivb, Satuen Ib, Saturn V, T 38, Tom Stafford, Wally Schirra, Walter Cunningham

Apr 13

Space Rocket History #157 – Apollo 7-The Flight Part 2

Posted on April 13, 2016

CAPCOM Number 1 (Deke Slayton): Okay. I think you ought to clearly understand there is absolutely no experience at all with landing without the helmet on. SCHIRRA: And there no experience with the helmet either on that one. CAPCOM: That one we’ve g...

10-The Apollo 7 Command Module as exhibited at The Frontiers of Flight Museum

9-Barbara Eden, Bob Hope, the Apollo 7 astronauts, and Paul Haney (voice of Mission Control) on The Bob Hope Show (November 6, 1968)

8-Crew after recovery aboard USS Essex

6-The crew is welcomed aboard the USS Essex

5-A crewmember being hoisted into the recovery helicopter

3U-At the end of the nearly 11-day mission, flight controllers Gene Kranz, Glynn Lunney, and Gerald Griffin left to right with cigars celebrate splashdown

2U-View of Florida from Apollo 7

1u-Mission Control watches the first live television beamed by an American spacecraft, as Eisele and Schirra signal, %22Keep Those Cards and Letters Coming in, Folks

Tagged:Actifed, Apollo 1, Apollo 7, Bob Hope, Chris Kraft, Chysler, Commandservice Module, Csm, Csm 101, Deke Slayton, Donn Eisele, Douglas Aircraft, Downey, Florida, Fuel Cell, Gemini, Gene Kranz, Gerald Griffin, Glenn Lunney, Glynn Lunney, Grumman, Houston, Huntsville, Intravehicular Activity, Iva, John Hodge, John Young, Lbj, Lh2, Lm, Lox, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury, Mississippi Test, North American Rockwell, Paul Haney, S Ib, S Ii, S Ivb, Satuen Ib, Saturn V, T 38, Tom Stafford, Wally Schirra, Walter Cunningham

May 12

Space Rocket History #160 – Apollo 8 – The Decision Part 1

Posted on May 12, 2016

An ‘A’ type mission would be flown with a Saturn V and be used to test the Launch vehicle, spacecraft, and a high velocity lunar return. Nasa cover the ‘A’ mission with Apollo 4 & 6. A ‘B’ type mission would be flow with a Saturn IB and test the lun...

OwenMaynardStepstotheMoon

chief of the LEM engineering office in the Apollo Program Office in Houston, TexasJPG

3-GeorgeLow

Tagged:Apollo 1, Apollo 4, Apollo 5, Apollo 6, Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo Stack, Bowman, Chris Kraft, Commandservice Module, Csm, Deke Slayton, Donald Slayton, Eberhard Rees, George Hage, George Low, Gilruth, Goodfellow, Houston, Huntsville, Joseph Kotanchik, Julian Scheer, Kleinknecht, Kurt Debus, Lee James, Lm 3, Ludie Richard, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mueller, Naca, Nasa, Owen Maynard, Phillips, President Johnson, Rocco Petrone, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Schneider, Seven Step Plan To Lunar Landing, Webb, Wernher Von Braun, Willis H Shapley

May 19

Space Rocket History #161 – Apollo 8 – The Decision Part 2

Posted on May 19, 2016

Perhaps the most significant point about the lunar-orbit flight proposed for Apollo 8 was that the command and service modules would fly the same route to the moon as would be used for the actual lunar landing.

IMG_0988

3-GEMueller

1-Samuel_C._Phillips

Tagged:Ac Electronics, Apollo 1, Apollo 4, Apollo 5, Apollo 6, Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo Stack, Apollo The Race To The Moon, B O Evans, B P Blasingame, Boeing, Bowman, Carl Duckett, Chris Kraft, Chrysler, Cia, Circumlunar Simulation, Commandservice Module, Csm, Deke Slayton, Donald Slayton, Fmsac, G H Stoner, General Electric, George Low, George M Bunker, Gerald T Smiley, Gerald Truszynski, Gilruth, Grumman, Hilliard Paige, Houston, Huntsville, Ibm, Joseph Gavin, Kurt Debus, Lee James, Leland Atwood, Lieutenant General Vincent G Huston, Lm 3, Ludie Richard, Marshall Space Flight Center, Martin Marietta, Mcdonnell Douglas, Mit, Mueller, Nasa, National Intelligence Estimate, North American, Owen Maynard, Paine, Philco Ford, Phillips, President Johnson, Presidents Science Advisory Committee, R W Hubner, Robert E Hunter, Rocco Petrone, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Schneider, Science And Technology Advisory Committee, Seven Step Plan To Lunar Landing, Stark Draper, T A Wilson, Thomas F Morrow, United Aircraft, Walter F Burke, Webb, Wernher Von Braun, William Bergen, William P Gwinn, Zond 4, Zond 5

May 26

Space Rocket History #162 – Apollo 8 – The Crew – Frank Borman & William Anders

Posted on May 26, 2016

Frank Frederick Borman, II was born on March 14, 1928, in Gary, Indiana. He is of German descent, born as the first and only child to parents Edwin and Marjorie Borman. Because he suffered from numerous sinus problems in the cold and damp weather, hi...

3-Jim_Lovell_official

2-William_Anders

1-Frank_Borman

Tagged:Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Air Force Master Astronaut Badge, Apollo 1, Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo The Race To The Moon, Bowman, Cia, Commandservice Module, Congressional Space Medal Of Honor, Csm, Deke Slayton, Distinguished Flying Cross, Donald Slayton, Eastern Airlines, Ed White, Frank Borman, Grumman, Gus Grissom, Houston, Huntsville, James Lovell, Legion Of Merit, Lm 3, Marshall Space Flight Center, Nasa, Nasa Exceptional Service Medal, Presidents Science Advisory Committee, Roger Chaffee, Saturn V, Science And Technology Advisory Committee, Webb, Wernher Von Braun, William Anders, Zond 5

Jun 2

Space Rocket History #163 – Apollo 8 – Lovell, Logistics & Training

Posted on June 2, 2016

The successful Apollo 7 flight cleared the way for a US moon landing in 1969. Still a lot of flight and ground testing remained and there would probably be surprises. The greatest concern was Nasa had to complete three virtually flawless missions a...

3-Lovell family watch launch of A8

2-Jim Lovell

1-Apollo 8 Crew

Tagged:Apollo 1, Apollo 10, Apollo 17, Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo The Race To The Moon, Bill Anders, Buzz Aldrin, Charles Bassett, Chris Kraft, Clifford Charlesworth, Csm, Deke Slayton, Donald Slayton, Elliot See, F2h Banshee, Frank Borman, Gene Cernan, General Houston, Houston, Huntsville, James Lovell, John Mayer, John Mccain, Lyndon Johnson, Marilyn Lovell, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mike Collins, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Pacific Fleet, Patuxent River, Pete Conrad, Richard Nixion, Saturn V, Simulation Supervisor, Tom Stafford, Wally Schirra, Wernher Von Braun, William Anders

Jun 8

Space Rocket History #164 – Apollo 8 – Pre-launch

Posted on June 8, 2016

For now the mighty Saturn V stood empty. But overnight, even while Borman’s crew slept, technicians would ready it for departure. By morning its enormous fuel thanks would be filled with cryogenic propellants, until the rocket would contain the exp...

3-Aerial_view_of_the_Apollo_8_Saturn-V

2-CrewGoingtoPad

1-Lunar-Moon-mission-profile

Tagged:Al Shepard, Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Bill Anders, Buzz Aldrin, Clifford Charlesworth, Csm, Deke Slayton, Dick Proffitt, Donald Slayton, F 1, Frank Borman, Gemini 7, George Low, Goddard, Howard Tindall, Huntsville, Jack King, Jack Schmitt, James Lovell, John Mayer, Lindbergh, Lyndon Johnson, Marilyn Lovell, Marshall Space Flight Center, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Saturn V, Simulation Supervisor, Titan, Trench, Wernher Von Braun, William Anders

Jun 15

Space Rocket History #165 – Apollo 8 – The Launch

Posted on June 15, 2016

Until now the astronauts knew, in the back of their minds, there was a possibility that a malfunction would turn this countdown into just another practice run and they would have to get out and try again another day. But, as the count reached T minus...

3-A8CTT

2-Apollo Command Module Main Cp

1-launchCresent

Tagged:Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo 9, Bill Anders, Buzz Aldrin, Clifford Charlesworth, Csm, Dave Scott, Deke Slayton, Dick Proffitt, Donald Slayton, F 1, Frank Borman, Gemini 7, George Low, Goddard, Huntsville, Jack King, Jack Schmitt, James Lovell, John Mayer, Marilyn Lovell, Marshall Space Flight Center, Nasa, Saturn V, Titan, Trench, William Anders

Jun 22

Space Rocket History #166 – Apollo 8 – Translunar Injection

Posted on June 22, 2016

At T plus 40 seconds Apollo 8 went supersonic and the ride smoothed out. Now it was quite again, but Borman kept a watchful eye on the trajectory readouts. If there was a Saturn malfunction he could whisk the capsule away just by twisting the abort h...

3-apollo-8-earth-orbit

2-Apollo8 Staging

1-Apollo 8 Lunar Plan

Jul 6

Space Rocket History #167 – Apollo 8 – Coasting Up Hill and Waste Management

Posted on July 6, 2016

Just a few minutes after Apollo 8’s second TV broadcast, Borman, Lovell, and Anders passed Earth’s gravitational hill top and crossed into the Moon’s gravitational sphere of influence.

3-Apollo-8-patch

2-TLC view

1-LeavingSIVB

Tagged:Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo 9, Bill Anders, Clifford Charlesworth, Csm, Deke Slayton, Donald Slayton, F 1, Frank Borman, Gemini 7, George Low, Goddard, Huntsville, James Lovell, John Mayer, Marilyn Lovell, Marshall Space Flight Center, Nasa, Saturn V, Titan, Trench, Wally Schirra, William Anders

Jul 13

Space Rocket History #168 – Apollo 8 – Lunar Orbit and Earthrise

Posted on July 13, 2016

As Apollo 8 drifted above the far side of the moon Borman, Lovell, and Anders observed a scene of total desolation. It appeared absent of color, except for various shades of gray. There was no atmosphere to soften the view, it was a scene of extrem...

3-Earthrise

Far Side Of The Moon

1-The_Lunar_Farside_-_GPN-2000-001127

Tagged:Apollo 10, Apollo 11, Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo 9, Bill Anders, Buzz Aldrin, Chis Kraft, Clifford Charlesworth, Csm, Deke Slayton, Donald Slayton, Earthrise, Frank Borman, Gemini 7, George Low, Houston, Huntsville, Jack King, James Lovell, Marilyn Lovell, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mission Control Center, Nasa, Saturn V, Titan, Tsiokovsky, William Anders

Jul 20

Space Rocket History #169 – Apollo 8 – Christmas 1968

Posted on July 20, 2016

Bill Anders: “We are now approaching lunar sunrise, and for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you.” “‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ‘And the earth was without fo...

3-A8

2-A8ChristmasEve

Tagged:540, Apollo 10, Apollo 11, Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo 9, Bible, Bill Anders, Buzz Aldrin, Chis Kraft, Christmas, Clifford Charlesworth, Csm, Deke Slayton, Democratic National Convention, Donald Slayton, Earthrise, Frank Borman, Gemini 7, Genesis, George Low, Houston, Huntsville, Jack King, James Lovell, Marilyn Lovell, Marshall Space Flight Center, Martin Luther King, Mission Control Center, Nasa, President Johnson, President Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Saturn V, Titan, Tsiokovsky, William Anders

Sep 14

Space Rocket History #177 – Apollo 9 – Preparations

Posted on September 14, 2016

The biggest concern before Apollo 9 was the docking maneuver. In early 1969, at NASA there was little confidence in the docking system. At a January program review, Phillips said that problems encountered during probe and drogue testing worried him…

lm3-sigs

2-mcdivitt-and-schweickart-left-to-right-practice-in-the-lunar-module-simulator-for-the-apollo-9-mission-to-evaluate-the-lm-in-earth-orbit-operations-and-the-apollo-suit-in-the-space-environment

1-spacecraft-docking-devices-the-command-module-probe-and-docking-ring-at-right-the-lunar-module-drogue-at-left

Tagged:A7l Pressure Suit, Apollo 1, Apollo 10, Apollo 11, Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo 9, As 205208, Bethpage, Chis Kraft, Csm, Dave Scott, Deke Slayton, Donald Cheatham, Donald Slayton, Frank Borman, Gemini 6, Gemini 7, George Low, George Mueller, Gilruth, Golden Slippers, Grumman, Gumdrop, Houston, Kleinknecht, Langley, Launch Complex 39, Lunar Module 3, Marshall Space Flight Center, Martin Raines, Mcdivitt, Mission Control Center, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, North American, Paul Haney, President Kennedy, Samuel Phillips, Saturn V, Schweickart, Scott, Spider

Aug 8

Space Rocket History #24 – Mercury Redstone Test Flights – Ham in a Can

Posted on August 8, 2013

The objectives of the Mercury Project, were as follows: 1. Place a manned spacecraft in orbital flight around the earth. 2. Investigate man’s performance capabilities and his ability to function in the environment of space. 3. Recover the man and ...

mr-1-patch

HamPostMission

WhiteRoom

SurvivalEquipment

Parachute Canister

mercurycontrolPanel

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mercury9

mercury8

mercury7

mercury6

mercury5

mercury3

mercury1

MerCapInt

MerCapEscSys

Ham

CapandEsc

Assembly

3AxisHandController

Tagged:Blunt Body, Booster Development, Cape Canaveral, Exploration, Ham, Heat Shield, History, Huntsville, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mercury, Mr 1, Mr 1a, Mr 2, Mr Bd, Posigrade, Redstone, Rene 41, Retro, Rocket, Space, The 4 Inch Flight, Vostok

Jun 14

Space Rocket History #416 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – Wives, Spiders, Minnows and a Spacewalk

Posted on June 14, 2023

“I had to connect eleven five-foot sections of aluminum poles, twice, forming two long poles. These were then extended to Jack some forty or fifty feet away, where the poles were mounted in a ‘V’, and a large ‘sail’ pulled across them with nylon line...

P3-twin-pole shield

P2-Lousma begins eva

P1-Arabella_web

Tagged:Al Bean, Anita, Arabella, Flare, Jack Lousma, Jsc, Marshall Space Flight Center, Minnows, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3, Spider, Sunshade, Thruster, Twin Pole

Jun 28

Space Rocket History #417 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – Maximum Effort, Determination, Efficiency, and Accomplishment

Posted on June 28, 2023

Finally, the crew became efficient enough to get all of the work done that was scheduled for a given day. But, that did not make up for the time lost at the beginning of the mission. Reaching 100 percent efficiency was not enough for Bean. ht...

P3-Al Bean

Tagged:Al Bean, Apollo Telescope Mount, Flare, George Low, Jack Lousma, Jim Fletcher, Jsc, Marshall Space Flight Center, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3, Thruster, White Light Coronagraph

May 9

Space Rocket History #463 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – Joint Operations

Posted on May 9, 2025

“I had thoughts I couldn’t express at the time. It felt like we weren’t just opening a hatch in space, but opening the door to a new era on Earth.” Tom Stafford.

P2-A-S-Eclipse

P3-AS second docking

P1-Eclipse

Tagged:Apollo Soyuz, Astp, Baykonur, Bobko, Deke Slaton, Detente, Glynn Lunney, Goddard, John F Kennedy, Jsc, Ksc, Kubasov, Leonov, Marshall Space Flight Center, Nikita Khrushchev, Solar Eclipse, Syromyatnikov, Tom Stafford, Truly, Uva, Vance Brand

Jan 29

Space Rocket History #98 – Apollo Beginnings

Posted on January 29, 2015

President Kennedy proposed the manned lunar landing as the focus of the US space program but, at the time of his address, only one American, Alan B. Shepard, Jr. had been into space, on a suborbital lob shot lasting 15 minutes. No rocket launch vehic...

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Tagged:Abe Silverstein, Abraham Hyatt, Air Force, Ames, Apollo, Army, Caldwell Johnson, Cape Kennedy, Circumlunar, Csq, Docking, Eisenhower, Eldon Hall, Exploration, F 1, Gatv, Gemini, Gemini Project, George Sutton, Glennon, Goddard, Goett, History, Homer Newell, Houston, Jfk, John Hodge, Jpl, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Lbj, Lewis, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lyndon Johnson, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mercury, Mit, Moon, Naca, Nasa, Nova, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Robert Piland, Rocket, Rocketdyne, Saturn, Soviet, Space, Space Task Group, Sputnik, Strass, Thomas Muse, Von Braun, William Schneider, X 15

Feb 5

Space Rocket History #99 – Apollo: The Opposition

Posted on February 5, 2015

The goal of the nation’s space program should be the scientific exploration of the moon and the planets but also to recognize that nontechnical factors are vital to public acceptance of a space program. Human exploration of the moon and planets would...

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Tagged:Alan Shepard, Alfred Sloan, Apollo, Brainerd Holmes, Cape Kennedy, Circumlunar, Clinton Anderson, Congress, Docking, Eisenhower, Exploration, Gagarin, Gemini Project, Goett, History, Houston, Hugh Dryden, James Killian, James Webb, Jerome Wiesner, Jfk, Jpl, Kennedy, Kieth Glennan, Lbj, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lyndon Johnson, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury, Moon, Nasa, Philip Abelson, Project Apollo, Rendezvous, Rocket, Saturn, Sky Scientist, Soviet, Space, Space Science Board, Space Task Group, Sputnik, Strass, Urgent National Needs, Von Braun, Warren Weaver