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Author
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Topic: Radiation, Inc. ground support equipment
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ApolloJim
Member Posts: 44
From: Crosby, TX 77532
Registered: Jan 2008
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posted 02-18-2007 08:25 PM
   
Is there anyone who worked for or knows about Radiation, Inc. ground support equipment? I have many modules produced by them that appear to have made up a a very early digital computer (1961-62). I also have one of the wire wrapped fixtures that the modules plugged in to. I would really like to find out anything about this system. I purchased these modules as part of original lot of over a ton of Apollo hardware in 1976. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5353
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-18-2007 09:13 PM
Radiation developed the Apollo command module pulse code modulation (PCM) telemetry system. They transitioned to Harris Corporation (Government Systems) circa 1967. |
ApolloJim
Member Posts: 44
From: Crosby, TX 77532
Registered: Jan 2008
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posted 02-18-2007 11:28 PM
Scott, thanks. Do you know of anywhere I could find out about the ground support equipment (GSE) they built? I have been in touch with some people at Harris who say they were there during Apollo. They couldn't remember the equipment I described. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5353
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-19-2007 06:49 AM
According to this extract from SP-4009, the GSE segment (decode/process) of the PCM architecture was built by a different company (on board spacecraft components were developed by Radiation). It's possible that either Dynatronics/Sperry subcontracted Radiation for portions of the GSE segement: December 17 (1964)NASA announced the selection of two firms to supply electronics equipment for the Manned Space Flight Network: 1. Dynatronics, Inc., to design and manufacture pulse code modulation (PCM) telemetry systems. (The main function of the PCM system would be to decode, or as the NASA news release put it, "decommutate," telemetry signals from the spacecraft). Dynatronics' contract would be worth an estimated 3.5 million. 2. Univac Division of Sperry Rand, to furnish data processors. (These machines, as their name indicates, would process those signals received by the PCM system. This information then would be transmitted to the Mission Control Center at Houston. The value of Univac's contract was placed at $4.5 million. NASA News Release 64-318, "NASA Selects Apollo Data Contractor," December 17, 1964. |
Tim Collins
Member Posts: 47
From: York, PA
Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 07-13-2007 11:32 PM
I'm most interested in the command module PCM hardware. Has anyone identified any additional sources of info (since the last post) for Radiation, the hardware, or its integration into the command module? |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5353
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-13-2007 11:53 PM
The Apollo Operations Handbooks (telecommunications section) have detail discussion of the PCM functionality and architecture on the command module. |
ApolloJim
Member Posts: 44
From: Crosby, TX 77532
Registered: Jan 2008
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posted 06-06-2024 12:17 PM
I have finally figured out where the Radiation, Inc. Logic modules I have in my collection were used. They came from a 540 Decommutator that was used in the ACE-S/C that I think was used in the Thermal Vacuum testing of LTA-8 in building 32 at MSC. I have friends who have successfully powered up these modules and are in the process of making a clock using them. |
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