Author
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Topic: Apollo CM-119 (Skylab rescue vehicle)
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alanh_7 Member Posts: 1252 From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 04-23-2016 07:08 PM
I recently saw a photo of spacecraft 119 when it was on display at the Kennedy Space Center still in its rescue mode before it was converted to resemble one of the lunar flights. At the base plate where the engine bell meets the command module, the joint was wrapped in some sort of thermal blanket. Most photos of the command modules used on lunar missions did not have this thermal blanket and I wondered if this was something novel to the Skylab missions or was this material for the rescue flight? |
rlobinske Member Posts: 155 From: Crawfordville, FL Registered: Oct 2014
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posted 04-24-2016 08:48 AM
As far as I have been able to determine, there was a cover over that thermal blanket for all other flight SMs and I suspect that one was originally in place on CSM-119. |
alanh_7 Member Posts: 1252 From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 04-24-2016 11:48 AM
I just took a look at a photo of Apollo 15 in orbit. There is s yellow circular section at the attachment point with the engine bell. On CM 119 back in the late 90s when it was still in Skylab mode, this circular yellow section was also covered with thermal blanket. |
rlobinske Member Posts: 155 From: Crawfordville, FL Registered: Oct 2014
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posted 04-24-2016 02:14 PM
If you referring to the images at ApolloSaturn, what you see are blankets that would have been under the cover seen on other CSMs. Those visible blankets are clearly inside the rim of the cover. |
alanh_7 Member Posts: 1252 From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 04-24-2016 07:07 PM
On the third photo on the site you linked there is a shot of CM 119 as seen from behind showing a wrinkled silver thermal blanket in the circular cutout where the engine bell meets the aft end of the CM at the attachment point. On the Apollo 15 command module, instead of a wrinkled thermal blanket, it was a yellow oxide disk. I checked with David Weeks' tech drawing of the Skylab CM and it also shows a yellow disk at the contact point. I have never seen this wrinkled thermal blanket before. |
Space Cadet Carl Member Posts: 225 From: Lake Orion, Michigan Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 04-25-2016 05:58 AM
Page 15 of the SD-70-205 "rescue capsule" document clearly shows the two lower couches rotated 180 degrees from the three upper couches, so that the two lower crew members could have some head and arm room in the lower equipment bay. Their feet would be under the headrests of the upper three couches. Interesting stuff! |
LM-12 Member Posts: 3324 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 04-25-2016 10:11 AM
The illustration on page 13 of the document shows the ballast in the center couch. The ballast represented the weight of one astronaut, according to the description on page 107. So I guess Lind would have been in the right seat for launch. |
rlobinske Member Posts: 155 From: Crawfordville, FL Registered: Oct 2014
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posted 04-26-2016 08:41 AM
Yes, the thermal blanket visible is around some of the SPS hardware and you can also see space around it. CSM-119 on display is not complete. Just as it does not have a docking ring or front pressure hatch, it is probably lacking the flexible cover over the base of the SPS bell. I doubt if it was intended to fly without the cover. |
alanh_7 Member Posts: 1252 From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 04-26-2016 10:09 AM
Thank you. That's what I kind of thought, but then wondered if the thermal blanket was something related to the Skylab flights because they were designed for long duration space missions. Though I have never seen it on photos of any of the other command modules so it made me wonder. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo Member Posts: 3446 From: Toms River, NJ Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 10-26-2016 09:55 PM
Something I came across, something interesting I'm trying to find out more info on: We (Foale Aerospace) have worked on a project to repurpose the Apollo Command Module CSM119 to return two people on a journey back from Mars, with assistance from the NASA Johnson Space Center. We were able to reduce the mass of the CSM by roughly 50%, compared to its original weight when manufactured, by taking advantage of reduced mission requirements, current day materials for the heat shield, and up to date avionics. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 43576 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-26-2016 11:49 PM
CSM-119 was also closely inspected in 2007 for what its design could contribute to the Orion crew exploration vehicle. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo Member Posts: 3446 From: Toms River, NJ Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 10-28-2016 11:04 AM
Perhaps I'm reading more into it, but the use of the word "repurpose," rather than "study" suggested to me NASA was going to make CSM-119 flightworthy, carrying two astronauts to Mars... |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 43576 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-28-2016 11:29 AM
If I recall correctly, there was a brief time at the start of the Constellation program when NASA surveyed its Apollo assets in museums to evaluate their potential reuse. It would make sense that an unused command and service module might lead that consideration. |
lordolsen Member Posts: 112 From: Denmark Registered: Jun 2010
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posted 11-05-2016 02:40 AM
In 2012 I was at KSC and I made this photo series. |