Apollo 10 in London Science Museum

[AstroSmurf]

I'm going over to the UK in October, and was planning to stop by the Science Museum to take a peek at the command module from Apollo 10 that's stored there. Does anyone know if it's just the Charlie Brown that they have there, or if there are other things I should look for?

[gwiz]

Here's their web site

[Jason Thompson]

Unless they have had a massive update, their space section is woefully outdated. When I went there last year it only included Voyager images up to Uranus, and spoke of the Hubble Space Telescope's imminent launch. There is a complete J-2 engine there, however, which, though not as impressive as an F-1, still shows the scale of the vehicles used. There is also a mockup of the LM with an astronaut at the foot of the ladder. Sadly this is rather old and tatty and now very much resembles the plywood and foil mockup it really is.

The Apollo 10 Command Module was, for me, rather a disappointment. You can't get very close to it, and you can barely see inside (which is of course the more interesting part), and they've covered the whole thing in a protective plastic layer that just looks rather weird when held up against the gleaming metal surface we know was actually there, even after the damage caused by re-entry heating.

So, worth a visit to say you've seen the actual command module, but don't expect too much. The whole thing needs major updating.

[AstroSmurf]

Ah, how disappointing. I'll take a walk there while the SO is wandering through V&A - good thing museums in the UK are free for the most part.

[dwight]

AstroSmurf, if you happen to be in London on 25 th and 26th Oct then you should head on to Autographica. Jim Lovell, Dave Scott, Vance Brand, and Jerry Carr are slated to appear. Well worth going to.

If you want more info head on over to www.autographica.co.uk

cheers
Dwight

[cos]

If you are at all interested in the history of flight the flight secton at the very top is excellent. It used to contain the Wrights flyer until 1940 (yeah missed it by a bit) but you'll find Alcock and Brown's Vickers Vimy there (first to cross the atlantic), the prototype harrier (the P1127), the E28/39 first British Jet plane and the first jet engine, the forerunner to the Spitfire (the S6B float plane which broke the speed record of the day), Amy Johnson's plane that she flew solo to Australia (Jason), an ME163 (sort of rocket powered), a spitfire from the Battle of Britain period and a whole stack of other interesting stuff.

Also you can't beat the Science museum for early industrial history if that at all interests you.

[tedward]

Missed this. Went there last November 2007. If I am not too late for your trip a piccy.
link

Another
link 2

It has the hatch covered with clear plastic. But you can get close but I agree the section is a tad lacking but from the point of view of the museum I suppose they have so much to show. The lander is a mock up but full size I think. Surprised me when I realised the size. On top of that is the Babage difference engine. The flight section is good as are many other displays. We took a day to go around.

And there is this little beauty. I like the story around it.
Link 3

[raven]

I would love to see the picture of that 'little beauty' but alas, flikr says its unavailable.
Is the difference engine that full size working model they built from Babbage's plans? Ultimate steampunkery, in my view.

[tedward]

I have no idea why flikr is stopping that? Picture is there. Yes the Babbage is the full working model. There is a whole section on difference engines, including a meccano one. And one they were building for a US museum (this was last year in case it has made its journey). I did spend ages drooling over the machine. I used to work on electromechanical switches, strowger stuff, and loved the displays.

Little beut is the Black Knight.

ETA, mistook. Should of course be the Black arrow, successor to the above.

[tedward]

Right, one link still not working. Will try this.
link

Seems to be working, yes I did spot the good company in the background

[AstroSmurf]

Oh, cool! Looks like I'll have more to look at than just the CM then
I'm leaving on the 23rd this month, so there's still time to prepare.

[tedward]

The flight section is quite interesting as well. Especially the little number used by a certain Alcock and Brown and what they did in it! No, not a saucy comment