Post by ajv on Oct 23, 2008 6:52:34 GMT -4
I've just got back from a interactive show developed and presented by a small local theatre. The concept was that the audience members were the MOCR personnel (White team) during the flight of Apollo 13.
First, one audience member (Sara) was drafted onto the flight crew at the last minute due to Mattingly's medical scare. Later, while we were milling around the foyer, the crew wearing pressure suits walked through the crowd and boarded the CM to applause from the onlookers.
Then we made our way into the MOCR. Every seat had a designation (I was SYSTEMS) and a console with a half-dozen buttons and switches as well as various indicators (every console was different). Some consoles had headphones for monitoring communication loops (e.g. from the spacecraft crew), others had small built-in TVs. There were two large screens in the room, previous mission patches on the walls, an American flag hanging down and even a portrait of Nixon in one corner. We each had a White Team Manual.
The MOCR was run by the Gene Kranz (played by Jason Whyte) and a junior flight director "Michael" (played by Michael Whalley). They took us through the some system checks (we all had to confirm our status when our station was called), countdown and launch.
Occasionally the screens would run various clips. Pre-launch, they used some of the Apollo 13 live TV. Sometimes we had live (black & white) pictures of our crew from inside Odyssey. The launch was shown with the screens showing different angles of a Saturn V launch. During boost we saw various shots of separation and staging. Occasionally they would show a TV program with Cronkite (played by Peter Elliot) explaining what was happening at that stage of the mission or an interview with Marilyn Lovell (played by Rachen Forman). Sometimes the main screens displayed computer displays (fuel cell status, oxygen tank pressures etc.) While the main screens were in use the small console TVs were displaying other information or the downlink TV. One minor gripe was that they injected the Quindar Tones randomly in the audio downlinks but I think only people like us would notice that sort of thing.
During the launch we got the early S-II inboard engine out which we had to handle under the guidance of the flight directors. Some audience members had find and read out checklists details. Others had to report on system conditions. etc. Later some people had to "work the problem" during a T&D issue which was flown and successfully docked by the backup CMP, Sara.
During the TV show the MOCR worked through a checklist which included the decision to stir the cryo tanks. There was a bang onboard and the TV picture broke up. There were lots of flashing indicators and alarms. Sara the CMP reported that they had a problem. The data indicated that they were losing oxygen and the fuel cells and Lovell reported that they were venting something into space. The decision was made to transfer the crew into Aquarius. We ran a procedure to fire the DPS to put Apollo 13 back on a free-return trajectory.
It was clear from reports by Surgeon and from people monitoring the onboard loops that Haise was ill.
Later, as you probably guess, we had a CO2 warning. Some members of the MOCR worked with Michael to devise a procedure for using the LiOH canisters and then one of the audience members read up the instructions to the crew who had to construct the same device.
Meanwhile the rest of us had to work on the power up procedures. We got 4 variables values from around the room and then various teams had to plug the values into a few (simple) equations. After checking that the values were correct we fed the information back when it was requested and Sara set and confirmed the values onboard.
During re-entry we had some people timing the LOS but the time came and went. Finally we got TV coverage of the parachutes and a few minutes later the crew emerged to great applause from the MOCR personnel.
It was a great show. The audience had to talk with each other and cooperate in solving the tasks and the flight directors kept the production running smoothly. Go along if you get a chance to see it.
Apollo 13: Mission Control
BATS Theatre
Wellington, New Zealand
Saturday 18 October - Saturday 1 November
First, one audience member (Sara) was drafted onto the flight crew at the last minute due to Mattingly's medical scare. Later, while we were milling around the foyer, the crew wearing pressure suits walked through the crowd and boarded the CM to applause from the onlookers.
Then we made our way into the MOCR. Every seat had a designation (I was SYSTEMS) and a console with a half-dozen buttons and switches as well as various indicators (every console was different). Some consoles had headphones for monitoring communication loops (e.g. from the spacecraft crew), others had small built-in TVs. There were two large screens in the room, previous mission patches on the walls, an American flag hanging down and even a portrait of Nixon in one corner. We each had a White Team Manual.
The MOCR was run by the Gene Kranz (played by Jason Whyte) and a junior flight director "Michael" (played by Michael Whalley). They took us through the some system checks (we all had to confirm our status when our station was called), countdown and launch.
Occasionally the screens would run various clips. Pre-launch, they used some of the Apollo 13 live TV. Sometimes we had live (black & white) pictures of our crew from inside Odyssey. The launch was shown with the screens showing different angles of a Saturn V launch. During boost we saw various shots of separation and staging. Occasionally they would show a TV program with Cronkite (played by Peter Elliot) explaining what was happening at that stage of the mission or an interview with Marilyn Lovell (played by Rachen Forman). Sometimes the main screens displayed computer displays (fuel cell status, oxygen tank pressures etc.) While the main screens were in use the small console TVs were displaying other information or the downlink TV. One minor gripe was that they injected the Quindar Tones randomly in the audio downlinks but I think only people like us would notice that sort of thing.
During the launch we got the early S-II inboard engine out which we had to handle under the guidance of the flight directors. Some audience members had find and read out checklists details. Others had to report on system conditions. etc. Later some people had to "work the problem" during a T&D issue which was flown and successfully docked by the backup CMP, Sara.
During the TV show the MOCR worked through a checklist which included the decision to stir the cryo tanks. There was a bang onboard and the TV picture broke up. There were lots of flashing indicators and alarms. Sara the CMP reported that they had a problem. The data indicated that they were losing oxygen and the fuel cells and Lovell reported that they were venting something into space. The decision was made to transfer the crew into Aquarius. We ran a procedure to fire the DPS to put Apollo 13 back on a free-return trajectory.
It was clear from reports by Surgeon and from people monitoring the onboard loops that Haise was ill.
Later, as you probably guess, we had a CO2 warning. Some members of the MOCR worked with Michael to devise a procedure for using the LiOH canisters and then one of the audience members read up the instructions to the crew who had to construct the same device.
Meanwhile the rest of us had to work on the power up procedures. We got 4 variables values from around the room and then various teams had to plug the values into a few (simple) equations. After checking that the values were correct we fed the information back when it was requested and Sara set and confirmed the values onboard.
During re-entry we had some people timing the LOS but the time came and went. Finally we got TV coverage of the parachutes and a few minutes later the crew emerged to great applause from the MOCR personnel.
It was a great show. The audience had to talk with each other and cooperate in solving the tasks and the flight directors kept the production running smoothly. Go along if you get a chance to see it.
Apollo 13: Mission Control
BATS Theatre
Wellington, New Zealand
Saturday 18 October - Saturday 1 November
