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Post by thetart on Jul 29, 2009 9:28:02 GMT -4
Can anyone give some details of how the ascent stage of the LEM sperates from the descent stage on takeoff? I think it was bolts that were severed by explosives but if anyone can provide details that would be welcome.
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Ian Pearse
Mars
Apollo (and space) enthusiast
Posts: 308
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Post by Ian Pearse on Jul 29, 2009 9:34:33 GMT -4
At the correct moment, explosive bolts joining the two stages together were fired to separate them. Also, a guillotine severed the cables joining the halves. These were under the control of Program 12, which also fired the ascent engine.
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Post by thetart on Jul 29, 2009 9:58:04 GMT -4
At the correct moment, explosive bolts joining the two stages together were fired to separate them. Also, a guillotine severed the cables joining the halves. These were under the control of Program 12, which also fired the ascent engine. Tx. Was there any redundancy? i.e. backup systems? I just think that if any of the severing was to fail then the whole ascent would fail. Are there any drawings or diagrams of the system?
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Ian Pearse
Mars
Apollo (and space) enthusiast
Posts: 308
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Post by Ian Pearse on Jul 29, 2009 10:05:04 GMT -4
No redundancy is mentioned. I'm getting the info from the Haynes manual. The ascent engine was designed so that there was basically virtually nothing that could go wrong - propellents weren't pumped to the engine, they were forced by pressure, and so on. Maybe the pyro's had twin circuits, as we have at the theatre, but it's not mentioned.
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Post by Tanalia on Aug 1, 2009 5:52:53 GMT -4
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Post by drewid on Aug 1, 2009 7:25:54 GMT -4
'Frangible' is one of my favorite words.
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