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Post by RAF on Nov 30, 2011 16:57:08 GMT -4
While browsing the locations of the Apollo CM's around the country a question occurred to me...one that I can't recall being addressed anywhere before...
Correct me if I am wrong, but I imagine the heat shields of Apollo's 8, and 10-17 were abrated away in similar manner because they were exposed to similar heating.
But is it the same for Apollo 9*? It "only" had to return from Earth orbit, and not from the Moon, so wouldn't it's heat shield be less abrated?
eta...*also, the Skylab CM's, and the joint Soviet mission CM.
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Post by ka9q on Nov 30, 2011 18:34:54 GMT -4
Sure. And Apollo 7, of course, which also remained in earth orbit.
I'm not really up on the subject but I know that the ability of the CM heat shield to withstand a lunar return was a high-level concern throughout the development phase of the Apollo program. A CM returning from the moon carried about twice the kinetic energy of one returning from low earth orbit. Testing that shield on a simulated lunar return trajectory by an unmanned CM was a major mission objective of Apollo 6, and it was thwarted by the failure of the J-2 engine on the S-IVB to restart. They were able to increase the return velocity through the use of the SPS engine but not all the way to lunar return velocity.
So there must be a lot of Apollo heat shield documentation out there; try ntrs.nasa.gov.
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Post by RAF on Dec 3, 2011 21:17:38 GMT -4
Sure. And Apollo 7, of course, which also remained in earth orbit. Darn...knew I let one "slip" by me. So one would think that there would be more shield abrated away on the Moon missions vs. LEO missions...at least that is my "common sense" response... Problem is, "common sense" can be deceiving... Thanks... |
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Post by ka9q on Dec 3, 2011 22:58:53 GMT -4
The Apollo 9 capsule is on display at the Aerospace Museum here in San Diego. If there's something about its heat shield in particular you'd like to see, I'd be happy to go there and collect some pictures or even make measurements (assuming I can see or access whatever it is you want). I've been looking for an excuse to go down there.
Last time I saw it was during the 40th anniversary celebration of the Apollo 8 flight held there about 3 years ago. I had some time to study Gumdrop and was rather taken aback at how much the interior has been cannibalized. There were a lot of empty holes in the console; the DSKYs among other things were missing. I haven't been inside a lunar module, but the Smithsonian's own pictures of their LM-2 look even worse. Kind of depressing, actually.
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Post by RAF on Dec 4, 2011 1:10:59 GMT -4
The Apollo 9 capsule is on display at the Aerospace Museum here in San Diego. If there's something about its heat shield in particular you'd like to see, I'd be happy to go there and collect some pictures or even make measurements (assuming I can see or access whatever it is you want). I appreciate the offer very much, but it is completely unnecessary...please see my post, #10 in the Lunar Module in London Science Museum: Exposed! thread...  ...and again, thanks for the offer. |
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Post by Vincent McConnell on Jan 10, 2012 0:30:59 GMT -4
The Apollo 9 capsule is on display at the Aerospace Museum here in San Diego. If there's something about its heat shield in particular you'd like to see, I'd be happy to go there and collect some pictures or even make measurements (assuming I can see or access whatever it is you want). I've been looking for an excuse to go down there. Last time I saw it was during the 40th anniversary celebration of the Apollo 8 flight held there about 3 years ago. I had some time to study Gumdrop and was rather taken aback at how much the interior has been cannibalized. There were a lot of empty holes in the console; the DSKYs among other things were missing. I haven't been inside a lunar module, but the Smithsonian's own pictures of their LM-2 look even worse. Kind of depressing, actually. The Apollo 9 CM is at the aerospace museum!?!?!?!? I live so close and last time I was there, I wanted to know what was inside but we didn't have time to do it. That is the first place I am going next time I'm in San Diego... Thanks for telling me about that. It really would be a magnificent sight to get to view the actual Apollo 9 CM. |
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Post by ka9q on Jan 10, 2012 2:47:07 GMT -4
Sure, but there are plenty of flown Apollo CMs and they're pretty widely distributed in museums around the world. Considering only those that actually carried crews into space, nine (A8, A10-17) came back from the moon and six more (A7, A9, Skylab 2-4 and ASTP) came back from low earth orbit. So the A9 CM is hardly unique.
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Bob B.
Bob the Excel Guru?
Posts: 3,072
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Post by Bob B. on Jan 10, 2012 12:18:49 GMT -4
Apollo 15 CM is less than a 20 mile drive from my house. |
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Post by ka9q on Jan 10, 2012 12:57:43 GMT -4
Dayton, Ohio? I've seen that one on trips for the Hamvention.
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Post by echnaton on Jan 10, 2012 14:46:36 GMT -4
Apollo 15 CM is less than a 20 mile drive from my house. About the same for me to get to the Apollo 17 CM. I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours! ;D |
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Post by Vincent McConnell on Jan 12, 2012 10:51:26 GMT -4
Apollo 15 CM is less than a 20 mile drive from my house. About the same for me to get to the Apollo 17 CM. I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours! ;D I'd love to get to sit in the Apollo 17CM. Apollo 17 was awesome! |
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