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Author
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Topic: Gemini 8: Exact wording of the mission rules
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Headshot
Member Posts: 891
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 05-25-2012 08:47 AM
   
Does anyone know where I can find the Gemini VIII Mission Rules? I would like to see their exact wording. |
Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 1624
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 05-30-2012 09:14 AM
I don't know the exact rules but they did state that if the re-entry thrusters were used in orbit the vehicle had to land on the next orbit. John Hodge said that these rules were bent on a few occasions. |
garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 05-30-2012 10:29 AM
Fra Mauro - any examples you can share with us? I thought (not) using the re-entry thrusters was a hard and fast rule. Thank you. |
Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 1624
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 05-30-2012 11:29 AM
The website that I read didn't give any specific examples. The implication was that if the crew hadn't depleted one of the thruster rings, they would have tried to convince Mission Control to continue the flight. |
Headshot
Member Posts: 891
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 05-30-2012 12:06 PM
As info, the crew had not depleted either ring by the time they re-established contact with the ground, although one ring seemed to be close to depletion. The problem was that determining exactly how much propellant and oxidizer remained in the tanks was a bit dicey. As it was, Gemini VIII finally exhausted the propellant in both rings sometime between drogue chute deployment and main chute deployment. |
Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 1624
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 05-30-2012 03:15 PM
If I was to make an educated guess I would suspect that either Gemini 5 or 7 used re-entry thrusters in orbit near the end of the mission to orient for the de-orbit burn because of either balky thrusters or non-functioning ones. |
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