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Author
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Topic: Apollo 12: Pad choice after Apollo 11 abort
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PowerCat
Member Posts: 196
From: Herington, KS, USA
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 08-06-2019 07:47 AM
   
I had heard that after Apollo 11 in July 1969 the launches of Apollo 12 and Apollo 13 could have taken place in September and November. If for some reason Apollo 11 aborted its landing and returned safely back to Earth, would Apollo 12's launch (September 1969) have taken place on Pad 39B? I wasn't sure of the time it took to turn the pad back around. Since Pad B was only used for Apollo 10 in 1969, it made me wonder if anyone out there knew what the Pad B usage would have been with a possible September and November schedule. |
Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 1624
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 08-06-2019 06:16 PM
Since a reason for the use of 39B was the short turnaround time between Apollos 9 and 10, I would guess that a September launch for Apollo 12 would have been from Pad 39B. |
Headshot
Member Posts: 891
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 08-06-2019 06:33 PM
I agree. If Apollo 11 had a mishap on the pad, 39A might have been put out of commission. So it would have been prudent planning to have the next mission set to take off from 39B. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 43576
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-06-2019 08:39 PM
I have to imagine that any aborted moon landing by Apollo 11 would have resulted in a delay to Apollo 12, as NASA would have needed time to understand and then correct for whatever caused the problem. So, barring serious damage to Pad 39A, it might have been that by the time Apollo 12 was ready to launch, 39A would have been ready again as well.
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Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 1624
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 08-07-2019 06:35 AM
Very true Robert! Unless Neil accidentally hit the abort handle like Collins thought about! |
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