Topic: Apollo lunar module 'fire in the hole' staging
Paul78zephyr Member
Posts: 728 From: Hudson, MA Registered: Jul 2005
posted 07-28-2021 08:55 PM
Apollo lunar module "fire in the hole" staging (firing the ascent stage engine while it was still attached to the descent stage as it would be done during an abort) was tested on the unmanned Apollo 5 mission but was any consideration given to testing during the non-landing manned Apollo 9 or 10 missions? Or was it considered too dangerous?
oly Member
Posts: 1244 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2015
posted 08-02-2021 06:18 AM
I doubt it would have been considered.
Given that the Apollo 5 test was designed to find out if the sequence could safely be achieved in the case of an emergency abort during a powered descent, once a successful test had occurred, there would be no point risking a crew to practice an emergency procedure that may put the crew lives at serious risk with no chance of rescue or recovery should the test fail to ignite, cause structural damage, or destroy a manned vehicle.
Jim Behling Member
Posts: 1651 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Registered: Mar 2010
posted 08-05-2021 08:49 AM
quote:Originally posted by Paul78zephyr: ...was any consideration given to testing during the non-landing manned Apollo 9 or 10 missions?
Not needed. It was going to happen anyways for the Apollo 11 lunar liftoff.