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Author
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Topic: STS-41B: McCandless MMU EVA rescue options
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JohnSpaceUK
Member Posts: 59
From: UK
Registered: Jan 2016
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posted 02-13-2024 07:33 AM
   
I'm interested in knowing if there was a contingency plan for the space shuttle to "go and get" Bruce McCandless if he had a problem on his first untethered EVA with the manned maneuvering unit (MMU)? Other than the obvious how risky was this EVA? |
Headshot
Member Posts: 1289
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 02-13-2024 12:28 PM
As I recall, there were a number of contingency plans to retrieve an untethered astronaut, but they depended on the nature of the MMU failure and if the astronaut was still conscious.If the MMU failed after he had nulled his velocity vector (i.e. stopped) relative to the orbiter, they would have either reached out with the manipulator arm, or "nudged" the orbiter until either the arm or payload bay reached him. If the MMU failed and the astronaut was still moving away from the orbiter, they would have tried a similar retrieval, but it would have been more tricky and time sensitive. The distance between the astronaut and the orbiter would be growing and eventually lead to the astronaut being in a different orbit, which would complicate matters even more. I am certain other more shuttle-oriented cSers can provide additional details. |
OV-105
Member Posts: 912
From: Ridgecrest, CA
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 03-03-2024 09:20 PM
Until the SAFER units became standard use for even shuttle EVAs an astronaut that had become untethered the commander or pilot would move the orbiter to rendezvous the orbiter with the free astronaut to get them back into the payload bay of the orbiter. It would have been like picking up a free flying satellite proximity ops. |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 1894
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 03-04-2024 08:52 AM
During any MMU ops, the shuttle always had to have enough propellant to go and get the astronaut. They would just "scoop" with the payload bay. |
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