Author
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Topic: Photo of the week 433 (February 9, 2013)
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heng44 Member Posts: 3387 From: Netherlands Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 02-09-2013 01:40 AM
Pilot Jack Kluever is about to land the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle at the Flight Research Center in California during flight 1-174-313 in August 1966. The test program was almost completed and in December the craft would be shipped to Houston to train the Apollo astronauts. Note that Kluever has BOTH HANDS in the air during the landing maneuver! Ed Hengeveld |
MCroft04 Member Posts: 1634 From: Smithfield, Me, USA Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 02-09-2013 08:23 AM
Great picture. I just finished reading "The Smell of Kerosene" by Don Mallick who helped test the LLRV. Don says testing the LLRV was one of his 3 big test projects; the other 2 being the YF-12A and XB-70. Must have been great times for these guys! |
randy Member Posts: 2176 From: West Jordan, Utah USA Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 02-09-2013 05:23 PM
TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
star51L Member Posts: 340 From: Vilano Beach, FL, USA Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 02-09-2013 07:47 PM
Impressive. I'd be even more impressed to find out someone landed a LM that way too! |
Henry Heatherbank Member Posts: 244 From: Adelaide, South Australia Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 02-10-2013 01:34 AM
quote: Originally posted by star51L: Impressive. I'd be even more impressed to find out someone landed a LM that way too!
Maybe Pete Conrad if he had gone back on Apollo 20... |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-10-2013 04:53 AM
Since engine cutoff came before the actual landing, I imagine most* of the Apollo commanders had their hands off the controls at the point of landing.*The Apollo Lunar Surface Journal notes that on Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong had intended to shut down the engine before the footpads reached the surface but failed to do so. "We actually had the engine running until touchdown. Not that that was intended, necessarily." |
Lou Chinal Member Posts: 1306 From: Staten Island, NY Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 02-10-2013 11:54 AM
I thought the wires would down the engine at 53 inches? |
Jurg Bolli Member Posts: 977 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 02-11-2013 12:28 PM
I believe that the probes only lit the contact light in the LM, but that engine shutdown had to be done manually. |
dabolton Member Posts: 419 From: Seneca, IL, US Registered: Jan 2009
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posted 02-11-2013 12:43 PM
You'd think one would keep their hands near the ejection handle on this unstable vehicle. |