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Author
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Topic: Apollo astronaut launch weight
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moorouge
Member Posts: 2458
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 10-04-2011 03:03 AM
   
I'm never ceased to be amazed at what odd-ball facts one finds when looking for something else. How about this?The heaviest astronaut launched in the Apollo programme was Swigert on Apollo 13 at 89.3 kgs. Schirra was second heaviest at 88 kgs. The next heaviest was some 8 kgs lighter. Swigert's recovery weight was 84.4kgs compared to Schirra's 86.1 kg, this showing the effect of the traumas of the Apollo 13 accident. Of more interest is the fact that Mattingly, originally designated for the '13' mission, weighed only 61.5 kgs when he launched on Apollo 16 and is the lightest Apollo astronaut to make a flight. This raises an interesting question. Bearing in mind that we are told that weight is critical and impacts on fuel loads, what problems with burn times, etc. did Swigert's late inclusion on the '13' mission have on the programming for that flight. There was, after all, a 26.5 kg weight difference - that's 50 plus pounds in old money. |
Max Q
Member Posts: 399
From: Whyalla South Australia
Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 10-04-2011 06:38 AM
I remember reading somewhere that there was a quite hostile reaction from the Astronaut Office on at least one occasion when an engineer suggested that flight crew could do their bit on reducing launch weight. I always thought it was tongue in cheek. |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2458
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 10-04-2011 11:20 AM
There may be some truth in the story. Of the four that made two Apollo flights - - Lovell launched on Apollo 8 at 78kgs and 80.5kgs on Apollo 13.
- Young launched at 74.8kgs on Apollo 10 and 78.9kgs on Apollo 16
- Cernan launched at 78.5kgs on Apollo 10 and 80.3 on Apollo 17.
There is one exception. Scott was lighter on his second flight - 80.2kgs on '15' but 80.7kgs on '9'. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 10-04-2011 12:11 PM
What is the source of this data? |
minipci
Member Posts: 373
From: London, UK
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 10-04-2011 05:01 PM
Did any astronauts put weight on during their flight(s)? |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3160
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 10-04-2011 06:09 PM
I'm relying on memory, but I believe Alan Shepard returned from Apollo 14 heavier than his launch-weight. |
mikej
Member Posts: 481
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 10-04-2011 06:42 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Max Q:
I remember reading somewhere that there was a quite hostile reaction from the Astronaut Office on at least one occasion when an engineer suggested that flight crew could do their bit on reducing launch weight.
In an early LEM Mass Property Report, Grumman noted an increase of 13.2 pounds due to a NASA "change from 65 to 75 percentile men." I could have sworn I read a Grumman proposal in one of these Mass Property Reports involving using lower-percentile crew, due to their lower weight, lower weight of suits, and lesser provision (food) requirements, but I can't seem to find it at the moment. |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2458
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 10-05-2011 01:30 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Blackarrow:
I'm relying on memory, but I believe Alan Shepard returned from Apollo 14 heavier than his launch-weight.
You are correct. Shepard weighed 76.2kgs on launch and 76.6kgs on recovery. Mitchell also put on weight going from 79.8 kgs at launch to 80.3kgs on recovery. (Perhaps this was the camera he wasn't supposed to have.  ) Roosa, the third member of the '14' crew, lost weight. |
divemaster
Member Posts: 1376
From: ridgefield, ct
Registered: May 2002
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posted 10-05-2011 03:25 PM
As I recall, Walt Cunningham [I'm 99% sure it was Walt] once joked that they had to keep building more powerful rockets since Wally kept gaining weight throughout the three programs.
And if it wasn't Walt saying that, my apologies to whomever told a very funny story. |
ivorwilliams
Member Posts: 69
From: Welwyn Garden City, UK
Registered: Jan 2005
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posted 10-14-2011 09:16 PM
quote:
Originally posted by moorouge:
Shepard weighed 76.2kgs on launch and 76.6kgs on recovery. Mitchell also put on weight going from 79.8 kgs at launch to 80.3kgs on recovery.
Mmm, food eaten but not erm, passed? |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2458
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 10-15-2011 02:50 AM
You may well be correct. Such were the horrors of 'waste disposal' (for want of a better description!) on Apollo that it was not unknown for astronauts to take preventive medicine to reduce the need. |
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