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Author
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Topic: Apollo 7 and Apollo 8: docking probes
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Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 893
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 10-15-2011 03:38 PM
   
Did Apollo 7 and Apollo 8 carry a docking probe? |
LM-12
Member Posts: 550
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 10-15-2011 05:12 PM
CSM-103 and LM-3 were originally assigned to fly on the first manned LM mission. The LM was behind schedule, so the mission was changed and CSM-103 flew on Apollo 8. LM-3 flew on Apollo 9. CSM-103 may have had a docking probe at one point for the D mission, but I don't think it flew to the Moon with one.McDivitt-Scott-Schweickart stayed with the D mission and LM-3. They moved from CSM-103 to CSM-104. Borman-Lovell-Anders moved from CSM-104 to CSM-103 and their original E mission was cancelled. |
golddog
Member Posts: 172
From: australia
Registered: Feb 2008
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posted 10-15-2011 05:15 PM
8 did not. |
mikej
Member Posts: 336
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 10-15-2011 05:31 PM
No. There was no need to.As confirmation, refer to page 38 (p. 67 of the PDF) of the Apollo 9 Press Kit: CSM 104 and LM-3 will carry for the first time the probe-and-drogue docking hardware. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 2892
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-15-2011 11:31 PM
As evidenced from this image, a docking ring was at least temporarily installed if not flown on S/C 103. If flown, jettison would have been interesting; without the benefit of being attached to the LM, recontact with the ring after separation would have been a concern (remedied with a couple of pulses from the SM RCS). |
mikej
Member Posts: 336
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 10-16-2011 06:32 AM
quote:
Originally posted by SpaceAholic:
As evidenced from this image, a docking ring was at least temporarily installed if not flown on S/C 103.
Discussions to fly Apollo 8 without a Lunar Module weren't started until August; the above-linked photo is dated July 22.Looking at some of the Apollo 8 imagery on the Apollo Archive image gallery, the docking ring was still installed as of September 20. The docking ring appears to have been removed by October 4, and certainly by October 7. The only pre-flight photo of S/C 101 I could easily find shows no docking ring (but I don't believe that Apollo 7 was ever slated to have an LM). |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 893
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 10-16-2011 10:07 AM
Thanks guys. I didn't think so, but than someome asked me if any parachute deployment tests were done with the docking probe in place. This would happen during a launch abort. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 2892
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-16-2011 10:35 AM
Wouldn't discount the probability that occurred during (air-drop) qualification of the ELS at El Centro. |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2109
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 10-17-2011 12:51 AM
The curious thing about launch abort tests as they took place with boilerplates or Block 1 spacecraft (and I don't believe a probe mockup was used). I don't recall a block 2 being used. But, I figure chances of the probe causing a problem would have been very slim considering it does tend to keep a pretty low profile on the CSM docking tunnel.I would go by the black and white of the Apollo 9 book and say if IT says Apollo 9 was the first to fly the probe, it was the first to fly the probe. |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 368
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 10-17-2011 07:53 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Lou Chinal:
This would happen during a launch abort.
Not true, the probe would detach and fly off with the LES and BPC.
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Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 893
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 10-17-2011 11:44 AM
Where did you get your information from? |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 368
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 10-17-2011 01:01 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Lou Chinal:
Where did you get your information from?
Apollo Command Module News Reference page 89 |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 893
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 10-19-2011 11:34 AM
After spending several hours studying the probe and drogue assembly and learning more about it than I'll ever need to know. I have to say I stand corrected.During an abort, a pyrotechnic charge separates the docking ring, allowing the LES to take the ring and probe with it. This is due to what is referred to as a "passive tension tie." One quote I came across in my research was by Mike Collins, in it he stated, "I hated it, and was half convinced it hated me". To say it was a very complicated was an understatement. |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 893
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 10-29-2011 02:09 PM
Going a bit further on this subject; what would happen to the docking probe during a high altitude abort? After the LES had separated. |
mikej
Member Posts: 336
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 11-07-2011 01:00 PM
The probe would still be jettisoned, although I was unable to find any detailed information about measures taken to prevent re-contact with the jettisoned probe.Page 89 (page 135 of the PDF) of the CSM News Reference has a diagram showing the disposition of the probe under normal ascent, LES abort, and SPS abort; here's the diagram of the SPS abort:  There's no actual discussion of SPS aborts in that part of the news reference. Page 144 (190 in the PDF) discusses aborts, including a detailed description of what happens for a Mode 1a abort. The next page mentions SPS aborts, but merely states, "Aborts using the service propulsion subsystem, since they are at a much higher altitude or in space, follow procedures like a normal entry." Alas, the "Earth Landing" section (p. 93/p. 139) makes vague mention of the case of low- and high-altitude aborts, but does not discuss the docking ring. The "Launch Escape" section (p. 137/p. 183) only discusses launch escape tower aborts. As I said, I could find nothing other than this diagram regarding the docking probe during SPS aborts, or how re-contact is prevented. The Apollo Experience Report: Abort Planning does note that Mode 2 aborts occur after the vehicle leaves the atmosphere (the news reference notes that these occur over 295,000 feet for a Saturn V and over 275,000 feet for a Saturn IB), where aerodynamic loads are less of a concern. Perhaps the velocity imparted by the separation charges is sufficient at that altitude? |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 893
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 11-08-2011 12:49 PM
Mike, thanks for taking the time and trouble to look this up. Just an idle question lead to this long post. Your a true geek like me. |
mikej
Member Posts: 336
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 11-08-2011 06:41 PM
As they say, "Enquiring minds want to know."  |
bernoullis
Member Posts: 12
From: UK
Registered: Feb 2009
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posted 01-05-2012 06:33 AM
The Apollo Operations Handbook, Block II Spacecraft, Volume 1 (dated 15 October 1969) includes the following amongst the details of the Launch Escape systems: The sequence commanded by the controller for a Mode 1a abort (pad or low altitude) is... - Jettison the launch escape tower.
- Fire charges to separate the docking ring.
- Jettison the forward heat shield.
- Fire the mortar to deploy the heat shield drag parachute.
I assume the probe and docking ring separate together? |
Ronpur
Member Posts: 86
From: Brandon, Fl
Registered: May 2012
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posted 12-04-2012 01:29 AM
I have been trying to research docking probes to find out if one was carried on Apollo 8. I have found that it was not on Apollo 7, but cannot find any info on the other LM-less flight. And, also, I assume the probe was released prior to re-entry as well.Editor's note: Threads merged. |
golddog
Member Posts: 172
From: australia
Registered: Feb 2008
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posted 12-04-2012 01:30 AM
No docking probe was carried on Apollo 8 or 7. Apollo 8 also carried the LTA on the third stage in place of a LM. |
bwhite1976
Member Posts: 104
From: belleville, IL USA
Registered: Jun 2011
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posted 12-04-2012 08:56 AM
And did they have anything to do with that LTA on the Apollo 8 mission? I am about 25 miles from my Mission Reports copy and can't remember exactly, but I don't recall any maneuvers ect. with it other than Borman wanting to get away from it as soon as possible. Thanks for the recent posting on this thread enjoyed reading it. |
golddog
Member Posts: 172
From: australia
Registered: Feb 2008
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posted 12-04-2012 07:08 PM
The LTA was described as a "steel cylindrical test article" fitted with instrumentation to measure G levels by six accelerometers attached to its structure. It was attached by aluminum struts to the S- IV. 8 did not perform any maneuvers with it other than to separate away from it and briefly return and fly in formation with the S-IV for a short period. They evaluated the lighting conditions. A good photo of the LTA attached to the third stage appears on page 610 of the May 1969 National Geographic article on 8. It remained on the S-IV. It would be kind of fun if one day they could recover the entire Apollo 8 S-IV stage - presumably it is still in a solar orbit. |
Ronpur
Member Posts: 86
From: Brandon, Fl
Registered: May 2012
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posted 12-04-2012 09:46 PM
Wow, I looked everywhere here and did not find this thread! Thanks so much for merging and answering my questions! |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 893
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 12-05-2012 04:29 PM
Thanks to everyone for taking an interest in this.I said no right away to the person who asked me. Why would Apollo's 7 and 8 have to they did need one? But then I thought of mass/weight/balance/operations. They might have too. Thanks again to all the cSPACE out there. |
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