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  Mercury - Gemini - Apollo
  When was gold heat shield removed on Gemini?

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Author Topic:   When was gold heat shield removed on Gemini?
sprocketship
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Posts: 72
From:
Registered: Feb 2014

posted 06-16-2014 07:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for sprocketship     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Here's kind of an odd question for you...

At what point during Gemini spacewalk missions was the gold heat shield removed from the utility/storage module?

Was it jettisoned or was it removed by hand by the space walking astronaut in order to retrieve equipment?

David C
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Posts: 1039
From: Lausanne
Registered: Apr 2012

posted 06-16-2014 07:20 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for David C     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Interesting question. I'd always thought that EVA equipment (like the AMU), could be accessed without removal of the gold foil.

Jim Behling
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Posts: 1488
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010

posted 06-16-2014 08:26 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jim Behling   Click Here to Email Jim Behling     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It was never removed. There was a separate cover for the AMU.

Headshot
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Posts: 891
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012

posted 06-16-2014 08:49 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Headshot   Click Here to Email Headshot     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
In the case(s) of Gemini 8 and 9, which carried "backpacks" of different natures, the cover would have been/was manually removed by the EVA astronaut. After the pilot strapped himself to the backpack, the command pilot would throw a switch labeled "BACKPACK" to the "DEPLOY" position to electro-mechanically release the device.

I do not know about the workstations on the remaining Gemini flights.

space1
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Posts: 861
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 06-16-2014 11:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for space1   Click Here to Email space1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
As noted, the gold cover was never removed. A separate cover for the backpacks was removed remotely by actuating the EVA BARS EXTEND switch on the Right Hand Circuit Breaker Panel. This also allowed the stowed EVA handles inside the adapter and along its upper surface to deploy.

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John Fongheiser
Historic Space Systems

Headshot
Member

Posts: 891
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012

posted 06-16-2014 12:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Headshot   Click Here to Email Headshot     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
John: Thanks for that correction. Was that switch on Geminis 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12? Or just 8 and 9?

space1
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Posts: 861
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 06-16-2014 12:42 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for space1   Click Here to Email space1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This Gemini panel illustration for Gemini 8 through 12 shows the switch at the right end, and indicates Spacecraft 9 and 12 only with that marking. Otherwise the illustration shows the switch position labeled "POD EJECT." I have verified that Gemini 9 and 12 had "EVA BARS EXTEND," and that Gemini 10 had "POD EJECT." Unfortunately I don't have my references handy for Gemini 8 and 11 to verify the label.

All times are CT (US)

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