Author
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Topic: Skylab 2's docking problem and Apollo 14
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Headshot Member Posts: 891 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 03-25-2015 04:03 PM
Skylab 2, with Pete Conrad, Joe Kerwin and Paul Weitz, had problems docking with the Skylab Workshop on May 28, 1973. They made several docking attempts, eventually overcame the difficulty, and successfully docked.I remember hearing or reading that their docking probe had been used previously on Apollo 14, which also had docking problems. Did the crew of Apollo 14 return with their docking probe? Was this probe reused on Skylab 2? |
Blackarrow Member Posts: 3160 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 03-25-2015 06:14 PM
That would be interesting, if true. |
Mike Dixon Member Posts: 1428 From: Kew, Victoria, Australia Registered: May 2003
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posted 03-26-2015 12:01 AM
The probe was returned, I know that. It was also used again but not sure of the mission. |
moorouge Member Posts: 2458 From: U.K. Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 03-26-2015 02:31 AM
According to 'The Partnership', an account of the ASTP mission, the '14' probe was used on this flight. |
heng44 Member Posts: 3413 From: Netherlands Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 03-26-2015 08:09 AM
That is correct. The ASTP docking probe was the refurbished Apollo 14 probe. |
Headshot Member Posts: 891 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 03-26-2015 11:32 AM
Thanks. |
David Carey Member Posts: 802 From: Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 03-26-2015 02:04 PM
I didn't know about the probe re-use, but this past Bonham's auction, Steve Jurvetson's writeup of same, and an upcoming RR lot provide some good background and reference pointers on the A14 docking issues and components involved.As I understand it, both pieces of hardware referenced above were ground-test articles (despite the documentation/tagging that might suggest flown), used for trying to duplicate A14's docking problems with the flight-returned probe. |
Headshot Member Posts: 891 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 03-31-2015 08:09 AM
Just as a follow-up. I did not realize that there was a problem with this probe on the ASTP mission as well.Vance Brand could not remove the probe when the crew was scheduled to access the docking module. In this case some wiring or cable has been routed incorrectly and blocked the tool that Brand was using to collapse the probe. He eventually, after consulting with Houston, moved the wiring/cable off to the side, and the tool collapsed the probe. It seems that this probe might have been jinxed ... if one believe in that sort of thing. |
LM-12 Member Posts: 3324 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 05-20-2016 11:09 AM
The Apollo 14 docking probe is item 84 on the CSM 111 reuse flight hardware list found in the "ASTP Flight Readiness Review Board" report.Also on the list: flown panels 1, 2, 3 and 7 from Apollo 16 CSM 113. |