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Author
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Topic: Apollo 13: Change in gravitational influence
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robsouth
Member Posts: 769
From: West Midlands, UK
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 06-08-2016 10:00 AM
  
Does anyone know the precise ground elapsed time for when Apollo 13 passed from Earth's gravitational influence to the moon's? I can't find it in the mission transcript. It is mentioned in the PAO transcript at a time that would put it during the TV broadcast before the accident but does anyone have the exact time? |
cfreeze79
Member Posts: 455
From: Herndon, VA, USA
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 06-08-2016 12:14 PM
Everything I have read suggests it was at 61 hours mission elapsed time. |
robsouth
Member Posts: 769
From: West Midlands, UK
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 06-08-2016 05:54 PM
According to the PAO commentary the change in influence from Earth to Moon was due at 62 hours, 49 minutes (and 00 seconds) at a distance of 190,713 nautical miles from Earth. If my maths is correct that's a GET of 02:14:49:00The accident occurred at 02:07:55:20 GET at a distance from Earth of 177,861. What got me thinking is the decision to go on around the Moon instead of a rapid direct return is sometimes put down to the fact that the spacecraft were in the Moon's gravitational influence, but up to seven hours after the event they were still in the Earth's gravitational influence. |
Paul78zephyr
Member Posts: 678
From: Hudson, MA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 06-09-2016 06:23 PM
Ive always recall from various books I've read that the main reason they chose to go around the moon and not use a direct abort scenario was due the fact that they could not be certain of the condition of the SPS or its control/monitoring systems. |
robsouth
Member Posts: 769
From: West Midlands, UK
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 06-10-2016 04:48 PM
When the SM died the choice was taken away from them. Up until then it was on the table for discussion. |
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