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Author
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Topic: Mercury Control for suborbital flights
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MOL
Member Posts: 102
From: Los Angeles, CA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 04-01-2019 09:11 PM
   
I have seen many photos of controllers inside the blockhouse for Alan Shepard's and Gus Grissom's suborbital Mercury flights but what is not clear to me is whether the Mercury Control Center room was also used. Was there actually a hand off from the blockhouse to the MCC or was the entire mission controlled from the blockhouse due to the short duration of those flights? |
hlbjr
Member Posts: 481
From: Delray Beach Florida USA
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 04-02-2019 06:23 AM
The Mercury control center was used for all of the Mercury flights and for the first Gemini flight. The more sophisticated Gemini and Apollo missions required a more capable control center which was built the Manned Spaceflight Center later known as JSC. |
onesmallstep
Member Posts: 1313
From: Staten Island, New York USA
Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 04-02-2019 03:36 PM
The "old" Mercury (later Mission) Control Center served as a backup for the duration of Gemini, and even housed a Gemini spacecraft simulator for use in astronaut training; meeting spaces; and data analysis facilities. As is known, it was torn down due to asbestos and deterioration concerns and most of the instrumentation, consoles and the iconic orbital plotting wall display was moved to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. |
MOL
Member Posts: 102
From: Los Angeles, CA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 04-02-2019 03:55 PM
Thanks - I am still looking for an answer regarding the handoff on Shepard and Grissom’s flights from the Blockhouse to the Mercury Control Center after launch. I don’t recall a “tower clear” call for the Redstone launches, so what was the cue? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 43576
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-02-2019 04:11 PM
The hand-off for MR-3 was at T-2 minutes, per Shepard in his Pilot's Flight Report: Our plan was for the pilot to report to the blockhouse crew primarily prior to T-2 minutes on hard wire circuits, and to shift control to the Center by use of radio frequencies at T-2 minutes. (The symbol T refers to lift-off time.) This shift worked smoothly and continuity of information to the pilot was good. For MR-4, the hand-off was at liftoff, per Grissom in his Pilot's Flight Report: As the blockhouse capsule communicator [Slayton] called ignition, I felt the launch vehicle start to vibrate and could hear the engines start. Just seconds after this, the elapsed time clock started and the Mercury Control Center capcom [Shepard] confirmed liftoff. At that time, I punched the Time Zero Override, started the stopwatch function on the spacecraft clock, and reported that the elapsed time clock had started. |
MOL
Member Posts: 102
From: Los Angeles, CA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 04-02-2019 07:36 PM
Robert - this is great info - thank you so much! |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 1332
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 04-09-2019 06:56 PM
The phase "Tower Clear" did not come into usage until the Apollo days. |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 1488
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 04-14-2019 07:06 PM
quote:
Originally posted by MOL:
I don’t recall a "tower clear" call for the Redstone launches...
There was no tower to clear. |
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