posted 04-07-2016 05:24 PM               

(Correction: I meant to say Bob Parker on the name description, not Bob Palmer. Parker was on the Apollo 17 Support Crew as well as the two referenced shuttle missions.)

posted 04-07-2016 11:31 PM               

The flag was ordered from a government supply catalog and measured 3 by 5 feet (0.91 by 1.52 m). Though the flag itself was a simple, government supply 3-by-5-foot (0.91 by 1.52 m) nylon flag altered only by sewing the top hem, its packaging, tolerance of environmental conditions, and means of deployment presented minor engineering challenges.

posted 04-07-2016 11:53 PM               

A 1969 NASA press release states the flag was purchased from a retail store near the Manned Spacecraft Center and then modified for use on the mission. An inquiry to NASA public affairs soon after the mission identified the store as Sears.

posted 04-10-2016 12:12 AM               

Knowing that the Apollo 13 CDR was the first to have the red CDR ID strips, we can narrow the possibilities to either Apollo 13 or 14. However all through Apollo 13 EVA crew training, Lovell's EVA training suit did not have red CDR stripes as you can see in the composite Photo #2 below.

During Apollo 13 EVA Crew Training for both the prime and backup crews, the communications unit (radio) was mounted on the top of the OPS mockups as you can also see in the composite Photo #2 below.

Knowing that Lovell's Apollo 13 training suit did not have red stripes and that the radio was mounted on top of the OPS, we can eliminate Lovell as the person in the subject Photo #1 as there is neither a radio on the OPS nor are there red stripes on the subject suit.

Looking again at Photo #1 above, I've identified the lower left strap as an adjustable strap as you can see by the excess brown webbing wrapped around the body of the strap to keep it from hanging loose and possibly causing interference with EVA procedures.

Next, you should be aware that the four PLSS harnesses (straps) were designed as follows: The two upper and the left lower straps were a fixed length measured for each astronaut. The right lower strap was adjustable.

As crew training mission manager, I was responsible for making sure the prime and backup crews had the appropriate equipment when suiting up for an EVA exercise. I was provided with a set of flight configured training straps for only the prime crews. We had a box of downgraded flight straps from previous missions and other straps that had been used for PLSS/ suit development that we selected to be used for backup crew EVA training. For later missions when backup crew members had already flown, their flight straps were downgraded for training use.

Looking at Photo #1, I am confident that I did everything possible to make sure the prime crew used the flight configured lower left fixed length straps and the lower right adjustable straps. If I and my technicians did our job correctly, the astronaut in the subject Photo #1 wearing an adjustable lower left strap could not be Lovell as he would be wearing a lower left fixed length strap as Apollo 13 CDR.

By the process of elimination, there are only two possibilities left, i.e. Apollo 14 CDR Shepard or Apollo 14 backup CDR Cernan. But Shepard as Apollo 14 CDR has a fixed length lower left strap as seen in the below Photo #3, so that eliminates Shepard.

Since the subject Photo #1 reveals a lower left adjustable strap, low and behold we found our mystery astronaut, backup Apollo 14 CDR Eugene Cernan.

Establishing the Photo subject as Apollo 14 Backup CDR Cernan, does not explain the Lovell signature. I have to ask myself, why would Lovell sign a photo that makes him look a bit feminine wearing lace around the red stripes? The signature appears to be Lovell's. I don't have the answer. Lovell or Cernan could clear this up. Those cS members that expect to see Cernan or Lovell, might want to consider asking the all important question!

posted 04-10-2016 05:14 PM               

The "Gotcha" is the real clue. Logic indicates that this is most likely a photo of Fred Haise training for Apollo 13. Backup Apollo 13 or 14 crew is the only other possibility.

posted 04-10-2016 06:20 PM               

Please go back and read my post very carefully step by step. If you do not understand why backup Apollo 14 CDR Cernan is the subject in the photo let me know and I will address your specific concerns.

posted 04-10-2016 07:17 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Daniel on the Moon:
Therefore we know that whoever is in the subject suit is probably a prime or backup CDR...

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posted 04-11-2016 12:59 AM               

It cannot be 11 or 12 as no one was aware that red stripes were going to be incorporated on 13 and when we ran 11 and 12 training EVA's the mockup OPS's I used were the only ones available at the time, i.e. OPS's with the comm. unit mounted on top.

It cannot be anyone from 13 since we used the same ops mockups with the comm. unit (silver rectangular shape) on top every time we suited up the crew. It cannot be anyone from 15, 16 or 17 due to the connector configuration not being consistent with the A7LB suit.

So that leaves Apollo 14. It's not Shepard or Mitchell because we suited them with lower left fixed length straps. That leaves Backup Apollo 14 CDR Cernan and Backup LMP Joe Engle if we assume that the red stripes with lace that Engle was wearing were "add ons" consistent with a gag.

My initial analysis was valid with Cernan being the "culprit" if we did not take into consideration your thought that the stripes could be stretched on fabric.

The following additional analysis is based on LM-12's excellent observation with respect to the flags on Cernan's training suit.I took LM-12's observation one step further with an Engle flag analysis.

Figure #1 shows a comparison between two Engle flags with the subject flag. As you can see, Engle's flag has no scuff marks on the bottom red stripe.

Looking at Figure #2, Cernan's flag has the same scuff mark configuration as the subject flag. Therefore, I have to conclude that Cernan is still our subject.

posted 04-11-2016 08:07 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Daniel on the Moon:
Perhaps you can arrange tourist bus tours to make this "historic" location (your words, not mine) a stop.

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posted 04-16-2016 01:26 AM               

THE DATE: July 16, 1970

THE PLACE: Apollo EVA Simulated Lunar Surface Training "Sand Pile" outside the KSC Crew Training Building.

THE PHOTO SUBJECT: Apollo 14 Astronaut Alan Shepard

THE SITUATION: Astronaut Shepard drinking "water" or "Gatorade" during an EVA crew training 15 minute break.

BACKGROUND AND STORY: Gatorade was formulated by University of Florida researchers in 1965 to help the University football team increase their energy levels during the course of a football game.

Gatorade was and still is a precisely balanced carbohydrate, electrolyte beverage that replaces the fluids and electrolytes lost through exercise and sweating.

Gatorade became the "go to" drink for athletes and others that needed to regain stamina during arduous activities like, of course, the arduous activity associated with a two to three hour EVA training exercise wearing an earth weight EMU under the hot Florida sun.

Gatorade became available to the mass market during the same Apollo era time frame, 1968-1972. Some, not all our Apollo astronauts from Apollo 12 on realized the possible benefits of Gatorade. They tried it and subsequently "insisted" that Gatorade on ice was available during EVA training sessions.

During one particular EVA session on the subject July 16, 1970 day, "water" was poured into the cups of both astronauts Shepard and Mitchell for their well deserved consumption.

Are you ready for the "fun"! I knew astronaut Shepard to be consistently "calm, cool, and collected" with a great sense of humor. It was extremely unusual to witness moments of "dis-pleasure" from "happy go-lucky" Al.

When Al realized he was drinking water instead of his anticipated Gatorade, all "hell broke loose!" Al, without mincing words, expressed his "displeasure" when he was told there was no Gatorade available. He wanted to know whose responsibility it was to make sure Gatorade was available for all EVA training sessions. When one of the suit techs admitted it was his responsibility, Al gave the suit tech a "laser directed" look.

At that precise moment, the suit tech dropped everything and started running toward the Crew Training Building. No one came to any conclusions for the suit techs "quick accelerated rabbit like exit" from the "sand pile."

Are you ready for the conclusion! Just before the end of the EVA exercise we saw a human "rocket powered" suit tech racing toward our EVA location carrying two bottles of Gatorade. By that time Shepard was sitting on his EVA chair with his helmet removed and was ready for his beverage. He knew what to expect as he was witness to the "rocket powered" suit tech's delivery.

He began drinking his Gatorade, and with the previously described "laser focused" dis-pleasured look addressed the suit tech with, if I remember Al's exact words, "you are one lucky individual, you redeemed yourself"!

posted 04-22-2016 11:44 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Daniel on the Moon:
If there had been a serious PLSS anomaly during Rusty's EVA, Cernan would have performed an EVA on 10.

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posted 04-28-2016 01:11 AM               

One of those memories I'm hoping should be of interest to cS readers that can't get enough of "behind the scenes" detailed technical stories about problems and their solutions is as follows:

During both Apollo 15 and Apollo 16 EVAs, problems with Oxygen Purge System (OPS) antennas being broken, nicked and/or both were documented.

Apollo 15 OPS Antenna Problems

Prior to Apollo 15 EVA #1, LMP Jim Irwin noticed a significant "nick" in his OPS antenna about half the width of the antenna (Figure 1 below). Apollo 15 CDR Dave Scott and Irwin wrapped a piece of tape around the nicked portion of the antenna and pressed on with EVA #1 without any mention of the incident to Houston. They apparently feared that a discussion about the problem and a possible solution would either delay the EVA or possibly even cancel it.

Prior to EVA #2, Scott noticed that in addition to the previously discovered nick, the antenna broke off at the bass as depicted in Figure 1. It was speculated that Irwin broke the antenna when he stepped on the OPS prior to the second LM sleep period. This time the crew made Houston aware of the problem. Houston advised the crew to lay the antenna horizontally on top of the OPS making sure the broken antenna made contact with the remaining antenna mounting stub and then taping the pieces together leaving the antenna in the horizontal position during EVA #2.

Leaving the LMP OPS Antenna laid horizontally was deemed acceptable since communications from and to the LMP EVCS was directed through the CDR OPS EVCS and not directly to the LM/MSC. Also, the CDR and LMP were usually in close proximity of each other.

As a result of the Apollo 15 antenna problems, it was decided to modify the OPS thermal cover with the antenna completely covered (with the exception of the antenna tip) so that it was protected as much as possible from accidental damage while stowed and manipulated in the LM. To that end, two additional flaps were added to the OPS cover.

Figure 2 below shows the cover configuration for Apollo 15 with only Flap A covering the antenna resulting in significant antenna exposure. In Figure 2 I've shown added flaps B and C that in addition to flap A cover the entire antenna. Note that when the antenna was un-stowed in the upright position (during EVA), Flap C was left to dangle as it obviously could not be positioned over the base of the antenna with the antenna in the un-stowed upright position.

Apollo 16 Antenna Problem

Following ingress after Apollo 16 EVA #2, CDR Young and LMP Duke reported that about 2" had broken off the end of the CDR's OPS antenna. According to the crew, the CDR antenna was damaged during LM ingress as the antenna was "inadvertently" left un-stowed in the upright position. There was no possible repair for the antenna as the broken piece was missing. Since the CDR's antenna was not completely intact, and knowing that the CDR EVCS was the relay for LMP communications, it was decided that CDR Young would mount the LMP OPS with a complete antenna to the CDR PLSS with LMP Duke using the CDR OPS.

After the Apollo 16 antenna incident nothing but a procedural alert was planned for Apollo 17 LM ingress and egress. Specifically, Apollo 17 CDR Cernan and LMP Schmitt were reminded to make sure the antennas were in the stowed position during ingress and egress.

When I was made aware of the "procedural fix", I voiced my concern with respect to the possibility of a broken, damaged antenna occurring during one of the three EVA's. I voiced my concern based on my experience with antenna damage during KSC EVA training and the known vulnerability of the "flimsy" antennas. I proposed a solution that ultimately resulted in the spare antenna shown in Figure 3.

One spare oxygen purge system antenna was carried on Apollo 17 and was stowed in the Buddy Secondary Life Support System bag on the lunar rover . Installation of the spare antenna would have been accomplished by clamping the antenna adapter to the oxygen purge system right hand D-ring and connecting the spare antenna coaxial connector in place of the broken antenna's connector. The installation would have been made by the other crewman when operating in the pressurized suit condition.

posted 04-28-2016 08:39 AM               

Dan, please can you post here your recent picture?

posted 04-28-2016 11:50 AM               

My recent renewed interest in reliving my Apollo experience(s) resulted from:

*The loss of my 101 year old Mom to whom my wife and I were 24/7 caretakers and the new found time to look back and reflect on the most exciting period of my life.

* The "discovery" of the collectSPACE forum that I did not know existed. I must tell you that before collectSPACE, I found only a "handful" of individuals that were interested in discussing my KSC experiences. As a result I reluctantly mentally "bottled up" any thoughts of continuing my efforts to find an outlet for my passion until cS. I still can't believe that so many individuals here and abroad have varying degrees of compatible passion.

posted 04-28-2016 12:57 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Daniel on the Moon:
As a result I reluctantly mentally "bottled up" any thoughts of continuing my efforts to find an outlet for my passion until cS.

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This moving post by Dan begs the question: How many more are there like him?

To illustrate this point, I will say that I have been highly fortunate enough to have been in contact with Apollo Public Affairs Officer Doug Ward for the last 12 to 18 months. Mr Ward has been wonderful in accommodating my (many) questions about his time in Mission Control but I couldn't help feel a little sad when he wrote in one of his emails that "Up here in Wisconsin people hardly remember Apollo." I repeat, how many more are there like Dan and Mr. Ward?

posted 04-28-2016 07:36 PM               

My question for you is, do you have any contact with your former co-workers on Apollo? If so, do you all ever get together and discuss old times? And, is there any chance that you can encourage any of them to join cS and talk about their experiences? To lose all this information would be a shame.

posted 04-28-2016 10:14 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Daniel on the Moon:
...it was decided that CDR Young would mount the LMP OPS with a complete antenna to the CDR PLSS with LMP Duke using the CDR OPS.

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posted 04-29-2016 11:13 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by SpaceyInMN:
My question for you is, do you have any contact with your former co-workers on Apollo? Also, have you kept in contact with any of the astronauts?

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After Apollo, I accepted a position as Systems Engineer with Martin Marietta in Orlando working on the Sprint anti-ballistic System that would have been used to intercept in-coming Soviet missiles.