posted 07-20-2016 05:32 PM               

In the 1980s, I was a bartender at an Air Force Officer's Club. An SR-71 pilot came in madder than hell because his suit tech had broken a gold visor. The pilot said the gold visor was a "hand me down" from Project Apollo. They were highly prized by SR-71 pilots because they were better than the newer acrylic gold visors. According to the pilot, the Apollo visors were quartz made by a one-man shop in California. Forming a visor out of quartz was this man's trade secret. The man died and took the secret with him according to the SR-71 pilot.

posted 07-21-2016 02:40 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by davidcwagner:
Dan, any truth to this SR-71 pilot story?

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My understanding is that NASA Goddard was responsible for "coordinating" the development of the gold coating and the process by which the coating was applied to the inside surface of the EVVA sun visor.

It is also my understanding that the gold coating was applied to the acrylic plastic visor in a vacuum by "thermal evaporation."

posted 07-21-2016 02:46 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by DG27:
I get goosebumps reading your posts on the anniversary of the Landing.

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posted 07-22-2016 11:49 PM               

I've identified Roy Neal, the Apollo space reporter for NBC news and Jules Bergman for ABC news. It does not appear that CBS, the third major network, had a media rep. We all know that Walter Cronkite was the "renowned" CBS TV Apollo space reporter but he was not at the below event.

It would be interesting if anyone can identify any other media reps. in the photo.

As far as why I was sitting in a chair appearing to be asleep, I must have been extremely exhausted after being outside "chasing the rover around" for 2.5 hours!

posted 07-24-2016 07:41 AM            

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Originally posted by Daniel on the Moon:
It would be interesting if anyone can identify any other media reps. in the photo.

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posted 07-24-2016 12:50 PM               

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Originally posted by SpaceyInMN:
Dan, can you please provide any insight into the personality of Harrison Schmitt?

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The photo I posted on 3-15-2016 with Jack smiling and enjoying himself at my Birthday Party is "a picture worth a thousand words"!

posted 07-24-2016 02:21 PM               

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Originally posted by heng44:
Regarding the Apollo 17 media day photo: the woman in the red pants could be Mary Bubb.

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How could I forget Mary Bubb, the first female space reporter! She attended my parties (below photo) and I was invited to all of her parties.

Mary was a "social butterfly"! On more than one occasion, she tried to be my matchmaker and, quite frankly, she introduced me to some "very nice women". However, at that time, marriage was the last thing on my mind.

I know that Mary passed away at age 67. Mary did smoke a lot (photo below) and I suspect probably caused her respiratory problems that led to losing her much too soon.

posted 07-24-2016 02:26 PM               

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Originally posted by J.L:
I have many photos of this event taken from in front of the rover that shows the media lined up on that right side.

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posted 07-24-2016 08:52 PM               

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Originally posted by carmelo:
And back then what were your expectations for the post Apollo program? Space tugs and Moon base?

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A specific paragraph in the referenced letter was most captivating as follows:

The Apollo program objective served our nation well in providing a clear focus for the initial development and demonstration of manned space flight capabilities and technology. Now, however, a balanced program is needed which will provide for the sustained development and use of manned space flight over a period of years focused on an eventual manned planetary landing in the 1980's.

posted 07-26-2016 11:24 AM               

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Originally posted by carmelo:
Contingency transfer training from LM to CM was in the pool of Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory?

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Referencing the photo, I just completed the "OPS Donning Prior To Contingency Transfer" step by step procedure (that I wrote) as follows:

1. Pull out tear-tack stitches on the PLSS adjustable harness by yanking on end tab until strap is free.

2. Open thermal cover over strap buckle adjustment; remove retaining spring clip.

3. Join the fixed waist harness to the adjustable waist harness of the PLSS using the D-buckle under the thermal cover of the adjustable harness (PLSS attachment end) and the hook under the thermal cover on the fixed length strap (PLSS attachment end). The hook on the free end of the straps should be faced inward.

4. Loop harnesses around the back of the PGA and thread through LM tether restraints.

5. Remove OPS oxygen connector from stowage plate.

6. Hook harnesses to OPS.

7. Install OPS oxygen connector (blue) into the top (blue) PGA oxygen connector.

8. Install purge valve into bottom (red) PGA oxygen connector and verify locked.

9. Open OPS actuator access flap.

10. Adjust harnesses to secure OPS. Allow for the expansion of the PGA when pressurized.

11. Move OPS actuation lever from OFF to ON position and allow it to lock.

• Verify the written procedural steps accomplished the required objective, i.e. successfully donning the OPS for contingency transfer.

• Determining if procedural steps should or could be modified from the standpoint of "human factors" engineering.

• In some cases, the procedure was conducted after the astronauts went through the steps of an approved procedure and requested procedural changes based on their experience and perspective. Once we decided one way or the other if, in fact, the requested change(s) were feasible, we would notify the astronaut office.

posted 07-26-2016 11:20 PM               

As I mentioned in one of my very early cS posts, I was very disappointed through the years with the lack of interest when I "tried" to relate my incredible Apollo "journey".

Everything changed when I found cS and the "rest is history" as the saying goes.

posted 07-27-2016 12:33 AM               

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Originally posted by LM-12:
Dan, could you describe how the contingency EVA transfer would unfold if the LM and CSM could not even soft-dock and the two vehicles were separated?

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With vehicle separation, there was no way to reach the CM handles from the LM EVA handrail.

I would imagine that if both a hard and soft dock were not achieved, NASA and contractor engineers would have worked on a real time solution(s) as they successfully did for Apollo 13.

posted 07-30-2016 01:23 AM               

The Purge Valve is used in conjunction with the Oxygen Purge System (OPS) in the event that the PLSS can no longer provide oxygen to the suit or if there is a "contaminant control malfunction (unable to provide carbon dioxide "washout") or if there is a suit leak.

The Purge Valve is inserted in the red unused gas connector (LM O2 outlet umbilical connector) during EVA. The Purge Valve can be set to two flow positions, i.e. "LO" and "HI" (reference below graphic).

In the LO flow position, a flow of 4lb/hr provides breathing oxygen and adequate CO2 washout when additional cooling is not required, i.e. failed PLSS O2 supply and working PLSS cooling. The low flow capability was added for Apollo 14 also to be used in conjunction with the Buddy Secondary Life Support System (BSLSS) which was also first incorporated for Apollo 14.

When using the BSLSS with a failed PLSS water cooling capability, the astronaut with BSLSS cooling needs only breathable oxygen and CO2 washout with 4lb/hr Purge Valve flow (LO flow position).

In the HI flow position, the Purge Valve allows an 8lb/hr flow for breathable O2, CO2 washout and "some" cooling (obviously little cooling compared to PLSS LCG cooling) with a failure of PLSS breathable O2 and water cooling.

Once the Purge Valve flow position is set (LO or HI) the valve is activated by removing the locking pin "C" by pulling the "Red Apple" and then depressing the two activation tabs "D".

In the below photo, I was specifically concerned about the capability of the suited astronaut with EVA gloves to change the Purge Valve positions. To accomplish a position change, the orifice selector cap release button "A" is depressed and the orifice selector cap "B" is rotated to the desired position.

As you can see in the photo I did not have on my EVA gloves and, of course, I was able to change Purge Valve positions with no problem. At this point in the exercise I told my NASA engineer counterpart that during one of the upcoming EVA crew donning and doffing exercises the crew should practice Purge Valve flow position changes pressurized with EVA gloves on.

I'm glad I made the suggestion as both Apollo 14 astronauts Shepard and Mitchell had difficulty with the position change and "played" with it until they felt confident they could do it. It's interesting to note that both astronauts did not like the design!