Author
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Topic: Photo of the week 227 (March 7, 2009)
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heng44 Member Posts: 3387 From: Netherlands Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 03-07-2009 03:12 AM
Forty years ago today, the lunar module made its first test flight in earth orbit during the Apollo 9 mission. Jim McDivitt and Rusty Schweickart aboard the LM Spider undocked from the CSM Gumdrop, flown by Dave Scott (who made this photo). McDivitt and Schweickart flew the LM up to 180 km from Gumdrop, using the engine on the descent stage. After jettisoning it they used the ascent stage to return to Scott aboard Gumdrop. This represented the first flight of a manned spacecraft that was not equipped to reenter the earth's atmosphere. Ed Hengeveld |
jasonelam Member Posts: 691 From: Monticello, KY USA Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 03-07-2009 07:37 AM
Ed what an amazing picture! The quality is so good! Thanks again for a wonderful picture! |
dwmzmm Member Posts: 82 From: Katy, TX USA Registered: Dec 2006
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posted 03-07-2009 12:37 PM
quote: Originally posted by jasonelam: Ed what an amazing picture! The quality is so good! Thanks again for a wonderful picture!
Agreed; the earth as a backdrop adds a surreal theme to the LM. ------------------ Dave, NAR # 21853 SR. Challenger 498 Section NAR Advisor |
StarDome New Member Posts: From: Registered:
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posted 03-07-2009 01:21 PM
All on the day I was born too. I have met all the crew which is nice and maybe thats why I have the Apollo bug. It wasa great day 40 years ago |
E2M Lem Man Member Posts: 846 From: Los Angeles CA. USA Registered: Jan 2005
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posted 03-07-2009 03:04 PM
"Hey, it's upside down" -- J. McDivitt |
ejectr Member Posts: 1751 From: Killingly, CT Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 03-07-2009 05:25 PM
quote: Originally posted by StarDome: All on the day I was born too.
Well Happy Birthday! |
dwmzmm Member Posts: 82 From: Katy, TX USA Registered: Dec 2006
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posted 03-07-2009 11:15 PM
quote: Originally posted by E2M Lem Man: "Hey, it's upside down" -- J. McDivitt
As Neil Armstrong would say to Michael Collins, "Somebody is upside down!"
------------------ Dave, NAR # 21853 SR. Challenger 498 Section NAR Advisor |
Aztecdoug Member Posts: 1405 From: Huntington Beach Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 03-08-2009 12:22 AM
Lunar Module first flight March 7th, 1969. That would make a nice inscription... ------------------ Kind Regards Douglas Henry Enjoy yourself and have fun.... it is only a hobby! http://home.earthlink.net/~aztecdoug/ |
cspg Member Posts: 6210 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
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posted 03-08-2009 12:49 AM
quote: Originally posted by heng44: This represented the first flight of a manned spacecraft that was not equipped to reenter the earth's atmosphere.
Thanks for reminding me of this. That sentence should be highlighted in bold. Chris. |
garymilgrom Member Posts: 1966 From: Atlanta, GA Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 03-08-2009 01:59 AM
Is there less gold colored insulation (kapton foil?) on this earth-orbit version (the legs and pads look silver, not gold) or is the sunlight washing out the color?Very nice to see the LM with the Earth behind it. Thanks Ed! |
dwmzmm Member Posts: 82 From: Katy, TX USA Registered: Dec 2006
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posted 03-08-2009 09:56 AM
I think the LM that hanging from the ceiling inside Space Center Houston is nearly the same (if not THE same) as Spider in the photo of the first posting. Robert, correct me if I'm wrong; maybe you have some pics of the Space Center Houston LM in your archives to share with us...------------------ Dave, NAR # 21853 SR. Challenger 498 Section NAR Advisor |
ASCAN1984 Member Posts: 1049 From: County Down, Nothern Ireland Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 03-08-2009 04:16 PM
The word flimsy is used a lot when describing LEMs but looking at this photo it is so true. Looks like it could fall apart at any moment, but it did not thanks to the fantastic work of the Grumman engineers. One of the best vehicles in history. Such a shame it had to be destroyed several days later. |
alanh_7 Member Posts: 1252 From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 03-08-2009 04:32 PM
What a great photo. I notice on photos of Spider and on the Apollo 10 LM Snoopy that the forward landing leg held a contact probe and the landing pads were not covered in foil. With regards to Eagle, when was the decision made to leave the landing probe off the forward landing leg and to cover the landing pads with foil? Was this decision made after the first two test flights or prior to that? Best regards Alan |
Apollo-Soyuz Member Posts: 1205 From: Shady Side, Md Registered: Sep 2004
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posted 03-08-2009 06:04 PM
I think I read the reason to omit the probe on the forward landing pad was to prevent possible puncture of the suits when descending down the ladder. When this was decided, I do not know. ------------------ John Macco Space Unit Shady Side, Md. |
alanh_7 Member Posts: 1252 From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 03-08-2009 06:19 PM
Yes I read the same thing. But I was just curious as to when the decision was made not to include the probe. Whether it was after the first two flight test of the LM or in the period between Apollo 10 and 11. |
ilbasso Member Posts: 1522 From: Greensboro, NC USA Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 03-08-2009 08:54 PM
From what I recall, the decision came after Apollo 10. They also added the small blast deflectors under the RCS thrusters after noticing some heat damage on Apollo 10. Thinking of that probe on the +Z leg - had they not removed it, Neil Armstrong's first word from the lunar surface might have been, "Ow!!" I remember how nervous we all were when Spider was flying around by itself. We were really worried that something would happen - they were testing two engines, after all. Either one could have caused serious problems had it not worked properly. Beside this being the first flight of a manned vehicle that could not return to Earth on its own, this was also the first time men had flown a spacecraft with an engine that could be throttled. |
Bob M Member Posts: 1746 From: Atlanta-area, GA USA Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 03-09-2009 08:12 AM
quote: Originally posted by Aztecdoug: Lunar Module first flight March 7th, 1969. That would make a nice inscription...
Of course, Apollo 9 was the first manned flight of a Lunar Module, but let's not forget Apollo 5, the first orbital flight of a LM, unmanned. It occurred on January 22, 1968 from Launch Pad 37-B at Cape Canaveral.Bob Mc. |
Delta7 Member Posts: 1505 From: Bluffton IN USA Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 03-09-2009 11:27 AM
quote: Originally posted by ilbasso: Beside this being the first flight of a manned vehicle that could not return to Earth on its own, this was also the first time men had flown a spacecraft with an engine that could be throttled.
"Observers declared it the bravest act since man first ate a raw oyster." |
Aztecdoug Member Posts: 1405 From: Huntington Beach Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 03-09-2009 07:06 PM
quote: Originally posted by Bob M: Of course, Apollo 9 was the first manned flight of a Lunar Module, but let's not forget Apollo 5, the first orbital flight of a LM, unmanned.
Bob you are obviously completely correct and I have been sort of waiting for that shoe to fall as they say. But, the Apollo 5 LM was not at Spacefest signing in Gold Gel pen and a certain CDR was... ------------------ Kind Regards Douglas Henry Enjoy yourself and have fun.... it is only a hobby! http://home.earthlink.net/~aztecdoug/ |
Bob M Member Posts: 1746 From: Atlanta-area, GA USA Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 03-10-2009 12:02 PM
quote: Originally posted by Aztecdoug: Bob you are obviously completely correct and I have been sort of waiting for that shoe to fall as they say.
Doug: It's easy to overlook Apollo 5, the 1st orbital flight of a Lunar Module (LM-1). But if someone had asked Jim McDivitt to add the inscription about Apollo 9 you mentioned, "Lunar Module First Flight March 7th, 1969," I'd bet, though, that McDivitt wouldn't forget to add "manned" in the inscription. Bob |
ilbasso Member Posts: 1522 From: Greensboro, NC USA Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 03-10-2009 12:15 PM
You could properly say that Apollo 9 was the first flight of a "complete" lunar module, since LM-1 didn't have any legs! |