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Author
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Topic: Photo of the week 373 (December 24, 2011)
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heng44
Member Posts: 2516
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 12-23-2011 02:07 PM
   
 
This is a photo taken during the Gemini 9 flight by command pilot Tom Stafford, as pilot Gene Cernan was performing his EVA on June 5, 1966. It appears unremarkable, as Cernan is out of frame. But take a good look at the bottom of the picture, just to the right of the umbilical. We can see the mirror that Cernan installed on the nose of the spacecraft at the start of his EVA. It would enable Stafford to see Cernan as he was working with the AMU at the back of the adapter section. In that mirror we can see Cernan's reflection as he floats above the spacecraft. An enlarged portion of the photo has been reversed, so that the correct hatch is open. It makes you wish that Stafford could have used a telephoto lens, because then we would have some spectacular photos of Cernan's EVA. Ed Hengeveld |
LM-12
Member Posts: 714
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 12-23-2011 02:36 PM
There is a good shot of that mirror in photo S66-38048. Interesting photo of the week. You sure can miss a lot in low-res photos. |
Henry Heatherbank
Member Posts: 146
From: Adelaide, South Australia
Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 12-23-2011 11:13 PM
Ed, as a long time admirer of the effort you put into these photos, this is one of the best in my opinion. The whole mirror set-up on those Gemini EVAs has been a mystery to me, having read it about it often enough. But to see it in one of your weekly photos is quite a thrill. Well done, Merry Xmas and please keep up this great work in 2012. In fact, I have a challenge for you: not sure if you take requests, but I would love to see a close-up photo (preferably taken from outside on EVA) of the surplus Gemini hatch used as an outer airlock door on Skylab ... |
heng44
Member Posts: 2516
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 12-24-2011 02:51 AM
Thanks Henry, a Merry Christmas to you too. And to all the others who visit my Photo of the Week feature regularly.And, yes: I do take requests. I think I have something on the Skylab/Gemini hatch. Watch this space...
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Henry Heatherbank
Member Posts: 146
From: Adelaide, South Australia
Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 12-24-2011 04:13 AM
By the way, what happened to these mirrors at the end of the EVAs? Presumably detached by the pilot and discarded into orbit? They wouldn't have left them attached, and I can't imagine they'd be retrieved and stowed for return. |
heng44
Member Posts: 2516
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 12-24-2011 05:05 AM
At the end of the EVA the mirror was removed and (presumably) discarded.Henry, I'll do a bonus Photo of the Week tomorrow for the Skylab EVA hatch. I found some interesting photos. |
Henry Heatherbank
Member Posts: 146
From: Adelaide, South Australia
Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 12-24-2011 05:09 AM
Ed, you are a dead-set legend. What a great Xmas present for all followers of this site! Thanks very much! |
space1
Member Posts: 490
From: Danville, Ohio, USA
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 12-24-2011 05:14 AM
The mirror was attached to the docking bar early in the EVA. I believe it was left in place at the end of the EVA and only "removed" when the docking bar was jettisoned later in the mission. Aren't there post-EVA photos that show the mirror attached to the docking bar?Nice work, Ed! |
heng44
Member Posts: 2516
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 12-24-2011 07:10 AM
Post-EVA photos show the docking bar without the mirror, so it was presumably removed at the end of the EVA, before the bar was jettisoned. |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 939
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 12-24-2011 07:31 AM
Ed, once again - SPECTACULAR! But that's a common compliment for you to hear. |
nasamad
Member Posts: 1873
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 12-24-2011 07:34 AM
Amazing shot Ed, looking forward to the Skylab hatch pic, a great bit of recycling by NASA! |
space1
Member Posts: 490
From: Danville, Ohio, USA
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 12-24-2011 09:13 AM
Thanks for checking the post-EVA photos, Ed.I'm actually remembering the Gemini XI and XII Agena tether experiments, where they attached the Agena tether with a clamp to the Gemini docking bar. They later jettisoned the docking bar with clamp attached. |
garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1500
From: Atlanta, GA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 12-24-2011 10:38 AM
Great photo and even better research and explanation Ed. Thank you. |
mach3valkyrie
Member Posts: 138
From: Albany, Oregon USA
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 12-24-2011 01:16 PM
Was this the only Gemini mission that had a mirror attached for the EVA? Gemini 9 certainly had the most ambitious EVA planned in the program. Glad to see more photos from this flight.Thanks Ed! |
mikepf
Member Posts: 344
From: San Jose, California, USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 12-25-2011 11:51 PM
Ed, thanks for the great Christmas present, a double Photo of the Week! That mirror shot is just fantastic! Happy Holidays to you. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 714
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 03-23-2013 12:50 PM
There is some Gemini 9A EVA footage of Gene Cernan at 1:27 into this British Pathe film clip. Also, watch the hatch blow open after splashdown at 2:29 into the clip. It strikes one of the Navy divers and sends him flying. |
ozspace
Member Posts: 72
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Registered: May 2009
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posted 03-24-2013 07:35 PM
Wow, that is an amazing clip! That driver could have been seriously injured/killed if he was closer to the hatch, e.g. looking through the window, etc. I am sure they tightened the hatch opening procedure after that!
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LM-12
Member Posts: 714
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 03-24-2013 07:43 PM
Here is a close-up view of two of the divers. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 714
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 04-02-2013 08:17 PM
The mirror is mentioned in the technical debriefing:STAFFORD: After Gene installed the docking bar mirror, I could immediately see that it was a wonderful tool. I could see a wonderful view of the spacecraft looking aft. I could see the spacecraft looking aft and I could see the earth below us and the sky above. I could also follow Gene anytime he was in any field of view aft of the docking bar mirror. I followed him all the way back to the rear of the spacecraft, and he went back to don the AMU. I think that the docking bar mirror is a real wonderful device. My only recommendation is the fact that it should possibly be larger. If it was larger it would give you more resolution as far as observing the outside crewmember. Now one disadvantage is sunset. The sun went right on the docking bar mirror and back in my face and nearly blinded me to nearly the same extent as the sun was in my face during the boost phase. I had to turn my head and close one eye to keep the brilliant sunlight from coming off the docking bar mirror into my face. It is imperative that the docking bar mirror be removed during EVA exercise and not remain in position. |
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