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Author
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Topic: Photo of the week 733 (November 10, 2018)
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heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 11-09-2018 02:33 PM
   
 Half a century ago this week, astronaut Jim Irwin together with Grumman pilot Gerry Gibbons performed the last vacuum chamber test with LM Test Article LTA-8 on November 14, 1968. These tests were designed to simulate LM-5's descent from lunar orbit, lunar landing and stay, and the launch and ascent back to lunar orbit. |
Jurg Bolli
Member Posts: 977
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 11-09-2018 06:57 PM
Never seen this, thanks. |
oly
Member Posts: 905
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2015
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posted 11-09-2018 08:54 PM
Once again another great image, I so look forward to this every week. Thanks. |
JohnPaul56
Member Posts: 180
From: Montclair, NJ, USA
Registered: Apr 2010
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posted 11-10-2018 07:33 AM
Great photo!!! Never seen this one. It looks like Jim is wearing some type of harness over his suit, almost like the harnesses worn by the Skylab crews before launch.Any idea what this is for? |
heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 11-10-2018 07:56 AM
That could be related to a rescue capability. During the tests there were always rescue crews standing by to haul an incapacitated crew down the stairs in an emergency.
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oly
Member Posts: 905
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2015
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posted 11-10-2018 08:35 AM
The caption for this image of Jim Irwin describes the crew were lowered into the chamber for this test. While this image looks to show the crew standing at the foot of a steep inclined ladder with what looks to be a tether similar to the LEC. Perhaps the harness is a safety harness for the crew as the climb down the ladder. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 11-10-2018 09:47 AM
The crew wasn't lowered into the chamber. They walked in and then climbed a steep ladder up to the hatch level of the LM. Rescue crews practiced lowering the crew down this ladder in the event of an emergency. 
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