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Author
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Topic: Photo of the week 764 (June 15, 2019)
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heng44 Member Posts: 3387 From: Netherlands Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 06-15-2019 03:25 AM
Half a century ago this week, with about a month left before the Apollo 11 launch, Neil Armstrong made his first flight in the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle since his crash more than a year before. Over a period of three days he completed eight flights in the vehicle, for a total flight time of 40 min. 14 sec. During these eight flights he made 14 takeoffs and landings, six of which were in the lunar simulation mode. |
David Carey Member Posts: 782 From: Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 06-15-2019 01:29 PM
Talk about getting back on that horse! Great photo, Ed, and wasn't aware of the number of post-crash LLTV flight hops performed by Armstrong. This photo made me look further into the LLRV and LLTV timeline and history. Also wasn't aware that the LLRV was derived from work at Edwards and independent work at Bell that predated the mid-1962 decision on Lunar Orbit Rendezvous (vs Direct Descent or Earth Orbit Rendezvous). While the LLRV was delivered by Bell after LOR selection, wheels were put in motion prior to a known requirement for a lunar landing vehicle. From Neil Armstrong's NASA Oral History:
(Our work at Edwards) became the basis for what went out as a requirement for bid to build the LLRV, lunar landing research vehicle. It was not known at this time that there would be a lunar module. It was direct descent, and Earth orbiting rendezvous and other strategies were still being considered. Matter of fact, the lunar module came after the lunar landing research vehicle. |
David C Member Posts: 1015 From: Lausanne Registered: Apr 2012
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posted 06-17-2019 02:17 AM
quote: Originally posted by heng44: Half a century ago this week, with about a month left before the Apollo 11 launch, Neil Armstrong made his first flight in the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle since his crash more than a year before.
That's an excellent reminder that it wasn't called The Moon Race for nothing, and some of it came together very late indeed. I think it's also a point to bear in mind for those playing "Fantasy Crew Selection". Armstrong was probably the astronaut best prepared to fly the LM manually prior to this LLTV training course. He'd worked on the problem for many years and was one of the very few first landing attempt Commander "candidates" who'd already flown the LLRV. The LM sim and helicopters just weren't the same at all.
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