Orion Launch Today
Discussion
No need to blow the hatch.
The Apollo hatch opened on hinges - so all that was required for one of the occupants to pull a lever down and push the hatch outwards.
The Gemini hatches also opened outwards on hinges.
(I always think that Armstrong and Scott look the coolest dudes in that picture - with their shades. They've just survived America's first serious space emergency).
Both designs featured hinged, opening outward hatches to allow spacewalks (EVAs).
When Mercury was designed, no one in their right mind considered that once placed safely in orbit in a spacecraft, the astronaut would want to get out of the thing. Such a thought "did not compute" in 1958. Therefore, when the Mercury capsule was designed, not only did it not have a hatch of ANY sort, it had no window either.
The astronauts lobbied for a proper opening hatch and for a proper window so they could look out. The designers relented. The Mercury hatch was NOT hinged as it was only expected to be used if the astronaut needed to get out in a hurry after splashdown.
In the second manned Mercury mission with Gus Grissom, the hatch did blow unexpectedly and the capsule sank, nearly taking Grissom with it. Notice the water pouring from the flooded capsule. Seconds later, the helicopter crew cut the cable and let it sink.
The Apollo hatch opened on hinges - so all that was required for one of the occupants to pull a lever down and push the hatch outwards.
The Gemini hatches also opened outwards on hinges.
(I always think that Armstrong and Scott look the coolest dudes in that picture - with their shades. They've just survived America's first serious space emergency).
Both designs featured hinged, opening outward hatches to allow spacewalks (EVAs).
When Mercury was designed, no one in their right mind considered that once placed safely in orbit in a spacecraft, the astronaut would want to get out of the thing. Such a thought "did not compute" in 1958. Therefore, when the Mercury capsule was designed, not only did it not have a hatch of ANY sort, it had no window either.
The astronauts lobbied for a proper opening hatch and for a proper window so they could look out. The designers relented. The Mercury hatch was NOT hinged as it was only expected to be used if the astronaut needed to get out in a hurry after splashdown.
In the second manned Mercury mission with Gus Grissom, the hatch did blow unexpectedly and the capsule sank, nearly taking Grissom with it. Notice the water pouring from the flooded capsule. Seconds later, the helicopter crew cut the cable and let it sink.
Eric Mc said:
No need to blow the hatch.
The Apollo hatch opened on hinges - so all that was required for one of the occupants to pull a lever down and push the hatch outwards.
The Gemini hatches also opened outwards on hinges.
(I always think that Armstrong and Scott look the coolest dudes in that picture - with their shades. They've just survived America's first serious space emergency).
Both designs featured hinged, opening outward hatches to allow spacewalks (EVAs).
When Mercury was designed, no one in their right mind considered that once placed safely in orbit in a spacecraft, the astronaut would want to get out of the thing. Such a thought "did not compute" in 1958. Therefore, when the Mercury capsule was designed, not only did it not have a hatch of ANY sort, it had no window either.
The astronauts lobbied for a proper opening hatch and for a proper window so they could look out. The designers relented. The Mercury hatch was NOT hinged as it was only expected to be used if the astronaut needed to get out in a hurry after splashdown.
In the second manned Mercury mission with Gus Grissom, the hatch did blow unexpectedly and the capsule sank, nearly taking Grissom with it. Notice the water pouring from the flooded capsule. Seconds later, the helicopter crew cut the cable and let it sink.
Grissom was long suspected/accused of having panicked and blown the hatch in an attempt to get out. Six years later the inability to open a hatch quickly enough helped contribute to his death in an Apollo capsule.The Apollo hatch opened on hinges - so all that was required for one of the occupants to pull a lever down and push the hatch outwards.
The Gemini hatches also opened outwards on hinges.
(I always think that Armstrong and Scott look the coolest dudes in that picture - with their shades. They've just survived America's first serious space emergency).
Both designs featured hinged, opening outward hatches to allow spacewalks (EVAs).
When Mercury was designed, no one in their right mind considered that once placed safely in orbit in a spacecraft, the astronaut would want to get out of the thing. Such a thought "did not compute" in 1958. Therefore, when the Mercury capsule was designed, not only did it not have a hatch of ANY sort, it had no window either.
The astronauts lobbied for a proper opening hatch and for a proper window so they could look out. The designers relented. The Mercury hatch was NOT hinged as it was only expected to be used if the astronaut needed to get out in a hurry after splashdown.
In the second manned Mercury mission with Gus Grissom, the hatch did blow unexpectedly and the capsule sank, nearly taking Grissom with it. Notice the water pouring from the flooded capsule. Seconds later, the helicopter crew cut the cable and let it sink.
On a cheerier note, I hope when they open the capsule it's full of evolved apes in spacesuits.
Sadly, we won't see humans emerge from an Orion for about six more years. I was impressed with what was done today but am so frustrated at how slowly the programme is moving.
I am genuinely pleased with how well everything went today. I think Orion is turning into a well screwed together, solid bit of space engineering.
It contrasts very favourably with the Shuttle, which was always a bit flaky.
I am genuinely pleased with how well everything went today. I think Orion is turning into a well screwed together, solid bit of space engineering.
It contrasts very favourably with the Shuttle, which was always a bit flaky.
Halmyre said:
Grissom was long suspected/accused of having panicked and blown the hatch in an attempt to get out. Six years later the inability to open a hatch quickly enough helped contribute to his death in an Apollo capsule.
On a cheerier note, I hope when they open the capsule it's full of evolved apes in spacesuits.
Interesting commentary form other people on this especially the doctors, one such comment was the hatch was hard to open and there would be bruising having to get the lever open. Grissom had no bruising indicative of this.On a cheerier note, I hope when they open the capsule it's full of evolved apes in spacesuits.
The post flight briefing and pres conference is on youtube now. Well worth listening to -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RbgegMSQL0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RbgegMSQL0
Eric Mc said:
Regarding the Apollo 1 fire, the astronauts would have died if the capsule had been fitted with the Block 2 style hatch too.
We can't know that. It wasn't the fire that killed them, it was asphyxiation; if (note: if) they'd got the hatch open faster (note: faster) they might (note: might) have had a chance.Halmyre said:
Eric Mc said:
Regarding the Apollo 1 fire, the astronauts would have died if the capsule had been fitted with the Block 2 style hatch too.
We can't know that. It wasn't the fire that killed them, it was asphyxiation; if (note: if) they'd got the hatch open faster (note: faster) they might (note: might) have had a chance.We know how long it took to open a Block 2 hatch because Block 2 hatches were opened during a number of Apollo flights. It was longer than 15 seconds.
Also, the speed of the combustion raised the pressure in the capsule so fast and so much that the pressure bulkhead below the couches burst causing the floor of the capsule to collapse and drop down onto the top of the Service Module below. All this took mere seconds. Before an astronaut could even have reached the door handle, which was above and behind their heads, the door handle was out of reach due to the floor collapsing.
They weren't killed by a slow door. They were killed by poor workmanship, poor quality control and a lack of respect for the danger of the environment in which they were placed by the mission planners.
Eric Mc said:
The recovery team has been given the all clear to approach the capsule.
In Apollo days they would have been all over the spacecraft like a rash.
They seem to be taking a far more cautious approach with this one - probably because it's the first flight. They are a bit concerned about the non appearance of two of the flotation bags. I don't suppose they don't want those things going off with a frogman sitting on top of the capsule.
The commentary during the re-entry phase mentioned a change to the post splash down procedure which was to maintain vehicle power for a longer than expected amount of time post landing, in order to allow the data recording systems to capture a complete data set (i assume including the capsule cooling cycle). With the system not "safed" there is no way i'd be going anywhere near it! (an unexpected guidance system motor firing would really ruin your afternoon if you were close to it at the time........ ;-)In Apollo days they would have been all over the spacecraft like a rash.
They seem to be taking a far more cautious approach with this one - probably because it's the first flight. They are a bit concerned about the non appearance of two of the flotation bags. I don't suppose they don't want those things going off with a frogman sitting on top of the capsule.
RizzoTheRat said:
Presumably with Apollo capsules they blew the hatch with it still in the water to get the crew out, no need to open this one so it'll float a lot better.
ETA: Thinking about it, didn't one of the Apollo or Mercury crew nearly drown?
Good old Gus. Almost drowned and then burnt to death sadly later. ETA: Thinking about it, didn't one of the Apollo or Mercury crew nearly drown?
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