Saturn V anecdote
Discussion
Stephen Coester - "I worked for Boeing in the liquid hydrogen group out under the big LH2 tank. Our responsibility was for the tank, piping and valves in the storage area and on the LUT up to the swing arms...and for performing the LH2 and RP-1 loading into the stages from the firing room. I've heard that some of the astronauts thought the worst part of the mission was the walk across the swing arm. In my youth I was terrified of heights, but between the rigors of the Naval Academy and working at KSC I got over it.
Arms 4, 5, 6 & 7 routed the LOX and LH2 to the S-II and S-IVB and GH2 from the stages along with other pneumatic and electrical functions. My LH2 responsibility ended at the entrance to the swing arms, but I still spent time climbing on them to inspect the LH2 lines."
MartG said:
Heads up - a Haynes manual for Skylab has recently been released
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skylab-Owners-Workshop-Ma...
On my "to buy" list.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skylab-Owners-Workshop-Ma...
MartG said:
Stephen Coester - "I worked for Boeing in the liquid hydrogen group out under the big LH2 tank. Our responsibility was for the tank, piping and valves in the storage area and on the LUT up to the swing arms...and for performing the LH2 and RP-1 loading into the stages from the firing room. I've heard that some of the astronauts thought the worst part of the mission was the walk across the swing arm. In my youth I was terrified of heights, but between the rigors of the Naval Academy and working at KSC I got over it.
Arms 4, 5, 6 & 7 routed the LOX and LH2 to the S-II and S-IVB and GH2 from the stages along with other pneumatic and electrical functions. My LH2 responsibility ended at the entrance to the swing arms, but I still spent time climbing on them to inspect the LH2 lines."
They've already scrapped two of them.
The other was reduced in height for the Shuttle and was stood next to the Falcon Heavy the other day.
At the moment it's little more than a lightning tower, although SpaceX plan to use it for crew loading Falcon 9 Dragon capsules.
The Apollo crew loading gantry is on display in the museum at Kennedy Space Center I believe.
The other was reduced in height for the Shuttle and was stood next to the Falcon Heavy the other day.
At the moment it's little more than a lightning tower, although SpaceX plan to use it for crew loading Falcon 9 Dragon capsules.
The Apollo crew loading gantry is on display in the museum at Kennedy Space Center I believe.
Toaster said:
Eric Mc said:
On my "to buy" list.
I am sure it will come in handy when you are enlisted as part of the maintenance crew 
I'd also like to have a go at building a model of Skylab as it looked in orbit - so the book will be good for that too.
Eric Mc said:
I'd also like to have a go at building a model of Skylab as it looked in orbit - so the book will be good for that too.
For the orbiting Skylab model I can recommend this http://www.spaceinminiature.com/books/simtr1.html for $6Apologies if I’ve posted this before but this is a good read
https://www.doneyles.com/LM/Tales.html
It is the inside story of the software development of the Apollo guidance computer, and how close to failure it was although brilliantly designed
https://www.doneyles.com/LM/Tales.html
It is the inside story of the software development of the Apollo guidance computer, and how close to failure it was although brilliantly designed
Good article dispelling some myths of the space age
https://this-space-available.blogspot.co.uk/2018/0...
https://this-space-available.blogspot.co.uk/2018/0...
Talking of Hollywood, here's how they recreated the Apollo 11 launch for Men in Black 3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5XmQCCjizg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5XmQCCjizg
LordLoveLength said:
Apologies if I’ve posted this before but this is a good read
https://www.doneyles.com/LM/Tales.html
It is the inside story of the software development of the Apollo guidance computer, and how close to failure it was although brilliantly designed
A good read. Thanks.https://www.doneyles.com/LM/Tales.html
It is the inside story of the software development of the Apollo guidance computer, and how close to failure it was although brilliantly designed
As someone who writes embedded machine-control software for a living, I winced at the part where the engineers changed the behaviour of the rocket engine and no-one told the programming team.
Along with giving incorrect model data to the closed-loop thrust controller!
Yes, it still happens (in commercial industry at least).
Beati Dogu said:
Talking of Hollywood, here's how they recreated the Apollo 11 launch for Men in Black 3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5XmQCCjizg
Interesting, although I noticed a few technical errors.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5XmQCCjizg
The attitude control thrusters on the Service Module did not "vent" as they are shown doing in the CGI. They used hypergolic fuels which are liquid at most temperatures and only ignite when they come into contact with each other. The "smoke" you see as normal venting on the Saturn V is actually liquid oxygen boiling off and vapourising so you get that coming from those parts of the rocket that either use liquid/oxygen and kerosene propellants or liquid oxygen/liquid hyrdrogen propellants.
The panoramic shots they took at Pad 39A would have been at too low a height. The launch tower originally used during Apollo was considerably reduced in height when altered for Shuttle launches. I can't see if they really adjusted for the different height of the tower in the final shots used.
The narrators says they removed any modern buildings and machinery that wasn't there in 1969. That's would be the correct thing to do although it looks to me like they left in the four tall lightning conductors that were erected not that long ago around Pad 39B as part of its adaptation for Ares/Constellation and now STS.
I'll give them 7/10
Stephen Coester:
The LC-39 RP-1 tanks were buried in a grass covered bunker so you couldn't see them near the LH2 tank. Three large cylindrical tanks were in a huge concrete pit designed to hold any spilled RP-1. I don't know why they were then covered with dirt and grass. Next to this bunker was the RP-1 building which held all the pumps, valves, filters etc.
This building was protected by a foam fire protection system. The system could be actuated from the firing room or from a switch outside the building.
One day a mechanic was performing some mundane task out side the building and he removed the nuts from some piece of equipment. I guess in order not to misplace them he put them inside the metal shroud around the fire foam switch. When he was ready to reinstall the nuts he found he couldn't reach that last nut so he reached beneath the cover and pushed up which inadvertently pushed up the switch which activated the foam. We had never tested this system but it sure worked. The whole RP-1 building was filled with billowing white foam. And this foam was made from horse blood of all things and it stunk like dead horse. What a mess. Used the fire water hoses to clean up the mess. Then had to reverify that all of the mechanical and electrical equipment wasn't damaged by the foam.
The LC-39 RP-1 tanks were buried in a grass covered bunker so you couldn't see them near the LH2 tank. Three large cylindrical tanks were in a huge concrete pit designed to hold any spilled RP-1. I don't know why they were then covered with dirt and grass. Next to this bunker was the RP-1 building which held all the pumps, valves, filters etc.
This building was protected by a foam fire protection system. The system could be actuated from the firing room or from a switch outside the building.
One day a mechanic was performing some mundane task out side the building and he removed the nuts from some piece of equipment. I guess in order not to misplace them he put them inside the metal shroud around the fire foam switch. When he was ready to reinstall the nuts he found he couldn't reach that last nut so he reached beneath the cover and pushed up which inadvertently pushed up the switch which activated the foam. We had never tested this system but it sure worked. The whole RP-1 building was filled with billowing white foam. And this foam was made from horse blood of all things and it stunk like dead horse. What a mess. Used the fire water hoses to clean up the mess. Then had to reverify that all of the mechanical and electrical equipment wasn't damaged by the foam.
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