A serious misunderstanding between MIT and Grumman resulted in a situation which would have been catastrophic to the AS-206 mission if it had not been discovered. Specifically, the direction the LM descent engine gimbals move when commanded by the spacecraft computer was opposite to the way they were supposed to. Upon discovery of this, Grumman…
Category: Cancelled missions
LGC program development for AS-278B
This note is intended to document my understanding of the situation with regard to the spacecraft computer programs for the alternate AS-278 mission. In particular, I would like to record how we are responding to the current programming needs in this area….
AS-206 LGC program status
On October 6th at MIT, we held a review of the AS-206 computer program which they have romantically christened “Sunburst”. Our primary objectives were twofold; first, to make certain that the formulation of the program was consistent with the way we intend to fly the mission, and second, to determine the current status of the…
LGC computer requirements to provide DPS backup of SPS
During our discussion at MIT last week, the question came up as to whether it is necessary to have trajectory integration techniques in the LCG for the trans-earth phase of the mission as well as the lunar phase. The argument is that if we are serious about using the LM descent propulsion system to back…
We’ve bit the bullet on GRR
The fact that the 206 LM is the only LM to be powered up when launched presents a requirement for some unique manner for the G&N to detect or at least be informed that liftoff has occurred. In the absence of a hardwire liftoff signal, it had been intended to transmit a guidance reference release…
In which some items of interest regarding the AS-206 LGC program status are discussed
Quite a number of things have been going on with regard to AS-206 mission plans, spacecraft configuration, and the LGC computer program development. I would like to take a couple of minutes here to let you know about the latest developments in the latter….
Apollo spacecraft computer programs–or, a bucket of worms
Well, I just got back from MIT with my weekly quota of new ulcers, which I thought might interest you. We spent one day discussing the AS-204 situation, another on AS-501 and AS-502, and the third day primarily on crew procedures associated with the LEM lunar rendezvous crew timeline. I will give you my impression…
More interesting things about our work with MIT
I always start out these MIT newsletters with the hope they will be short enough that you’ll be willing to read ’em. A couple of things came up at our Program Development Plan review on November 16 there that I thought I would pass on….
Notes regarding the AS-207/208 Guidance Systems Operation Plan (GSOP) meeting with MIT
During the week of August 15, we held a review of the AS-207/208 Guidance Systems Operation Plan (GSOP) at MIT. Some things interested me which I will pass on to you here. I will also include some of the more significant decisions–that is, direction to MIT–that were made at that time….
Alternative rendezvous technique – mission planning status
Since our meeting in your office on the stable orbit rendezvous, Ed Lineberry and I have met on a number of occasions with other interested people in an attempt to lay out a schedule of work needed to arrive at the decision as to how to go on 278 and subsequent missions. This note is…