TRW Systems released the AS-207/208 Preliminary Spacecraft Reference Trajectory during the first week of May. This report was put together on a compressed schedule, starting from rather hastily defined mission requirements. As a result, there are a number of things about it which were recognized as being in error even before release; however, since we…
Category: Cancelled missions
Apollo spacecraft computer program development newsletter
There are a number of us who feel that the computer programs for the Apollo spacecraft will soon become the most pacing item for the Apollo flights. This is certainly likely to be the case for AS-207/208, by which time spacecraft, and booster delivery and Cape operations are likely to have become relatively routine, with…
Cursory definition of Spacecraft Computer Program capabilities currently planned for AS-503 and AS-504
One of the possible actions which has been identified to help our spacecraft computer program development schedule is to fly the AS-503 mission with the AS-278 programs. I have indicated in previous memoranda that in order to do this we would probably have to add several routines to the AS-278 program to make it applicable…
More on Program Development
On October 5th, we had the second of our weekly all day program development plan meetings at MIT. Most of our attention was given to the open items on the AS-278 program which I will discuss later, but first I would like to pass on some general comments regarding the work at MIT. Based on…
AS-204 computer program status
During the week of July 4, 1966, the prime and backup crews for the AS204 mission attended briefings at MIT, which, among other things, led to their request that four changes be made in the spacecraft computer program for that mission. This request triggered off a considerable amount of activity which I would like to…
LGC program requirements and mission constraints on alternate mission AS-278B
Following our AS-206 spacecraft computer program status review at MIT pm October 6th, we launched into a discussion of the AS-278B mission and its demands on the guidance system. This alternate mission, you recall, is one in which the LM and command module are launched separately followed by a CSM active rendezvous. The LM would…
A new spacecraft computer program development working philosophy is taking shape
It’s becoming evident that we are entering a new epoch regarding development of spacecraft computer programs, and I thought I’d try to put my impression relating to this into words and get them out in the open….
Rendezvous terminal phase guidance program in the Apollo spacecraft computer
On July 7, 1966, a team of MSC and MIT “experts in rendezvous” (including Paul Kramer, Ed Lineberry, John Dablen, and Norm Sears) met at MIT to discuss and review the preliminary Guidance System Operation Plan (GSOP)which MIT has unofficially distributed, covering the terminal phase and External ΔV programs for the AS-207/208 mission. This meeting…
Automatic rendezvous braking maneuver
As you know, MIT is currently designing the command module and lunar module computer programs without provision for automatic braking maneuvers. There has been some thought to reversing this direction. However, Don Cheatham, Aaron Cohen, and I agreed today to proceed as we are for the AS-207/208 programs–that is, do not provide automatic braking maneuvers…
AGC program status for AS-278
I guess enough things have happened affecting the status of the programs for the AS-278 mission that I ought to issue another status report. According to MIT, work is progressing along basically on schedule. The major effort is currently in Ed Copps’ area where coding of the program is going on which should be completed…