Some of the decisions and open items that came out of our F/G Mission Techniques meetings in late January are listed in this memo. Basically, I would say that all mission phases aside from the lunar orbit activity are very well understood at this time – primarily as a result of the C’ mission -…
Category: Lunar orbit insertion
Goodies affecting the RTCC gleaned from the 504 GSOP meeting
I am writing this memorandum to you in your position as RTCC program coordinator for MPAD. During the lunar landing GSOP review of August 16 and 17, I noted a number of items discussed which had some bearing on the RTCC program. I would sure appreciate it if you would look them over and see…
F mission rule regarding DPS gimbal drive failure indication
This memo is to report how it is currently planned to handle an indicated failure of the DPS gimbal drive actuator (GDA) on the F mission….
It is proposed that we plan a two step LOI maneuver
For the past several months there has been considerable discussion regarding the question of whether we should perform the lunar orbit insertion (LOI) maneuver as a single burn or if it should be made in two steps. This is an important matter to resolve since it has impact on RTCC program development, guidance systems targeting,…
RLS Determination
On April 2 we had a Mission Techniques meeting to discuss how we should handle the determination of the LMs position on the lunar surface (RLS). Specifically, we were concerned with how to determine its values and, after improved values are determined, when they should be loaded into the spacecraft computer. One obvious conclusion, if…
Use of DPS for lunar mission aborts
The other day Carl Huss and some of the flight Analysis Branch people gave an internal briefing on Apollo aborting procedures for the lunar landing mission starting with the translunar injection (TLI) maneuver. One thing that impressed me was the large number of situations in which dependence is given to using the Descent Propulsion System…
Apollo 12 Mission Techniques
On September 15 and 16 we had the second (and last) Mission Techniques meeting for Apollo 12. It was advertised to be a “catchall” and it was. It all went smoothly enough considering how many people were there – the place was stuffed (even the projection room!) – and the exhaustion and emotion these things…
Ascent newsletter
This memo is to report several interesting things regarding lunar ascent, both nominal and after a descent abort….
Program Development Plans are coming!!
September 29th shall probably go down in history, at least in my diary, as the day of a major breakthrough at MIT. On that date we had an all day meeting attended by all key MIT management personnel involved in spacecraft computer program development. I expect it to be the first of similar weekly sessions…
F and G mission cis-lunar and abort plan
On January 8 a gang of us FOD types got together to develop a proposal on how we should use the LM for cis-lunar and lunar orbit aborts. In other words, how should the C’ techniques be modified due to having the LM DPS available to backup or use in place of the SPS. A…