This note is to help unsure that the word gets around regarding reduced command module reentry L/D. MIT has heard rumors that the L/D may be reduced to a value of .25 and emphasized during our program development plan meeting that they are fairly certain the present spacecraft computer program formulation will not handle that….
Year: 1967
MIT can handle spacecraft computer program development for both Apollo and AAP to their mutual advantage
This memorandum is a compilation of my ideas and opinions in response to a request from your office regarding the questions of whether MIT should be chosen to perform spacecraft computer program development for AAP, and, if they were, would the impact on their Apollo work be acceptable. They are based on my observations and…
Spacecraft computer program names
I used to think MIT was a little odd when it came to selecting names for the spacecraft computer programs with all that weird preoccupation with the sun. But now I see they were right all the time and the rest of the world is nuts – let’s name the missions sequentially as they lift…
Current plans for downlink of LM radar data
There have been so any questions asked about what rendezvous and landing radar data will be on the LGC downlink, I asked Paul Stull to fill out the attached table which, as you see, he has done. He has greatly emphasized that this whole business is still ill-defined and, therefore, the numbers given must be…
LM is launched with air
I guess everybody already knows this, but I just learned that they intend to launch all LM’s with air rather than oxygen in the cabin. As a result, the spacecraft never sees an oxygen environment with pressure greater than about 6 psi. Furthermore, no testing is done on any of the systems with pure oxygen…
Notes from ASPO Manager’s staff meeting – July 24
I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings by going to George Low’s staff meeting instead of yours, but he specifically asked me to come and I felt you would agree that would be best. If not, please advise. I did pick up a few items that may be of interest to you which it is…
Landing point dispersions given communication loss in lunar orbit
During Chris Kraft’s staff meeting of July 17 there was a long discussion regarding the necessity of a beacon to help the recovery people find the spacecraft. It was pretty well concluded that it was not needed as long as we knew where the spacecraft landed to within several hundred miles. Of course, if the…
Spacecraft computer program flow chart status
Just a note to you oats who are interested in flow charts for the spacecraft computer programs. MIT has had a small group headed by John ?enize who have done what appears to be an excellent job of establishing standards to be followed in the development of flow charts. A group of SDC people have…
Greater dispersion at entry on AS-501 with the new IMU
You have expressed concern about the somewhat poorer performance of the new platform in Spacecraft 017. While at MIT last week Dan Lickly and I spoke to John Miller about this. John says the component which contributes the most to dispersion in flight path angle at the entry interface is the Y gyro, as you…
There will be no S-IVB ephemeris in the RTCC after separation
We have had a couple of meetings of FCD, FSD, MPAD and IBM people to discuss some of the RTCC computer program requirements for the lunar landing missions. One item coming out of these discussions, which may interest you, is that there is currently no intention of carrying an ephemeris for the S-IVB after it…