On April 12 at MIT we spent almost the whole morning discussing justification for and status of the IBM 360/75 computer installation they use for spacecraft computer program development. As of today, we haven’t really resolved the issue of whether or not we should retain that computer at MIT. On the other hand, I think…
Invitation to an Apollo 13 Lunar Orbit Mission Techniques meeting
“The time has come” the walrus said, “to talk of many things.” This classic quotation apparently now applies to the Apollo 13 lunar orbit mission techniques and this walrus is suggesting Tuesday, September 23. Bob Lindsay has subjected his flight plan to three iterations already and it’s shaping up nicely; the FOD guys have a…
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….
EMS will always be used on “C” if G&N fails
Mr. C. C. Kraft announced at his Monday morning meeting that the EMS will be used for controlling reentry on the “C” mission in the event of a G&N failure regardless of when that failure occurs. This was decided over his mild objection at George Low’s CCB meeting last week….
“D” Rendezvous Mission Techniques Task Assignments for MPAD
Attached is a list of action items associated with our work on “D” Rendezvous Mission Techniques. Would you please see that all those assigned to MPAD are covered by proper Task Assignments (I expect that most of them already are). Specifically, items 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, and 11 are probably OMAB’s jobs and item…
Mission C DAP initialization procedures
In a memo dated November 28, you recommend that “DAP initialization procedures for Mission G be established where either crew input requirements are eliminated entirely, or restricted at most to one inertia update following the largest SPS burn.” I am writing you this note to let you know that what has been planned is entirely…
Results of the June 25 Apollo Spacecraft Configuration Control Board (ASCCB) meeting
This memo is to inform you of things that happened at the June 25 ASCCB meeting. Some were quite significant….
Transearth Spacecraft Navigation
During Jim McPherson’s Transearth Spacecraft Navigation Mission Techniques meeting of October 8 and 15, a potpourri of ground rules, working agreements and constraints was established. I may be duplicating other reports with this memo but figure better too many reports than not enough. All of the following apply specifically to the first batch of sextant…
Descent Abort Mission Techniques
On February 13 we went over our Descent Abort Mission Techniques with the world. In general they were accepted as is. That isn’t to say we didn’t have some lengthy discussions resulting in some improvements and/or changes but we didn’t make any substantial changes to the basic ground rules, philosophy, or overall procedures. I would…
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…