Participation in the project MoonZoo and the recent interview with Dr. William Keel have awakened my interest in the Apollo missions and the desire to revisit those emotional moments. The post is not complete, does not want and can not be, considering the complexity and vastness of the topic. In particular will focus on the description of the progress of the Apollo 11 mission that brought the man on the moon. More information would require a dedicated website and not a simple post. (Click on the picture you can see them in original size). Inglese version here.
from 17 December 1903 July 20, 1969 rose less than 66 years.
This is the time between the first man who gets up in flight with an aircraft heavier than air, the beach of Kitty Hawk, the first man to set foot on the moon in the Sea of \u200b\u200bTranquility.
Less than 12 years after launching the first artificial satellite, the Soviet Sputnik I, and less than 10 years after the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin.
The company is preceded by a series of preparatory missions, from Apollo 7 onwards, bring man closer to the objective almost to touch our natural satellite.
The objective which it pursues its mission is to perform a manned landing on the moon and return to Earth.
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| Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) (Credit: NASA ) |
The Saturn V is composed of 3 stages.
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| Saturn V - S-IC (Credit: NASA ) |
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| Saturn V - S-IVB (Credit: NASA ) |
The third stage (S-IVB) is up about 18 meters (58.3 feet) long and has a diameter of less than 7 meters (21.7 feet) contains approximately 86 000 kilograms (192.023 pounds) of liquid oxygen and about 20 000 kg (43.500 pounds) of liquid hydrogen. E 'equipped with a J-2 engine mounted in the center. The empty weight is about 11 000 kilograms (25,000 pounds), fully loaded about 117 000 kilograms (260.523 pounds).
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| Instrument Unit (IU) (Credit: NASA ) |
In total, the Saturn V rocket and the Instrument Unit (IU) reached about 86 meters (281 feet) high with a total weight load of approximately 180 000 kilograms (397.974 pounds) and 2 million and 856 000 kg (6,346,674 pounds) with a full tank of fuel.
Above the Saturn V is located on the payload of the mission: the Apollo spacecraft. In the above sequence Instrument Unit are located on the Lunar Module (Lunar Module - LM) and the Service Module (Service Mosul - SM), the Command Module (Command Module - CM) and the Tower Rescue (Launch Escape System - LES ).
The Lunar Module (LM-5) consists of two stages: Stage of Ascension (Ascending Stage) and the Stadium of Descent (Descending Stage). It 'a total of about 7 meters high and wide about 10 meters from foot to foot. The system at full load, excluding crew, weighs 14 000 kilograms. For the launch of the Lunar Module is included with the legs folded inside a protective cone being designed for use only in a vacuum.
The Service Module (SM-107) contains what is necessary to travel through space: oxygen, energy production, water, the propulsion system and consumables. It 'a little more than 8 meters high with a diameter of about 4.5 mt. The gross vehicle weight is about 23 000 kilograms.
The Command Module (CM-107) is the basic structure of the system where there are crew members. It 's a pressurized cone-shaped structure less than 4 meters high with a diameter of just over 4 meters. It has a takeoff weight of about 5 000 and 500 kilograms. The base is composed of a heat shield is necessary to return to the atmosphere.
Tower Rescue is located at the top of the whole system and is composed of three solid propellant motors. The tower is taller than 11 meters with a base diameter of about 4 meters. Fully loaded weighs about 4000 kilograms.
The total is about 124 meters high and weighs just under 3 million pounds.
As mentioned in the VAB is also assembled the umbilical tower, 130 meters high ( 380 feet), and the whole, without the propellants must be delivered to the launch pad 39A
5 km away and 600 meters (3.5 miles).
to realize this is not easy to transport created a special vehicle (crawler) wide 46 meters (135 feet), 54mt long (160 feet) high and 8.5 meters (25 feet) capable of handling 2 million and 500 000 kilograms (6,000,000 pounds) on a leveling platform. The vehicle is mounted on four trucks each Track up about 3.5 meters (10 feet) long and 13.5 meters (40 feet) with 16 motors powered by four 1,000 kw generators generated by two diesel engines of 2,750 horsepower . Top speed is about 1.6 km / h (1 mph) and it takes about 6 hours to complete the course.
The launch pad 39A is formed by a concrete block in the shape of a truncated octagonal pyramid covers an area of \u200b\u200babout 1 km square and rising up to 30 meters on the surrounding area. Inside there is a canal 30 meters wide can guarantee when launching a flow of about 190,000 liters per minute (50,000 gallons per minute) of water needed to cool the structure and avoid the danger of fire resulting from the use of first stage.
Once at the launch pad, nine hours before departure, start the procedures for loading the propellants that require approximately 4 hours.
Before the description of the launch and the mission is right to introduce his crew.
The crew consists of three elements, two of which will fall on the moon while physically the third will remain in orbit around our natural satellite.
Neil A. Armstrong - NASA Astronaut - Apollo 11 Commander - Born Aug. 5, 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio (USA). 4,000 hours of flight assets at launch and a space mission on board as commander of Gemini 8.
Michael Collins - NASA Astronaut - Pilot of the Apollo 11 Command Module - Born October 31, 1930 in Rome (ITA). 4,000 hours of flight assets at launch and a space mission as a pilot on board the Gemini 10.
Edwin E. Aldrin Jr - NASA Astronaut - Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot - Born January 20, 1930 in Montclair, New Jersey (USA). 3,500 hours of flight assets at launch and a space mission as a pilot on board the Gemini 12.
The crew boarded the elevator that takes them on top of the Saturn V, to over 100m height in 25 seconds, 2 hours and 40 minutes and 40 seconds before launch. Sequentially entering nell'Apollo 11: Neil Armstrong (-2h 34m 44s) in the left seat, Michael Collins (-2h 39m 55s) in the right seat and Edwin Aldrin (-2h 23m 46s) in the middle seat. Two hours after the launch is closed the hatch of the spacecraft.
At 50 seconds after launch, the power is transferred to the Saturn V, which becomes independent.
At 15 seconds the driving control is carried on board.
begins final countdown "12, 11, 10, 9, ignition sequence start, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, all the engine is' running (Taken by emotion Jack King" The Voice of Apollo "mistake by saying" All engine running), take-off.
At 9:32:00 hours on the east coast (13:32:00 UTC) is the mission that will take off Man on the Moon.
2m 41.63s After you turn off the first stage of posting and is on the second stage (+2 m 43.04s). After
3m 17.9s ejected Tower Rescue. 7m 40.62s
After you turn off the central engine of the second stage, after 9m 8.22s are also turned off the outboard motors of the second stage of posting and is on the third stage (+9 m 12.2s). 11m 39.33s
After you turn off the third stage and after 11m 49.33s is the listing in Earth orbit. After 2h 44m 16.2s is
rekindled the third stage and off after 2h 50m 3.03s.
After 2h 50m 23.9s start surfing translunar orbital mission that will reach the Moon. The rest of the journey is spent in simply waiting. During the approach is the separation of the Command and Service Module (CSM) from the third stage, the rotation of 180 °, the coupling of LM, a further 180 ° rotation and the subsequent continuation of the orbit, after 4h 17m 3s since its launch. Is then a switch to change course after 25h 44m 58.64s lasting about 3 seconds.
75H 49m 50.37s is spent re-ignition engines for insertion into lunar orbit and the subsequent insertion into circular orbit at 80h 11m 36.75s throwing.
begin procedures for the lunar landing. Commander Armstrong and Aldrin pilot moving to the Lunar Module that is called "Eagle", a symbol of the United States and a symbol of the mission and the Apollo capsule, called the "Columbia", in memory of the ship "Columbiad" Jules Verne in his novel "From Earth to the Moon." After 100h 12m
is the separation of the CSM from LM, which begins its descent toward the surface while the CSM is still in orbit aboard the only Collins.
The descent is smooth. But upon landing zone chosen by the board computer is found to be unfit because of the presence of a crater, and so the landing is in the manual.
At 20:17:39 UTC on July 20, 1969 the man landing on another celestial body after takeoff from 102H 45m 39.9s. Moon - Sea of \u200b\u200bTranquility. Armstrong announced: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed" (" Houston, Tranquillity Base here. The Eagle Has Landed").
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| Lunar Module (LM) (Credit: NASA ) |
The Lunar Module (LM-5) consists of two stages: Stage of Ascension (Ascending Stage) and the Stadium of Descent (Descending Stage). It 'a total of about 7 meters high and wide about 10 meters from foot to foot. The system at full load, excluding crew, weighs 14 000 kilograms. For the launch of the Lunar Module is included with the legs folded inside a protective cone being designed for use only in a vacuum.
The Service Module (SM-107) contains what is necessary to travel through space: oxygen, energy production, water, the propulsion system and consumables. It 'a little more than 8 meters high with a diameter of about 4.5 mt. The gross vehicle weight is about 23 000 kilograms.
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| Command and Service Module (CSM) (Credit: NASA ) |
Tower Rescue is located at the top of the whole system and is composed of three solid propellant motors. The tower is taller than 11 meters with a base diameter of about 4 meters. Fully loaded weighs about 4000 kilograms.
The total is about 124 meters high and weighs just under 3 million pounds.
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| Apollo 11 comes direct from the VAB to the launch pad 39A (Credit: NASA ) |
5 km away and 600 meters (3.5 miles).
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| The Crawler (Credit: NASA ) |
The launch pad 39A is formed by a concrete block in the shape of a truncated octagonal pyramid covers an area of \u200b\u200babout 1 km square and rising up to 30 meters on the surrounding area. Inside there is a canal 30 meters wide can guarantee when launching a flow of about 190,000 liters per minute (50,000 gallons per minute) of water needed to cool the structure and avoid the danger of fire resulting from the use of first stage.
Once at the launch pad, nine hours before departure, start the procedures for loading the propellants that require approximately 4 hours.
Before the description of the launch and the mission is right to introduce his crew.
The crew consists of three elements, two of which will fall on the moon while physically the third will remain in orbit around our natural satellite.
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| From Left - Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins, Edwin E. Aldrin Jr (Credit: NASA ) |
Neil A. Armstrong - NASA Astronaut - Apollo 11 Commander - Born Aug. 5, 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio (USA). 4,000 hours of flight assets at launch and a space mission on board as commander of Gemini 8.
Michael Collins - NASA Astronaut - Pilot of the Apollo 11 Command Module - Born October 31, 1930 in Rome (ITA). 4,000 hours of flight assets at launch and a space mission as a pilot on board the Gemini 10.
Edwin E. Aldrin Jr - NASA Astronaut - Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot - Born January 20, 1930 in Montclair, New Jersey (USA). 3,500 hours of flight assets at launch and a space mission as a pilot on board the Gemini 12.
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| The launch of the Saturn V (Credit: NASA ) |
At 50 seconds after launch, the power is transferred to the Saturn V, which becomes independent.
At 15 seconds the driving control is carried on board.
begins final countdown "12, 11, 10, 9, ignition sequence start, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, all the engine is' running (Taken by emotion Jack King" The Voice of Apollo "mistake by saying" All engine running), take-off.
At 9:32:00 hours on the east coast (13:32:00 UTC) is the mission that will take off Man on the Moon.
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| The flight plan of the Apollo 11 mission (Credit: NASA ) |
3m 17.9s ejected Tower Rescue. 7m 40.62s
After you turn off the central engine of the second stage, after 9m 8.22s are also turned off the outboard motors of the second stage of posting and is on the third stage (+9 m 12.2s). 11m 39.33s
After you turn off the third stage and after 11m 49.33s is the listing in Earth orbit. After 2h 44m 16.2s is
rekindled the third stage and off after 2h 50m 3.03s.
After 2h 50m 23.9s start surfing translunar orbital mission that will reach the Moon. The rest of the journey is spent in simply waiting. During the approach is the separation of the Command and Service Module (CSM) from the third stage, the rotation of 180 °, the coupling of LM, a further 180 ° rotation and the subsequent continuation of the orbit, after 4h 17m 3s since its launch. Is then a switch to change course after 25h 44m 58.64s lasting about 3 seconds.
75H 49m 50.37s is spent re-ignition engines for insertion into lunar orbit and the subsequent insertion into circular orbit at 80h 11m 36.75s throwing.
begin procedures for the lunar landing. Commander Armstrong and Aldrin pilot moving to the Lunar Module that is called "Eagle", a symbol of the United States and a symbol of the mission and the Apollo capsule, called the "Columbia", in memory of the ship "Columbiad" Jules Verne in his novel "From Earth to the Moon." After 100h 12m
is the separation of the CSM from LM, which begins its descent toward the surface while the CSM is still in orbit aboard the only Collins.
The descent is smooth. But upon landing zone chosen by the board computer is found to be unfit because of the presence of a crater, and so the landing is in the manual.
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| View of the Moon by LM immediately after landing (Credit: NASA ) |
begin immediately after the operations to allow the first man to set foot on the moon.
At 2:56:48 UTC on July 21 1969 Commander Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, and pronounce the historic phrase: "That's one small step for man ... one giant leap for mankind". (That's one small step for man ... one giant leap for mankind).
is reached after 12 minutes even by Edwin Aldrin.
During the 2 ½ hours of extravehicular activity (EVA - Extra Vehicular Activity), the two astronauts perform many operations, planting the American flag, installed a laser reflector and a seismic station. Many also collect rock samples for a total of about 22 kilograms (47 pounds). Among other things dropped on the lunar surface must be recorded on a plaque installed in memory LM of the legs of the firm.
fall within the LM to 5:11:13 UTC on July 21, 1969.
Throughout the period of stay on the moon, Michael Collins is in orbit, just above all in the 48 minutes it loses radio contact with Earth, nell'orbitare behind our natural satellite.
At 17:54:00 UTC Stadium Ascent of the LM detaches from the descent stage to reach orbit in Columbia. The attachment is perfectly at 21:35:00 UTC. The crew of the LM moved in the CMS and the LM is ejected.
At 4:55:52 UTC on July 22, 1969 at 135h 23m 42.28s rekindled by the launch is the engine of CMS to carry out the orbit of return. At 16:21:12 UTC on July 24, 1969 near the back of the module is separated from the Command and Service Module at 16:35:05 UTC, 3m 5.7s to 195h after its launch, is the re-entry into the atmosphere.
16:50:35 At the Command Module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.
The company has accomplished.
Half65.
In closing I want to point out some link used to make it in writing this post and where you can learn more:
NASA - Apollo 11 Image Library
NASA - Information about the Mission of Apollo
NASA - Apollo 11 - Information for Journalists (Press Kit)
NASA - Apollo 11 Timeline
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| The plaque installed on the leg of the LM (Credit: NASA ) |
fall within the LM to 5:11:13 UTC on July 21, 1969.
Throughout the period of stay on the moon, Michael Collins is in orbit, just above all in the 48 minutes it loses radio contact with Earth, nell'orbitare behind our natural satellite.
At 17:54:00 UTC Stadium Ascent of the LM detaches from the descent stage to reach orbit in Columbia. The attachment is perfectly at 21:35:00 UTC. The crew of the LM moved in the CMS and the LM is ejected.
At 4:55:52 UTC on July 22, 1969 at 135h 23m 42.28s rekindled by the launch is the engine of CMS to carry out the orbit of return. At 16:21:12 UTC on July 24, 1969 near the back of the module is separated from the Command and Service Module at 16:35:05 UTC, 3m 5.7s to 195h after its launch, is the re-entry into the atmosphere.
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| The Command Module is ditched (Credit: NASA ) |
16:50:35 At the Command Module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.
The company has accomplished.
Half65.
In closing I want to point out some link used to make it in writing this post and where you can learn more:
NASA - Apollo 11 Image Library
NASA - Information about the Mission of Apollo
NASA - Apollo 11 - Information for Journalists (Press Kit)
NASA - Apollo 11 Timeline
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