Read about Apollo 8
Apollo 9 would play a pivotal role in the first manned moon landing because the crew would test many of the critical components to the Apollo 11 mission. The crew was headed by Gemini veteran Jim McDivitt. His Command Module Pilot was another Gemini veteran from the third group of astronauts, David Scott. Filling the final position of Lunar Module Pilot was young looking Rusty Schweickart whose first and only flight would occur on Apollo 9. The Lunar Module (LM or lem) would truly be tested in this mission, for the first time. However, there were many other mission parameters which will be discussed shortly.
First the crew separated from the craft containing the lem and used the command module to dock with it and unload it. After this was performed, the crew was connected to the lem and actually transferred from one to the other without using spacesuits.
Schweickart was supposed to perform an EVA, but he became ill with space sickness during the first day and his tests were scrapped for his safety. However, Schweickart recovered and performed some of the tests. However, he was able to prove that the new Apollo spacesuit could perform without an umbilical lifeline to the ship. To do this, Schweickart carried a backpack which functioned as life support for this suit. It would be used again for every Apollo mission.
Following this, there was one craft that had to be tested before Apollo could move forward. The LM would have to function in space, and its engines would have to work. McDivitt and Schweickart would take out the LM for this maiden voyage. The craft worked as it was supposed to, and the mission was a complete success. After this mission, the only member of the crew who would fly again would be David Scott.
Read about Apollo 10
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
The Lunar Module
Hey everyone,
For man to land on the moon, they would need a vehicle capable of landing on the surface and taking off again. However, at first, there was some discussion on what to send to the moon. Some suggested taking a large craft to the moon weighing a significant amount more than the final product would. This was a direct ascent approach or an Earth rendezvous approach. However, both of these methods would require landing the entire spacecraft on the moon. By using a lunar orbit rendezvous, only a small craft would land on the moon while another stay in orbit. Once finished on the surface, the two would reconnect in lunar orbit. After this plan was accepted, the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) would be constructed mainly by the Grumann Aircraft Engineering with Tom Kelly as the chief designer. During this process, weight was a constant concern. To save weight, windows were made small, seats were even removed and replaced by velco so the astronauts could stand and see out the windows, and even shielding was removed and replaced by a thin sheet. However, the LEM would never fail and prove all the critics wrong. The final change before it would see space was from the Lunar Excursion Module to the Lunar Module, but it was still known as the LEM.
P.S. I'm not seeing a return from some of my clicks. If anyone is clicking to help me out, I would like you to stop. My adsense account can be revoked and all the money I've earned can be lost. If it is genuine, let me know so I can report a problem. Thanks.
For man to land on the moon, they would need a vehicle capable of landing on the surface and taking off again. However, at first, there was some discussion on what to send to the moon. Some suggested taking a large craft to the moon weighing a significant amount more than the final product would. This was a direct ascent approach or an Earth rendezvous approach. However, both of these methods would require landing the entire spacecraft on the moon. By using a lunar orbit rendezvous, only a small craft would land on the moon while another stay in orbit. Once finished on the surface, the two would reconnect in lunar orbit. After this plan was accepted, the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) would be constructed mainly by the Grumann Aircraft Engineering with Tom Kelly as the chief designer. During this process, weight was a constant concern. To save weight, windows were made small, seats were even removed and replaced by velco so the astronauts could stand and see out the windows, and even shielding was removed and replaced by a thin sheet. However, the LEM would never fail and prove all the critics wrong. The final change before it would see space was from the Lunar Excursion Module to the Lunar Module, but it was still known as the LEM.
P.S. I'm not seeing a return from some of my clicks. If anyone is clicking to help me out, I would like you to stop. My adsense account can be revoked and all the money I've earned can be lost. If it is genuine, let me know so I can report a problem. Thanks.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
A shameless plug
Hey everyone,
I just wanted to encourage everyone to click on my ads. Just to entice you a little more, here's a shameless plug. Do you have a galactic empire threatening the very livelihood of your rebel band, but you don't know how to notify them of attack? Are Death Stars seemingly hiding behind every moon (that's no moon, it's a space station)? Has the prolonged war with the empire turned your rebel base into more of a senior living community without proper emergency systems? Your lightsaber isn't as hard as it once was (if you can light it up at all)? Well then, try out the emergency systems listed alongside this blog. Promised to save your life in the case of a Death Star attack or a sudden AT-AT Walker attack on various ice planets. There's no need to fear with _____________(fill in blank).
P.S. Not actual promise. There is no known defense against a blast from a Death Star and emergency alert is unlikely to destroy an AT-AT Walker.
P.P.S. There is no proof that these emergency systems will give you an erection unless you're into that kind of thing.
I just wanted to encourage everyone to click on my ads. Just to entice you a little more, here's a shameless plug. Do you have a galactic empire threatening the very livelihood of your rebel band, but you don't know how to notify them of attack? Are Death Stars seemingly hiding behind every moon (that's no moon, it's a space station)? Has the prolonged war with the empire turned your rebel base into more of a senior living community without proper emergency systems? Your lightsaber isn't as hard as it once was (if you can light it up at all)? Well then, try out the emergency systems listed alongside this blog. Promised to save your life in the case of a Death Star attack or a sudden AT-AT Walker attack on various ice planets. There's no need to fear with _____________(fill in blank).
P.S. Not actual promise. There is no known defense against a blast from a Death Star and emergency alert is unlikely to destroy an AT-AT Walker.
P.P.S. There is no proof that these emergency systems will give you an erection unless you're into that kind of thing.
Apollo 8
Hey everyone,
The end of the decade was quickly approaching as the Apollo Program moved forward. The second manned Apollo was meant to test the Lunar Module, but its construction was behind schedule. A bold plan was instated. They would switch the Apollo 8 and 9 missions and add to the new Apollo 8 mission. Just before the end of 1968, the crew of Apollo 8 would journey to the moon and back, assuming all went well. The crew would include Commander Frank Borman, CMP Jim Lovell, and LMP Bill Anders. Borman and Lovell had flown together before on Gemini VII, but this was Anders first spaceflight. The Saturn V rocket would be used for this flight. However, with the quick change, the crew didn't have as much time to train and spent seven hours in training for every actual hour of the mission. However, in a year fraught with unrest, assassinations, and an escalation in Vietman, the nation looked to Apollo 8 as a sign of hope. They launched on December 21, 1968 and were the first men to escape low Earth orbit as they began their journey to the moon. The flight to the moon was fairly lackadaisical except that Borman became sick. He experienced vomiting and diarrhea; however, he soon recovered and the mission continued without incident. The crew journeyed around the moon and entered orbit, and, for the first time, man saw the far side of the moon with their naked eyes. While orbiting the moon, they surveyed the surface looking for future landing sites. As the fourth orbit approached, the crew witnessed an Earthrise leaving them speechless and providing one of the most common images from space. During their ninth orbit, they addressed Earth and, famously, read from Genesis. After wishing the Earth a merry Christmas, they signed off. Before they could leave the moon's orbit, they had to perform a burn to return them to Earth which was the most critical aspect of the mission. If it failed, they would be stuck in orbit and would eventually die. However, the burn worked, and they returned to Earth. Lovell would accidentally cause the craft to deviate off course, and they would have to manually re-align on their return journey. After this, the mission finished without a hitch and a normal splashdown. After landing, the crew was named Time's Man of the Year even though their feat had occurred just before the new year. They won because they were the first men to travel to leave Earth's orbit, travel to another celestial being, and return from that celestial being. However, their feat would be topped soon enough.
The end of the decade was quickly approaching as the Apollo Program moved forward. The second manned Apollo was meant to test the Lunar Module, but its construction was behind schedule. A bold plan was instated. They would switch the Apollo 8 and 9 missions and add to the new Apollo 8 mission. Just before the end of 1968, the crew of Apollo 8 would journey to the moon and back, assuming all went well. The crew would include Commander Frank Borman, CMP Jim Lovell, and LMP Bill Anders. Borman and Lovell had flown together before on Gemini VII, but this was Anders first spaceflight. The Saturn V rocket would be used for this flight. However, with the quick change, the crew didn't have as much time to train and spent seven hours in training for every actual hour of the mission. However, in a year fraught with unrest, assassinations, and an escalation in Vietman, the nation looked to Apollo 8 as a sign of hope. They launched on December 21, 1968 and were the first men to escape low Earth orbit as they began their journey to the moon. The flight to the moon was fairly lackadaisical except that Borman became sick. He experienced vomiting and diarrhea; however, he soon recovered and the mission continued without incident. The crew journeyed around the moon and entered orbit, and, for the first time, man saw the far side of the moon with their naked eyes. While orbiting the moon, they surveyed the surface looking for future landing sites. As the fourth orbit approached, the crew witnessed an Earthrise leaving them speechless and providing one of the most common images from space. During their ninth orbit, they addressed Earth and, famously, read from Genesis. After wishing the Earth a merry Christmas, they signed off. Before they could leave the moon's orbit, they had to perform a burn to return them to Earth which was the most critical aspect of the mission. If it failed, they would be stuck in orbit and would eventually die. However, the burn worked, and they returned to Earth. Lovell would accidentally cause the craft to deviate off course, and they would have to manually re-align on their return journey. After this, the mission finished without a hitch and a normal splashdown. After landing, the crew was named Time's Man of the Year even though their feat had occurred just before the new year. They won because they were the first men to travel to leave Earth's orbit, travel to another celestial being, and return from that celestial being. However, their feat would be topped soon enough.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Apollo 7
Hey everyone,
On October 11, 1968, Apollo 7 launched into space with the crew of Wally Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham. The Apollo crews would have the new positions of Commander, Command Module Pilot (CMP), and the Lunar Module Pilot (LMP). Schirra was the Commander while Eisele (CMP) and Cunningham (LMP) would have lesser positions. This would be Schirra's last spaceflight, and he would be the only man to fly Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. However, no manned flight had occurred since the tragedy of Apollo 1 placing some pressure on this flight for success. Schirra was an excellent candidate for this mission because he was meticulous when it came to safety. Before the flight, he asked that an abort be instated in case of a significant wind on the launchpad. If they were to launch on a very windy day and had to abort, the wind could blow them back ashore causing the astronauts to be harmed or even killed. Schirra's demand was instated, but the launch went smoothly. However, in space, the crew became irritable after they developed motion sickness due to the larger space provided for the astronauts. Schirra soon developed a bad head cold, and he began to refuse requests. Likewise, the other crew became irritable. This "talking back" led to Eisele and Cunningham being omitted from later crews. Still, the mission was successful and was instrumental in the impromptu mission alteration for Apollo 8.
On October 11, 1968, Apollo 7 launched into space with the crew of Wally Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham. The Apollo crews would have the new positions of Commander, Command Module Pilot (CMP), and the Lunar Module Pilot (LMP). Schirra was the Commander while Eisele (CMP) and Cunningham (LMP) would have lesser positions. This would be Schirra's last spaceflight, and he would be the only man to fly Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. However, no manned flight had occurred since the tragedy of Apollo 1 placing some pressure on this flight for success. Schirra was an excellent candidate for this mission because he was meticulous when it came to safety. Before the flight, he asked that an abort be instated in case of a significant wind on the launchpad. If they were to launch on a very windy day and had to abort, the wind could blow them back ashore causing the astronauts to be harmed or even killed. Schirra's demand was instated, but the launch went smoothly. However, in space, the crew became irritable after they developed motion sickness due to the larger space provided for the astronauts. Schirra soon developed a bad head cold, and he began to refuse requests. Likewise, the other crew became irritable. This "talking back" led to Eisele and Cunningham being omitted from later crews. Still, the mission was successful and was instrumental in the impromptu mission alteration for Apollo 8.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Saturn V
Hey everyone,
The dream of sending a man to the moon and returning him safely to Earth was in reach after Project Gemini. But, man would need a rocket to travel to the moon carrying more mass than ever before. This rocket would prove to be the largest rocket ever built by far. The Saturn V booster would be this rocket. The initial work on a Saturn V relative would begin in 1960, and they would begin plans on the Saturn V in 1962. By 1963, it was confirmed as the rocket for the Apollo missions. Wernher von Braun was the architect of this rocket, fulfilling a long time dream for the man. The finished product would stand 363 feet tall and use 6,500,000 pounds of fuel. Like other rockets, this was a multi-stage rocket which had three stages. The first stage had five engines and used kerosene type fuel with liquid oxygen. The second stage also had five engines and used liquid hydrogen and oxygen. The third stage used a single engine for a final push into space with liquid hydrogen and oxygen. Before men would ride this rocket, there would be two unmanned launches of this rocket with the Apollo 4 and 6. Four was successful while six had some serious problems. However, the rocket has 2,000 moving parts, and anyone of these parts failing could cause serious problems. The work had to be literally flawless, and it was consistently. This rocket is the pinnacle of science and an amazing feat considering that rocketry was still young (40 years old) and space flight was very young (12 years old). While the rocket worked, other missions would have to be flown before man would walk on the moon.
The dream of sending a man to the moon and returning him safely to Earth was in reach after Project Gemini. But, man would need a rocket to travel to the moon carrying more mass than ever before. This rocket would prove to be the largest rocket ever built by far. The Saturn V booster would be this rocket. The initial work on a Saturn V relative would begin in 1960, and they would begin plans on the Saturn V in 1962. By 1963, it was confirmed as the rocket for the Apollo missions. Wernher von Braun was the architect of this rocket, fulfilling a long time dream for the man. The finished product would stand 363 feet tall and use 6,500,000 pounds of fuel. Like other rockets, this was a multi-stage rocket which had three stages. The first stage had five engines and used kerosene type fuel with liquid oxygen. The second stage also had five engines and used liquid hydrogen and oxygen. The third stage used a single engine for a final push into space with liquid hydrogen and oxygen. Before men would ride this rocket, there would be two unmanned launches of this rocket with the Apollo 4 and 6. Four was successful while six had some serious problems. However, the rocket has 2,000 moving parts, and anyone of these parts failing could cause serious problems. The work had to be literally flawless, and it was consistently. This rocket is the pinnacle of science and an amazing feat considering that rocketry was still young (40 years old) and space flight was very young (12 years old). While the rocket worked, other missions would have to be flown before man would walk on the moon.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Apollo I
Hey everyone,
After several unmanned flights, the first manned Apollo spaceflight would have a Mercury and Gemini veteran at its helm, Virgil "Gus" Grissom. The second member had conducted the first American space walk, Edward White, and the third member was a smart astronaut from the newest group of astronauts named Roger Chaffee. The crew began to prepare for the launch in late 1966. There were a few issues including communication between the ship and the ground control as well as fire safety issues. On January 27, 1967, during a routine plugs out test was conducted. This is where the craft is sealed and run under its own power. However, an accident occurred. The cabin was filled pure oxygen when a faulty wire caused was a spark. This quickly exploded into a fire which engulfed the entire cabin. The men reacted as they should. They shouted "fire" and began the procedure to open the door. Within 30 seconds, the cabin door exploded outwards, and the crew was dead. The pressure from the expansion of air due to the heat made the door unable to open. The crew wasn't removed from the craft for hours due to various hazards to others. Asphyxiation killed Grissom, White, and Chaffee, but there were others who said it was poor design, rushed construction, and carelessness. Congressional hearings were held on the matter. There was fear that Apollo was done, but it was allowed to continue. Doors were made to open outward and had an explosive charge for emergencies. This accident actually facilitated safety and prevented many other deaths. Still, it's just terrible that it had to come at the cost of three lives. However, Grissom himself said, "If we die, we want people to accept it. We are in a risky business and we hope that if anything happens to us it will not delay the program. The conquest of space is worth the risk of life". I, wholeheartedly, again.
After several unmanned flights, the first manned Apollo spaceflight would have a Mercury and Gemini veteran at its helm, Virgil "Gus" Grissom. The second member had conducted the first American space walk, Edward White, and the third member was a smart astronaut from the newest group of astronauts named Roger Chaffee. The crew began to prepare for the launch in late 1966. There were a few issues including communication between the ship and the ground control as well as fire safety issues. On January 27, 1967, during a routine plugs out test was conducted. This is where the craft is sealed and run under its own power. However, an accident occurred. The cabin was filled pure oxygen when a faulty wire caused was a spark. This quickly exploded into a fire which engulfed the entire cabin. The men reacted as they should. They shouted "fire" and began the procedure to open the door. Within 30 seconds, the cabin door exploded outwards, and the crew was dead. The pressure from the expansion of air due to the heat made the door unable to open. The crew wasn't removed from the craft for hours due to various hazards to others. Asphyxiation killed Grissom, White, and Chaffee, but there were others who said it was poor design, rushed construction, and carelessness. Congressional hearings were held on the matter. There was fear that Apollo was done, but it was allowed to continue. Doors were made to open outward and had an explosive charge for emergencies. This accident actually facilitated safety and prevented many other deaths. Still, it's just terrible that it had to come at the cost of three lives. However, Grissom himself said, "If we die, we want people to accept it. We are in a risky business and we hope that if anything happens to us it will not delay the program. The conquest of space is worth the risk of life". I, wholeheartedly, again.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
May 25, 1961
Hey everyone,
The Apollo Program which proposed that a man be sent to the moon was conceived as early as the Eisenhower administration. However, it wasn't until May 25th, 1961 that this program began moving forward. On this date, Kennedy addressed congress. His statement was this "...I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important in the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish". This was just weeks after Alan Shepard had launched into space for fifteen minutes. The goal was bold, to say the least. Over the 8 years and more that followed, 400,000 people would work towards this goal and tens of billions would be spent on this endeavor. President Kennedy would publicly push this goal, especially in a speech made at Rice University on September 12, 1962. In this speech, Kennedy stated that "No nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space" and "we choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard". However, President Kennedy would not live to see this dream after succumbing to an assassin's bullet just fourteen months after this speech. Even after this death, Project Gemini would move towards this goal, and, by the beginning of 1967, the moon appeared to be a tangible goal. But, tragedy would stop it dead in its tracks.
The Apollo Program which proposed that a man be sent to the moon was conceived as early as the Eisenhower administration. However, it wasn't until May 25th, 1961 that this program began moving forward. On this date, Kennedy addressed congress. His statement was this "...I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important in the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish". This was just weeks after Alan Shepard had launched into space for fifteen minutes. The goal was bold, to say the least. Over the 8 years and more that followed, 400,000 people would work towards this goal and tens of billions would be spent on this endeavor. President Kennedy would publicly push this goal, especially in a speech made at Rice University on September 12, 1962. In this speech, Kennedy stated that "No nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space" and "we choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard". However, President Kennedy would not live to see this dream after succumbing to an assassin's bullet just fourteen months after this speech. Even after this death, Project Gemini would move towards this goal, and, by the beginning of 1967, the moon appeared to be a tangible goal. But, tragedy would stop it dead in its tracks.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Gemini: The Crews (An overview)
Hey everyone,
The manned crews of Gemini are as follows:
Gemini III (Command Pilot first, Pilot second):
Virgil "Gus" Grissom
John Young
Gemini IV:
James McDivitt
Edward White
Gemini V:
L. Gordon Cooper
Charles "Pete" Conrad
Gemini VI:
Wally Schirra
Thomas Stafford
Gemini VII:
Frank Borman
James Lovell
Gemini VII:
Neil Armstrong
David Scott
Gemini IX:
Thomas Stafford
Eugene Cernan
Gemini X:
John Young
Michael Collins
Gemini XI:
Charles "Pete" Conrad
Richard Gordon
Gemini XII:
James Lovell
Edwin "Buzz" Aldwin
The manned crews of Gemini are as follows:
Gemini III (Command Pilot first, Pilot second):
Virgil "Gus" Grissom
John Young
Gemini IV:
James McDivitt
Edward White
Gemini V:
L. Gordon Cooper
Charles "Pete" Conrad
Gemini VI:
Wally Schirra
Thomas Stafford
Gemini VII:
Frank Borman
James Lovell
Gemini VII:
Neil Armstrong
David Scott
Gemini IX:
Thomas Stafford
Eugene Cernan
Gemini X:
John Young
Michael Collins
Gemini XI:
Charles "Pete" Conrad
Richard Gordon
Gemini XII:
James Lovell
Edwin "Buzz" Aldwin
Gemini XI and XII
Hey everyone,
Project Gemini was coming to an end as the Project Apollo was slotted to begin. There were only two flights left. The Gemini XI mission would be flown by Charles "Pete" Conrad and Richard Gordon. Conrad wanted to fly a mission around the moon, but this wouldn't happen (eventually, his wish would come true). However, they did rendezvous immediately after reaching orbit with the Agena to simulate a lunar rendezvous. Gordon made two spacewalks, but he succumbed to exhaustion as other space walkers had. Another EVA was attempted, but it was just a stand up space walk. However, they would reach the highest Earth orbit by an American manned spacecraft, a record that still stands today. They also conducted experiments relating to the human body as had the other Gemini missions. Re-entry was done by computer and landed 4.5km from their intended landing site.
The final manned Gemini flight would have to prove that a man could maneuver easily and work efficiently outside the craft. Jim Lovell and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin manned this mission which utilized underwater training to simulate space. Foot holds and hand bars were introduced to the spacecraft for increased maneuvering. The other aspects of the mission were routine at this point. Finally,all of the Project Gemini objectives had been completed. With 1967 looming, time was running out, and the goal of the moon by December 31st, 1969 would need a major step forward. The journey would be fraught with excitement as well as tragedy. However, the tragedy came first.
Project Gemini was coming to an end as the Project Apollo was slotted to begin. There were only two flights left. The Gemini XI mission would be flown by Charles "Pete" Conrad and Richard Gordon. Conrad wanted to fly a mission around the moon, but this wouldn't happen (eventually, his wish would come true). However, they did rendezvous immediately after reaching orbit with the Agena to simulate a lunar rendezvous. Gordon made two spacewalks, but he succumbed to exhaustion as other space walkers had. Another EVA was attempted, but it was just a stand up space walk. However, they would reach the highest Earth orbit by an American manned spacecraft, a record that still stands today. They also conducted experiments relating to the human body as had the other Gemini missions. Re-entry was done by computer and landed 4.5km from their intended landing site.
The final manned Gemini flight would have to prove that a man could maneuver easily and work efficiently outside the craft. Jim Lovell and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin manned this mission which utilized underwater training to simulate space. Foot holds and hand bars were introduced to the spacecraft for increased maneuvering. The other aspects of the mission were routine at this point. Finally,all of the Project Gemini objectives had been completed. With 1967 looming, time was running out, and the goal of the moon by December 31st, 1969 would need a major step forward. The journey would be fraught with excitement as well as tragedy. However, the tragedy came first.
Gemini X
Hey everyone,
Gemini X was the third to last manned flight of Project Gemini. John Young would command this flight with Michael Collins as his Pilot. This mission set bold objectives which were supposed to be accomplished in the previous two missions. This mission would include two rendezvous and two EVAs. The first rendezvous and EVA were simple and executed with ease. The crew docked with their Agena craft for their first rendezvous and Collins stood in the open hatch and took pictures during his first EVA. Soon, they undocked from the Agena and set a course for the Gemini VIII Agena. After some difficulty, they found it and floated 3 meters away from it. Collins began his second EVA where he retrieved a Micrometeorite Collector from their Agena, but he also space walked over to the other Agena and collected the Micrometeorite Collector from that craft as well. A gas gun, used for mobility, was also being tested. Collins used it to move around the Gemini X craft, but it would fail after 25 minutes which would end the EVA. It would take eight minutes to finally close the hatch once Collins was inside again showing the difficulties of space walks. A few other experiments were conducted during the mission, and this mission showed that radiation at high altitude was not a problem. No major problems occurred during the flight, and they returned to Earth after three days in space.
Gemini X was the third to last manned flight of Project Gemini. John Young would command this flight with Michael Collins as his Pilot. This mission set bold objectives which were supposed to be accomplished in the previous two missions. This mission would include two rendezvous and two EVAs. The first rendezvous and EVA were simple and executed with ease. The crew docked with their Agena craft for their first rendezvous and Collins stood in the open hatch and took pictures during his first EVA. Soon, they undocked from the Agena and set a course for the Gemini VIII Agena. After some difficulty, they found it and floated 3 meters away from it. Collins began his second EVA where he retrieved a Micrometeorite Collector from their Agena, but he also space walked over to the other Agena and collected the Micrometeorite Collector from that craft as well. A gas gun, used for mobility, was also being tested. Collins used it to move around the Gemini X craft, but it would fail after 25 minutes which would end the EVA. It would take eight minutes to finally close the hatch once Collins was inside again showing the difficulties of space walks. A few other experiments were conducted during the mission, and this mission showed that radiation at high altitude was not a problem. No major problems occurred during the flight, and they returned to Earth after three days in space.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Gemini 9A
Hey everyone,
Gemini 9A was the 7th manned flight of Project Gemini. The original crew of Elliot See and Charles Basset were killed in an airplane crash outside of St. Louis, MO in 1966. They were replaced by Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan. Again, they would rendezvous with an Agena vehicle and attempt a space walk. The first launch of the Agena failed and another rocket was launched two weeks later. The rendezvous was successful, but Cernan's EVA was another story. Cernan struggled with his tasks and fell behind quickly as his visor fogged. At the rear of the ship was the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit (AMU) which was a rocket pack type device, but a lack of hand and foot holds with the fogged visor soon caused exhaustion. His heart rate soared to 195 beats per minutes which led to the shortening of the EVA. Cernan had been outside the craft for 128 minutes. After conducting a few experiments, they prepared for re-entry and splashed down within 700 meters of their intended landing. The EVA problems would later resolved.
Gemini 9A was the 7th manned flight of Project Gemini. The original crew of Elliot See and Charles Basset were killed in an airplane crash outside of St. Louis, MO in 1966. They were replaced by Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan. Again, they would rendezvous with an Agena vehicle and attempt a space walk. The first launch of the Agena failed and another rocket was launched two weeks later. The rendezvous was successful, but Cernan's EVA was another story. Cernan struggled with his tasks and fell behind quickly as his visor fogged. At the rear of the ship was the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit (AMU) which was a rocket pack type device, but a lack of hand and foot holds with the fogged visor soon caused exhaustion. His heart rate soared to 195 beats per minutes which led to the shortening of the EVA. Cernan had been outside the craft for 128 minutes. After conducting a few experiments, they prepared for re-entry and splashed down within 700 meters of their intended landing. The EVA problems would later resolved.
Gemini VIII
Hey everyone,
Gemini VIII was the sixth manned space flight of Project Gemini with Neil Armstrong as the command pilot and David Scott as the pilot. This would be their first spaceflight. There were two primary objectives for this mission: to accomplish an in-orbit rendezvous and docking and to accomplish an extended EVA. The vehicle with which they were to dock was known as the Agena. It was launched the same day as the Gemini VIII crew and would dock the same day. They approached the craft slowly and inspected it once they flew near the craft. After confirming that there was no damage, Armstrong docked with the Agena, and their first objective was complete. The mission would continue with the Agena attached, and the craft would aid in steering. After executing a turn with the Agena, the craft started to roll. Eventually, the roll would be able to be fixed, so they undocked with the Agena. However, the roll began again. The roll would reach one revolution per second putting the lives of the astronauts in danger. Finally, on the verge of blackout, Armstrong used the Re-entry Control System reaction control system (RCS) to stop the spin. It worked, but the mission was now done due to mission parameters that stated a mission had to be aborted once the RCS was activated. They orbited once before they re-entered and landed. The Pacific Ocean near Japan was the landing site. Due to their excellent ability and cool headedness in handling the situation, Armstrong and Scott were given prominent roles in later spaceflights. Of course, these will be discussed in later posts.
Gemini VIII was the sixth manned space flight of Project Gemini with Neil Armstrong as the command pilot and David Scott as the pilot. This would be their first spaceflight. There were two primary objectives for this mission: to accomplish an in-orbit rendezvous and docking and to accomplish an extended EVA. The vehicle with which they were to dock was known as the Agena. It was launched the same day as the Gemini VIII crew and would dock the same day. They approached the craft slowly and inspected it once they flew near the craft. After confirming that there was no damage, Armstrong docked with the Agena, and their first objective was complete. The mission would continue with the Agena attached, and the craft would aid in steering. After executing a turn with the Agena, the craft started to roll. Eventually, the roll would be able to be fixed, so they undocked with the Agena. However, the roll began again. The roll would reach one revolution per second putting the lives of the astronauts in danger. Finally, on the verge of blackout, Armstrong used the Re-entry Control System reaction control system (RCS) to stop the spin. It worked, but the mission was now done due to mission parameters that stated a mission had to be aborted once the RCS was activated. They orbited once before they re-entered and landed. The Pacific Ocean near Japan was the landing site. Due to their excellent ability and cool headedness in handling the situation, Armstrong and Scott were given prominent roles in later spaceflights. Of course, these will be discussed in later posts.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Gemini VIa and VII
Hey everyone,
Gemini VIa and VII were the first spaceships to rendezvous in space. While this would accomplish one of the primary objectives of Project Gemini, many problems would have to be overcome. Gemini VIa was manned by Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford. However, their first launch attempt failed when a plug fell out of the bottom of the rocket, starting the onboard computer. When no upward motion was detected, the mission was automatically aborted by the computer. However, Schirra and Stafford did not eject from the craft like the mission rules dictated. Schirra made this decision, and the crew walked off of the spacecraft. This was the second major problem for the Gemini VIa crew. The first occurred when an Agena Target Vehicle (see Gemini VIII) failed soon after launch which caused an abort of their first launch. Finally, on the third attempt, they launched into space where they met up with Gemini VII which was manned by Frank Borman and Jim Lovell. They launched before Gemini VIa and were in space for 14 days. Gemini VIa met up with the other craft, and they rendezvoused for a time. Gemini VIa soon left for re-entry and landing which was very accurate. Upon this re-entry and landing, another objective of Project Gemini had been accomplished by the crew of Gemini VIa. Project Gemini would continue with Gemini VIII.
Gemini VIa and VII were the first spaceships to rendezvous in space. While this would accomplish one of the primary objectives of Project Gemini, many problems would have to be overcome. Gemini VIa was manned by Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford. However, their first launch attempt failed when a plug fell out of the bottom of the rocket, starting the onboard computer. When no upward motion was detected, the mission was automatically aborted by the computer. However, Schirra and Stafford did not eject from the craft like the mission rules dictated. Schirra made this decision, and the crew walked off of the spacecraft. This was the second major problem for the Gemini VIa crew. The first occurred when an Agena Target Vehicle (see Gemini VIII) failed soon after launch which caused an abort of their first launch. Finally, on the third attempt, they launched into space where they met up with Gemini VII which was manned by Frank Borman and Jim Lovell. They launched before Gemini VIa and were in space for 14 days. Gemini VIa met up with the other craft, and they rendezvoused for a time. Gemini VIa soon left for re-entry and landing which was very accurate. Upon this re-entry and landing, another objective of Project Gemini had been accomplished by the crew of Gemini VIa. Project Gemini would continue with Gemini VIII.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Gemini V
Hey everyone,
Project Gemini continued with its third manned spaceflight. L. Gordon Cooper, a Mercury veteran, acted as the Command Pilot for this mission while Charles "Pete" Conrad was the Pilot. The flight lasted 8 days and had a practice space rendezvous which proved unsuccessful. Problems began to develop with fuel cells and several experiments were canceled. The astronauts had some down time in space, and Conrad remarked that he hadn't brought a book. They returned to Earth safely, but Cooper would not fly again after Gemini. Conrad on the other hand would have a storied career in space. Other flights would address the rendezvous problems and continue towards the goal of the moon.
P. S. Sorry for the short length.
Project Gemini continued with its third manned spaceflight. L. Gordon Cooper, a Mercury veteran, acted as the Command Pilot for this mission while Charles "Pete" Conrad was the Pilot. The flight lasted 8 days and had a practice space rendezvous which proved unsuccessful. Problems began to develop with fuel cells and several experiments were canceled. The astronauts had some down time in space, and Conrad remarked that he hadn't brought a book. They returned to Earth safely, but Cooper would not fly again after Gemini. Conrad on the other hand would have a storied career in space. Other flights would address the rendezvous problems and continue towards the goal of the moon.
P. S. Sorry for the short length.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Gemini IV
Hey everyone,
In June 1965, Gemini IV took flight with the crew of James McDivitt and Edward White. McDivitt was the Command Pilot and White the Pilot. This was the first multi-day flight by the United States which showed that people could journey to the moon safely and return. They would also attempt a rendezvous, but this would not be successful. After Leonov's space walk in April, the United States moved up their plans for a spacewalk to Gemini IV. White executed this Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) without a hitch for 22 minutes. He was instructed to come back in at 15 minutes, but, due to a delay in communications, he didn't immediately receive this message which accounts for the last seven minutes. White passed Leonov by a full ten minutes on his walk to history. The rest of the mission continued smoothly and an overall Gemini objective had been met. McDivitt would fly again, but White would not, but that's a later post.
In June 1965, Gemini IV took flight with the crew of James McDivitt and Edward White. McDivitt was the Command Pilot and White the Pilot. This was the first multi-day flight by the United States which showed that people could journey to the moon safely and return. They would also attempt a rendezvous, but this would not be successful. After Leonov's space walk in April, the United States moved up their plans for a spacewalk to Gemini IV. White executed this Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) without a hitch for 22 minutes. He was instructed to come back in at 15 minutes, but, due to a delay in communications, he didn't immediately receive this message which accounts for the last seven minutes. White passed Leonov by a full ten minutes on his walk to history. The rest of the mission continued smoothly and an overall Gemini objective had been met. McDivitt would fly again, but White would not, but that's a later post.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Alexey Leonov and the first space walk
Hey everyone,
On March 18, 1965, Alexey Leonov became the first human being to walk in space. The walk only lasted for 12 minutes and 9 seconds, but he walked into history. Only a 5.35 meter tether attached to him to the spacecraft. The suit soon expanded due to the vacuum of space, and he was not able to re-enter the craft at first. Using a valve, he let off the air which allowed him to re-enter the craft. Leonov was part of the original 20 cosmonauts chosen for space travel. Had the Soviets continued to win the space race, Leonov would probably have been the first man to walk on the moon. These missions would be canceled when the Soviets fell behind in the space race. Leonov would train astronauts until his retirement in 1991.
On March 18, 1965, Alexey Leonov became the first human being to walk in space. The walk only lasted for 12 minutes and 9 seconds, but he walked into history. Only a 5.35 meter tether attached to him to the spacecraft. The suit soon expanded due to the vacuum of space, and he was not able to re-enter the craft at first. Using a valve, he let off the air which allowed him to re-enter the craft. Leonov was part of the original 20 cosmonauts chosen for space travel. Had the Soviets continued to win the space race, Leonov would probably have been the first man to walk on the moon. These missions would be canceled when the Soviets fell behind in the space race. Leonov would train astronauts until his retirement in 1991.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Gemini III
Hey everyone,
Gemini III was the first manned flight of the program with Virgil Grissom as the command pilot and John Young as the pilot. Their spacecraft was named the Molly Brown, and they launched on March 23, 1965. They only had one objective which was an orbital maneuver by a manned spacecraft, and they were successful. It was also the first American spaceflight that carried two men into space. During the flight, Young hid a corned beef sandwich on board and tried to consume it, but it began to fall apart. Once they landed 84 kilometers short of their intended splashdown point, they were reprimanded for this action. Grissom would never fly into space again, but Young would make many more journeys into space. These will be discussed in later blogs.
Gemini III was the first manned flight of the program with Virgil Grissom as the command pilot and John Young as the pilot. Their spacecraft was named the Molly Brown, and they launched on March 23, 1965. They only had one objective which was an orbital maneuver by a manned spacecraft, and they were successful. It was also the first American spaceflight that carried two men into space. During the flight, Young hid a corned beef sandwich on board and tried to consume it, but it began to fall apart. Once they landed 84 kilometers short of their intended splashdown point, they were reprimanded for this action. Grissom would never fly into space again, but Young would make many more journeys into space. These will be discussed in later blogs.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Project Gemini
Hey everyone,
On May 25, 1961, just weeks after Shepard spent 15 minute in space, President Kennedy claimed that man (an American) would go to the moon before the end of the decade. The Mercury missions, alone, would not be enough for astronauts to go to the moon. Before a moon landing could be possible, there were five objectives that had to be met. There were:
1.To test the durability of astronauts and equipment in space for an extended period of time using long duration space flights.
2. To rendezvous and dock two separate spacecraft and then maneuver the space craft.
3. To perfect re-entry and landing techniques.
4. To gain further information about the effects of weightlessness on the body.
5. To have an astronaut go outside the spacecraft for Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA).
Once these were accomplished, the United States could journey to the moon. However, there was another new development in Project Gemini, the Titan III rocket which was a modified ICBM. The first two flights would be unmanned, but Gemini III would carry men into space.
Next: Gemini III
On May 25, 1961, just weeks after Shepard spent 15 minute in space, President Kennedy claimed that man (an American) would go to the moon before the end of the decade. The Mercury missions, alone, would not be enough for astronauts to go to the moon. Before a moon landing could be possible, there were five objectives that had to be met. There were:
1.To test the durability of astronauts and equipment in space for an extended period of time using long duration space flights.
2. To rendezvous and dock two separate spacecraft and then maneuver the space craft.
3. To perfect re-entry and landing techniques.
4. To gain further information about the effects of weightlessness on the body.
5. To have an astronaut go outside the spacecraft for Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA).
Once these were accomplished, the United States could journey to the moon. However, there was another new development in Project Gemini, the Titan III rocket which was a modified ICBM. The first two flights would be unmanned, but Gemini III would carry men into space.
Next: Gemini III
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The rest of the Mercury 7
Hey everyone,
Of the original Mercury 7, six would be the first Americans into space. One man, Deke Slayton would not fly on those initial six flights. He would be grounded for atrial fibrillation, but he would continue to work for NASA as the head of astronaut selection. However, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, and L. Gordon Cooper. All of them would orbit, but Carpenter would miss his landing by 250 miles and never fly a spacecraft again due to a grounding injury. At one point, they were worried that he'd become the first casualty in space, but he located eventually. Many blamed him for the overshot, but this is still debated. Schirra would fly a near flawless mission and continue on in the space program. Cooper would fly the last Mercury mission on March 15, 1963. He slept during the countdown and would be the first American to sleep in space during his 34 hour mission. He too would continue in the space program in project Gemini.
Of the original Mercury 7, six would be the first Americans into space. One man, Deke Slayton would not fly on those initial six flights. He would be grounded for atrial fibrillation, but he would continue to work for NASA as the head of astronaut selection. However, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, and L. Gordon Cooper. All of them would orbit, but Carpenter would miss his landing by 250 miles and never fly a spacecraft again due to a grounding injury. At one point, they were worried that he'd become the first casualty in space, but he located eventually. Many blamed him for the overshot, but this is still debated. Schirra would fly a near flawless mission and continue on in the space program. Cooper would fly the last Mercury mission on March 15, 1963. He slept during the countdown and would be the first American to sleep in space during his 34 hour mission. He too would continue in the space program in project Gemini.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friendship 7 and John Glenn
Hey everyone,
Glenn is the third American to travel to space, but he is the first orbit the Earth. He joined the military after the attack on Pearl Harbor and began flying missions. He would continue to fly and train pilots for the military until he entered the history books by completing the first supersonic transcontinental flight on July 16, 1957. In 1959, he was selected as one of the Mercury 7 astronauts. Glenn was the backup crew for Shepard during his historic flight and finally flew the third mission on Friendship 7. On February 20, 1962, Glenn successfully entered orbit and completed three periods around the Earth. There was some worry that his heat shield would fail upon re-entry, but it held. Glenn splashed down with no problems. After a ticker tape parade, he was hailed as a national hero and many forgot about Shepard and Grissom. However, Glenn retired from NASA in early 1964 soon after the assignation of John F. Kennedy. There was also a rumor that Kennedy made sure that Glenn would not fly into outer space again because of his standing as a national hero. After leaving NASA, Glenn focused on politics but didn't win a seat until 1974 when he became a senator from Ohio. Glenn would journey into space one more time at the age of 77 in 1998. Again, he would enter the history books as the oldest person to go to outer space. His trip provided data on how the elderly could handle the impact of space even though some criticized it as political, but Glenn would retire from politics in the following year. Glenn made an historic flight, but their were many more to come.
Glenn is the third American to travel to space, but he is the first orbit the Earth. He joined the military after the attack on Pearl Harbor and began flying missions. He would continue to fly and train pilots for the military until he entered the history books by completing the first supersonic transcontinental flight on July 16, 1957. In 1959, he was selected as one of the Mercury 7 astronauts. Glenn was the backup crew for Shepard during his historic flight and finally flew the third mission on Friendship 7. On February 20, 1962, Glenn successfully entered orbit and completed three periods around the Earth. There was some worry that his heat shield would fail upon re-entry, but it held. Glenn splashed down with no problems. After a ticker tape parade, he was hailed as a national hero and many forgot about Shepard and Grissom. However, Glenn retired from NASA in early 1964 soon after the assignation of John F. Kennedy. There was also a rumor that Kennedy made sure that Glenn would not fly into outer space again because of his standing as a national hero. After leaving NASA, Glenn focused on politics but didn't win a seat until 1974 when he became a senator from Ohio. Glenn would journey into space one more time at the age of 77 in 1998. Again, he would enter the history books as the oldest person to go to outer space. His trip provided data on how the elderly could handle the impact of space even though some criticized it as political, but Glenn would retire from politics in the following year. Glenn made an historic flight, but their were many more to come.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Virgil "Gus" Grissom
Hey everyone,
Virgil "Gus" Grissom was one of the original Mercury astronauts. Gus joined the Army Air Forces after graduating high school in 1944, and, thanks to the G.I. Bill, he received a degree in engineering from Purdue and rejoined the Air Force where he became a pilot. Grissom flew 100 combat missions in Korea and became an instructor and eventually a test pilot after the war. In 1959, he would undergo the same tests that Shepard had and make it through to the final seven. On July 21, 1961, Grissom flew in the Liberty Bell 7 into another sub-orbital flight like Shepard. Upon landing, explosive bolts opened the hatch, and the craft began to fill with water. A helicopter tried to retrieve the Liberty Bell 7, but it became too heavy and was left to sink. Grissom exited from craft but flailed in the ocean as his suit filled with water because of a hole that Grissom was not able to close in time. He nearly drowned but was saved by a second helicopter. Gus would continue to fly as an astronaut on Gemini 3 and was slated to fly on Apollo 3, but I'll talk about those stories in another post.
Virgil "Gus" Grissom was one of the original Mercury astronauts. Gus joined the Army Air Forces after graduating high school in 1944, and, thanks to the G.I. Bill, he received a degree in engineering from Purdue and rejoined the Air Force where he became a pilot. Grissom flew 100 combat missions in Korea and became an instructor and eventually a test pilot after the war. In 1959, he would undergo the same tests that Shepard had and make it through to the final seven. On July 21, 1961, Grissom flew in the Liberty Bell 7 into another sub-orbital flight like Shepard. Upon landing, explosive bolts opened the hatch, and the craft began to fill with water. A helicopter tried to retrieve the Liberty Bell 7, but it became too heavy and was left to sink. Grissom exited from craft but flailed in the ocean as his suit filled with water because of a hole that Grissom was not able to close in time. He nearly drowned but was saved by a second helicopter. Gus would continue to fly as an astronaut on Gemini 3 and was slated to fly on Apollo 3, but I'll talk about those stories in another post.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. and Freedom 7
Hey all,
Alan Shepard became a pilot in 1947 for the Navy, and, by the end of 1950, he had completed the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and continued to be a test pilot until 1959. In that year, 110 military test pilots were invited to join the newly formed NASA. Of these men, only 7 would be picked for space flight. These men would become known as the Mercury 7 astronauts. Shepard numbered among this elite group and was chosen as the first American to fly into space (some say it was because he was the smartest of the men). Delays continually pushed back the launch date until Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. Less than a month later on May 5th, 1961, Shepard would be the first American launched into space for a total of 15 minutes (I recommend reading or watching the Right Stuff for more details about this flight and other Mercury flights). The craft was appropriately named Freedom 7 and carried the man 116 miles into space on a sub-orbital trajectory. While Shepard did not orbit, his flight was still historic, and he was slated as a national hero on his return. The United States Space Program was moving forward, but they still lagged behind the Russians.
Alan Shepard became a pilot in 1947 for the Navy, and, by the end of 1950, he had completed the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and continued to be a test pilot until 1959. In that year, 110 military test pilots were invited to join the newly formed NASA. Of these men, only 7 would be picked for space flight. These men would become known as the Mercury 7 astronauts. Shepard numbered among this elite group and was chosen as the first American to fly into space (some say it was because he was the smartest of the men). Delays continually pushed back the launch date until Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. Less than a month later on May 5th, 1961, Shepard would be the first American launched into space for a total of 15 minutes (I recommend reading or watching the Right Stuff for more details about this flight and other Mercury flights). The craft was appropriately named Freedom 7 and carried the man 116 miles into space on a sub-orbital trajectory. While Shepard did not orbit, his flight was still historic, and he was slated as a national hero on his return. The United States Space Program was moving forward, but they still lagged behind the Russians.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Yuri Gagarin and Vostok 1
Hey everyone,
Vostok 1 was the first rocket to take a man into space. That man was Yuri Gagarin, a pilot who was selected out of twenty cosmonauts. In 1960, the selection process began, and the men were subjected to physical and psychological endurance tests. Eventually, he was selected due to his performance in training and small stature (he stood 5'2" tall). On April 12, 1961, Gagarin was the first man launched into space. Once in space, he orbited the Earth (another first). He spent a total of 1 hour, 48 minutes in space. After his journey into space, Gagarin would become the deputy training director of the Star City cosmonaut training base. Later, he flew fighter jets again, but, tragically, on March 27, 1968, he would die in a fighter jet crash. Yet, his actions will always be historic, and, again, would prove that the Americans were losing the space race. Soon, they would respond.
Vostok 1 was the first rocket to take a man into space. That man was Yuri Gagarin, a pilot who was selected out of twenty cosmonauts. In 1960, the selection process began, and the men were subjected to physical and psychological endurance tests. Eventually, he was selected due to his performance in training and small stature (he stood 5'2" tall). On April 12, 1961, Gagarin was the first man launched into space. Once in space, he orbited the Earth (another first). He spent a total of 1 hour, 48 minutes in space. After his journey into space, Gagarin would become the deputy training director of the Star City cosmonaut training base. Later, he flew fighter jets again, but, tragically, on March 27, 1968, he would die in a fighter jet crash. Yet, his actions will always be historic, and, again, would prove that the Americans were losing the space race. Soon, they would respond.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Pioneer 4
Hey everyone,
This was the first probe launched by the United States to exit Earth's gravity. The craft flew by the moon and entered an orbit around the sun. It came within 60,000 kilometers of the moon. Pioneer 4 only weighed 6.1 kg, but it carried many devices including a photoelectric sensor, two Geiger-Muller tubes, and a transmitter. Again, mercury batteries were used to power the craft. It was launched on March 4, 1959 on the Juno II which was a modified version of Juno I (which launched Explorer I). It did not discover any radiation on the moon, and it also did not trigger its photoelectric sensor because it wasn't close enough to the moon. However, it did achieve the primary objective of an Earth-Moon trajectory. While this may not seem like an impressive (well, I hope it's impressive) feat, this and Luna 1 paved for the way for a journey to the moon by man.
This was the first probe launched by the United States to exit Earth's gravity. The craft flew by the moon and entered an orbit around the sun. It came within 60,000 kilometers of the moon. Pioneer 4 only weighed 6.1 kg, but it carried many devices including a photoelectric sensor, two Geiger-Muller tubes, and a transmitter. Again, mercury batteries were used to power the craft. It was launched on March 4, 1959 on the Juno II which was a modified version of Juno I (which launched Explorer I). It did not discover any radiation on the moon, and it also did not trigger its photoelectric sensor because it wasn't close enough to the moon. However, it did achieve the primary objective of an Earth-Moon trajectory. While this may not seem like an impressive (well, I hope it's impressive) feat, this and Luna 1 paved for the way for a journey to the moon by man.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Luna 1 (and 2)
Hey everyone,
The Luna 1 was the first cosmic ship to exit our atmosphere completely on a course for the moon. The spacecraft, itself, weighed 361.3kgs, and the tools that it contained included radio equipment, a tracking transmitter, a telemetry system, and five devices for studying the space between the Earth and the moon. It was launched by the Soviets on January 2, 1959, and it reached the moon on January 4th. The spacecraft found that the moon has no magnetic field, but it also took readings of solar wind and ionized plasma that came from the Sun on its journey. Upon reaching Earth's only satellite, the craft was supposed to crash into it, but there was a malfunction which caused the craft to miss by 5,900km. However, Luna 2 would succeed in this task. After missing the moon, the spacecraft went into orbit around the Sun and remains there today. When this first happened, the Soviets renamed it the Mechta which means dream and called it a new planet. Its orbit is between Earth and Mars with a period of approximately 450 days. While it did not strike the moon, it is still quite an achievement.
The Luna 1 was the first cosmic ship to exit our atmosphere completely on a course for the moon. The spacecraft, itself, weighed 361.3kgs, and the tools that it contained included radio equipment, a tracking transmitter, a telemetry system, and five devices for studying the space between the Earth and the moon. It was launched by the Soviets on January 2, 1959, and it reached the moon on January 4th. The spacecraft found that the moon has no magnetic field, but it also took readings of solar wind and ionized plasma that came from the Sun on its journey. Upon reaching Earth's only satellite, the craft was supposed to crash into it, but there was a malfunction which caused the craft to miss by 5,900km. However, Luna 2 would succeed in this task. After missing the moon, the spacecraft went into orbit around the Sun and remains there today. When this first happened, the Soviets renamed it the Mechta which means dream and called it a new planet. Its orbit is between Earth and Mars with a period of approximately 450 days. While it did not strike the moon, it is still quite an achievement.
Explorer 1
Hey everyone,
On February 1, 1958, the United States launched its first satellite into space. The satellite was designed and built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory headed by Wernher von Braun, and an Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) known as the Juno I was used for the rocket. The satellite only weighed 14kg and had an elliptical orbit around the of 114.8 minutes. At its closest point, it was 222 miles from Earth, and, at its furthest point, it was 1585 miles from Earth. Through this orbit,the satellite was the first to identify the Van Allen radiation belt, but this would not be confirmed until Explorer 3. Being so light, it could only carry a limited amount of instruments. The specific instrumentation carried by the craft included a Geiger-Muller tube to detect cosmic rays, five temperature sensors, an acoustic detector, and a wire grid detector to detect micrometeorite impacts. The Geiger-Muller tube would record the disparities that would lead to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belt. Overall, the mission lasted for 111 days before the power fully ran out, and the mission was a success.
On February 1, 1958, the United States launched its first satellite into space. The satellite was designed and built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory headed by Wernher von Braun, and an Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) known as the Juno I was used for the rocket. The satellite only weighed 14kg and had an elliptical orbit around the of 114.8 minutes. At its closest point, it was 222 miles from Earth, and, at its furthest point, it was 1585 miles from Earth. Through this orbit,the satellite was the first to identify the Van Allen radiation belt, but this would not be confirmed until Explorer 3. Being so light, it could only carry a limited amount of instruments. The specific instrumentation carried by the craft included a Geiger-Muller tube to detect cosmic rays, five temperature sensors, an acoustic detector, and a wire grid detector to detect micrometeorite impacts. The Geiger-Muller tube would record the disparities that would lead to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belt. Overall, the mission lasted for 111 days before the power fully ran out, and the mission was a success.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Sputnik
Hey everyone,
I'm sure that many of you know that Sputnik was the first human-made object launched into space. The first true ICBM, known to the Soviets as the R-7 Semyorka, was used to launch Sputnik after only one successful launch of the rocket. Word of a possible rocket launch appeared in the Western press, and the Soviet rocket men (Korolyov and others) decided that they could beat the Americans into space. They threw together a simple design in a less than a month. Sputnik would included a polished metal sphere, a transmitter, thermal measuring instruments, and batteries. It weighed 83.6kg. On October 4, 1957, the rocket was launched successfully into orbit. Its orbits lasted about 96 minutes. The start of the Soviet Space Program had begun along with the space race. This would be the first launch of many Sputniks. Future missions would include canine passengers and the eventual preparation for human spaceflight. However, it would not be long before the Americans would launch their own satellite.
I'm sure that many of you know that Sputnik was the first human-made object launched into space. The first true ICBM, known to the Soviets as the R-7 Semyorka, was used to launch Sputnik after only one successful launch of the rocket. Word of a possible rocket launch appeared in the Western press, and the Soviet rocket men (Korolyov and others) decided that they could beat the Americans into space. They threw together a simple design in a less than a month. Sputnik would included a polished metal sphere, a transmitter, thermal measuring instruments, and batteries. It weighed 83.6kg. On October 4, 1957, the rocket was launched successfully into orbit. Its orbits lasted about 96 minutes. The start of the Soviet Space Program had begun along with the space race. This would be the first launch of many Sputniks. Future missions would include canine passengers and the eventual preparation for human spaceflight. However, it would not be long before the Americans would launch their own satellite.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Sergey Korolyov and the Soviet ICBM
Hey everyone,
Korolyov was the architect behind the Soviet rocket program and, ultimately, the Soviet space program. However, this fact would not be revealed until after his death. Korolyov was born in 1907 in a small province of the Russian Empire. In 1929, Korolyev received a degree in engineering after producing a practical aircraft design. At first, he worked on aircraft design, but, soon, the group in which he was involved turned to propulsion. By 1933, they had built and launched a liquid fueled rocket, and Korolyev published Rocket Flight in Stratosphere the next year. This work continued until 1938, Korolyev was arrested and sentenced to a work camp. He appealed the decision, and his sentence was reduced from ten years to eight years. However, he would no longer be in a labor camp. So, he was moved to a camp for the educated where he was used as slave labor to work on aircraft. Then, in 1942, he was moved to another camp for intellectuals where he helped to design rocket engines and continued here until 1944. This year, Korolyov was finally released and allowed to rejoin his family. His other comrades from his work in the 1930s had largely been executed by Stalin, so Korolyov was lucky to escape with his life as well as survive World War II.
After the war, V-2 technology was retrieved from Germany, and the Soviets began to make a replica of the rocket. Korolyov served as the chief designer of these missiles. The first rocket was designated the R-1, but it could only hit half of its targets. Another version, the R-2, was created, and it doubled the distance of the R-1. While there would be many more models, the first true Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) would be the R-7 which had a range of 7,000 km and could hit England. It was a two stage rocket which could carry a nuclear war head, and it successfully launched in August, 1957. This rocket that would carry Sputnik into space.
Korolyov was the architect behind the Soviet rocket program and, ultimately, the Soviet space program. However, this fact would not be revealed until after his death. Korolyov was born in 1907 in a small province of the Russian Empire. In 1929, Korolyev received a degree in engineering after producing a practical aircraft design. At first, he worked on aircraft design, but, soon, the group in which he was involved turned to propulsion. By 1933, they had built and launched a liquid fueled rocket, and Korolyev published Rocket Flight in Stratosphere the next year. This work continued until 1938, Korolyev was arrested and sentenced to a work camp. He appealed the decision, and his sentence was reduced from ten years to eight years. However, he would no longer be in a labor camp. So, he was moved to a camp for the educated where he was used as slave labor to work on aircraft. Then, in 1942, he was moved to another camp for intellectuals where he helped to design rocket engines and continued here until 1944. This year, Korolyov was finally released and allowed to rejoin his family. His other comrades from his work in the 1930s had largely been executed by Stalin, so Korolyov was lucky to escape with his life as well as survive World War II.
After the war, V-2 technology was retrieved from Germany, and the Soviets began to make a replica of the rocket. Korolyov served as the chief designer of these missiles. The first rocket was designated the R-1, but it could only hit half of its targets. Another version, the R-2, was created, and it doubled the distance of the R-1. While there would be many more models, the first true Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) would be the R-7 which had a range of 7,000 km and could hit England. It was a two stage rocket which could carry a nuclear war head, and it successfully launched in August, 1957. This rocket that would carry Sputnik into space.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Chuck Yeager and other test pilots.
Hey everyone,
You may wonder how Chuck Yeager figures into space exploration, but his contributions can't be ignored. Yeager was born in 1923 in West Virginia. At the outbreak of World War II, he joined the Air Force and became a pilot. As a fighter pilot, he quickly showed his ability in the air, but he was shot down during a mission over France. Yeager found the French resistance and made some bombs for them before crossing into safe territory and heading back to England. Once he came back, he argued to fly again even though the current policy did not allow it due to his work with the French resistance. After gaining clearance, he flew again and became an ace in one day. On that day, he had five victories and would record 11.5 before the end of the war. During the war, he flew 61 missions.
After the war, he was able to choose his position and chose Wright Field near his home. It was here that he became a test pilot, but he eventually relocated to what is now Edwards Air Force Base. Then, on October 14, 1947, Yeager broke the sound barrier flying the X-1 (an experimental plane). While he would continue to break records for speed and altitude, astronauts would soon blow the records away. However, Yeager would continue to fly and fight for many years and eventually train astronauts. While other test pilots would fly rocket ships, the effects of such extreme speeds and altitudes were first tested with pilots such as Yeager. Other test pilots whose names will never be known attributed greatly to the pursuit of men in space, and many gave their lives for it. They didn't build the ships, but they had the balls to fly them with the knowledge that they were risking their lives. While Yeager is the most famous, he is not the only one who should be revered.
You may wonder how Chuck Yeager figures into space exploration, but his contributions can't be ignored. Yeager was born in 1923 in West Virginia. At the outbreak of World War II, he joined the Air Force and became a pilot. As a fighter pilot, he quickly showed his ability in the air, but he was shot down during a mission over France. Yeager found the French resistance and made some bombs for them before crossing into safe territory and heading back to England. Once he came back, he argued to fly again even though the current policy did not allow it due to his work with the French resistance. After gaining clearance, he flew again and became an ace in one day. On that day, he had five victories and would record 11.5 before the end of the war. During the war, he flew 61 missions.
After the war, he was able to choose his position and chose Wright Field near his home. It was here that he became a test pilot, but he eventually relocated to what is now Edwards Air Force Base. Then, on October 14, 1947, Yeager broke the sound barrier flying the X-1 (an experimental plane). While he would continue to break records for speed and altitude, astronauts would soon blow the records away. However, Yeager would continue to fly and fight for many years and eventually train astronauts. While other test pilots would fly rocket ships, the effects of such extreme speeds and altitudes were first tested with pilots such as Yeager. Other test pilots whose names will never be known attributed greatly to the pursuit of men in space, and many gave their lives for it. They didn't build the ships, but they had the balls to fly them with the knowledge that they were risking their lives. While Yeager is the most famous, he is not the only one who should be revered.
Wernher von Braun and the V-2 rocket
Hey everyone,
Wernher von Braun is famous for his work on rockets, especially the German V-2, the United States ICBM, and the Saturn rocket that took astronauts to the moon, but I'm going to start with von Braun's earliest achievement and life and come back to his work on the Saturn rocket. He was born in the German Empire in 1912. As a youth, he did not excel at physics or mathematics, but he was interested in space. After reading Oberth's By Rocket into Planetary Space, he switched to math and physics and focused on space travel. Von Braun also worked with Oberth on his liquid fueled rockets. When the Nazis came to power, he began to work on rocket propelled missiles, and, by the end of 1934, he and his group of scientists and workers had fired two rockets which achieved altitudes of 2.2 km and 3.5 km. He continued to work for the Nazis and, by 1944, they had developed a rocket that could strike London from Germany. However, this end result saddened von Braun who very much wanted the rocket to be used for space travel. During World War II, slave laborers were used for the rocketry program after a shortage of workers developed. Von Braun himself visited some of the factories and camps and admitted that the workers were in pitiful shape, but he felt unable to do anything about it. Eventually, von Braun would be imprisoned for a short time because he wanted to work on a spaceship and felt they were losing the war. He was soon released because he was considered to be irreplaceable. Indeed, he was correct that they were losing the war, and von Braun would soon surrender to American forces in May, 1945. Upon surrender, he was transported to the United States to work on rockets. I will continue von Braun's story in a later post.
Wernher von Braun is famous for his work on rockets, especially the German V-2, the United States ICBM, and the Saturn rocket that took astronauts to the moon, but I'm going to start with von Braun's earliest achievement and life and come back to his work on the Saturn rocket. He was born in the German Empire in 1912. As a youth, he did not excel at physics or mathematics, but he was interested in space. After reading Oberth's By Rocket into Planetary Space, he switched to math and physics and focused on space travel. Von Braun also worked with Oberth on his liquid fueled rockets. When the Nazis came to power, he began to work on rocket propelled missiles, and, by the end of 1934, he and his group of scientists and workers had fired two rockets which achieved altitudes of 2.2 km and 3.5 km. He continued to work for the Nazis and, by 1944, they had developed a rocket that could strike London from Germany. However, this end result saddened von Braun who very much wanted the rocket to be used for space travel. During World War II, slave laborers were used for the rocketry program after a shortage of workers developed. Von Braun himself visited some of the factories and camps and admitted that the workers were in pitiful shape, but he felt unable to do anything about it. Eventually, von Braun would be imprisoned for a short time because he wanted to work on a spaceship and felt they were losing the war. He was soon released because he was considered to be irreplaceable. Indeed, he was correct that they were losing the war, and von Braun would soon surrender to American forces in May, 1945. Upon surrender, he was transported to the United States to work on rockets. I will continue von Braun's story in a later post.
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Wright Brothers cont.
Hey everyone,
After the brothers historic flight, they went back to Ohio where they continued to improve their aircraft. Many accidents had damaged the original flier, so they constructed the Flier II in 1904. On August 13, 1904, they finally bested their flight at Kitty Hawk with a 1,300 foot flight. By the end of the year, they had accomplished flights of 3 miles, but they still lacked control. Their solution was to build another airplane labeled the Flier III which had independent controls for the rudders and the wing warping which had been previously connected. Still, the craft did not fly well, so they rebuilt the plane with larger rudders and forward elevator. These were placed farther from the wings, and stability greatly improved. By the end of 1905, they had many sustained flights covering distances ranging from 11 to 24 miles. In 1908, they finally showed their airplane to the public in France and by Washington, D. C. Soon, they sold it the design for the craft and, after a patent war, made a fortune. Overnight, they achieved worldwide fame, but Wilbur died in 1912. Orville took over their business and received many accolades until his death in 1948. Still, the airplane probably would have come to existence without the Wright brothers, but they made air travel safe and controllable. Without their work, test pilots would have taken to the air later and possibly not at all. Without the Wright brothers, it's possible that no man would have gone to space at all.
After the brothers historic flight, they went back to Ohio where they continued to improve their aircraft. Many accidents had damaged the original flier, so they constructed the Flier II in 1904. On August 13, 1904, they finally bested their flight at Kitty Hawk with a 1,300 foot flight. By the end of the year, they had accomplished flights of 3 miles, but they still lacked control. Their solution was to build another airplane labeled the Flier III which had independent controls for the rudders and the wing warping which had been previously connected. Still, the craft did not fly well, so they rebuilt the plane with larger rudders and forward elevator. These were placed farther from the wings, and stability greatly improved. By the end of 1905, they had many sustained flights covering distances ranging from 11 to 24 miles. In 1908, they finally showed their airplane to the public in France and by Washington, D. C. Soon, they sold it the design for the craft and, after a patent war, made a fortune. Overnight, they achieved worldwide fame, but Wilbur died in 1912. Orville took over their business and received many accolades until his death in 1948. Still, the airplane probably would have come to existence without the Wright brothers, but they made air travel safe and controllable. Without their work, test pilots would have taken to the air later and possibly not at all. Without the Wright brothers, it's possible that no man would have gone to space at all.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Orville and Wilbur Wright
Hey everyone,
I assume that almost everyone in the United States will recognize these names, but, in case you don't, they are the first men to build and fly the first successful airplane and complete the first powered, controlled, and heavier than air human flight. This feat was accomplished on December 17th, 1903 in Kill Devil Hills, Kittyhawk, North Carolina. Four flights occurred that day. The first three would all be under 200 feet, but the fourth (flown by Wilbur) was 852 feet and lasted for 59 seconds.
However, it took a significant amount of work to do just this. Neither of these two men attended college, and they started as businessmen and amateur scientists. In 1899, they began to seriously study flying machines and decided after a lot of work that the problem wasn't with the engine or the wings (pretty much) but with control. Their solution was a three-axis control that allowed controlled movement around a vertical axis (yaw) using a rudder, a sideways movement (roll) by warping the wings (pulling one down and lifting the other), and a forward roll (pitch) accomplished with a forward elevator. Early glider tests in Kill Devil Hills proved successful with gliders, and they moved forward on an engine. By the fall of 1903, they had constructed it with the help of their shop mechanic, Charley Taylor. The engine was made of out of aluminum with no carburetor or fuel pump and was fed gasoline by gravity. All of these innovations allowed it to be light to increase the chances of flight. They also calculated the math for lift before they even flew a glider. After correcting for a coefficent, the gliders became more effective and the Wright Flier I was born. This is the plane which would take them into the history books and is now in the Smithsonian. However, their story doesn't end after Kitty Hawk, so I'm going to devote one more post to the Wright Brothers.
I assume that almost everyone in the United States will recognize these names, but, in case you don't, they are the first men to build and fly the first successful airplane and complete the first powered, controlled, and heavier than air human flight. This feat was accomplished on December 17th, 1903 in Kill Devil Hills, Kittyhawk, North Carolina. Four flights occurred that day. The first three would all be under 200 feet, but the fourth (flown by Wilbur) was 852 feet and lasted for 59 seconds.
However, it took a significant amount of work to do just this. Neither of these two men attended college, and they started as businessmen and amateur scientists. In 1899, they began to seriously study flying machines and decided after a lot of work that the problem wasn't with the engine or the wings (pretty much) but with control. Their solution was a three-axis control that allowed controlled movement around a vertical axis (yaw) using a rudder, a sideways movement (roll) by warping the wings (pulling one down and lifting the other), and a forward roll (pitch) accomplished with a forward elevator. Early glider tests in Kill Devil Hills proved successful with gliders, and they moved forward on an engine. By the fall of 1903, they had constructed it with the help of their shop mechanic, Charley Taylor. The engine was made of out of aluminum with no carburetor or fuel pump and was fed gasoline by gravity. All of these innovations allowed it to be light to increase the chances of flight. They also calculated the math for lift before they even flew a glider. After correcting for a coefficent, the gliders became more effective and the Wright Flier I was born. This is the plane which would take them into the history books and is now in the Smithsonian. However, their story doesn't end after Kitty Hawk, so I'm going to devote one more post to the Wright Brothers.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Who am I?
Hey there,
I suppose you're wondering who I am. Well, my name is Nick and as my title states, I'm a space and science fiction nerd. This, unsurprisingly, is what I'm going to blog about in my posts. However, I should tell you some more about myself. I am a 24 year old, single (that's right ladies) male who has a wide variety of interests. Last fall, I graduated from college with a degree in Psychology, so my space knowledge has mainly come from individual study. Hopefully, next September, I'll be in a Ph. D. program for Psychology or for a Masters of Public Health. So, you may be wondering why I have a blog about this subject. Well, I love these topics (more and more each day), and I love to write. I do have another blog, but that is more about random items and covers the gamut of subjects. The hope of this blog is to provide some entertainment for myself, but, also it will encourage me to increase my knowledge about these subjects (even though I have some knowledge already). Just for the record, I will probably publish my first official post later today. Have a great day!
I suppose you're wondering who I am. Well, my name is Nick and as my title states, I'm a space and science fiction nerd. This, unsurprisingly, is what I'm going to blog about in my posts. However, I should tell you some more about myself. I am a 24 year old, single (that's right ladies) male who has a wide variety of interests. Last fall, I graduated from college with a degree in Psychology, so my space knowledge has mainly come from individual study. Hopefully, next September, I'll be in a Ph. D. program for Psychology or for a Masters of Public Health. So, you may be wondering why I have a blog about this subject. Well, I love these topics (more and more each day), and I love to write. I do have another blog, but that is more about random items and covers the gamut of subjects. The hope of this blog is to provide some entertainment for myself, but, also it will encourage me to increase my knowledge about these subjects (even though I have some knowledge already). Just for the record, I will probably publish my first official post later today. Have a great day!
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