OUTDATED-Apollo 15 Part 1: Hadley Rille Landing, First of Extended J-Missions (A Blender Animation)
Apollo 15 was the ninth crewed Apollo mission and the fourth to land on the Moon. It was also the first of the J-missions designed for a longer stay on the moon and was the first flight with the lunar rover.
Crew:
David Scott (CDR): 3rd and last spaceflight (Gemini 8, Apollo 9)
Alfred Worden (CMP): only spaceflight
James Irwin (LMP): only spaceflight
Dates:
Launch: Kennedy Space Center Pad LC-39A July 26, 1971
Lunar Landing: Hadley-Apennine July 30, 1971
Lunar Launch: August 4, 1971
Recovered: North Pacific Ocean August 7, 1971
Extravehicular Activity (EVA):
Stand up EVA: Dave Scott stood on top of lunar module ascent engine
cover, opened the top hatch: 33 minutes
Lunar Surface EVA 1: 6 hours, 32 minutes
Lunar Surface EVA 2: 7 hours, 12 minutes
Lunar Surface EVA 3: 4 hours, 49 minutes
Cislunar spacewalk by Al Worden to retrieve film cassettes from side of
Service Module: 39 minutes
Apollo Lunar Module Descent Stage Quadrants:
Quad 1: folded lunar Rover (LRV)
Quad 2: ALSEP (Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package)
Quad 3: lunar rover aft tool pallet and payload pallet
Quad 4: MESA (Modularized Equipment Stowage Assembly)
Lunar Rover:
Manufacturer: Boeing/General Motors
Electric Motor: 0.25 HP DC motor on each wheel
Transmission: 80:1 harmonic drives
Range: 57 miles
Weight: 460 lbs Earth, 76 lbs Moon
A15 total time driven: 3h 2 min
MESA: deployed from a D-Ring near the porch. MESA contained, extra PLSS batteries, LiOH cartridges, TV camera, still cameras, geology tools, food, film, and sample containers.
ALSEP: consisted of 2 scientific instrument packages capable of transmitting back to earth for 1 year. Data from the package was used to derive information regarding composition and structure of lunar body, its magnetic field, atmosphere and solar wind. ALSEP power supplied by radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG). The fuel capsule was stowed in a graphite cask on the side of the descent stage. The capsule was removed from the cask and installed in the RTG on the moon.
J-Mission Modifications
Most of the modifications involved making more room in Quad 1 for the LRV and Quad 4 for the enlarged MESA and additional water and GOX tanks. Modification to Lunar Module for J-Missions include:
S-band erectable antenna moved from Quad 1 to Quad 4
relocated Explosive Device relay box and pyro battery to provide Quad 4
clearance for additional water and GOX tanks
modified MESA support in Quad 4.
batteries and electrical control assemblies relocated from Quad 1 and 4
to -Z bulkhead (aft gear leg)
modified RCS plume deflectors (shortened) to provide protection to
enlarged MESA and LRV addition.
modified ascent stage support structure for increased provisions.
cleared all previous equipment from Quad 1 for LRV
insulated docking tunnel to reduce cabin heat leakage
added controlled bleed vent for descent super critical Helium
added 10 inch fixed nozzle extension for descent engine to provide
additional efficiency at full thrust
removed descent propellant tank balance lines
saved 25 lbs by removing thruster isolation valves
added additional battery to -Z bulkhead (along with the 3 other relocated
batteries). This gave a total of 5 batteries
added capability to recharge PLSS
added 1208 lbs of usable descent propellant (18,697 lbs total propellant)
added 3rd sample return container
Animation notes:
Instruments animated: both attitude indicators, radar altimeter, vertical speed, thrust to weight indicator, thrust % (command and actual) DSKY programs 64 (approach phase guidance), and 66 (rate of descent)
Readouts of the 3 registers are as follows:
--PGM 64:
---R1: seconds until P66/LPD (landing point designator: this number
corresponds to where the computer is taking the LM as viewed
through the etchings on the window)
---R2: altitude rate
---R3: altitude
--PGM 66:
---R1: forward velocity
---R2: altitude rate
---R3: altitude
Acronyms:
-ALSEP: Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package
-EVA: extra vehicular activity
-MESA: modularized equipment stowage assembly
-RCS: reaction control system
-RTG: radioisotope thermoelectric generator
-VHF: very high frequency