Apollo command module

As the Apollo command module entered the high earth atmosphere, it was
crucial that it maintain a specific attitude, so as not to hit the
atmosphere directly nor travel "through" it and out the other side.
The only control mechanism were small jets to allow the spacecraft to
roll...no pitch or yaw control. How can this crude control provide the
proper orientation?

GSWeb8 wrote:
As the Apollo command module entered the high earth atmosphere, it was
crucial that it maintain a specific attitude, so as not to hit the
atmosphere directly nor travel "through" it and out the other side.
The only control mechanism were small jets to allow the spacecraft to
roll...no pitch or yaw control. How can this crude control provide the
proper orientation?

Answer, it was set up while the service module with the big engine was still
attached.

Also those jets allowed pitch and yaw as well as roll but none of those have
anything to do with the entry angle either.

The entry angle is determined by where the spacecraft encounters the atmosphere,
not the direction it is pointing.

Draw a circle. [sorry I don't do ascii art]
Draw a bigger circle around it.
Label the little one ground and the big one atmosphere.
Now draw a line directly from the center out into space. Label that line "burns
up too steep." If you want put an arrow label "from moon."
Next draw a line parallel to that line that just brushes the edge of the
atmosphere circle. Label that line "to shallow bounces and remains in orbit."
Finally draw another line parallel and between those. Label it "just right."

The entry angle is the angle between the atmosphere circle and the direction of
flight. It has nothing to do with the direction the spacecraft is pointed.
That is only important if you want to keep a heat shield pointed the right way.

"GSWeb8" wrote in message
...
As the Apollo command module entered the high earth atmosphere, it was
crucial that it maintain a specific attitude, so as not to hit the
atmosphere directly nor travel "through" it and out the other side.
The only control mechanism were small jets to allow the spacecraft to
roll...no pitch or yaw control. How can this crude control provide the
proper orientation?
Capricorn One never made that clear, did it.