Spacecraft paint jobs

Pat Flannery wrote:

Other than that, all the paint patterns are symmetrical.
So if you're trying to figure out the roll orientation on stage1 after
separation if clouds obscure it, you had better hope you can read the
A,B,C,D markings on its four base fins.

I suspect that at that point, the no longer care about the 1st stages
roll performance.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

http://derekl1963.livejournal.com/

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL

On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:55:40 -0400, wrote:

After building a Lego set of the Saturn V, moon lander, Apollo capsule and moon
buggy last night, I got to wondering about the colors scheme of say, the Saturn
V. I was wondering why, on a big, white rocket, they have the black panels
scattered about. Is it just for aesthetics or is there a reason for it? Thanks.

Thanks for all the great information. Very informative. Now if you'll indulge me
again, The Apollo capsule... I have a detailed model from the Danbury Mint
Milestones in Space series which has the Apollo capsule as having a mirrored
finish. On the Saturn V models, and in pictures of it sitting on the launch pad,
it's white. I'm assuming that that is the protective covering and also has to do
with the emergency escape mechanism? Is the underlying capsule really like a
mirror? And is that for maximum heat reflection? Also, if they want to reflect
heat, why black for Mercury and Gemini. Again, thanks for all this info. I guess
the upcoming fortieth anniversary has got me going!

wrote:
On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:55:40 -0400, wrote:

After building a Lego set of the Saturn V, moon lander, Apollo capsule and moon
buggy last night, I got to wondering about the colors scheme of say, the Saturn
V. I was wondering why, on a big, white rocket, they have the black panels
scattered about. Is it just for aesthetics or is there a reason for it? Thanks.

Thanks for all the great information. Very informative. Now if you'll indulge me
again, The Apollo capsule... I have a detailed model from the Danbury Mint
Milestones in Space series which has the Apollo capsule as having a mirrored
finish. On the Saturn V models, and in pictures of it sitting on the launch pad,
it's white. I'm assuming that that is the protective covering and also has to do
with the emergency escape mechanism?

Yes.

Is the underlying capsule really like a
mirror?

Yes through Apollo 17. The Skylab CMs were white on one side.

wrote:
Thanks for all the great information. Very informative. Now if you'll indulge me
again, The Apollo capsule... I have a detailed model from the Danbury Mint
Milestones in Space series which has the Apollo capsule as having a mirrored
finish. On the Saturn V models, and in pictures of it sitting on the launch pad,
it's white. I'm assuming that that is the protective covering and also has to do
with the emergency escape mechanism? Is the underlying capsule really like a
mirror? And is that for maximum heat reflection? Also, if they want to reflect
heat, why black for Mercury and Gemini. Again, thanks for all this info. I guess
the upcoming fortieth anniversary has got me going!


The white thing over the Apollo CM was called the Boost Protective Cover
and was jettisoned at the same time the escape tower was. It protected
the spacecraft during ascent from heating and airflow, and it the escape
tower would have been used would have protected the Command Module from
its exhaust:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_...stem_.28LES.29
The silver coating on the exterior of the Command Module was sheets of
reflective foil that were applied in a fairly complex pattern.

Pat