shuttle replacement

On 8/10/2010 6:58 PM, Alan Erskine wrote:


My favorite use of old technology was the Gemini hatch in the Skylab
airlock: http://history.nasa.gov/EP-107/p75.htm
That was downright bizarre, given the odd shape that was required for
the mounting for it.

Pat

Also, considering it was a tight squeeze for the Gemini suit, it must
have been even more difficult to enter/leave in an Apollo-era suit.

I assume the whole thing was to show that they were saving money by
using off-the-shelf parts.

Pat

On Aug 11, 6:04*am, Pat Flannery wrote:
On 8/10/2010 6:58 PM, Alan Erskine wrote:



My favorite use of old technology was the Gemini hatch in the Skylab
airlock:http://history.nasa.gov/EP-107/p75.htm
That was downright bizarre, given the odd shape that was required for
the mounting for it.

Pat

Also, considering it was a tight squeeze for the Gemini suit, it must
have been even more difficult to enter/leave in an Apollo-era suit.

I assume the whole thing was to show that they were saving money by
using off-the-shelf parts.

Pat

well skylab was done with little money......

In article
tatelephone,
says...

My favorite use of old technology was the Gemini hatch in the Skylab
airlock: http://history.nasa.gov/EP-107/p75.htm
That was downright bizarre, given the odd shape that was required for
the mounting for it.


True, but the hatch itself was already qualified for use in space on
EVA's. Changing the shape to a circular or rectangular hatch may have
looked better, but it would have meant requalifying the design, which
would have cost time and money.

Jeff
--
The only decision you'll have to make is
Who goes in after the snake in the morning?

On Aug 10, 10:58*pm, Alan Erskine wrote:

Also, considering it was a tight squeeze for the Gemini suit, it must
have been even more difficult to enter/leave in an Apollo-era suit.

The "tight squeeze" wasn't getting through the hatch, it was shutting
the hatch "on" an astronaut in the seat with an inflated suit. This
is not applicable to Skylab with the volume of the airlock. The hatch
opening was large enough for either suit type to pass through.

On Aug 10, 9:24*pm, Pat Flannery wrote:

My favorite use of old technology was the Gemini hatch in the Skylab
airlock:http://history.nasa.gov/EP-107/p75.htm
That was downright bizarre, given the odd shape that was required for
the mounting for it.

Pat


The manufacturer of the airlock module was MDAC-East, who was
premerger, McDonnell Aircraft, the Gemini capsule manufacturer.

In article 15be3955-3a3d-44a0-bc84-
,
says...

On Aug 10, 10:58*pm, Alan Erskine wrote:

Also, considering it was a tight squeeze for the Gemini suit, it must
have been even more difficult to enter/leave in an Apollo-era suit.

The "tight squeeze" wasn't getting through the hatch, it was shutting
the hatch "on" an astronaut in the seat with an inflated suit. This
is not applicable to Skylab with the volume of the airlock. The hatch
opening was large enough for either suit type to pass through.

Also, don't forget that EVA's from Skylab used an umbilical, not the
"backpack" style life support system used on the lunar surface. I'm
sure that helped quite a bit.

Jeff
--
The only decision you'll have to make is
Who goes in after the snake in the morning?