Orion floatation characteristics

Hi all,

I see they have been conducting tests in water with floatation collars
and buoyancy balloons on the new Orion capsule. Does anyone know if
anything has been designed to avoid the seemingly regular "stable two"
splashdowns that occurred in the Apollo days and made the "balloons"
necessary? Something that would make the capsule more stable in the first

place.

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Dave Downing, Somerset U.K.
No bytes were harmed in the making of this message.

On Apr 11, 5:23 pm, Dave Downing wrote:
Hi all,

I see they have been conducting tests in water with floatation collars
and buoyancy balloons on the new Orion capsule. Does anyone know if
anything has been designed to avoid the seemingly regular "stable two"
splashdowns that occurred in the Apollo days and made the "balloons"
necessary? Something that would make the capsule more stable in the first
place.

Can't avoid it with the current shape. There always will be a stable
two with the Apollo shape

On Apr 11, 5:53 pm, wrote:

anything has been designed to avoid the seemingly regular "stable two"
splashdowns that occurred in the Apollo days and made the "balloons"
necessary? Something that would make the capsule more stable in the fir
st
place.

Can't avoid it with the current shape. There always will be a stable
two with the Apollo shape

Duh... "stable two"?

Oneandonly1 wrote:
On Apr 11, 5:53 pm, wrote:

anything has been designed to avoid the seemingly regular "stable two"
splashdowns that occurred in the Apollo days and made the "balloons"
necessary? Something that would make the capsule more stable in the fir
st
place.
Can't avoid it with the current shape. There always will be a stable
two with the Apollo shape

Duh... "stable two"?

"Stable one" = "pointy end up". Good, just attach the flotation collar.

"Stable two" = "pointy end down". Use the flotation balloons to flip to
stable one before attaching the flotation collar.

Google is your friend. Duh.

You're welcome.

Oneandonly1 wrote:

:On Apr 11, 5:53 pm, wrote:
:
: anything has been designed to avoid the seemingly regular "stable two"
: splashdowns that occurred in the Apollo days and made the "balloons"
: necessary? Something that would make the capsule more stable in the first
: place.
:
: Can't avoid it with the current shape. There always will be a stable
: two with the Apollo shape
:
uh... "stable two"?
:

Capsules typically have two stable modes. The primary mode (base
down) and a secondary mode (nose down). We really, really don't want
them to go to that second stable mode, either during reentry or after
splashdown.

--
"Rule Number One for Slayers - Don't die."
-- Buffy, the Vampire Slayer

"Oneandonly1" wrote in message
...
On Apr 11, 5:53 pm, wrote:

anything has been designed to avoid the seemingly regular "stable two"
splashdowns that occurred in the Apollo days and made the "balloons"
necessary? Something that would make the capsule more stable in the fir
st
place.

Can't avoid it with the current shape. There always will be a stable
two with the Apollo shape

Duh... "stable two"?
=========================

A cone shaped module like that has two stable positions, broad base down,
"stable 1" and nose forward "stable 2".





--
Greg Moore
Ask me about lily, an RPI based CMC.