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Apollo Lunar Module question - colors?



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 8th 11, 03:32 PM posted to sci.space.history
larry moe 'n curly
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Posts: 15
Default Apollo Lunar Module question - colors?

Why were some surfaces of the Lunar Module light blue while others
were light tan, and why was the part covering the fuel tank on the
bottom right grey?

http://www.spacefacts.de/graph/drawi...ollo-17_lm.jpg

  #2  
Old December 8th 11, 09:38 PM posted to sci.space.history
Val Kraut
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Posts: 329
Default Apollo Lunar Module question - colors?


Threre's something dreadfully wrong with that picture -there was no
blue or tan, reminds me of the photo of th elate WW II pink Japanese
Emily flying boat that was popular in model magazines in the late
60s/early 70s until someone wrote the magazine that his outfit took
the picture and screwed up the developing chemicals. Colors should be
mainly flat black, silver and anodized Aluminumn.

Val Kraut



On Thu, 8 Dec 2011 06:32:08 -0800 (PST), "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:

Why were some surfaces of the Lunar Module light blue while others
were light tan, and why was the part covering the fuel tank on the
bottom right grey?

http://www.spacefacts.de/graph/drawi...ollo-17_lm.jpg

  #3  
Old December 9th 11, 12:34 PM posted to sci.space.history
Brian Lawrence
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Posts: 34
Default Apollo Lunar Module question - colors?

"Fred J. McCall" wrote:

Val Kraut wrote:


Threre's something dreadfully wrong with that picture -there was no
blue or tan, reminds me of the photo of th elate WW II pink Japanese
Emily flying boat that was popular in model magazines in the late
60s/early 70s until someone wrote the magazine that his outfit took
the picture and screwed up the developing chemicals. Colors should be
mainly flat black, silver and anodized Aluminumn.


Note that the path in the link says "drawing", not "photograph"....


It does, but it also says 'apollo-17_lm'. It's a photo taken by Ron
Evans of the returning Ascent Stage of Challenger. You can just make out
commander Gene Cernan in the right window.

It's NASA photo id AS17-149-22857, which identifies it as magazine
149 (letter id. KK). Here's the same image from the Apollo Image
Atlas:

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...AS17-149-22857

The different colours are different grades of thermal protection
coverings - mainly kapton, possibly mylar. Different surfaces
had different requirements and so different grades/thicknesses/
colours were used. Very little of the 'real' surface was visible.

On Thu, 8 Dec 2011 06:32:08 -0800 (PST), "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:

Why were some surfaces of the Lunar Module light blue while others
were light tan, and why was the part covering the fuel tank on the
bottom right grey?

http://www.spacefacts.de/graph/drawi...ollo-17_lm.jpg



  #4  
Old December 9th 11, 07:32 PM posted to sci.space.history
The Mighty T.B.[_7_]
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Posts: 1
Default Apollo Lunar Module question - colors?

Brian Lawrence wrote:
"Fred J. wrote:

Val wrote:


Threre's something dreadfully wrong with that picture -there was no
blue or tan, reminds me of the photo of th elate WW II pink Japanese
Emily flying boat that was popular in model magazines in the late
60s/early 70s until someone wrote the magazine that his outfit took
the picture and screwed up the developing chemicals. Colors should be
mainly flat black, silver and anodized Aluminumn.


Note that the path in the link says "drawing", not "photograph"....


It does, but it also says 'apollo-17_lm'. It's a photo taken by Ron
Evans of the returning Ascent Stage of Challenger. You can just make out
commander Gene Cernan in the right window.

It's NASA photo id AS17-149-22857, which identifies it as magazine
149 (letter id. KK). Here's the same image from the Apollo Image
Atlas:

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...AS17-149-22857

The different colours are different grades of thermal protection
coverings - mainly kapton, possibly mylar. Different surfaces
had different requirements and so different grades/thicknesses/
colours were used. Very little of the 'real' surface was visible.

On Thu, 8 Dec 2011 06:32:08 -0800 (PST), "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:

Why were some surfaces of the Lunar Module light blue while others
were light tan, and why was the part covering the fuel tank on the
bottom right grey?

http://www.spacefacts.de/graph/drawi...ollo-17_lm.jpg


The colors looking the way they do is due to how unfiltered sunlight is reflecting off the panels. Depending on the lighting conditions and how it reflected off the various colored panels and kapton foil coverings on the LM as well as how long the LM surface "baked" in direct sunlight over the course of a mission, you could interpret one panel color as wide as dark aluminum to a light tan. Compare that photo with this one while the Apollo 17 LM was on the Moon's surface:

http://www.apolloarchive.com/apg_thu...AS17-140-21370

T.B.
  #5  
Old December 12th 11, 08:51 PM posted to sci.space.history
larry moe 'n curly
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Posts: 15
Default Apollo Lunar Module question - colors?

On Thu, 8 Dec 2011 06:32:08 -0800 (PST), "larry moe 'n curly"
*wrote:

Why were some surfaces of the Lunar Module light blue while others
were light tan, and why was the part covering the fuel tank on the
bottom right grey?

* * *http://www.spacefacts.de/graph/drawi...ollo-17_lm.jpg


Also why does that light tan panel below the right window have the big
creases? Was that due to pressurization/depressurization or the force
of impact on landing?
  #6  
Old December 13th 11, 04:12 AM posted to sci.space.history
Jorge R. Frank
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Posts: 2,089
Default Apollo Lunar Module question - colors?

On 12/12/2011 01:51 PM, larry moe 'n curly wrote:
On Thu, 8 Dec 2011 06:32:08 -0800 (PST), "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:

Why were some surfaces of the Lunar Module light blue while others
were light tan, and why was the part covering the fuel tank on the
bottom right grey?

http://www.spacefacts.de/graph/drawi...ollo-17_lm.jpg


Also why does that light tan panel below the right window have the big
creases? Was that due to pressurization/depressurization or the force
of impact on landing?


It's thermal covering, not the main pressure vessel. It creases easily,
like foil. This creasing can be seen in many photos of the LM.
  #7  
Old December 13th 11, 07:32 AM posted to sci.space.history
snidely
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Posts: 1,303
Default Apollo Lunar Module question - colors?

"Brian Lawrence" scribbled something like ...


It does, but it also says 'apollo-17_lm'. It's a photo taken by Ron
Evans of the returning Ascent Stage of Challenger. You can just make
out commander Gene Cernan in the right window.

It's NASA photo id AS17-149-22857, which identifies it as magazine
149 (letter id. KK). Here's the same image from the Apollo Image
Atlas:

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...AS17-149-22857

The different colours are different grades of thermal protection
coverings - mainly kapton, possibly mylar. Different surfaces
had different requirements and so different grades/thicknesses/
colours were used. Very little of the 'real' surface was visible.


Trying again, since E-S seems to have eaten my replies to this thread.

Some of the color effects are due to lighting angles and intensities.

I picked these comparisons out from the Apollo catalog at LPI. The AS17
ones are obviously of the same vehicle.

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap.../151/23189.jpg

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...AS17-147-22517
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...AS17-147-22527
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...AS16-122-19533
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...AS16-122-19537
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...?AS15-96-13040
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap.../?AS12-51-7508


/dps
  #8  
Old December 17th 11, 08:59 AM posted to sci.space.history
snidely
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Posts: 1,303
Default Apollo Lunar Module question - colors?

Snidely scribbled something like ...


Some of the color effects are due to lighting angles and intensities.


See especially the AS16 shots below

I picked these comparisons out from the Apollo catalog at LPI. The
AS17 ones are obviously of the same vehicle.

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/apollo/images/print/
AS17/151/23189.jpg


Um, sorry, this one was for enjoying view of moon-and-earth, and not
really part of this thread. Mind the wrap.


http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...AS17-147-22517
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...AS17-147-22527


These 2:
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...AS16-122-19533
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...AS16-122-19537


where the background of the moon makes the entire LM look brown.

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap...?AS15-96-13040
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ap.../?AS12-51-7508


(this one appears to be a descent photo, and I'd love to have it in a
larger size)

/dps
  #9  
Old December 28th 11, 09:44 PM posted to sci.space.history
Obviousman
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Posts: 67
Default Apollo Lunar Module question - colors?

This might be handy: a LM colour guide.

http://home.earthlink.net/~pfjeld/lmdata/index.html

There is also a colour chart at the bottom of this page:

http://www2k.biglobe.ne.jp/~t_muto/apollo/lme.htm
  #10  
Old December 29th 11, 03:37 AM posted to sci.space.history
snidely
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Posts: 1,303
Default Apollo Lunar Module question - colors?

Obviousman scribbled something like ...

This might be handy: a LM colour guide.

http://home.earthlink.net/~pfjeld/lmdata/index.html

There is also a colour chart at the bottom of this page:

http://www2k.biglobe.ne.jp/~t_muto/apollo/lme.htm


Thanks for those.

That chart on biglobe prompts the question, did we see the Rover being
unloaded on any of the flights? All I can remember is what you see in the
still shots, the Rover parked while the crew did tasks around it. I want
to say I remember watching over the front fender(s) during at least 1
drive, but I'm suspicious that I've got any details correct.

/dps
 




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