MA-8 FLight Plan questions.

Hi all,

Just been having a read of the MA-8 Flight Plan, and have a few things
I'd like to get straight.

When Schirra has to report BECO does the B stand for booster ? Similarly
at SECO does S stand for Single ?

At around 0:04:30 into the flight, Schirra has to report whether "V/VR is
over .8" Is this some kind of speed or G force thing ? Is there anyone
out there who can explain it in laymans terms (for "laymans" read Forrest
Gump)

Many thanks.........Adam Bootle

www.adboo.com

I just found the answer to BECO in the Apollo abbreviations list, it is
booster. But it lists SECO as S-IVB (third stage) engine cutoff.

adam bootle wrote:

I just found the answer to BECO in the Apollo abbreviations
list, it is booster. But it lists SECO as S-IVB (third stage)
engine cutoff.

SECO stands for "sustainer engine cutoff".

Jim Davis

Thanks for that Jim, I had heard mention of a sustainer engine but didnt
really know what it was.

Adam



"Jim Davis" wrote in message
. 1.4...

SECO stands for "sustainer engine cutoff".

Jim Davis

"adam bootle" ) writes:
Thanks for that Jim, I had heard mention of a sustainer engine but didnt
really know what it was.

If you look at a picture of an Atlas rocket of the period, and
specifically, a Mercury Atlas, you will note that it has, at it's
base, three engines. So, the bottom of the Atlas is not round,
as the three engines are all side to side to side.

At booster cut-off and sep, the aft Atlas skirt that includes
the two outboard engines is dropped away, and the centre, aka
sustainer engine, continues firing up to orbital insertion.

So, since all three engines are firing right from launch,
and only one is still aboard and firing , at cut off, it was
customary to call the Atlas a 1.5 stage rocket.

Adam

"Jim Davis" wrote in message
. 1.4...

SECO stands for "sustainer engine cutoff".

Jim Davis

Andre

--
" I'm a man... But, I can change... If I have to... I guess. "
The Man Prayer, Red Green.

Thanks Andre,

I really should look into things more before I start reading things like
flight plans ! I have got so into the Apollo missions I thought it was time
to educate myself about the earlier missions.

All this time I thought there was a staging like they had in the Gemini and
Apollo missions, I didn't know the two side engines only came away and the
centre carried on.

Im in FLA in May so I will take a lclose ook at the Atlas at KSC while I am
there.

Cheers.........Adam


"Andre Lieven" wrote in message
...

"adam bootle" ) writes:
Thanks for that Jim, I had heard mention of a sustainer engine but didnt
really know what it was.

If you look at a picture of an Atlas rocket of the period, and
specifically, a Mercury Atlas, you will note that it has, at it's
base, three engines. So, the bottom of the Atlas is not round,
as the three engines are all side to side to side.

At booster cut-off and sep, the aft Atlas skirt that includes
the two outboard engines is dropped away, and the centre, aka
sustainer engine, continues firing up to orbital insertion.

So, since all three engines are firing right from launch,
and only one is still aboard and firing , at cut off, it was
customary to call the Atlas a 1.5 stage rocket.

"adam bootle" ) writes:
Thanks Andre,

You're very welcome. I am glad that I was able to help, a bit.

I really should look into things more before I start reading things like
flight plans ! I have got so into the Apollo missions I thought it was
time to educate myself about the earlier missions.

Indeed, and have at it. Its great that you are so enthused over the
topic, and I share that, as I believe many here do. You're just a bit
newer at it than most of us are, and time and good study will amply
take care of that, and give you more information to enjoy.

All this time I thought there was a staging like they had in the Gemini
and Apollo missions, I didn't know the two side engines only came away
and the centre carried on.

Yeah, that was a rather unusual method of rocket staging.

Im in FLA in May so I will take a close ook at the Atlas at KSC while
I am there.

If you really want to enjoy that visit ( And, I've been there twice,
most recently in Feb of last year ), I would suggest doing some reading
before you go. A very good history of the US 60s manned program would
be the inestimable Andrew Chaikin's " A Man On The Moon ", which was
the primary resource book for the excellent HBO miniseries " From
The Earth To The Moon ( Which is available on DVD, in a 4 disc set,
and is also very highly recommended ). Another would be the most recent
edition of Kenneth Gatland's " Space Technology; A Comprehensive
History Of Space Exploration. " Its a well stuffed coffee table sized
book. My edition is 20 years old, but that leaves in loads on 60s
boosters, and the like.

Also check out Mark Wade's website: www.astronautix.com. You'll spend
days and days in there.

Before you go to Canaveral, seek them out on the web, so that you can
better decide on what you want to see there. Their entry prices aren't
quite Disney levels, but the $50 price range passes are good for two
days, as I discovered on my last visit there.

Cheers.........Adam

Enjoy.

"Andre Lieven" wrote in message
...

"adam bootle" ) writes:
Thanks for that Jim, I had heard mention of a sustainer engine but didnt
really know what it was.

If you look at a picture of an Atlas rocket of the period, and
specifically, a Mercury Atlas, you will note that it has, at it's
base, three engines. So, the bottom of the Atlas is not round,
as the three engines are all side to side to side.

At booster cut-off and sep, the aft Atlas skirt that includes
the two outboard engines is dropped away, and the centre, aka
sustainer engine, continues firing up to orbital insertion.

So, since all three engines are firing right from launch,
and only one is still aboard and firing, at cut off, it was
customary to call the Atlas a 1.5 stage rocket.

Andre

--
" I'm a man... But, I can change... If I have to... I guess. "
The Man Prayer, Red Green.

"adam bootle" wrote:

All this time I thought there was a staging like they had in the Gemini and
Apollo missions, I didn't know the two side engines only came away and the
centre carried on.

Check this site for a few diagrams that make the whole thing clearer.
http://www.geocities.com/atlas_missile/diagrams.html

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

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

In article ,
adam bootle wrote:
When Schirra has to report BECO does the B stand for booster ? Similarly
at SECO does S stand for Single ?

As others have explained, that's Booster and Sustainer, based on the funny
way the classical Atlas does staging.

At around 0:04:30 into the flight, Schirra has to report whether "V/VR is
over .8" Is this some kind of speed or G force thing ?

V/VR is current velocity over required (i.e. orbital) velocity. That was
one of the two key variables used in decisions about whether the launch
was on course and what abort procedure should be used at any given time.
(The other being flight-path angle above the horizontal.) Essentially
it's a measure of progress toward achieving orbit.
--
"Think outside the box -- the box isn't our friend." | Henry Spencer
-- George Herbert |

Thanks Andre and Derek,

You learn something new every day, I thought the common bulkhead shared
by the LOX and the RP-1 tanks was developed for the Apollo Program but I
looked at the diagrams and see that it was in use years before a Saturn
booster ever flew !

Cheers guys..........Adam


"Derek Lyons" wrote in message
...


Check this site for a few diagrams that make the whole thing clearer.
http://www.geocities.com/atlas_missile/diagrams.html

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

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