NASA Faking a "Moon Landing." No, seriously

It's not *that* kind of a question:

I'm talking about simulations -- did NASA ever fly LM interior mockups
in the Vomit Comet when training astronauts to land on the Moon? I was
wondering if any sims were done so that astronauts could feel their
orientation within the LM from when "up" and "down" started having
meaning during descent.

Was that ever tried with crews, or did they just play it out in the
terrestrial sims and hope that there wouldn't be any disorientation
during landing?

"TVDad Jim" wrote in message
m...
|
| Was that ever tried with crews, or did they just play it out in the
| terrestrial sims and hope that there wouldn't be any disorientation
| during landing?

No interior mockups were ever flown in the Vomit Comet, although the plane
was used to simulate 1/6 G for locomotion, etc.

Keep in mind that these guys were test pilots. They were used to ignoring
their gut and flying the needles. They were expected to stay proficient in
high-performance aircraft, which do a far better job of twisting one's
innards than any putting about above the moon.

--
|
The universe is not required to conform | Jay Windley
to the expectations of the ignorant. | webmaster @ clavius.org

"Jay Windley" wrote in message
...

"TVDad Jim" wrote in message
m...
|
| Was that ever tried with crews, or did they just play it out in the
| terrestrial sims and hope that there wouldn't be any disorientation
| during landing?

No interior mockups were ever flown in the Vomit Comet, although the plane
was used to simulate 1/6 G for locomotion, etc.

Well, not for the Apollo missions, but for Apollo 13 movie they did. :-)



Keep in mind that these guys were test pilots. They were used to ignoring
their gut and flying the needles. They were expected to stay proficient
in
high-performance aircraft, which do a far better job of twisting one's
innards than any putting about above the moon.

--
|
The universe is not required to conform | Jay Windley
to the expectations of the ignorant. | webmaster @ clavius.org

"Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)" wrote in message ...

Well, not for the Apollo missions, but for Apollo 13 movie they did. :-)

Was there ever a Garn count released for the Apollo 13 cast?

(just wondering if Kevin Bacon could hold down his porridge after
"scene 42, take 9")

"TVDad Jim" wrote in message
m...
It's not *that* kind of a question:

I'm talking about simulations -- did NASA ever fly LM interior mockups
in the Vomit Comet when training astronauts to land on the Moon? I was
wondering if any sims were done so that astronauts could feel their
orientation within the LM from when "up" and "down" started having
meaning during descent.

Was that ever tried with crews, or did they just play it out in the
terrestrial sims and hope that there wouldn't be any disorientation
during landing?

CM and LM bits and pieces were flown this way - hatches, docking tunnel,
etc - see http://www.astronautix.com/craft/lmstural.htm and similar.

The only LM interior in a KC-135 which springs to mind was the one in which
the Hanks/Bacon/Paxton crew trained (and flew their mission!).


--
Dave Kenworthy
-----------------------------
Changes aren't permanent - but change is!

In article ,
says...

"TVDad Jim" wrote in message
m...
It's not *that* kind of a question:

I'm talking about simulations -- did NASA ever fly LM interior mockups
in the Vomit Comet when training astronauts to land on the Moon? I was
wondering if any sims were done so that astronauts could feel their
orientation within the LM from when "up" and "down" started having
meaning during descent.

Was that ever tried with crews, or did they just play it out in the
terrestrial sims and hope that there wouldn't be any disorientation
during landing?

CM and LM bits and pieces were flown this way - hatches, docking tunnel,
etc - see http://www.astronautix.com/craft/lmstural.htm and similar.

The only LM interior in a KC-135 which springs to mind was the one in which
the Hanks/Bacon/Paxton crew trained (and flew their mission!).

Well... not exactly. The Vomit Comet was set up with more than just a
LM hatch, it was set up with the LM forward hatch and a realistic
simulation of the control panel, mid-step (the "floor" of the
cylindrical forward LM cabin), and ascent engine cover. This set-up was
flown on 1/6 G parabolas and, in the 45 seconds or so of 1/6 G afforded
by the parabolas, LM crews practiced getting down on their stomachs and
backing out the hatch. I've seen references to these 1/6 G flights for
each lunar landing crew, including the Apollo 17 crew, so they never got
to the point where they thought the prior crews' experience was enough
to assure them that any guy they sent up would have no problems exiting
the LM.

They had to put together a LM interior simulator that would mimic the
cramped quarters in which the LM crews would actually exit their
vehicle, since that was probably the most difficult and physically
demanding thing Apollo crews did while in hard suits. You had to learn
by doing the trick of getting down on your knees, then flat on your
stomach, flattening your back so that the PLSS would clear the "purse"
hangers (the attachments for the temporary stowage bags with which the
LM was launched) and the hatch itself. In training, the crews found
that it took a trick of placing your faceplate almost directly on the
floor of the cabin and kicking your legs back through the hatch in order
to line up properly. Such a thing needed to be physically practiced in
1/6 G to ensure successful egress.

Doug