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Space Rocket History #351 – Apollo 15 – First Deep Space EVA and Splashdown
November 04, 2020
As the red smoke cleared, Al saw widening holes in one of their parachutes, collapsing it into a useless strip of cloth. “We’ve got a streamer on one,” Al reported.
Space Rocket History #350 – Apollo 15 – Lunar Liftoff, Rendezvous and Docking – Tang Ceremony
October 21, 2020
On Hadley Plain, at 171:37 GET, right on schedule, Falcon’s engine lit, hurling the ascent stage upward in an impressive flurry of dust and debris, captured for the first time on camera and transmitted live to a world-wide audience.
Space Rocket History #349 – Apollo 15 – Meanwhile on Endeavour
October 07, 2020
After being cooped up together so closely with his fellow astronauts inside Endeavor, Worden enjoyed stretching out for his solo flight. Now he really got to fly.
Space Rocket History #348 – Apollo 15 – Traverse 3
September 23, 2020
“We pray for one last landingOn the globe that gave us birth;Let us rest our eyes on the fleecy skiesAnd the cool, green hills of Earth.” Robert A. Heinlein
Space Rocket History #347 – Apollo 15 – Traverse 2-Part 2 – The Genesis Rock
September 09, 2020
Both men realized what they had discovered. The rock was almost entirely plagioclase. This was surely a chunk of anorthosite, a piece of the primordial crust, the Genesis Rock.
Space Rocket History #346 – Apollo 15 – Traverse 2-Part 1
August 26, 2020
Suddenly, Scott called out that the Rover was beginning to slide down the hill. As the back wheels came off the ground, Scott quickly got back on to hold the rover down.
Space Rocket History #345 – Apollo 15 – The Lunar Rover & Traverse 1
August 12, 2020
The whole stripped-down rover weighed about 455 pounds on Earth but only 76 pounds on the moon and was built to carry 2 1/2 times its weight at a maximum speed of about 10 miles per hour.
Space Rocket History #344 – Apollo 15 – Oxygen Leak, Glass Ball, First Steps & The Lunar Rover
July 29, 2020
After a good nights sleep, Houston woke the astronauts up an hour early the next morning because of a slight oxygen leak.
Space Rocket History #343 – Apollo 15 – Falcon on the Moon
July 15, 2020
It was immediately clear that Falcon had landed on uneven ground, right on the rim of a small crater; the LM was tipped backward at a slight angle. It turned out that one of the rear feet had landed in … Continue reading →
Space Rocket History #342 – Apollo 15 – Lunar Orbit & Landing
July 01, 2020
Craning to look through the triangular window for a glimpse of the land ahead, Scott saw no sign of Hadley Rille.
Space Rocket History #341 – Apollo 15 – Serious Problems
June 17, 2020
The SPS engine was used for all the future burns. It was the astronauts ticket home. Any doubt as to whether it could fire raised the question as to whether the mission could continue.
Space Rocket History #340 – Apollo 15 – Climb to Orbit
June 03, 2020
For Scott all feelings were forgotten. All senses except sight were subordinated. All Scott’s concentration was focused on hearing information from Irwin, Worden and Mission Control about the status of the spacecraft and the Saturn V.
Space Rocket History #339 – Apollo 15 – The Launch
May 20, 2020
The last face they saw was Guenter’s, smiling and waving an enormous crescent wrench. Then the heavy hatch closed with a deep thunk.
Space Rocket History #338 – Apollo 15 – CDR Dave Scott Part 2 & The Postal Covers Incident
May 06, 2020
As Command Module Pilot for Apollo 9, Scott’s responsibilities were heavy. The Lunar Module was to separate from the Command and Service Module during the mission; if it failed to return, Scott would have to run the entire spacecraft for … Continue rea...
Space Rocket History #337 – Apollo 15 – LMP Jim Irwin & CDR Dave Scott
April 22, 2020
Dave Scott showed incredible presence of mind during the unexpected events of the Gemini 8 mission. Even in the middle of an emergency, out of contact with Mission Control, he had thought to reenable ground control of the Agena before … Continue reading →
Space Rocket History #336 – Apollo 15 – Introduction, Crew Selection & CMP Al Worden
April 08, 2020
The twelve day Apollo 15 mission was scheduled to launch on July 26, 1971. It would be the fourth United States human exploration of the Moon. As compared with earlier missions, Apollo 15 would double the time and extend by … Continue reading →
Space Rocket History #335 – Impacts of Soyuz 11 on Future Soyuz, Salyut-1 & Apollo
March 25, 2020
It was decided that henceforth, cosmonauts would wear pressure suits for launch and the return to Earth. Also, a system was installed to automatically pump air into the descent module in the event of decompression. Additionally,
Space Rocket History #334 – Soyuz 11 – Death in Space
March 11, 2020
The recovery team quickly opened the hatch and were shocked to find the men motionless, as if asleep or unconscious.
Space Rocket History #333 – Soyuz 11 – Downfall & N1 Update
February 26, 2020
Volkov transmitted to Flight Control: “The hatch is not hermetically sealed! … What can we do? … What can we do?”
Space Rocket History #332 – Soyuz 11/Salyut 1 – The Fire & SRH 7th Year Celebration
February 12, 2020
Just before the start of another communication session, Volkov noticed a smell of smoke from somewhere at the rear of the station. As soon as communication with the ground was established, he reported: “Aboard the station is ‘the curtain’!”
Space Rocket History #331 – Soyuz 11/Salyut 1 – Life Aboard the First Space Station
January 29, 2020
Dobrovolsky wrote in his diary, “Some days were a nightmare. There was a general absence of everything: no interesting things, no happiness, the monotonous sound of the ventilators, strong smells, numerous experiments.
Space Rocket History #330 – Soyuz 11/Salyut 1 – What’s That Smell?
January 15, 2020
Volkov radioed “Zarya, wait! Yantar 3 is in Soyuz. Don’t start until Yantar 3 has returned to the Salyut! There is a strong smell in Salyut! He will put on a mask and go in again!”
Space Rocket History #329 – Soyuz 11 – The Replacement Crew – Dobrovolsky, Volkov, and Patsayev – Part 2
January 01, 2020
“I am proud to have been involved in the Vostok spacecraft which carried Gagarin on the first manned space flight and in its modification for Voskhod.” Volkov
Space Rocket History #328 – Soyuz 11 – The Replacement Crew – Dobrovolsky, Volkov, and Patsayev – Part 1
December 19, 2019
Dobrovolsky was blond, tall, broad-shouldered, and tough. He was kind-hearted and had a contagious belly laugh. At the Air Force school, his friends nicknamed him `Odessa’, and he was proud of it.
Space Rocket History #327 – Soyuz 11 – The Prime Crew
December 12, 2019
On May 4th, 1971 the prime crew of Soyuz 11 was confirmed to be Leonov, Commander; Kubusov, Flight Engineer; and Kolodin, Research Engineer. Their assignment was to spend between 30 and 45 days on board Salyut 1.
Space Rocket History #326 – Soyuz 10 – Undocking and Re-entry
December 05, 2019
… There was no provision for the possibility of undocking if the entire docking cycle had not been executed …
Space Rocket History #325 – Soyuz 10 – Docking with Salyut 1
November 28, 2019
“They can’t approach at that rate,” fretted Mishin. “Why aren’t you doing anything? Tell the crew what to do!” “We don’t need to do anything; deceleration will begin now,” Rauschenbach reassured Mishin.
Space Rocket History #324 – Soyuz 10 with Shatalov, Yeliseyev and Rukavishnikov
November 21, 2019
The objective of the Soyuz 10 mission was to deliver and return to earth the first crew of Salyut 1. The Soyuz was to hard dock with Salyut 1 and then the crew was to transfer internally to the station. … Continue reading →
Space Rocket History #323 – Salyut 1
November 13, 2019
In record time, the OKB-1 rebels led by Yuri Semenov developed the space station designated DOS-7K. The station used the body of a vehicle from the Almaz project, but outfitted it with modified systems from the Soyuz spacecraft.
50th Anniversary Special – An Encore Presentation of Space Rocket History #224 – Apollo 11 – Moonwalk – Part 2 – One Priceless Moment
November 07, 2019
“For one priceless moment, in the whole history of man, all the people on this earth are truly one. One in their pride in what you have done. And one in our prayers that you will return safely to earth” … Continue reading →
Space Rocket History #322 – Apollo 14 – Recovery & Conclusion
October 30, 2019
Alan Shepard’s wife Louise was elated after watching on TV as Shepard boarded a Navy ship bound for Houston, where he would be safe behind the glass windows of the post-flight quarantine room.
Space Rocket History #321 – Apollo 14 – Splashdown
October 23, 2019
Gradually, as Mitchell worked and glanced at the bright crescent, he was filled with a quiet euphoria, great tranquillity, and an overpowering sense of understanding. It was as if he had suddenly begun to hear a new language,
Space Rocket History #320 – Apollo 14 – Docking & Alexei Leonov
October 16, 2019
Would the docking probe that caused so much difficulty a week ago during the first docking work now or would Shepard and Mitchell be forced into a space walk in Lunar orbit?
Space Rocket History #319 – Apollo 14 – Lunar Lift-off
October 09, 2019
141:45:30 Shepard: Okay. The abort stage is set. Ascent Engine is Armed. 6, 5, 4… 141:45:38 Mitchell: Proceed with the ignition program 141:45:38 Shepard: …3, 2, 1, 0… 141:45:42 Mitchell: Ignition. 141:45:43 Shepard: We have ignition… 141:45:44 Mitchel...
Space Rocket History #318 – Apollo 14 – Moonwalk 2 – Part 2 – How about a round of golf?
October 02, 2019
“It was terribly, terribly frustrating; coming up over that ridge that we were going up, and thinking, finally, that was it; and it wasn’t – suddenly recognizing that, really, you just don’t know where you are.” Ed Mitchell
50th Anniversary Special – An Encore Presentation of Space Rocket History #223 – Apollo 11 – Moonwalk – Part 1
September 25, 2019
Silently and carefully, Armstrong raised his left boot over the lip of the footpad and lowered it to the dust. Immediately he tested his weight, bouncing in the gentle gravity, and when he felt firm ground, he was still, one … Continue reading →
Space Rocket History #317 – Apollo 14 – Moonwalk 2 – Part 1 – The Rim of Cone Crater
September 18, 2019
The majority of the second moonwalk was dedicated to reaching the rim of Cone Crater. The wide, deep geological gold mine, which scientists believed was actually the remains of an ancient volcano.
Space Rocket History #316 – Apollo 14 – Solo Flight Over the Moon & Lunar Geology
September 11, 2019
With the Hycon camera down, Roosa would have to step in and use a Hasselblad with a 500 mm lens, to take detailed photos of the Apollo 16 potential landing site. If Roosa did nothing else, he had to return … Continue reading →
Space Rocket History #315 – Apollo 14 – Moonwalk 1 – Part 3 – ALSEP Deployment
September 04, 2019
The mortar package contained a set of grenades which were planned to be fired to distances of 500, 1000, 3000, and 5000 feet to the north of the ALSEP site.
Space Rocket History #314 – Apollo 14 – Moonwalk 1 – Part 2 – Fueling the Nuke
August 28, 2019
A small plutonium source was used to power the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) that would provide electric power for the ALSEP experiments. Ed Mitchell performed the delicate maneuver of inserting the fuel capsule into the RTG.
Space Rocket History #313 – Apollo 14 – Moonwalk 1 – Part 1 – Color TV From the Moon
August 21, 2019
“Al is on the surface. And it’s been a long way, but we’re here.” Alan Shepard
Space Rocket History #312 – Apollo 14 – Lunar Landing – Part 2
August 14, 2019
Suddenly the caution lights went out and the radar signals began to transmit. Within seconds the astronauts could see that its data was good. Seconds later in mission control, a jubilant Will Presley shouted, “Flight, we got radar lockup!”
Space Rocket History #311 – Apollo 14 – Lunar Landing – Part 1
August 07, 2019
While checking the lander’s guidance software, during a final practice run for the landing, engineers in mission control detected that the computer was receiving an errant signal from the abort pushbutton.
Space Rocket History #310 – Apollo 14 – Lunar Orbit
July 31, 2019
The first extended use of the Service Propulsion System engine on the Command and Service module was for the Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) burn.
Space Rocket History #309 – Apollo 14 – The Long Coast
July 24, 2019
Mitchell kept his plan a secret from NASA, knowing that the agency would be completely unreceptive to the idea. He said nothing about it to his crewmates. The test subjects had also agreed to keep quiet.
50th Anniversary Special – An Encore Presentation of Space Rocket History #221 – Apollo 11 – Lunar Landing – Part 3
July 20, 2019
“Houston, Tranquillity Base here. The Eagle has landed.”
50th Anniversary Special – An Encore Presentation of Space Rocket History #220 – Apollo 11 – Lunar Landing – Part 2
July 19, 2019
Suddenly, Buzz and Neil heard the high-pitched sound of the Master Alarm. On the computer display the “PROG” light glowed amber. “Program alarm,” Armstrong radioed. Quickly, Aldrin queried the computer for the alarm code,
50th Anniversary Special – An Encore Presentation of Space Rocket History #219 – Apollo 11 – Lunar Landing – Part 1
July 18, 2019
The machine-like performance of flight crew and ground controllers continued. Each participant was in perfect harmony with the other, moving to a cadence dictated by the laws of physics and the clock.
Space Rocket History #308 – Apollo 14 – Transposition, Docking & Extraction
July 10, 2019
Docking was a delicate maneuver, since both ships were traveling at nearly five miles per second, but the docking mechanism itself was one of the simplest on the entire spacecraft, and the docking procedure had been perfected on previous Apollo flights...
Space Rocket History #307 – Apollo 14 – The Climb to Orbit & TLI
July 03, 2019
“The approaching dusk and the damp mistiness left by the now-departed rainstorm only enhanced the spectacular sight and the sound of the launch. Tentacles of flame erupted on either side of the bottom of the Saturn V, which seemed to … Continue reading →