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N A T I O N A L A E R O N A U T I C S A N D SPA CE A D M l N I S T R A T I O N
APOLLO 9 MISSION
5-DAY REPORT
'I
i
A -TH-X-70001) APOLLO 9 flISSION: 5 1y74-72U68
R EPOBT ( M A S A ) 23 p
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............ DISTRIBUTION AND REFERENCING
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............ T h i s paper i s not suitable for general distribution or referencing. I t may be referenced
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MSC-PT-R-69-11
APOLLO 9 MISSIClN
5-DAY REPORT
PREPARED BY
APPROVED BY
/4L2%wrdd-
George M. Low
Manager, Apollo Spacecraft Program
INTRODUCTION
EXTRAmH IC U M ACT I V I TY
RENDEZVOUS
TRAJECTORY
A f t e r t h e a s c e n t s t a g e j e t t i s o n , a 3 - f t / s e c s e p a r a t i o n maneuver w a s
performed by t h e s e r v i c e module r e a c t i o n c o n t r o l system. The a s c e n t
engine w a s then f i r e d t o p r o p e l l a n t d e p l e t i o n .
5
COMMUNICATIONS
E l e c t r i c a l Power
Communic a t i ons
Instrumentation
S e r v i c e Propulsion
10
Crew P r o v i s i o n s
E l e c t r i c a l Power
Comuni c a t ions
Instrumentation
The performance of t h e o p e r a t i o n a l i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n w a s s a t i s f a c t o r y
w i t h only minor exceptions. The displayed values of s u p e r c r i t i c a l helium
p r e s s u r e were i n t e r m i t t e n t , b u t an independent t e l e m e t r y measurement f o r
t h i s p r e s s u r e w a s nominal. The t w o descent-fuel-tank temperature measure-
ments i n d i c a t e d random p o s i t i v e s h i f t s of approximately 5 O F. The suit-
disconnect-valve measurement f o r t h e Lunar Module P i l o t w a s i n t e r m i t t e n t ,
b u t proper valve o p e r a t i o n w a s v e r i f i e d by t h e crew. The water q u a n t i t y
12
Tracking Light
The t r a c k i n g l i g h t o p e r a t e d normally u n t i l a s c e n t s t a g e / d e s c e n t
s t a g e s e p a r a t i o n , a f t e r which it w a s i n o p e r a t i v e .
Radar
13
Descent Propulsion
Ascent Propulsion
Environmental Control
P r e p a r a t i o n f o r t r a n s f e r t o t h e l u n a r module r e q u i r e d l o n g e r t h a n
a n t i c i p a t e d , p r i m a r i l y because of t h e t i m e r e q u i r e d f o r t h e crewmen t o
don t h e space s u i t s . The s u i t supply hoses were a source of i n t e r f e r e n c e
and a l s o c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e longer p r e p a r a t i o n t i m e . A s a r e s u l t , about
1 hour w a s added t o t h e p r e p a r a t i o n t i m e f o r subsequent t r a n s f e r s .
F l i g h t Control
Network
During e x t r a v e h i c u l a r a c t i v i t y , air-to-ground t r a n s m i s s i o n s t o t h e
s p a c e c r a f t were l o s t from Guaymas, Texas, Merritt I s l a n d , Bermuda, and
USNS Vanguard s t a t i o n s . Downlink voice w a s remoted t o t h e Mission Con-
t r o l Center nominally d u r i n g t h e same p e r i o d . The l o s s of u p l i n k cap-
a b i l i t y w a s caused by a combination of t h e s t a t i o n s being c o n f i g u r e d t o
u p l i n k S-band only, r a t h e r t h a n S-band and VHF simultaneously, and t h e
s p a c e c r a f t crew had t h e S-band volume f u l l y decreased as planned. The
problem w a s further complicated by t h e i n a b i l i t y t o t r a n s m i t VHF v o i c e
from Bermuda because of a simultaneous t r a n s m i s s i o n on t h a t frequency
from t h e l u n a r module and a suppression of t h e VHF u p l i n k by t h e continu-
ously keyed p o r t a b l e l i f e support system.
R e cove r y
G.m.t. ,
Event h r :min
F i r s t VHF c o n t a c t 16 :51
F i r s t beacon and voice contact 16:57
F i r s t v i s u a l contact 16 :59
Landing 17:01
Swimmers deployed 17:07
Flotation collar installed 17:14
Command module h a t c h open 17:27
F i r s t a s t r o n a u t aboard h e l i c o p t e r 17:39
A l l astronauts i n helicopter 17:46
Astronauts on deck 17:50
Command module aboard recovery s h i p 19 :13
23'15'
5
L
0
z
23"lO'
68'04l 68'001 67'56'
West longitude
Time,
Event
hr:min:sec
Launch Phase
Orbital Phase
~ ~ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~
~
Time,
Event
hr :min :s e c
F i r s t undocking 92 :38 :4 1
Command and s e r v i c e module/lunar module s e p a r a t i o n 9 3 0 2 :53
Descent propulsion phasing maneuver 93: 47: 34
Descent propulsion i n s e r t i o n maneuver 95:39 :07
Coellip t i c s eque nc,e i n i t i at i on maneuver 96 :16 :04
Constant delta h e i g h t maneuver ( f i r s t a s c e n t p r o p u l s i o n ) 96 :58 :1 4
Terminal phase i n i t i a t i o n 97:57:59
Docking 99 :03:00
Second undocking 1 0 1:22 :44
Ascent propulsion f i r i n g t o d e p l e t i o n 1 0 1:53 :1 4
S i x t h s e r v i c e p r o p u l s i o n maneuver 123:25 :06
Seventh s e r v i c e p r o p u l s i o n maneuver 169 :38 :59
Eighth s e r v i c e propulsion maneuver ( d e o r b i t )
~~~
240 :31 :1 4
Entry Phase
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