22

PROJECT MERCURY ,'

LITTLE JOE NO. 5B

(Capsule No. 1*0

CLASSIFICATIOH CHASGE

TO -

By authority of
Changed

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE.ADMINISTRATION

Space Task Group

Langley Field, Va..

1951 O

PROJECT MEHCOBX:
JOB SB (CAESOLE HO. 14)
e^frnieal Information Smnmary (NASA)
p ;;, Onefas
00/99 38487
 - 1-
INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the Little Joe No. 5B is to qualify the. Mercury

capsule,. escape system, and other systems which must function during
and after escape at the combination of dynamic pressure, Mach number,
and flight-path angle that represent the most severe conditions that
can be anticipated during an orbital launch on an Atlas booster.
The capsule will be Mercury capsule no. l4 manufactured by McDonnell
Aircraft Corporation.

The Little Joe No. 5B test is a repeat of the Little Joe No. 5
and Little Joe No. 5A tests, which'failed because of the premature
ignition ,of the escape-rocket motor and subsequent failure of the
capsule to separate-from the booster.

First-order test objectives.-

(a) Demonstrate the structural integrity of the Mercury

capsule and escape system during an escape initiated at the
highest -dynamic pressure that can be anticipated during an
Atlas launch for orbital flight.

(b) Determine the performance of the capsule escape

system, the sequential system, landing system, and the '
recovery system.
(c) Determine the flight dynamic characteristics of the
Mercury capsule in an escape maneuver.

Second-order test objectives.-

(a) Establish the adequacy of the capsule recovery
procedures.
(b) Establish prelaunch checkout procedures for the
functioning capsule systems.
(c) Determine the effects of the flight profile on the
capsule equipment and systems not otherwise.required for the-
first-order test objectives.
 .- 2 -

Mission description.- The sequence of events and flight plans

are presented in figure 1.

The configuration at launch is presented in figure 2.

Test configuration.-

(a) Capsule - The general configuration of the Mercury

capsule and escape tower are shown in figure J.

1. A large Vycor astronaut window is included in

this capsule.

2. An explosive hatch assembly; however, the

explosive-device has been eliminated.

J. The heat shield, composed of "beryllium heat

jsink material.

4. A fiberglass silicon-rubber-impregnated impact

skirt, attached between the capsule structure and the
heat shield.

(b) Booster - The booster to be employed in the mission

contains six solid-propellant-fueled rocket motors; two Castor
rocket motors which provide the main propulsion, and four
Recruit rocket motors which boost the vehicle at takeoff. In
addition, the booster contains two Castor rocket motor cases
which contain ballast.

Figure k contains a sketch of the booster and adapter

configuration and pertinent weight and performance data.

Capsule systems.- The systems and equipment to be carried in

capsule no. 14 have been limited to only those which are absolutely
necessary for the fulfillment of the primary mission.

(a) Communications - The major components of the capsule

communications system are:
 .- 3 -
1. TM transmitter LF
2. TM transmitter HF
3. Command receiver
^4-. C-band "beacon

• (b) Automatic Stabilization and Control System - The

ASCS is not.installed.in capsule no. 14.

(c) Reaction Control System •- The Manual and Automatic

RCS systems are 'not included in capsule no. l4.

(d) Environmental Control System - The ECS consists of

only those components which.provide for capsule prelaunch Freon
cooling and.in-flight.cooling.
. (e) Electrical system - The following components deviate
from the specification .capsule:

1. Main 3>000-watt-hour batteries are.replaced by

, l,500Qwatt-hour batteries.

2. The 250VA main inverter is deleted.

3. A sequence is provided for emergency separation

of the capsule from the booster by means of a single live
retrograde rocket.

(f) Instrument panel - The instrument panel contains only

those instruments,.telelights, switches, and controls .that are
necessary for the. prelaunch checkout and monitoring of the
electrical power and sequential systems.

(g) Landing and recovery system:- Dummy SOFAR bombs are

provided because of the shallow water in which the capsule will
'land. The 'Sequence.of events at landing is illustrated in
figure 5.
(h) Rocket system - The retrograde package contains one
live retrograde rocket, two dummy retrograde.rockets, and
dummy posigrade:rockets.
 Capsule: instrumentation.- The capsule has two special instru-
mentation pallets, one containing three rate gyros and three
accelerometers, where the rates and accelerations for the
Z, X and Y axes are transmitted continuously on both telemetry
transmitters and are the primary data required in the mission.
The other package is utilized to monitor the environment at the
capsule clamp-ring switches and contains two vibration
accelerometers, one potentiometer, a pressure pickup, and a
reference oscillator. Information from these instruments will not
be transmitted, but will be recorded on the capsule onboard tape
recorder. The sequential events to be monitored are listed in
table I.
 - 5-
TABLE I.- SEQUENTIAL MONITORING
Parameter Commutator segment JSignal
Periscope 'retract A and ;B 72 OEF-ON
Mayday A and B 10, 40, 60 OFF- ON
Capsule 'Separation bolts A and B 12, 52, 80 •OFF-ON
Escape-rkt. fire relay (emerg.) A and B 9, 21, 6l OFF- ON
Capsule clamp-ring limit switch no. 1 A -and B 76 OFF-ON
Capsule clamp-ring limit switch no. 2 A and B 69 OFF- OH
Capsule clamp- ring limit switch no.. 3 A and B 77 OFF-ON
Capsule separation A and B 20, 47 OFF-ON
Retroassembly jettison A' and B 53 OFF-ON
Emerg. tower separation bolts -relay A and B 4 -OFF-ON
Tower separation bolts A and B 8, 48, 78 'OFF-ON
Tower clamp-ring limit switch no. 1 A and B 24 .-OFF-ON
Tower clamp-ring limit switch no. 2 A and B 23 OFF-ON
Tower clamp-ring limit switch no. 3 A and B 25 OFF-ON
Tower- jettison rocket fire A and B .11, 66 OFF-ON
Tower separation A and B'3, 19, 46 OFF-ON
Drogue • chute deploy A .and B 54 OFF-ON
Antenna fairing release •A and B 55 OFF-ON
Main chute deploy A and B 56 OFF-ON
Main chute jettison A and B 57 OFF-ON
Command receiver 30 'OFF-ON
Retrofire - 10 seconds B 63 OFF-ON
Calibration monitor 64
Standby inverter "on" 62 OFF-ON
 SJ'aE
^^-^ tiet 4ds4 m
*"
60 s-f 1jb unp
4<>
st
-:f ^ttfr
-*S
RS.
S BE passes JEfegttm Tf

uEi Jffi i£C

2&C

tr inttizrt rrtlik
ftfct
4.0 [EMS"

JD
^EES
£33
al
--H'J
t J 3^3
I1

• t Mjfei JT

f ' 20 jtir JS
•Main Chute De
287:
uc
•At Ti> ee

M*N- Jijrat
ICJ.

flihfc
1
10 20 . 30
Range, ft.xlO-3
Figure 1.- Mission Description - Little Joe No. 5B
Figure 2.- Little Joe No. 5-B vehicle mounted on launcher.
 391.23 Z77.97

I 80.00 DIA.
AERODYNAMIC SPIKE AND
BALLAST ASSEMBLY

BASIC
Z1S1.239 Zl'0.500 Z94.238
LITTLE JOE
ADAPTER

ADAPTER
ENTRANCE AND EXTENSION ASS'Y.
EMERGENCY EGRESS
HATCH

-,RX

Hgure J.- General arrangement of capsule and escape tower.

 Propulsion (Nominal)

Booster Stations Propellant Gas Recruit

/Capsule \ Ammonium
254 _ Perchlorate
Adapter Extension - 74.5 dia. hydrocarbon
274 1 . 1 Length, inches 244. 107.
Adapter Diameter, inches 31. 9.
299 Loaded weight, pounds 8,796. 372.
-80 Burnout weight, pounds 1,383. 105.
Propellant weight, pounds 7,313. 267.
Total impulse (at 70°F) Ib. sec. .1,523,433. 60,988.
Burning time, seconds 27.5 1.5
Sea level thrust, pounds, 57,159. 36,377.
Weight Breakdown, at Launch
Booster Airframe 2,529 Ibs
Propulsion 19,025 "
471 Adapter, Adapter extension
45^ and pressure plate 914
Ballast 12.Q8/.
. Booster 35,452
Capsule 3.834
•* 10 Weight -at lift-off 39,287
Combination Weight and C.G.
Weight C.G. (Ref. Booster Sta.)
Lift-off 39,287 379
Booster Burnout 23,592 363

Figure 4.- Little Joe No. 5B booster and adapter configuration

 427POO Feet
Drogue Chute
Deployed

10.000 Feet
Mlpef
Out Main Ch
Main Chute Dummy SOFAR Bomb
Released
Flashing-

v:-~-j- Reserve Chute Deployment

*•> ^ Chute
V }, Jettisoned
Y ' Py<e Marker
^1 • ^^"f «*TTN fH"n f*f*-A

Capsule Impacts+10 minutas: Antenna Fairing

Command, Beceiver_-.CfT, ___ Impacts
v
HI and LO Freq. Telemetry-OFF
C-Ba.nd Beacons - OFF
Tape F,ecorder - OFF

Figure 5.- Sequence of events at landing.

 T i m e , fH \ H I S6C

Tower separati
t = 01:12.0
Drogue chute

40

30
(-. -j

Capsule |
ion
M -
rr
s
20 Capsule Booster
VQ = 82°
t =02:52.0
Main .chute W0 = 39250
10

|
|::
::t = 08: 25, 0
pi! Impact H
0
10 20 30 ' 4-0 50 60xX0
Range, ft.

Altitude - Range for Little Joe 5B.

 ATLANTIC OCEAN

IMPACT POINTS

Capsule, 5.7 n.m.

<^Tower, 6.1 n.m.
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
Booster,
9.2 n.m.
Scale - Nautical Miles

Impact points.
 2.0

1.6
(U
J3
E
13
c
.c
1.2
o
rt

0.8 Drogue chute deployed

Main chute deployed^

0.4 ^

00:00 00:20 00:4-0 01:00 1:20 01:40 02:00 02:20 02:40 03 : 00 : 03:20
Time, min:sec

Mach number time history.

00:00
0 20 __

°°= «"« Time, min:sec

Velocity time history

 1400
t = 00:35.5
IfEscape rocket fired

1200

C\J
-H

CO
1000
S3
rH

0)
13 800
CO
* CO
> 0)
l_
Q.
O
- 600

400
t = 00:59.5
Tower separation
Main chute deployed

200 Drogue chute deployed

0
00:00 00:20 00:40 01:00 01:20 01:40 ^ 02:00 02:20. 02:40 ; 03:00 .^03:20
Time, min:sec
Dynamic pressure time history.
 1:20 60x10

80 50
Escape rocket fired
Drogue chute deployed

(D

rt
0)
•a
'Main chute
-40 p deployed
.c
01

Flight path angle

-80 -

-120 I-
00:00 00:20 00:40 01:00 01:20 01:40 02 : 00 02 : 20 02 : 40 03:00 03:20
Time, min:sec

Time histories of altitude and flight-path angle.

 IIHll'.liH.llllill
Escape rocket f i r e d

I H I I 11! I 11
Main chute deployed

Drogue chute deployed

00:00 00:20 00:40 01:00 01:20 01:4-0 02:00 02:20 02:40 03:00 03:20
Time, mi n:sec <'•
Longitudinal load factor time history.