g05_v_bw_o_n (S-65-45890)
Post-flight documentation photo of the interior of the Gemini 5 capsule.
Amongst the other cool things going on here, to include multiple hand-written reminders by Cooper & Gordon, note particularly "WHEN THESE ARE ON, ASSUME THEY ARE GREEN", immediately above the ringed checklist, stowed in the right pedestal pouch, at the bottom of the photo.
Check this out...apparently...only on spacecraft 5, were there two fuel cell delta (change in) pressure indicator lamps installed on the right instrument panel. They'd turn red in the event of a malfunction of some sort.
My read: Their "one off" location/placement and (I guess), lack of green(?)/any(?) illumination indicates conditions/status are nominal/within tolerance. Hence and understandably meriting a memory aid/reminder by the crew. Being under "monitor and display", as it pertains to re-entry, obviously pretty important.
Extract pertaining to the above:
"...An out of tolerance delta pressure indication is also provided by the fuel cell delta pressure (FCAP) telelights on the center instrument panel. The lights are illuminated red when a malfunction exists. On spacecraft 5 only, two FCAP indicator lamps on the right instrument panel are illuminated red when a malfunction exists..."
At: en.wikisource.org/wiki/NASA_Project_Gemini_Familiarizatio...
Credit: "NASA Project Gemini Familiarization Manual" at Wikisource
Further to the right, hand-annotated under the Flight Director/Atitude Indicator, aka the "Eight Ball", is "GMTLO 13+59." (and whatever else further to the right, off the photo)". Greenwich Mean Time Liftoff, which was indeed 1359.
It's this kind of human-produced minutia - only when associated with (preferably manned) space exploration (of yore) of course - is cool as sh!t!!!
I miss it.
g05_v_bw_o_n (S-65-45890)
Post-flight documentation photo of the interior of the Gemini 5 capsule.
Amongst the other cool things going on here, to include multiple hand-written reminders by Cooper & Gordon, note particularly "WHEN THESE ARE ON, ASSUME THEY ARE GREEN", immediately above the ringed checklist, stowed in the right pedestal pouch, at the bottom of the photo.
Check this out...apparently...only on spacecraft 5, were there two fuel cell delta (change in) pressure indicator lamps installed on the right instrument panel. They'd turn red in the event of a malfunction of some sort.
My read: Their "one off" location/placement and (I guess), lack of green(?)/any(?) illumination indicates conditions/status are nominal/within tolerance. Hence and understandably meriting a memory aid/reminder by the crew. Being under "monitor and display", as it pertains to re-entry, obviously pretty important.
Extract pertaining to the above:
"...An out of tolerance delta pressure indication is also provided by the fuel cell delta pressure (FCAP) telelights on the center instrument panel. The lights are illuminated red when a malfunction exists. On spacecraft 5 only, two FCAP indicator lamps on the right instrument panel are illuminated red when a malfunction exists..."
At: en.wikisource.org/wiki/NASA_Project_Gemini_Familiarizatio...
Credit: "NASA Project Gemini Familiarization Manual" at Wikisource
Further to the right, hand-annotated under the Flight Director/Atitude Indicator, aka the "Eight Ball", is "GMTLO 13+59." (and whatever else further to the right, off the photo)". Greenwich Mean Time Liftoff, which was indeed 1359.
It's this kind of human-produced minutia - only when associated with (preferably manned) space exploration (of yore) of course - is cool as sh!t!!!
I miss it.