a_v_bw_o_n (S-63-72)
Ca. 1962/63 North American Aviation (NAA) artist’s - I think Gary Meyer - concept depicting the Apollo spacecraft in earth/parking orbit, probably just before the Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI) burn by the S-IVB’s J-2 engine. The conduit-looking thing running along the side of the Service Module is actually one of the two “swing-arms” by which the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) was to be rotated/pivoted from its stowed position behind the Command/Service Module (CSM) to the front of it for docking.
Although it would seem this method of “Transposition & Docking” removed the inherent risk/danger of having to precisely maneuver the CSM about multiple axes, it also introduced the potential of mechanical difficulty/failure of the swing-arms. Although I assume there was a contingency for disconnecting/jettisoning them (from the LEM) in the event of such. Fascinating - to me - regardless.
Credit: The Space Archive/YouTube
Credit: Retro Space HD/YouTube
Who knew? Did you?!? I didn’t!!!
On the verso, I wonder what “…FROM NAA NUMBERS” means.
a_v_bw_o_n (S-63-72)
Ca. 1962/63 North American Aviation (NAA) artist’s - I think Gary Meyer - concept depicting the Apollo spacecraft in earth/parking orbit, probably just before the Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI) burn by the S-IVB’s J-2 engine. The conduit-looking thing running along the side of the Service Module is actually one of the two “swing-arms” by which the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) was to be rotated/pivoted from its stowed position behind the Command/Service Module (CSM) to the front of it for docking.
Although it would seem this method of “Transposition & Docking” removed the inherent risk/danger of having to precisely maneuver the CSM about multiple axes, it also introduced the potential of mechanical difficulty/failure of the swing-arms. Although I assume there was a contingency for disconnecting/jettisoning them (from the LEM) in the event of such. Fascinating - to me - regardless.
Credit: The Space Archive/YouTube
Credit: Retro Space HD/YouTube
Who knew? Did you?!? I didn’t!!!
On the verso, I wonder what “…FROM NAA NUMBERS” means.