Apollo 14 - Houston, we have another problem
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- This video shows the problems the crew of Apollo 14 had with the docking sequence which nearly caused them to abort their moon landing. There are a number of excellent videos already on this but I've tried to break it down using CAD Models, Design info and telemetry data.
The detailed interior is from a scan of the command module available from the Smithsonian at:
3d.si.edu/obje...
The music is from:-
www.bensound.com/
Hope you enjoy it.
"When something goes wrong, don't feel ashamed to click 'Revert Flight' and do that all again."
Absolutely. 👍
Excellent and extremely detailed explanation of Apollo 14's docking problem. They came very close to abandoning their attempt to be the third mission to land on the moon.
Thank you. Yes they did. Then there was also the problem with the landing as well. But that's another story.....
Alan Shepard was apparently planning, if the docking latch continued to fail, to have the crew put on their helmets and gloves, depressurize the cabin and remove the docking probe. He would then reach through the tunnel on the next attempt and physically pull them together. He was certain that the latches would engage once the LM and CM joined. Fortunately for all, the next attempt by Stu Roosa succeeded or Shepard would in all certainty carried out his plan. After ten years of being grounded, he was NOT aborting his mission over what everyone was certain was a bit of debris on the docking probe.
@@Av-vd3wk Thank you. I definittly want to do more, its all about time
People who belive that moonlanding was not faked have a problem!
@@graffix101 continue your channel
Great video, and very informative!
My dad worked on a couple systems in the Apollo program, and I recall as a kid, he took me into work and showed me around, and pointed out the Apollo Docking Simulator that he was working on. It wasn't until I was in my 30's that I saw a documentary about the Apollo 14 docking problems, and thinking "Wow, my dad worked on that!", and I wondered (worried?) if he was involved in causing the problem at all. I knew my dad was a well-respected engineer by all his co-workers, and wasn't sure how to bring up such a potentially embarrassing question. I don't recall exactly how I brought it up, but I do recall it was awkward. When my dad finally figured out what I was trying to get at, he laughed, and assured me he didn't cause the problem. He explained that he got called into the project after the Apollo 14 flight to fix the problem. I've always admired my dad, and was relieved that my admiration for him wasn't tarnished. I always took pride in not only his contributions to space exploration, but the 100's of thousands of people who made it possible. And thanks to you Kevin, for your contribution to make sure theirs are not forgotten.
wow, that is a brilliant story. I love it when I get comments like that, it makes my day to think I've connected to someone whose family was responsible for man's greatest achivment!
@@graffix101 Great video. After all these years, I FINALLY understand how the probe worked!
even if the mission was aborted your Dad was a great engineer as was everyone involved. this was all new technology you must expect the unexpected
Best depiction of this event that I've ever seen.
I remember that night when ABC's Jules Bergman broke into regular programming to break the news of Apollob14's docking problem. Was watching with my Dad, and thinking not again!
The coverage stayed with the mission until docking finally happened. It was backup Commander Gene Cernan that talked the 14 crew through the procedures that caused success.
What many people don't know is that after being thoroughly tested, the Apollo 14 docking probe was again certified as flight worthy. Four and half years later, the docking probe flew on the Apollo/ Soyuz mission, making it the only one to fly twice!
Great story, 👍 I love all these snippets from a great era.
Interesting facts. I didn't know that.
Back in the day, Ed Mitchell's website had a forum where you could talk with Dr. Mitchell himself. When I asked him about the docking incident he speculated that the probe latches had iced up, and that stopped the latches engaging, and that the ice broke after a few docking attempts attempts, releasing the latch and allowing the docking to succeed.
He also said that if all the docking attempts had failed, they had a last resort plan that involved donning suits, depressurising the CM, opening the hatch and manually pulling the two craft together.
This seems to validate what Ed said on the subject in that forum.
Thanks for making this video. I’d never heard most of the details involved. BTW, that part with the golf club flooring up into the LM was genius.
Glad you enjoyed it
"...Sheppard made sure all the essentials were packed for the lunar surface!"
Priceless comment 😆😆😆
Yes, the golfball and the iron.... most people associate Sheppard's golf on the moon of Apollo 14 (Alan and Ed did far more on the moon besides golf). People remember a story rather than tasks. As The History Guy said of NACA, people remember the cowling design because it has a story unlike many other NACA developments.
...and; there was another huge problem just before separating for the lunar landing. They were getting an abort signal from the lander, which would end the mission. Nothing at current, would have caused problems, until;....they were separated and the lander was going through touchdown procedures. Not to mention; a huge problem with one of the pressurized tanks, possibly leading to over-pressurization, and explosion, which was solved within a 15 min. time by an Earthbound engineer, who developed a fast computer program and had the Astronauts program it into their computer, and solved the problem. It seems life was making it extremely difficult for Shephard to venture a moon landing. NASA and Alan overcame the challenges.
Lol, perfect ending.
What a great video! It's so interesting to see the nitty-gritty of how these missions progressed
Thanks
OMG! Please make more of these CAD videos!!! This is an amazing visual representation. If you had 1000 of these videos on youtube, I would binge watch all of them. And I would imagine thousands of others would too. Thank you for your hard work. I cannot wait for the next instructional video.
I was 12 and as I was going to bed, I heard on the hourly radio news that docking attempts were unsuccessful. Finally an hour later the news reported they had docked. Whew! I turned off the radio and slept peacefully!
Great memories 👍👍👍
Allan Shepherd will always be my favorite astronaut. He was also a great Navy jet-pilot. He could land a fighter on a carrier in a storm at night.
Not just any fighter but the Corsair which was rather notorious for being difficult to land. Not bad for someone who initially had problems in flight school and looked like he might wash out.
Kevin,
Just came across your video on Apollo 14 spacecraft docking issues. A great video and it got me thinking back to my days as a NASA engineer working at KSC on the Apollo Spacecraft. One of my areas of responsibilities was the Apollo docking system. While the Command Module and Service Modules (CSM) were in the Altitude Chamber, we performed actual docking test with the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) Accent Stages, Skylab Docking Module, and the ASTP docking module/airlock. The only exception was Skylab Missions 3 & 4. The Skylab Docking Module was in orbit and thus the reason why we couldn’t perform the test. The first CSM to LEM docking test at KSC was Apollo 9. I, along with my North American Aviation contractor engineer and a Grumman Aircraft Corporation engineer developed the first docking procedure at KSC. These tests were performed for each Apollo mission with the participation of the prime/backup flight crews. The object of these test was to demonstrate the compatibility of the two mated vehicles. We verified the docking probe capture latches worked, the 12 docking ring latches worked, the docking ring seals held pressure, as well as the structural integrity of the two pressurized vehicles. In addition, the astronauts were able to witness for the first time the actual docking of the flight hardware. Once docked, they did a final adjustment of their Crew Optical Alignment System (COAS) to the docking target on the LEM. The COAS is placed in the Commanders forward looking window during all mission dockings. Lastly, we did not retract the docking probe using the GN2 gas bottles. There are only four bottles and using one would require the docking probe to be sent back to the manufacture for replacement. Instead, we lowered the suspended LEM to retract the probe until engaging the 12 ring latches.
As I have already stated, your video is well done along with your narration. I do have some comments, corrections and opinions about your video. First, Gene Cernan’s idea on solving the docking issue could have worked. Pushing the two vehicles together with CSM thrusters until the docking latches fired was the same way we did the docking test at KSC. However, there would have to be enough thrusting power to overcome the extension spring in the docking probe shaft. Second, having only one ring latch fired is insufficient to maintain pressure in the CSM during tunnel hatch removal. Flight requirement was a minimum of 3 docking latches engaged. Forth, you cannot have just one latch to fire. These latches have a clamping force of 2,000 pounds each. The latch that is triggered first will pull the two vehicles together at such a high rate that it will trigger the other latches to fire in sequential order resulting in a violent oscillation of the two vehicles. By accident, we demonstrated this reaction during the first Apollo 9 docking teat. The LEM accent stage was not level to the CSM docking ring causing one latch hook to fire before the others. In an extremely fast motion, the other 11 latches fired one after the other. This resulted in a violent oscillation motion of the LEM (cable suspended) and the CSM sitting on a support ring in the altitude chamber. I do believe that the CSM slightly lifted off the support ring as it was not bolted to the ring. I can still hear today the flight crew’s reaction over the net. “What the hell just happened.” Luckily this did not damage the two flight vehicles. Fifth, the comment that the flight crew pushed the two laches to properly seat them on the docking ring is incorrect. There is absolutely no way an astronaut can overcome the 2,000-clamping force of the latch by hand. When latches do not totally engage with the docking ring, flight procedure is to re-cock the latch and then fire the latch. At KSC during testing of the docking latches, we had quite a few times when the latch hook was not totally on the docking ring. What happens is the latch goes thru two motions as it is fired. The first motion of the latch is to pivot forward or rotate towards the docking ring. The second motion is to then clamp down on the docking ring. What we experienced many times was the forward motion is so rapid that the latch hits the docking ring with such force that is bounces back before the latch starts its downward motion. It happens so fast the human eye cannot see these motions. We spent many hours talking to the design engineers back in California trying to fix this issue. We were never able to completely eliminate this problem during Apollo.
Finally, at the time of the Apollo 14 mission, NASA concluded it was “space ice” that caused the docking issues. Having some type of liquid in the probe head, in my opinion, is not possible or likely. The Apollo docking systems were never exposed to the outside environment at KSC. After the docking test, the docking system was always covered in plastic until the Launch Escape System (LES) was installed in the VAB. As part of the LES, it contains the Bost Protective Cover (BPC) which sits over the Command Module. Inside the BPC at the apex of the cover is a “tension tie” which forms a connection between the BPC and the docking probe head. Its function is to keep the docking system (docking ring & docking probe) attached to the BPC during an abort. With a normal lunch, the tension tie is pulled out of the probe head as the BPC is jettisoned. It appears that the tension tie is inserted in the area of the probe head where the button is pushed by a LEM astronaut to release the three latches from the LEM drogue. It is not clear how the tension tie is physically connected to the drogue head other than it is not a mechanical connection. It’s possible it could be a hollow tube with three or more fingers that slide over the button head and grab the head from underneath. Its conceivable that one of these fingers could have broken off thus jamming the spider mechanism; or the tension tie could have been pulled off at an angle jamming the spider. This is a more plausible explanation than space ice.
I hope my comments give you a better understanding of the Apollo Spacecraft docking system.
Wow, that's a detailed comment. Thanks very much for your deep insight into the Apollo docking system.
Question:
Gordon Cooper was backup CMDR on Apollo 10. How engaged was he in your demonstrations? Asking because of Deke Slayton's and Chris Kraft's attitudes toward Cooper.
Wow, firstly thank you so much for responding with an absolutely fascinating detailed account. Secondly, I am so honoured to have someone who actually worked on all this to comment on my post! I have trawled the net and documentation to try and get something close to a clear understanding of how the docking system worked.
A lot of my diagrams and animations came from the original NASA documentation showing still images. Like I said on my other Video on the docking ring and probe, I've always been fascinated by it and could never get my head fully round how it all worked. That’s why I put these videos together. definitely a labour of love. The great think about the internet is that I can post it and actually get responses from people who know a hell of a lot more than me! On my previous video for example I was unaware that when the LEM separated from the CSM they simply extended the probe which pushed the LEM away. I always assumed they used thrust.
When you talk about not using the gas bottles and lowering the LEM for testing makes perfect sense. If I had known that then yes, Gene Cernan’s advise of pushing the vehicles together would make perfect sense. I can’t remember where I read it but its written somewhere that it wouldn’t have worked. Then using confirmation bias I went through the electrical sequencing and confirmed it wouldn’t because it wouldn’t have set off the gas bottle. The dangers of only using single sources! The fact that they physically mated the vehicles meant it would absolutely work!
Another fascination point you make is the latches had two motions. this I had no idea about and again, in my other video, I mistakenly show it as one rotation. How I would love to get up close to this system and see it in action! Finally, my assumption about the "space Ice" came from the NASA report. I did feel however that this was not really confirmed but I put it at the end to show their conclusions. I did hear they reused this probe again on Skylab but I only read that in a comments page so I left that out as I had no idea if this is correct.
Thank you again for taking the time to comment and provide a brilliant insight. Also, an opportunity for me to thank you and all the other brilliant engineers and personnel who worked on the Space program.
@@dalethelander3781
Gordon Cooper was not an Apollo, Skylab or ASTP astronaut.
Sorry, I miss spoke. Gordon Cooper was to fly on Apollo 14 but Washington management decided to replace him with Alan Shepard. Gordon Cooper is not listed on any Apollo missions. Having worked Apollo 13, I cannot recall or remember if he was one of the backup crew members.
8:26, I'm sure there are some individuals who do not immediately understand what Alan Shepard's "essentials" were for landing on the lunar surface! BTW, this is an excellent video! Well done.
It's pretty clear chief
Lol absolutly, and thank you
That golf shot was a public relations mistake. Everyone everywhere would complain “We spent all those billions so Al Shepherd could go play golf!” I wish the people had understood all the wonderful benefits to their lives of the moon program, instead of defining it by that one image.
Not the first time he took random shit to space. Friend ship 7.. dude brought money and models with him lol
@@brianarbenz1329 I've often thought about this and it's alway struck me that the astronauts were a particular breed. Dedicated resourseful and focused. But if you had have had someone up their like a " Neil deGrasse Tyson", "Carl Sagan", James Burke, Brian Cox, who could have engaged the population maybe the Apollo mission would have gone on longer and Mars might have been conquered. I went to a talk by Alan Bean and he was amazing. I love the Apollo 12 crew. An image that has always stuck in my mnid was Dave Scott with the hammer and feather.......now that was brilliant!
Excellent and accurate description and explanation of the Apollo docking probe. I remember being glued to the radio and TV during the docking maneuver and thinking "oh, no! not another problem" At least this time the astronauts were in no danger.
I wish I was glued to the radio. Alas I was only 5. I feel I missed out on an amazing shared experience, hopefully I can get some of that shared joy with the new programs coming up. The launch of artemis soon is very exciting!
I remember watching this live as it was happening. Certainly added more interesting drama to the Apollo - 14 mission, along with the LEM abort threat issue prior to landing. Made my staying up late nights/early mornings watching the events as they were happening. RIP to the crew of the Apollo - 14.
An impressive video!!!! Very detailed. When I read about this docking problem during Apollo 14, the information itself was quite vague. Thanks!!!
No problem, I'm glad you enjoyed it
I met Ed Mitchell in Tucson during SpaceFest 2013, and he told me that it was "touch and go" throughout, along with his worrying that the LM wouldn't dock successfully with the Command Module after returning from the Moon.
As others have said......this was TOTALLY fascinating. Never heard these details before. And in such a succinct video too.
I'm old enough to remember this incident, although I wasn't old enough to completely understand it. I'm a bit surprised this isn't discussed more these days.
Great graphics and explanation.
And of course, the "lunar golf stroke" overshadowed just about everything else on this mission.
The docking problem was around midnight Eastern Time in the U.S. With no CNN or internet in those days, the news of it didn’t reach people until the next morning , long after it was resolved.
I’m sure it would have been talked about endlessly if they ended up having to suit on and do a heroic EVA to fix the docking module with a screwdriver. 😅
One really has to shake the head in disbelief at the thought that almost nobody was interested enough to watch just a third attempt at moon landing, after a nearly fatal prior mission, that it didn’t get nearly as much coverage as it deserved.
I feel like you and JaredOwen would make a great team making these kinds of videos.
JaradOwen is amazing. Im not in the same league.
Thanks! That really helps to visualise the problem. I didn’t realise that they had so many retries. It must have been looking a bit bleak in the end.
Excellent explanation! These are the real details that fascinate those of us of a certain age! 👍🏻🙂
Cheers Andy. A certain age indeed 😉
I can't imagine that anyone would not be fascinated by this.
Fascinating story. Never heard about this ! Great video and through research. Great work
Thanks
Thank you for this very detailed video about this mechanism and the story about this docking attempt. Absolutely amazing! 👍👍👍
Grüße aus Deutschland 🤗🤗🤗
danke schon Michael
I wasn't aware of the docking problem, nor that Shepard had Meniere's disease (which my wife has).
I am reminded of the cartoon in MAD Magazine that shows an astronaut hitting a golf ball on the moon, and it flies all the way around and hits him.
Excellent work. 🙌🏼 This is the kind of space content we need more of.
Thank you, much appreciated
How have I missed these?! This and the docking video are rediculously wonderful!!! Hope you continue to keep these vids coming!!!
About time Apollo 13 got a sequel
😂👍
Thanks for the behind the scenes story. I recall one mission where achieving "hard docking" was an important achievement - this could have been that mission. I like the reference to Alan Shepard's personal items. In fact, Alan decided to use the grabber pole for picking up rocks for his golf demonstration.. So all he needed to pack in his personal items was the head of an iron (to be fixed to end of the pole using the claw grabber), and a golf ball.
Excellent video, topped off by an unexpectedly funny finish! 👍
Great breakdown. I've heard this problem described before but only briefly. They made it sound like just ramming it was the solution. This explained the actual solution in much more detail. Thank you.
Love your dedication for this topic. Amazing videos
They do take a long time. Not just the research but trying to put it across in a straightforward way. I know a lot of people say there isn't enough content on here but I started off reading the documentation, then making the docking probe in cad and it progressed from there. I'll never make a lot of money on you tube doing these but I'm not doing it for that, it's just a love of all things Apollo. And since doing this the amount of comments and engagement has been more than enough. 👍
Super interesting. Didn't know about this. Thank you for sharing!!
No problem. Glad you enjoyed it.
Wasn't the last time they had docking problems though. They had issues docking to Skylab a few years later too. Granted that the station was damaged during launch, but it just goes to show how critical such a mechanism is to the success of such a mission.
The reason they had problems docking on that Skylab mission is that they reused the docking probe from Apollo 14!
Back on earth they had rebuilt the probe and thought that they had fixed it, and re-qualified it for the Skylab flight.
@@shabbysnubtide3339 Was that Skylab 2 with Pete Conrad?
yes
The models are beautiful man! Thank you for sharing this!
They almost had to abort during decent to the lunar surface too. During the decent the radar went out, and protocol would’ve required them to abort had it not come back on before 10,000 feet. Luckily they got it back on, as many at mission control believed Shepherd would disobey the order to abort and try to land without the radar. Upon landing Edgar Mitchell said to Shepherd “what would you have done if the radar didn’t come back on?” Shepherd replied “you’ll never know.”
I know, brilliant. I'm thinking of other videos to do and this would be a great one👍
My Geordie in Space!!!
Thanks for doing this.
Al, Stu and Ed would be proud!!
(Just watched the whole video. Simply beautiful including the six iron at the end.
You even included the detail of an EVA to fix the problem- great visualisation of how that could look in cis-lunar flight)
Ha ha, I'd love to be the first Geordie in space! thank you, really appreciate you comments
Yeaaaaaah... Another great vidéo 👍
it is much easier to understand the flight incident with !
Again, again...
Best wiches for 2022
PS : I think the graphics (more detailed) are better than your first video
Thank you Apolloman, appreciate the nice comments 👍
Great explanation and graphics! Thanks and keep up the good work!
thank you
Great animation! Thanks for your detailed description!
thanks
Thanks for this clear technical and visual explanation.
Very interesting. Good info in this. Thanks 😉
Thanks for the comment.
Interesting stuff. I'd love for you to do one on Skylab's troubles docking too.
Great explanation, thank you!
Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Good animation, and good explication.
Thank you
Another great Video!
thank you.
Impressive. Thank you!
Hadn't heard this one before. Thanks.
You should do more videos. Incredibly well done. Thank you.
Keep videos coming man!
So well done!
Fantastic episode! LOL, the "essentials"...🤑💥🚀
Great video, thanks!
Very interesting! Thanks!
Thank you.
I wonder if there were worries about docking again after taking off from the moon. I thought they would have aborted anyway due to a potential docking failure causing astronauts to get stuck in the lunar module to perish.
They could do a space walk in that situation
@@idontcare9797 With their PLSS back on the moon?
That's the best explanation ever.
Awesome video Kevin! You should make more!
Very insightful and interesting!
Superb work
thank you
Coming back up from the moon to dock with the CM had to be a pensive journey.
Was there any docking problems when the LEM redocked with The CM after blasting off the moon surface?
No, everything went smoothly.
I'm wondering how they were able to keep thrusting into the LEM without the whole third stage and structure moving (bouncing) away from them every time it was hit. Was the third stage also thruster stabilized to hold its position without drifting? Or was it heavy enough on it's own to take the repeated docking attempts?
It did bounce away. Not very much, but it did, that's just physics. But because the CSM had thrusters, it could match pace with the S-IV-B and the attached LEM without issue
Absolutely amazing work!!! This answers questions I had after reading about the missions….. wish you had more to watch!! ❤🙌
This wasn't their only glitch, there was also the abort switch problem on the LEM. Although nothing like as bad as Apollo 13, 14 was still full of drama.
It's always sobering to think how close these missions came to failure.
I agree, especially coming off the back of Apollo 13. Thats why everyone got frustrated when the public thought after the inital landing going to the moon was child play!
"What appeared as nearly flawless missions to the Moon were, in fact, a series of hair-raising near misses."
- Gene Kranz, _Failure Is Not An Option._
(Excerpt rom the blurb - the rest of the book is really good; it fills in details about Apollo that a lot of other books miss).
@@thewildcellist Yes. I seem to recall the number of part failures on the Apollo missions is the sort of make a person's hair grey now.
Nice work with this presentation.
thank you
Shepard and his crew were originally assigned to Apollo 13 but swapped with Jim Lovell to allow more training time….
Due to the fact he was ill, don't forget that was the reason why.
Al Sheppard...astronaut and holder of the world record longest drive. :)
Solar system record! 😉
@@ArmyJames KIng of the Universe even...
"Houston advises EVA with BFH sledgehammer"
😂
Very well done.
Thank you! Cheers!
"Problem, problem, come in, we has a Houston!!!"
Need the trilogy. 'Houston, we have too many problems.'
Neat! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I’ve always wondered, how did they keep it from malfunctioning when they docked on return from the lunar surface?
They hoped it wouldn't and it didn't ,👍
@@graffix101 if it had failed on return, what would they have done? is is feasible to depressurize both modules and spacewalk back over?
@@adriansue8955 yes, they could have done that.
I'd read that it worked flawlessly on the return from the surface. But as someone said, if they had to, and it would have been dangerous, they could have spacewalked over.
Lol nice touch at the end there.
Never heard of that before
Shepard said he'd do an EVA out the tunnel of the CSM to latch the two craft together.
Hello Mr. Hughes, thank you for posting this most informative and instructional video regarding Apollo 14's issues with the Docking probe. I'm aware this video is 7 mouths old as of the time of my comment. I would like to ask if you have any information as to how the Apollo Service module (SM) was attached to the Spacecraft-lunar module adapter (SLA). As I've come across Video of Apollo 12 being bolted to the SLA from SM aft bulkhead. Any help would be appreciated
Not exactly, buts it's something I've thought of doing for another video 👍
Браво!
Don't forget the golf club and the golf ball.......lol
Great strange that the first 2 didnt have problems, usually its age and usage that cause a plane to start having problems.
Kevin Bacon explained this "docking procedure" very eloquently to a female guest at Jim Lovell's Apollo 11 party at his house, as he demonstrates using a bottle to insert into a cup, and lets it slide right in.
More content please. This could be made into a monster.
Nice, thanks!
I was in the 2nd grade by the time Apollo 14 launched. I remember quite clearly the entire wing gathered in the library, sitting on the floor eyes staring up at that large industrial black white school TV and seeing Alan Shepard hit a golf ball on the Moon and thinking, "This is so silly, what a waste of time"
The reason the moon became so boring so quickly to the American public is that we went all that way and when we got there we didnt find anything or even make an attempt to really explore. The most uninteresting areas were chosen for landings. The most rudimentary science is carried out, which bores the laymen, and then they leave. The moon landings should have opened new vistas of exploration and instead it was, "Nothing to see here, folks, just move along" Just another boring trip to a boring place.
On each failed attempt the Lem stage must have been accelerated away by each impact, accelerating faster and faster away. I wonder how it didn't start to tumble out of control?
You did a Great job! Can I use this video in my RUclips Channel for korean viewers to explain the 14's problem?? I will credit if you want.
If you like this sort of thing, and especially if you are a late 50s boomer like me, I encourage you to read Gene Kranz’s book “Failure is Not An Option”. Epic. Giants walk/walked among us
Love that book! Check out the video special based on it right here!
My brain throughout the vid: *snickering*
Me, to my brain: "stfustfustfustfu..."
Can't believe I haven't heard about this until now.
I'm curious if the docking probe ended up in a museum, or did they just disassemble it and discard for the investigation?
....not like they are immobile, 3600 mph they circle. One of the reason so strange this unusual usage of all new crews on missions, went fine for #11, & #12.
I always wondered how astronauts could get to the LM with an Umbrella in the passageway.
You forgot to mention that Al Shepherd forgot to bring some important camera film back to the LEM after taking his golf swing on the moon.
Actually, I read somewhere that Ed Mitchell left the film canister on the lower half of the LEM. It's still there, waiting for another, future mission to pass by and pick it up!
I'm surprised they weren't worried about docking at the moon.
I think they were 🙁
As a man I can completely relate to difficulties hooking up like this
Is it true the probe was reused for one of the Skylab missions or Apollo-Soyuz?
I believe it was.
This was great - just wondering, wouldn't there have been a [huge] concern at the time, about re-docking after lunar landing/assent?
At that point they would have positioned the LM close to the CSM and transferred crew and samples between the two vehicles through the hatches if it came to that.
Remember that the ascent stage had 2 points of entry, the main hatch and the hatch they used as a transfer tunnel. Dave Scott on Apollo 15 did a 'stand up' EVA after landing on the moon from the top hatch to survey the landing site before they stepped out onto the surface. So they could have moved between the two vehicles that way.
The astronauts would have reentered the command module through its hatch, it didn't remain sealed until splashdown, as that was how the film cassettes were retrieved from the service module before it was jettisoned prior to reentry. One of the crew, the command module pilot, would perform an EVA to get them.
It wouldn't have been such a problem coming back from the moon as the LM was not needed to leave lunar orbit and was dumped before breaking orbit. The problem was that the LM needed to be attached to the CSM to get to the moon when the service module engine made burns on the way there and to slow down for orbital insertion which couldn't have been achieved if the two were not connected.
There must have been some concern after that that the ascent stage of the LM might fail to dock with the CM on the return from the moon. What would they have done then? Spacewalk?
Yes. Btw, the Soviets equivalent to the LM would have required the lone cosmonaut to do EVA’s in lunar orbit both before and after the lunar landing if they had been successful with their N1 rocket.