Quote from: Arch Admiral on 07/23/2017 11:05 pmIt wasn't widely advertised, but the test of Orion being recovered in a big Navy landing ship's internal dock was pretty much a failure. The command module had a much more violent response to ocean swells than the LCUs and LCACs normally docked in these ships. It was very difficult to keep it straight on its cradle as the dock was pumped out. Simple hoisting worked much better for Apollo and Dragon and will probably be adopted for Orion too.Note that this test was done in a flat calm, not normal open-sea conditions. Yes. NASA had to try something new again despite having a 5 decades old procedure in hand that worked, and still works, perfectly. What a waste of money.
It wasn't widely advertised, but the test of Orion being recovered in a big Navy landing ship's internal dock was pretty much a failure. The command module had a much more violent response to ocean swells than the LCUs and LCACs normally docked in these ships. It was very difficult to keep it straight on its cradle as the dock was pumped out. Simple hoisting worked much better for Apollo and Dragon and will probably be adopted for Orion too.Note that this test was done in a flat calm, not normal open-sea conditions.
Quote from: darkenfast on 07/14/2017 09:08 amObviously the ocean treats the spacecraft different after a deep-space mission than it does after a measly LEO mission. Enough so that NASA will blow millions of taxpayer's money to hire a Navy amphibious combat ship and four or five hundred crew and helo squadron professionals to go recover it.Since we aren't doing an amphibious assault in the next couple days, it really doesn't matter.
Obviously the ocean treats the spacecraft different after a deep-space mission than it does after a measly LEO mission. Enough so that NASA will blow millions of taxpayer's money to hire a Navy amphibious combat ship and four or five hundred crew and helo squadron professionals to go recover it.
Quote from: woods170 on 07/24/2017 06:37 pmQuote from: Arch Admiral on 07/23/2017 11:05 pmIt wasn't widely advertised, but the test of Orion being recovered in a big Navy landing ship's internal dock was pretty much a failure. The command module had a much more violent response to ocean swells than the LCUs and LCACs normally docked in these ships. It was very difficult to keep it straight on its cradle as the dock was pumped out. Simple hoisting worked much better for Apollo and Dragon and will probably be adopted for Orion too.Note that this test was done in a flat calm, not normal open-sea conditions. Yes. NASA had to try something new again despite having a 5 decades old procedure in hand that worked, and still works, perfectly. What a waste of money. They tried doing it with a smaller ship than a carrier. They were actually trying to save money.
Quote from: Jim on 07/24/2017 06:53 pmQuote from: woods170 on 07/24/2017 06:37 pmQuote from: Arch Admiral on 07/23/2017 11:05 pmIt wasn't widely advertised, but the test of Orion being recovered in a big Navy landing ship's internal dock was pretty much a failure. The command module had a much more violent response to ocean swells than the LCUs and LCACs normally docked in these ships. It was very difficult to keep it straight on its cradle as the dock was pumped out. Simple hoisting worked much better for Apollo and Dragon and will probably be adopted for Orion too.Note that this test was done in a flat calm, not normal open-sea conditions. Yes. NASA had to try something new again despite having a 5 decades old procedure in hand that worked, and still works, perfectly. What a waste of money. They tried doing it with a smaller ship than a carrier. They were actually trying to save money.I was referring to hoisting the CM from the water, in stead of floating it onto a cradle. You don't need a carrier for that, nor an amphibious assault ship. And I will point out that NASA is not prevented from using non-government assets for recovery of the crew and the CM.