I believe the ascent stage is pretty much "spent" by the time it redocks with the CM. There'd have been very little fuel or battery power left, so it'd be mostly just dead weight reducing the performance available in the SM engine.
Quote from: Naito on 07/07/2011 03:19 amI believe the ascent stage is pretty much "spent" by the time it redocks with the CM. There'd have been very little fuel or battery power left, so it'd be mostly just dead weight reducing the performance available in the SM engine.I would guess that the ascent stage could have remained powered via power transfer from the CSM/SM, so there would have been a benefit of the additional volume for the crew during the 3 day return.
Quote from: Danderman on 07/08/2011 03:43 pmQuote from: Naito on 07/07/2011 03:19 amI believe the ascent stage is pretty much "spent" by the time it redocks with the CM. There'd have been very little fuel or battery power left, so it'd be mostly just dead weight reducing the performance available in the SM engine.I would guess that the ascent stage could have remained powered via power transfer from the CSM/SM, so there would have been a benefit of the additional volume for the crew during the 3 day return. Not much point of having the ascent stage as a lifeboat if it needs power from the CSM to do so. Might just as well use the CSM. Of what benefit would the additional volume be?
Quote from: ZANL188 on 07/08/2011 05:13 pmQuote from: Danderman on 07/08/2011 03:43 pmQuote from: Naito on 07/07/2011 03:19 amI believe the ascent stage is pretty much "spent" by the time it redocks with the CM. There'd have been very little fuel or battery power left, so it'd be mostly just dead weight reducing the performance available in the SM engine.I would guess that the ascent stage could have remained powered via power transfer from the CSM/SM, so there would have been a benefit of the additional volume for the crew during the 3 day return. Not much point of having the ascent stage as a lifeboat if it needs power from the CSM to do so. Might just as well use the CSM. Of what benefit would the additional volume be?Try spending 3 days in 210 cubic feet of volume with 2 other guys, and then you might understand.
Let me rephrase the question: Of what benefit would the additional volume be in a lifeboat situation? That it's uncomfortable is a given.
Quote from: Danderman on 07/08/2011 05:17 pmQuote from: ZANL188 on 07/08/2011 05:13 pmQuote from: Danderman on 07/08/2011 03:43 pmQuote from: Naito on 07/07/2011 03:19 amI believe the ascent stage is pretty much "spent" by the time it redocks with the CM. There'd have been very little fuel or battery power left, so it'd be mostly just dead weight reducing the performance available in the SM engine.I would guess that the ascent stage could have remained powered via power transfer from the CSM/SM, so there would have been a benefit of the additional volume for the crew during the 3 day return. Not much point of having the ascent stage as a lifeboat if it needs power from the CSM to do so. Might just as well use the CSM. Of what benefit would the additional volume be?Try spending 3 days in 210 cubic feet of volume with 2 other guys, and then you might understand.Let me rephrase the question: Of what benefit would the additional volume be in a lifeboat situation? That it's uncomfortable is a given.