Author Topic: Apollo 10 Speed Record  (Read 5972 times)

Online TJL

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Apollo 10 Speed Record
« on: 02/25/2007 01:25 pm »
I've read in many reports that Apollo 10 set the record for the fastest manned vehicle.
Did this flight have a slightly different trajectory than the 8 other lunar missions?
Was the differnce only "a few" mph?
Apollo 13 added a 5 minute burn after looping around the Moon. I don't believe any other Apollo lunar mission fired their engines that period of time, either going to or from the Earth. Even with that burn, their velocity was less than Apollo 10.
Can someone explain?
Thank you.

Offline Jorge

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RE: Apollo 10 Speed Record
« Reply #1 on: 02/25/2007 03:19 pm »
Quote
TJL - 25/2/2007  8:25 AM

I've read in many reports that Apollo 10 set the record for the fastest manned vehicle.
Did this flight have a slightly different trajectory than the 8 other lunar missions?
Was the differnce only "a few" mph?
Apollo 13 added a 5 minute burn after looping around the Moon. I don't believe any other Apollo lunar mission fired their engines that period of time, either going to or from the Earth. Even with that burn, their velocity was less than Apollo 10.
Can someone explain?
Thank you.

Part of it is simply time of the month. The moon's orbit is noticeably elliptical and getting there at apogee requires more velocity at TLI.

Part of it is FAI rules. IIRC the new record must exceed the old by some percentage (10%?) in order for the record to be "official". Any post-Apollo 10 flight that exceeded the record wouldn't have broken it by enough to set a new record.
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JRF
JRF

Offline refsmmat

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Re: Apollo 10 Speed Record
« Reply #2 on: 02/25/2007 03:28 pm »
'Apollo by the Numbers' states Apollo 10 was the fastest, 36397 fps.  

Next highest was Apollo 8, 36303 fps.

It's an interesting question, one I thought about but never did the math.

Speed in fps is whatever the maximum was on 8, 10 and 11, and only the EI speed on 12 through 17.  EI speed is about 100 fps slower than maximum.  I don't know why they have max on the first three, and then only EI speeds on the rest.

All times are MET, notwithstanding light lag or any clock changes such as Apollo 17's catch-up after the launch delay.

More from 'Apollo by the Numbers':

Apollo 8
TEI 089h 19m 16.6s 8842 fps
EI 146h 46m 12.8s 36303 fps

Apollo 10
TEI 137h 39m 13.7s 8987.2 fps
EI 191h 48m 54.5s 36397 fps

Apollo 11
TEI 135h 23m 42.28s 8589 fps
EI 195h 03m 05.7s 36277 fps

Apollo 12
TEI 172h 29m 27.13s 8350.4 fps
EI 244h 22m 19.09s 36116.618 fps

Apollo 13
Earthrise 077h 33m 10s delta fps
EI 142h 40m 45.7s 36210.6 fps

Apollo 14
TEI 148h 38m 31.53s 8505 fps
EI 215h 47m 45.3s 36170.2 fps

Apollo 15
TEI 223h 51m 06.74s 8272.4 fps
EI 294h 58m 54.7s 36096.4 fps

Apollo 16
TEI 200h 24m 15.36s 8663 fps
EI 265h 37m 31s 36196.1 fps

Apollo 17
TEI 234h 02m 09.18s 8374.3 fps
EI 301h 38m 38s 36090.3 fps

Offline Space Lizard

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Re: Apollo 10 Speed Record
« Reply #3 on: 02/25/2007 03:45 pm »
That's 11,094 m/s, or 39,938 km/h.

The 40,000 km/h mark has not been crossed yet!
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Online TJL

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Re: Apollo 10 Speed Record
« Reply #4 on: 02/25/2007 04:20 pm »
Thanks, guys...much clearer now.

Offline Dana

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Re: Apollo 10 Speed Record
« Reply #5 on: 02/26/2007 01:35 am »
Quote
Space Lizard - 25/2/2007  8:45 AM

That's 11,094 m/s, or 39,938 km/h.

The 40,000 km/h mark has not been crossed yet!

24,761.56 MPH. :)
"Don't play dumb with me! You're not as good at it as I am!"-Col. Flagg

"'Second Place' is just the first loser."-Bobby Allison

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