Author Topic: Martin Report on Simulated Direct Ascent Lunar Missions (1962) (Read 5302 times)

Graham2001 · « **on:** 05/13/2012 10:13 am »

In the latest upload to the NTRS was a report by Martin into a series of simulated Direct Ascent Lunar Missions carried out using a 'typical NOVA' (8-F1, 8-J2, 2-J2) and featuring a very 'Apollo like' command module.

Two of the most interesting pictures, showing the upper part of the spacecraft and its control panel are attached, I've blown up the control panel as large as I can, it can be seen on page 234 of the PDF.

See:

Crew Performance During Simulated Lunar Missions

Bob Shaw · « **Reply #1 on:** 05/13/2012 10:44 am »

Looks like the two-man sub-scale CM variant...

Graham2001 · « **Reply #2 on:** 05/13/2012 12:42 pm »

Quote from: Bob Shaw on 05/13/2012 10:44 am

Looks like the two-man sub-scale CM variant...

But sized for a three-man crew (See attached picture).

I've also managed to locate the NASA Technical Note covering this series of tests.

See:

Crew Performance During Real-Time Mission Simulation

Graham2001 · « **Reply #3 on:** 12/15/2012 11:26 pm »

Apologies for the bump, but I've managed to locate a further document convering early simulation of pre-LOR Apollo missions. From that report I've located a further picture of the simulation crew at the control panel and closups of the Commanders & Navigators sections of the control panel. The external picture of the simulator comes from the report in the original post.

Crew Performance & Personal Observations On A Lunar Mission Simulation

Blackstar · « **Reply #4 on:** 12/16/2012 04:44 am »

It doesn't look like that simulator could be tilted up. I would suspect that the horizontal seating, although more comfortable, probably lowered the accuracy of the simulation for some things. After all, they needed to practice laying on their backs and reaching up.

But I assume this was a rather low fidelity simulator anyway because this was early in the program. Those buttons probably didn't do anything.

Archibald · « **Reply #5 on:** 12/16/2012 07:54 am »

Those pictures are straight out of sci-fi movie.

Graham2001 · « **Reply #6 on:** 12/16/2012 08:35 am »

Quote from: Blackstar on 12/16/2012 04:44 am

It doesn't look like that simulator could be tilted up. I would suspect that the horizontal seating, although more comfortable, probably lowered the accuracy of the simulation for some things. After all, they needed to practice laying on their backs and reaching up.

But I assume this was a rather low fidelity simulator anyway because this was early in the program. Those buttons probably didn't do anything.

From re-reading the report in the OP it appears that this was one of the first attempts to simulate a full lunar mission and also incorporated a basic LOR simulation.

The references mention a report entitled:

"An Investigation of Crew Performance during a Simulated Seven Day Lunar Orbit Mission" (Author M. A. Grodsky)

Which appears to be an earlier study, but I was unable to locate it on the NTRS, if only to confirm the configuration of the simulated vehicle for that study.

Graham2001 · « **Reply #7 on:** 12/16/2012 08:37 am »

Quote from: Archibald on 12/16/2012 07:54 am

Those pictures are straight out of sci-fi movie.

Where do you think the films got it from...

The first picture is from a 1958 report into simulating the piloting of a 'winged satellite' during re-entry, the second, 'Marooned'

Graham2001 · « **Reply #8 on:** 09/06/2014 05:22 am »

All of the documents I had linked to disappeared after the security scare. Thankfully I have located them on a backup drive and the link below to box.net is to a Zip file containing them.

https://app.box.com/s/rsaernej3apvtuxkwo1s