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Apollo Discussions => The Reality of Apollo => Topic started by: Dalhousie on March 09, 2014, 12:39:18 AM

Title: Apollo 10 ascent stage question
Post by: Dalhousie on March 09, 2014, 12:39:18 AM

I have not had much success on Google or other sources in determining how long communications were maintained with the ascent age after final undocking.

Thanks

Title: Re: Apollo 10 ascent stage question
Post by: gwiz on March 09, 2014, 06:38:20 AM

There's an article about this in the current issue of Spaceflight, covering attempts to locate the ascent stage.  It says contact was lost about 12 hours after separation.

Title: Re: Apollo 10 ascent stage question
Post by: Dalhousie on March 09, 2014, 07:29:46 AM

Thanks!  The latest issue of Spaceflight I have received is January.  I guess I will see this story in a month or two.

Title: Re: Apollo 10 ascent stage question
Post by: Kiwi on March 09, 2014, 07:39:08 AM

The book "Apollo By the Numbers" by Richard W. Orloff (NASA History Series) is one of the first things I check whenever I want some oddball information.
http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4029/contents.htm

The fourth paragraph before "Transearth Phase" in the Apollo 10 Summary gives the following:
http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4029/Apollo_10a_Summary.htm

Quote

Once docked, the LM crew transferred the exposed film packets to the CM. The LM ascent stage was jettisoned at 108:24:36. A 6.5-second separation maneuver at 108:43:23.3 raised the LM orbit to 64.0 by 56.3 n mi. This was followed at 108:52:05.5 (about one revolution after jettison) by a 249.0-second remote control firing to depletion of the ascent engine. This burn, commanded as planned, utilized the LM ascent engine arming assembly and was targeted to place the LM into a solar orbit. Communications were maintained until LM ascent stage battery depletion at about 120:00. The ascent stage batteries lasted about 12 hours after LM jettison.

The wording is a little different to my hardcopy of the book, dated 2000, but says essentially the same thing.  The online version sometimes gets updated when new information comes to hand.

Title: Re: Apollo 10 ascent stage question
Post by: Dalhousie on March 09, 2014, 07:24:42 PM

Thanks again.  I had not realised that Apollo by the numbers was on line.  Now bookmarked.

Title: Re: Apollo 10 ascent stage question
Post by: ka9q on March 13, 2014, 05:55:50 PM

I've seen annexes to some of the mission reports giving detailed tracking data. Dunno if these exist online for Apollo 10.

Title: Re: Apollo 10 ascent stage question
Post by: johnbutcher on March 13, 2014, 07:37:47 PM

Quote from: Dalhousie on March 09, 2014, 07:24:42 PM

Thanks again.  I had not realised that Apollo by the numbers was on line.  Now bookmarked.

Yep! I have it bookmarked now! As well!

Sloop

Title: Re: Apollo 10 ascent stage question
Post by: Kiwi on March 14, 2014, 10:40:20 AM

Apollo By the Numbers

This thread at the old ApolloHoax board from February 2006 (the date has been changed to October 2007) gives the links for all the pages -- some of Nasa's original links didn't work at the time.
http://apollohoax.proboards.com/thread/1356/apollo-numbers