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The Apollo spacecraft was designed as part of the Apollo Program , by the United States in the early 1960s to land man on the Moon before 1970 and return them safely to Earth .This goal was set forth by the late president Kennedy after the first flight of the Mercury Space Program. The spacecraft was made up of multiple units or stages that worked together to perform the mission of Landing on the moon and returning safely to earth. The main components of the Apollo spacecraft were (going from top to bottom) the launch escape system, the ''' Command Module ''', the ''' Service Module ''', the ''' Lunar Module ''' and the lunar module adapter. These stages together would sit atop the launch vehicle. The principle was Lunar Orbit Rendezvous: A Rocket would launch the Spacecraft to the moon. The spacecraft would fly to the moon and orbit it. A smaller portion of the spacecraft would land on the moon and return to lunar Orbit . Then a portion of the spacecraft would return to earth. Launch vehicles: Little Joe II , Saturn I , Saturn IB , and Saturn V . LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM (LES) The purpose of the Apollo Launch Escape System was to pull the Command Module (which contained the crew cabin) away from the launch vehicle in an abort situation. The emergency could be a pad fire, exploding launch vehicle or a launch vehicle going off course. The Launch Escape System would work automatically (or through manual activation) to fire a solid fuel escape rocket and open a canard system to direct the Command Module away from, and off the path of, a launch vehicle in trouble. The Launch Escape System would then jettison and the Command Module would land with its Parachute recovery system. If the emergency happened on the launch pad, the Launch Escape System would lift the Command Module to a sufficient height to allow the recovery parachutes to deploy safely before coming in contact with the ground.
COMMAND MODULE (CM) See Also: Apollo Command/Service Module The Command Module was the control center for the Apollo spacecraft and living quarters for the crew. It contained the pressurized main crew cabin, crew couches, control and instrument panel, Optical And Electronic Guidance Systems , communications systems, environmental control system, batteries, Heat Shield , reaction control system, forward docking hatch, side hatch, five windows and the parachute recovery system.
SERVICE MODULE (SM) See Also: Apollo Command/Service Module The Service Module was a portion of the spacecraft that is unpressurized and contains fuel cells, batteries, high gain antenna, radiators, water, oxygen, hydrogen, reaction control system, propellant to enter and leave lunar orbit, and service propulsion system. On Apollo 15, 16 and 17 it also carried a scientific instrument package, mapping camera and a small sub-satellite to study the moon. A major portion of the service module is taken up by propellant and the main rocket engine that placed the Apollo spacecraft into and out of lunar orbit. The main rocket engine was also used for mid-course corrections between the earth and the moon. It was capable of multiple restarts. It remained attached to the Command Module throughout the mission. It is jettisoned just prior to reentry into the earth's atmosphere.
LUNAR MODULE (LM) See Also: Apollo Lunar Module The Lunar Module was the portion of the Apollo spacecraft that landed on the moon and returned to lunar orbit. It is divided into two major parts, the Descent Module and the Ascent Module. It was designed specifically for flight in space. It supplied life support systems for two astronauts for a total of four to five days. The spacecraft was designed and manufactured by the Grumman Aircraft Company led by Tom Kelly. The Descent Module contains the landing gear, landing radar antenna, descent rocket engine, and fuel to land on the moon. It also had several cargo compartments used to carry among other things, the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Packages ALSEP , Mobile Equipment Cart (a hand pulled equipment cart - Apollo 14 ) the Lunar Rover (moon car - Apollo 15 , 16 and 17), surface television camera, surface tools and lunar sample collection boxes. The Ascent Module contains the crew cabin, instrument panels, overhead hatch/docking port, forward hatch, Optical And Electronic Guidance Systems , reaction control system, radar and communications antennas, ascent rocket engine and fuel to return to lunar orbit and Rendezvous with the Apollo Command and Service Modules.
SPACECRAFT LUNAR MODULE ADAPTER (SLA) The Spacecraft Lunar Module Adapter (SLA) is an aluminum cone shaped structure that connects the Service Module to the Saturn S-IVB rocket stage. It also protects the Lunar Module during launch and ascent through the atmosphere. It is made up of four large panels that open from the top similar to flower petals. The SLA is made from 42.5 mm thick aluminum honeycomb material. The exterior of the SLA is covered by a layer of cork nearly 1 mm thick and then painted white. The cork insulates the Lunar Module from atmospheric frictional heat generated durning launch and ascent. Once in space, the Command and Service Module detach from the SLA. Then the four SLA panels are then opened and released from the S-IVB rocket stage. This uncovers and allows access to the Lunar Module. The Command and Service Module turns 180 degrees and Docks with the Lunar Module and then pulls it free from the S-IVB rocket stage.
ABORT MODES
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