Space Forum / Space History / September 2006

------- Begin Forwarded Message -------
Subject:     Smart 1 may have photographed Apollo LEM.
From:        Dave E <david.az@ntlworld.com>
Newsgroups:  sci.astro.amateur

A colleague made reference to an obituary in the LA Times for Rocco Petrone.
Here is the url:
http://www.legacy.com/latimes/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=19048433

Ever since I bought Spacecraft Films Gemini DVD set 2 or 3 years ago
I've been fascinated by one particular bit of Bonus Material they
include, namely the "Gemini Control Panel" segment.  This is silent,
raw-looking footage of two suited up gentlemen that enter the capsule

...I've tried to e-mail you something, but it keeps bouncing back. Can
you drop me a line so I can forward this in a reply?
[Cue Jeff to whine about ssh being my answering machine]
                OM

http://galacticdrifter.blogspot.com/
(updated URL)

Launch failure and atomic test videos
Misc. unmanned launch mishaps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ywwzfkpvQ0&NR
Ariane launch failure

see
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=05403895-08fb-4cf9-8686-1217dd
dbb5a1

In light of the recent discussion of the quarantine procedures for the
first few Apollo lunar-landing missions, the discussion of the
post-splashdown procedures in James Hansen's biography of Neil
Armstrong, "First Man," might be of interest.  According to Hansen (p.

I'm guessing the answer is "cost" but why wasn't the LDEF ever flown a
second time?
After all, the original plan was multiple flights.  And given that the first
one was 5-6 times longer than planned, I'm sure there were at least a few

I was musing about the early days of our ICBM program while checking out
Rusty's missile websites, and a thought occurred to me:
Neither the Atlas or Titan had a particularly long life as an ICBM
(Atlas 1959-1967; Titan 1962-1966), and only 54 Titan IIs  were deployed

Perhaps I missed them but I don't recall seeing any pictures taken by MER
Opportunity of the interior of Beagle Crater.  There were a couple of the
approach to the rim but that seemed to be all.
Any pointers?

Is there a website that gives an authoritative definition of
"rendezvous" in space flight?  There is some contention on this issue
at the wikipedia article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Space_Exploration_Milestones%2C_1957-1969

Watching the Apollo 16 DVD, they said that the landing may be delayed
for one orbit because the CSM failed to circularize its orbit.  Did
the SM engine fail?  What happened?
---

A few years ago I posted some questions about a possible Viking Lander
third body being at the University of Washington here in Seattle and
recieved several email claiming no such thing existed that it must of
been a test item or mock-up.

The recent award to Lockheed/Martin (LM) for the development of the
Orion spacecraft identified the Prime team of contractors that made up
the LM proposal. None of the Primes are located outside the United
States.