rodman@mfci.UUCP (Paul Rodman) (07/21/89)
In article <5348@hplabsb.HP.COM> dsmith@hplabsb.UUCP (David Smith) writes: > >Whoa right back. Ranger was indeed launched to answer this question. >Rangers 3-5 had seismometers encased in balsa spheres, attached to >retrorockets. These packages were supposed to separate from the main >spacecraft, brake to a stop 1100 feet altitude, jettison the retros, >then fall from there. After rolling to a stop, they were to transmit >readings back. If the balls sank into dust, the signals would reflect >that. > Your description makes it sound fancier than I thought it was...I think it was just a fixed solid-fuel motor that blasted "up" just before impact of the ranger. No "separate" from the Ranger first. As a matter of fact, without any stabilization system, I'm sure you rather fire the retro kick while still attached to the properly facing Ranger(?). If memory serves the seismometers were shock protected in fluid, which after impact was drained out buy "bullets" that fired out thru the case and the balsa shock absorber sphere. I also see to recall that at least one of these things didn't work. I don't remember any data collected from any of them.....??? pkr